Pierce family Knock Co Clare

[jucarroll]

I have learned that my great grandmothers maiden name was Pierce from Knock, Co Clare, but I have been unable to trace any family.I have used census returns etc but to no avail. Any ideas or is there anyone out there with any information about the Pierce family I could use. My great grandmother was Bridget O'Dea nee Pierce and she was married to James O'Dea and they lived in Knock. JC

[murf]

In the 1901 census return for Knock Town at http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... 98_13b.htm you will find a James O'Dea(38) with wife Bridget(33) together with children William(4) and Delia(2) and mother Bridget(60). This James and Bridget are consistent with the following matching marriage records from familysearch.org:
name: James O'Dea
registration district: Killadysert
event type: MARRIAGES
registration quarter and year: Oct - Dec 1891
volume number: 4
page number: 127

name: Bridget Pearse
registration district: Killadysert
event type: MARRIAGES
registration quarter and year: Oct - Dec 1891
volume number: 4
page number: 127

Hope this helps.

[jucarroll]

Thanks for the reply, yes that is them on the census and I know where they are buried but as to the Pierce side...that is the puzzle as I cannot make a connection with that side of the family. Also on the 1911 census it lists James O'Deas mother in law as Bridget McMahon but that is not consistent with the Birth record of my grandmother who gives her mothers maiden name as Pierce so I would expect to find mother in law listed as Pierce......is there a skeleton in the cupboard I wonder ?

[miriam scahill]

Hi - it is possible that Bridget's mother married again - you would need to get a copy of marriage cert. of James & Bridget and that will show the names of their fathers. There are various spellings of the surname - Pierce, Pearce, Pearse - etc. I see on Census of 1901 there is a family living at Chapel St., Kilrush. Familysearch.org will show lots of info. Miriam.

[miriam scahill]

I am back again !! - I did a bit of 'research' on familysearch.org - I see a Bridget Pearse born to Frederick Pearse and Bridget Murphy in 1875. Frederick Pearse died in 1907/8 (registered in Jan. 1908) - so this could be a connection. The name is also written PIERCE for other children in the family.

[jucarroll]

Hi all, yes I did get the Marriage Cert for James & Bridget and it shows her father as Pat Pearse (different spelling of Pierce)....still no wiser....

[miriam scahill]

Yes indeed - there are so many spellings of the name. The nearest family to the area of Knock which I found on 1901 Census was Michael Pierce aged 32 with his wife and family at Chapel St., Kilrush. They are not on the 1911 census at that address.