Hello Betty,
After reading the information about Annie Sullivan which you supplied to Ancestry.com’s message board on 22 April of this year, I wanted to see if I could find where in Ireland Annie’s parents, Thomas Sullivan and Alice Clohesy were married. If Annie had been born in 1866, and if she were the eldest child of the Thomas and Alice, I figured her parents would have been married sometime between 1860 and 1864.
I found what I believe to be the marriage index for Thomas and Alice at the Irish Family History Foundation (IFHF) website for County Limerick. This index shows that Thomas Sullivan and Alice Clohesy were married in the Hospital & Herbertstown Catholic Church in 1862.
The home page for the IFHF can be found at:
http://www.rootsireland.ie/The index follows:
1 match for the search criteria: Sullivan (plus variants) Thomas 1862 Parish: HOSPITAL & HERBERTSTOWN (RC)
Record Type: Marriage Records for Co. LImerick
Surname: Sullivan
First Name: Thomas
Spouse's Surname: Clohesy
Spouse's First Name: Alice
Father's Surname:
Father's First Name:
Mother's Surname:
Mother's First Name:
Year: 1862
Parish/District: Parish: HOSPITAL & HERBERTSTOWN (RC)
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Next I looked for but didn’t find any children of Thomas Sullivan and Alice Clohesy who may have been baptized in Limerick or in other Irish counties, prior to Thomas and Alice leaving for the United States.
Moving ahead eight years in time I found Thomas and Alice Sullivan and three of their children in the 1870 U.S. census, living in Agawam, Massachusetts. The census shows that 30 year old Thomas was employed as a laborer and that the value of his personal estate at the time was $100. The census shows that he and his 28 year old wife Alice were from Ireland. The enumeration further shows that Thomas could not read and write, but that Alice could only read.
The children in the household, all born in Massachusetts, are 4 year old Anna; 3 year old Nellie; and 1 year old James.
I had wondered why Annie’s parents gave her the middle name of Mansfield. The 1870 census may answer this question, as the family had lived near the Mansfield, Massachusetts Post Office.
The census transcription blow is from Ancestry.com:
1870 U.S. Census
Page No. 42}
SCHEDULE 1.-Inhabitants in Town of Agawam, in the County of Hampden, State
of Massachusetts, enumerated by me on the 3 day of August, 1870. Darwin H. Bunnell, Ass't Marshal
Post Office: Mansfield Mass
Name, Age, Sex, Color, Occupation, Value of Real Estate, Value of Personal Estate, Place of Birth,
If born within the year state month of birth, Cannot Read, Cannot Write, Male Citizen of U.S. 21
years of age and upward
Thomas Sullivan, 30, Male, White, Laborer, $0, $100, Ireland, Cannot Read, Cannot Write
Alice Sullivan, 28, Female, White, Keeping House, Ireland, Cannot Write
Anna, 4, Female, White, At Home, Mass
Nellie, 3, Female, White, At Home, Mass
James, 1, Male, White, At Home, Mass
Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Agawam, Hampden, Massachusetts; Roll: M593_616; Page: 21B; Image: 47; Family History Library Film: 552115.
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I then looked for the birth record for Joanne (Annie) Sullivan at the Latter Day Saints (LDS) website at
www.familysearch.orgI found what could be Annie’s birth record at the LDS. But, if this record does pertain to Annie there is an error in it. Information from her biography shows that Annie was born Johanna Sullivan on April 14, 1866.
The LDS birth index and accompanying link for her birth registered in Agawam, gives the birth of a Johanna Sullivan recorded in April of 1866. The day in April is not listed. But, the birth record shows her parents were Thomas Sullivan, a farmer, and Anna C. Sullivan, (not Alice), both of Ireland.
The birth index is below:
"Massachusetts, Births, 1841-1915," Johanna Sullivan, 1866
Name: Johanna Sullivan
Event: Birth
Event Date: Apr 1866
Event Place: Agawam, Massachusetts
Gender:
Race: White
Registration Date:
Registration Place:
Christening Date:
Christening Place:
Christening Age:
Death Date:
Death Age:
Father: Thomas Sullivan
Father's Birthplace: Ireland
Father's Age:
Mother: Anna C. Sullivan
Mother's Birthplace: Ireland
Mother's Age:
Volume/Page/Certificate Number: v 187 p 1
Film Number: 1428038
Digital Folder Number: 4275260
Image Number: 5
Source Citation
"Massachusetts, Births, 1841-1915," index and images, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FXHY-2TK : accessed 31 Aug 2012), Johanna Sullivan, 1866.
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To view a copy of the original Agawam birth register for Johanna Sullivan, go to the familysearch link at:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12339-19922-3?c...I can’t be sure if the above pertains to Johanna, daughter of Thomas and Alice, but the clerk who recorded the birth may have incorrectly listed Alice as Anna. But that’s only a guess on my part.
I then located the LDS birth index and copy of the birth record for “Elen” Sullivan, daughter of Thomas Sullivan and
Alice “Clarissy.” Elen was born in Agawam on 6 July 1867. This would be the Nellie Sullivan in the 1870 census noted earlier:
"Massachusetts, Births, 1841-1915," Elen Sullivan, 1867:
Name: Elen Sullivan
Event: Birth
Event Date: 06 Jul 1867
Event Place: Agawam, Hampden, Massachusetts
Gender:
Race:
Registration Date:
Registration Place:
Christening Date:
Christening Place:
Christening Age:
Death Date:
Death Age:
Father: Thomas Sullivan
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother: Alice Clarissy
Mother's Titles & Terms:
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Volume/Page/Certificate Number:
Film Number: 1428039
Digital Folder Number: 4341186
Image Number: 5
Source Citation
"Massachusetts, Births, 1841-1915," index and images, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FXZ6-JGM : accessed 30 Aug 2012), Elen Sullivan, 1867.
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A copy of the original Agawam birth register entry for Elen Sullivan can be found at the familysearch link at:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11047-18829-23?...You’ll notice in the birth register that the recorder had originally listed the child as Thomas, but crossed out Thomas and added the name “Elen.” Because of this mixup, Elen’s gender is listed as “Male” rather than Female.
I then located the death index for 6 year old Nellie Sullivan’s at the LDS website. Nellie died in Agawam on 15 May 1873. Her parents are listed as Thomas Sullivan and Alice, both of Ireland:
"Massachusetts, Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910," Nellie Sullivan, 1873
Name: Nellie Sullivan
Gender: Female
Burial Date:
Burial Place: Agawam
Death Date: 15 May 1873
Death Place: Agawam, Hampden, Massachusetts
Age: 6
Birth Date: 1867
Birthplace: Agawam
Occupation: Child
Race:
Marital Status:
Spouse's Name:
Father's Name: Thomas Sullivan
Father's Birthplace: Ireland
Mother's Name: Alice
Mother's Birthplace: Ireland
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: B07552-0
System Origin: Massachusetts-EASy
Reference Number: it8 v1 p26 n13
Source Film Number: 960202 =
Source Citation
"Massachusetts, Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910," index, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FC9L-1YD : accessed 30 Aug 2012), Nellie Sullivan, 15 May 1873; citing reference it8 v1 p26 n13, FHL microfilm 2028187.
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A copy of the Agawam death register entry for Nellie Sullivan can be found at:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11665-46722-78?...The death register shows that Nellie died of “Brain Fever.”
I then located the LDS birth and death indexes for a John Sullivan, son of Thomas and Alice Sullivan. The birth index shows that John was born in Agawam on 15 June 1873. I hadn’t read anywhere that Thomas and Alice had a son named John, and so I’m wondering if I have the correct Sullivan family.
The birth index for John Sullivan is below:
"Massachusetts, Births, 1841-1915," John Sullivan, 1873
Name: John Sullivan
Event: Birth
Event Date: 15 Jun 1873
Event Place: Agawam, Hampden, Massachusetts
Gender:
Registration Date:
Registration Place:
Christening Date:
Christening Place:
Christening Age:
Death Date:
Death Age:
Father: Thos. Sullivan
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother: Alice
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Volume/Page/Certificate Number:
Film Number: 1428076
Digital Folder Number: 4212534
Image Number: 770
Source Citation
"Massachusetts, Births, 1841-1915," index and images, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FX4C-P6X : accessed 31 Aug 2012), John Sullivan, 1873.
____
A copy of the Agawam birth register entry for John Sullivan can be found at:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11854-169204-26...Next is the death index for John Sullivan, who died in Agawam on 15 August 1873. He was the son of Thomas Sullivan and Alice. John’s age at death is listed as “0.” His death would have occurred only three months after the death of Nellie Sullivan.
"Massachusetts, Deaths, 1841-1915," John Sullivan, 1873
Name: John Sullivan
Event: Death
Event Date: 15 Aug 1873
Event Place: Agawam, Massachusetts
Residence: Agawam
Street Address:
Gender: Male
Age: 0
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Child
Birth Date:
Birthplace: Agawam
Estimated Birth Year: 1873
Burial Date:
Burial Place:
Cemetery:
Father: Thomas Sullivan
Father's Birthplace: Ireland
Mother: Alice
Mother's Birthplace: Ireland
Film Number: 960202
Frame Number:
Digital Folder Number: 4221417
Image Number: 372
Source Citation
"Massachusetts, Deaths, 1841-1915," index and images, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NWSP-CJT : accessed 31 Aug 2012), John Sullivan, 1873.
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A copy of the death register entry for John Sullivan can be found at the familysearch link at:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11665-46722-78?...Next is the death index for Annie Sullivan’s mother, Alice. Alice died in Agawam on 19 January 1874 at the age of 30. The index also shows that Alice’s father was Owen “Cloesey.”
"Massachusetts, Deaths, 1841-1915," Alice Sullivan, 1874
Name: Alice Sullivan
Event: Death
Event Date: 19 Jan 1874
Event Place: Agawam, Massachusetts
Residence: Agawam
Street Address:
Gender: Female
Age: 30
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Housekeeper
Birth Date:
Birthplace: Ireland
Estimated Birth Year: 1844
Burial Date:
Burial Place:
Cemetery:
Father: Owen Cloesey
Father's Birthplace: Ireland
Mother:
Mother's Birthplace:
Spouse:
Volume/Page/Certificate Number: v 265 p 313
Film Number: 960204
Frame Number:
Digital Folder Number: 4221419
Image Number: 336
Source Citation
"Massachusetts, Deaths, 1841-1915," index and images, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N7P2-4YX : accessed 29 Aug 2012), Alice Sullivan, 1874.
____
A copy of the original Agawam death register for Alice Sullivan can be found at:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11118-1764-71?c...The death register shows that Alice was born in Ireland, and that her occupation was “Housekeeper.” The register also shows that she died of consumption.
Alice’s death record shows that her father’s name was Owen “Cloesey.” With this basic information I wanted to see if I could locate her baptism index at the IFHF website. I figured if Alice had been married in County Limerick, she likely was born and baptized there as well. I searched for Alice’s baptism index, first in the Hospital & Herbertstown Catholic Church, where she and Tomas Sullivan were married in 1862.
I found a baptism index that may refer to Alice. This index shows that Alice was baptized in the Hospital & Herbertstown Catholic Church in 1841. Her LDS death index gives her estimated year of birth as 1844, which means that Alice was actually a few years older than 30 when she died in 1874.
The IFHF search engine accepted Owen as the first name of her father. But, the indexes do not automatically provide the names of the parents in birth and baptism indexes. You either have to know the names of the parents (in this case Alice’s death record listed Owen as her father), or you have to guess as to what their first names were, or you have to find out what their names were through additional research.
The initial baptism index I located for Alice Clohesy is below. You’ll see that it does not include the name of her mother:
1 match for the search criteria: Clohesy (plus variants) Alice 1841 Parish: HOSPITAL & HERBERTSTOWN (RC)
Record Type: Baptism/Birth Records for Co. Limerick
Surname: Clohessy
First Name: Alice
Father's Surname: Clohesy
Father's First Name: Owen
Mother's Surname:
Mother's First Name:
Year: 1841
Parish/District: HOSPITAL & HERBERTSTOWN (RC)
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I took several guesses as to what the first name of Alice’s mother was. The IFHF search engine accepted Ellen as the first name of Alice’s mother. The revised index follows:
1 match for the search criteria: Clohesy (plus variants) Alice 1841 Parish: HOSPITAL & HERBERTSTOWN (RC)
Record Type: Baptism/Birth Records for Co. Limerick
Surname: Clohessy
First Name: Alice
Father's Surname: Clohesy
Father's First Name: Owen
Mother's Surname:
Mother's First Name: Ellen
Year: 1841
Parish/District: HOSPITAL & HERBERTSTOWN (RC)
____
Guessing maiden names in these indexes can be tedious and likely unsuccessful. At this point I went ahead and purchased the baptism transcription for Alice from the IFHF for County Limerick, as the transcription would tell me what Ellen’s maiden name was. The transcription shows her maiden name was Keogh. The transcription also spells Owen’s and Alice’s surname as “Clohessy.” The transcription further shows that Alice was baptized on 26 November 1841, and that the sponsors, that is, godparents of Alice, were Daniel and Margaret McCarthy.
The IFHF baptism transcription for Alice is below:
Church Baptism Record
Name: Alice Clohessy
Date of Birth:
Date of Baptism: 26-Nov-1841
Address:
Parish/District: HOSPITAL & HERBERTSTOWN
Gender: Unknown
County: Co. Limerick
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Father: Owen Clohessy
Mother: Ellen Keogh
Occupation:
Sponsor 1: Dan. McCarthy
Sponsor 2: Mgt. McCarthy
Notes:
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Betty, I can’t be 100 percent sure that the above baptism record pertains to Annie Sullivan’s mother Alice. But based on the LDS death index and death register showing that Alice’s father was Owen, and also because Clohesy/Clohessy is not a very common surname in Ireland, I believe there is a very good chance that Alice’s parents were Owen Clohessy and Ellen Keogh.
Next I wanted to see if Owen Clohessy and Ellen Keogh had any more children. I found the IFHF baptism index for one other child who was named Mary. Mary was baptized in the Hospital & Herbertstown Catholic Church in 1844:
1 match for the search criteria: Clohesy (plus variants) Mary 1844 Parish: HOSPITAL & HERBERTSTOWN (RC)
Record Type: Baptism/Birth Records for Co. Limerick
Surname: Clohessy
First Name: Mary
Father's Surname: Clohessy
Father's First Name: Owen
Mother's Surname: Keogh
Mother's First Name: Ellen
Year: 1844
Parish/District: HOSPITAL & HERBERTSTOWN (RC)
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I also found the IFHF marriage index for Owen Clohessy and Ellen Keogh. But, their marriage was not recorded in the Hospital & Herbertstown Catholic Church. The index instead shows their marriage took place in the Knocklong & Glenbrohane (Limerick) Catholic Church, in 1838:
1 match for the search criteria: Clohessy (plus variants) Owen 1838 Parish: KNOCKLONG & GLENBROHANE (RC)
Record Type: Marriage Records for Co. LImerick
Surname: Clohessy
First Name: Owen
Spouse's Surname: Keogh
Spouse's First Name: Ellen
Father's Surname:
Father's First Name:
Mother's Surname:
Mother's First Name:
Year: 1838
Parish/District: Parish: KNOCKLONG & GLENBROHANE (RC)
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To view a Catholic parish map for the eastern portion of County Limerick, go to the Irish Times website link at:
http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/counties/rcmaps/li...On the map you’ll see that the parish of Hospital was a big parish, located on the border with County Tipperary. This is the parish in which Thomas Sullivan and Alice Clohesy were married in 1862, and also the parish where Alice was baptized in 1841. Just south of the Parish of Hospital, you’ll see the Parish of Knocklong & Glenbrohane. This is the parish were Owen Clohessy and Ellen Keogh were married in 1838.
Going back to American records I found 14 year old Anna Sullivan residing in the State Alms House, Tewksbury, Massachusetts. The census does not show that her brother James was there with her however. There are several census pages of inmates in the almshouse, but in the transcription below, I’ve only included the superintendent of the almshouse and his family, as well as Anna Sullivan.
The superintendent is 75 year old Thomas J. Marsh. His 76 year old wife Nancy is listed as a matron in the almshouse. Thomas and Nancy’s adult children and their spouses are also shown to be working in the almshouse. One of these adult children, for example, is their 41 year old daughter Helen, who is listed as a physician in the almshouse.
The census transcription from Ancestry.com, follows:.
1880 United States Federal Census
Page No. 33
Supervisor's Dist. No. 60
Enumeration Dist. No. 378
SCHEDULE 1.-Inhabitants in Tewksbury, in the County of Middlesex, State of Mass.
enumerated by me on the 17th day of June 1880.
M.F. Spaulding
Enumerator
State Alms House, Officers & Attendants
Name, Color, Sex, Age, Marital Status, Occupation, Birthplace, Place of Birth of Father, Place of Birth of Mother
Thomas Marsh J, White, Male, 75, Married, Superintendent, New Hampshire, N.H., N.H.
Nancy F. Marsh, White, Female, 76, Wife, Married, Matron, New Hampshire, N.H., N.H.
Helen M. Marsh, White, Female, 41, Daughter, Single, Physician, Massachusetts, N.H., N.H.
Thomas J. Marsh Jr., White, Male, 49, Son, Married, Asst. Supt. New Hampshire, N.H., N.H.
Helen E. Marsh, White, Female, 41, Dau-inlaw, Married, Massachusetts, Maine, N.H.
Harry W. Marsh, White, Male, 19, Grandson, Single, Student, Massachusetts, N.H., Mass.
Charles B. Marsh, White, Male, 39, Son, Married, Clerk, Massachusetts, N.H., N.H.
Sarah F. Marsh, White, Female, 40, Dau-inlaw, Married, Massachusetts, Mass., Mass.
Anna Sullivan, White, Female, 14, Single, Massachusetts
Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Tewksbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: 539; Family History Film: 1254539; Page: 500C; Enumeration District: 378; Image: 0481.
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Betty, I hope you’ve found this information as interesting as I did.
Best Wishes,
Dave Boylan