Hi I am doing some research for myfamily. My great Grandfather was Charles Marvin Kerr born 10/13/1900, death 7/17/1993, his father was George Kerr birthyear 1864, he came to the U.S in I believe 1864 also. He was married to Pauline (sorry no info as of yet. There was also who I believe to be a grandmother named Margaret McGrath who's birthyear is approx 1835 in Ireland. I am just beginning my research and am pretty overwelmed! but excited! I would accept any help or advise given.

Names, dates and places are necessary to locate the information and to prove that the George Kerr you locate is the same person as the George Kerr who is your ancestor.

Also remember everything is not on the internet and there may be mistakes on what is found on the internet.

The family history website at www.familysearch.org has the largest collection of information. The website is free to use - they have a project where volunteers transcribe the records - some records are restricted to the volunteers.

You posted this message in the board about Ships from Ireland - you will discover that there are thousands of Kerr's and McGrath's in Ireland.

Although your message, does not say so, I'm guessing you already have the 1910 and 1930 US census info for George and Pauline. They lived in Brooklyn. 1910 is where you find Margaret McGrath age 75 yrs

1930 census says George born 1865, immigrated 1876 also in the home are Edith Reysdick, Irene Reysdick, John Brocker, Edmond Rysdick - any idea who these people are ?

I'm guessing you want to find particulars about where in Ireland - in which case you will need to focus on George and Pauline - their marriage record, death certificates, death notices in the newspapers, birth records of the children, baptism records may list godparents who may be the aunts and uncles - learn the names of their brothers and sisters.

Hopefully you live near Brooklyn and can go to the public records office to research in the public records for births, marriages and deaths. Also go to the library and research in the Brooklyn newspapers for death notices.

There is an 1870 census with George Kerr age 4 - 21st ward Brooklyn

Try to provide specific details in your messages and focus each message on a particular time and place. Tell what you have already found so people do not spend their efforts telling you what you already know - rather that they would spend their time searching for what specifically is missing.

For example a message about cemetery records for the Kerr's may lead to specific dates of death which are very helpful to research in the newspapers. But if you already have the dates of deaths - then say so and then people

Good luck and I hope you enjoy the research.

thank you so much unfortunatley I do not live near New York, I'm in Kansas so going to there is nt an option.

OK. Another way to get help is to use the mailing lists. There is a good list called NY-Irish

At the www.rootsweb.com website click on the bar for "mailing lists", then in the box called "find a mailing list" put in the word Irish. That will list 85 mailing lists for people to discuss Irish genealogy.

Look for the entry for NY-Irish and click on it. That will provide links to
1 - subscribe to the list
2 - search the mailing archives
3 - browse the mailing list archives

If you subscribe to the list you will begin to receive the email from a variety of people asking questions and discussing NY Irish genealogy. When you are comfortable with it you can post a question about your KERR family.

Good luck

Thank you so much for the information.

I've compiled a database of Irish + English (mostly) immigrants to the US for mid-1800s .. that might be too early for your Kerr ancestors but possibly could have info on the McGrath matron ..

http://www.lookupthe.name/fipas.php?f=ln&q=McGrath