Daniel, Martin, Helen and Margaret Lyddy or Liddy

[JaneKnox]

I wonder If you may be able to help me. I am trying to find out about my ancestor (GG grandfather), Martin Lyddy or Liddy. I'm afraid I know very little about him, apart from the fact that he was born in Ireland in 1837, lived in Glasgow between at least between 1851 and 1863, married Jane Gray and died fighting in the American Civil War in 1864. His parents were Daniel and Mary nee Kay/Key/Keas. Daniel was a ploughman and was dead by 1865. Martin had at least 2 sisters, Helen b.1844 who married Patrick Walsh in Glasgow (of Celtic football club) and Margaret b.1848, who also moved to Glasgow.

I assume Martin and his sisters left Ireland during the potato famine and ended up in Glasgow, where he worked as a carpet weaver.

From the research I have done so far, the surname Lyddy seems to appear more often in Clare than anywhere else.
We are planning a trip to County Clare shortly and would love to have something to go on!
Thanks so much for any help.

JayKay

[ndhockey]

Your post intrigues me as I am interested in the surname Keas/Keyes from the area around Co. Clare, mostly in Limerick and Tipperary. In poking around a bit on your Martin and his sisters, I do wonder a couple things. Have you obtained the marriage certificate for Martin and Jane, and does it list a more precise location for his place of birth other than Ireland. The same would apply to Helen and her marriage certificate. I do find a reference to Martin's marriage certificate in famiysearch.org, showing he and Jane married in Bridgeton, Lanarkshire. I was also able to find Helen's marriage cert references in the same site, showing she and Patrick married in that Bridgeton district in July 1868.

Then you mention Martin was killed in the Civil War. Have you checked to see if his widow received a pension for his service and death in the Civil War. Affadavits could be contained in such a military file that could supply more clues as to where Martin was from in Ireland.

Have you tried to chase Helen Lyddy Walsh and Margaret Lyddy any further in their lives? You indicate that Helen married a Parick Walsh, and seem to know a bit about Patrick Walsh and his history, so I'm wondering if further searching of the lives of the 2 girls might reveal something more. One thing I would also do is add the name Ellen to the mix for Helen Lyddy Walsh. Helen would be a nickname in Ireland for the Christian name Helen, as would be the name Nellie. And indeed in the 1891 Scotland census, I do find that Helen is now using the Christian name of Ellen. She and Patrick, along with Maggie, appear to be longterm residents of Scotland, and I would wonder if perhaps you have obtained the death certificates of Ellen/Helen and Margaret to see if it lists a precise location of birth for them. By 1901, Patrick Walsh is deceased and Helen and Margaret continue their long term pattern of sharing a residence. When did Helen and Margaret die?

Lastly, you indicate that the 3 siblings were in Glasgow between 1851 and 1863. How do you know that they were there that early? Have you found them in the 1851 census return? And if so, were they living on their own, as they were very young at that time?

Cindy Wood

[JaneKnox]

Hi Cindy

Thanks very much for your response. Do you think there may be more info, marriage wise, on the certificate rather than register entry? Mary Kay was dead by 1858 and Daniel by 1865 (Info from both Helen & Martin's marriage lines). The register entry only gives their address at that time and no indication where they were born. Ireland came from the census form. You were quite right about the dates -a typing error - I found them on the 1861 census first.

Jane did receive a widow's pension, and I have the details but have not investigated further yet. Time is running out as I fly to Clare tomorrow, Wednesday.

I have not yet found the deaths of Helen and Margaret, but I do have Jane's and it doesn't give a place of birth.

Thanks once again,

Jane Knox

[JaneKnox]

Hi Cindy,

Whilst looking through records in Clare, came across a birth in the parish of O'Callaghan's Mill dated 14 April 1843 which may interest you.

Larry(?) of Thomas McMahon & Mary Kays.

Best Wishes

Jane Knox

[Polycarp]

Hello Jane,

There is a Martin Lyddy in the Newmarket-on-Fergus Catholic parish register of baptisms, baptised in October 1831.

This Martin Lyddy was born to Michael Lyddy and to Peggy Rice with the sponsor Ellen Spellissy.

See generally the Tomfinlough parish tithing records (1825) for Mughane and the Tomfinlough valuation records for Mooghaun, dated 1855.

Could Keays be a corruption of Rice? Sometimes upper-case Ks and upper-case Rs can be confused, depending on the handwriting in question.

- Polycarp

[JaneKnox]

Thankyou Polycarp, but I know for sure that Martin's parents were Daniel & Mary, so I'll keep on searching.

Jane Knox