Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

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bobcusack
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Location: Wangaratta, Victoria. Australia

Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by bobcusack » Tue Dec 03, 2013 11:04 am

My great great grandfather was Michael Cusack, (farmer) who married Bridget Morgan (c1825). Bridget’s parents were Roger Morgan, (farmer) and Ellen Cahill.
Bridget migrated to Australia in 1869 with two of her three children, Catherine (1855) and James (1856). They joined John (1851) who arrived in Victoria in 1867 and made a home at Warrenheip near Ballarat in Victoria, later settling at nearby Bungaree. All travelled as unassisted immigrants.
Michael, Bridget’s husband did not travel, so I presume he died in Ireland prior to civil registration. I have checked and eliminated the Michael Cusacks registered in County Clare Ireland between 1864 and 1870.
John, (my GGrandfather) and his sister Catherine married and had twelve children each. James remained a bachelor. I have purchased John and Catherine’s marriage and death certificates, as well as all their children’s birth certificates. On all it simply states County Clare with no townland or parish listed. I have also checked the original church registers here in Australia which also state just County Clare. Over many years I have checked the sites on the County Clare Library and on previous visits to Ireland have looked at many of the films of parish registers.
Having exhausted all avenues here in Australia and many in Ireland, I am seeking assistance in Ireland from anyone who may have come across these combination of names in their research.
In September 2014, I am returning to County Clare, probably for my final visit, and I would dearly like to visit my Cusack family townland. Any assistance with knocking down my brickwall will be greatly appreciated.
With thanks,
Bob Cusack, Australia

Lucille
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Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by Lucille » Tue Dec 03, 2013 2:17 pm

Hi Bob

You may well have been down this road before, and if so, apologies.

The Griffith's Valuation gives a Michael Cusack and a Roger Morgan in the same parish, different townlands http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... h.htm#rath

Given that people often (though not exclusively) married within the parish, this could be a possibility. The RC Church records in the National Library for Kilnaboy and Rath (Corofin) have Baptisms from 1819 and Marriages from 1818 (Pos 2474 & 2475)

Do you have ship records of the family going to Australia? Particularly the older son John who may have travelled with some others from the area - you may be lucky to find some distinctive names that could be matched with the Griffith's.

Good luck
Lucille

bobcusack
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Location: Wangaratta, Victoria. Australia

Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by bobcusack » Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:28 pm

Thank you Lucille for your interest and reply.
Unfortunately the Roger Morgan at Tonlegee was a blacksmith and not a farmer. He married Mary Hallinan in 1844, had family, and died in 1888.
John Cusack travelled to Australia in 1867 with no other family members so I looked no further on that ship. Thank you for the hint. The shipping register unfortunately only has columns for British, Scottish, Irish and Other passengers, where the passenger's nationality is indicated with a tick. As he travelled unassisted, only the bare minimum of detail was recorded. I will look to see if I can match any of the other passengers names to the Griffiths.
Your help is appreciated.
Bob

pwaldron
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Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by pwaldron » Wed Dec 04, 2013 4:02 pm

Roger Morgan is quite an unusual combination of names. The 1888 death is the only one in all of Munster between 1864 and 1958.

Could he have been both a blacksmith and a farmer?

Could he have been married twice?

If Roger was a farmer fathering children in 1825, one would expect to find him in the Tithe Applotment Books, where the only Roger Morgan in Clare is in Kilmanahine/Kilmanaheen parish (7 Aug 1826):
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... en_tab.htm

Roger Morgan the blacksmith and his family appear to have lived on the road which forms the boundary between the townlands of Tonlegee and Knocknareeha - several of their deaths are listed under each townland at
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/t ... 1150806166
and
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/t ... 1150806016

Could your Cusacks be connected to the family of that name who were monumental sculptors (lapidaries) in west Clare in the nineteenth century and whose magnificent works of art grace cemeteries from Kilmurry Ibrickane to Kilrush? They are thought to have come from the Burren direction.

bobcusack
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Location: Wangaratta, Victoria. Australia

Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by bobcusack » Thu Dec 05, 2013 7:37 am

Thank you for taking an interest in my brickwall and for your suggestions. Over ten years ago I thought Roger Morgan would be easy to find. Since then I have found reference to six.
The County Clare Library List of Freeholders (including landlords and tenants) Co. Clare 1821 has an entry for Roger Morgan, Ennistymon and the names of John, Roger and William Morgan listed under the Names of Lives or other Tenure column. Date of Registry was 10 Apr 1820. I have concluded that this is Roger senior (1) and Roger junior(2). In the same list, Daniel Morgan, Mill Street, Ennis has a Daniel and a Roger Morgan(3) listed under the Names of Lives or other Tenure column. Date of Registry 10 Apr 1820.
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... ers_m3.htm
On my last visit to Ireland, I saw in the baptism register at Ennistymon a Roger Morgan (4) was baptised on 31 Aug 1822 to parents Michael Morgan and Mary Donnellan.
On this same visit I also purchased a marriage certificate for a Roger Morgan (5). He lived at and was married at Ennis on 3 Feb 1873 to Bridget Grady. He was a servant and his father was James Morgan a nailor who was dead.
I also purchased a death certificate for Rodger Morgan (6) from Ennis who died on 2 Oct 1891 at the Ennis Workhouse aged 52. On the LDS Family Search County Clare Prison Records site this same Rodger is recorded as being born at Ennistymon in 1839, the fourth Roger in Ennistymon in twenty years. He was living at Ennis when locked up in 1888 (strangely, the same year as Roger (1) died).
I have concluded that…….
Roger (1) was at Ennistymon in 1820 (Freeholder List 1821). He was sponsor at two Ennistymon baptisms in 1823 and 1825. He was farmer at Old Deerpark now Woodpark in the 1826 Tithe Books and in Clare Library Estate Rental Books for Colonel MacNamara, Ennistymon House Mar-May 1863 the Reps. Of Roger Morgan, Church Street is listed, so I presume that he is deceased. John Morgan is at Woodpark (son?)
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... urname.htm
Roger (2) or Roger (4) married Mary Hallinan at Ennistymon in 1844. In the 1850’s moved to Knocknareeha/Willbrook as a blacksmith. During 1850’s and 1860’s his children’s baptisms have appeared in Parish Register films. He was a blacksmith at Tonlegee in the 1855 Griffith’s Valuation and he died in 1888 at Knocknareeha aged 74 years (born 1814). I feel this birth date would make this person Roger (2).
Roger (3) is named on the Clare Library Applicants to the Registry of Freeholders, Borough of Ennis 1832 as a Smith in Mill Street.
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... s_1832.htm
I think, by the process of elimination, Roger (1) is the father of my Bridget Morgan, born c1825. He was a farmer, as recorded on Victoria, Australia death certificate, and seems the right age to be having children at the time of her birth. I am guessing that he retired from farming and moved to Church Street, Ennistymon and that his son (?) John remained at Woodpark
Using this hypothesis, I would presume that my Michael Cusack would have resided within 5 miles of Deer Park, Ennistymon.

I apologise for the long reply and hope the attached chart will make these references easier to take in.
I really value your thoughts and knowledge of County Clare and the Irish historical records. I would be most grateful for any comments you may have on my conclusions or points that I should consider or have overlooked.
Attachments
ROGER MORGAN - timeline.docx
(14.6 KiB) Downloaded 654 times

pwaldron
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Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by pwaldron » Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:15 pm

I am not familiar with the early Catholic parish registers in Ennistimon, apart from knowing that those covering the period from 1823 to 1870 were among those skipped during the great microfilming of parish registers many years ago. If they include marriages, then you should find the marriage or marriages of Roger Morgan's daughters in them. If the marriage register survives and does not include the Cusack-Morgan marriage, then the obvious conclusion is that the bride was living in a different parish at the time of her marriage.

And remember to allow for all the other possible synonyms of Roger - Rodger, Rody, Roddy, Roderick, Rodderick, Rory, Ruairí, etc.
Last edited by pwaldron on Mon Dec 09, 2013 3:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

bobcusack
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Location: Wangaratta, Victoria. Australia

Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by bobcusack » Mon Dec 09, 2013 12:00 am

I attended at the Ennistymon Parish office and viewed the parish registers. The only records were the baptism of Roger Morgan in 1822 and Roger as a sponsor at two baptisms in 1823 and 1825. As you suggest, it appears Bridget Morgan may lived somewhere else.
Thank you for highlighting the possible variations of the name Roger.

mick o
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Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Claremora morgan family enni

Post by mick o » Thu Jan 02, 2014 4:19 pm

Michael oloughlin.
hello bob,
this extract from the ennistymon parish magazine may help.

Houses and their occupiers in Ennistymon, County Clare
The Houses on the Eastern Side
of Church Street, Ennistymon.
5. Mick Morgan, next door, had a public house and was married to Miss Walshe from Lisheen, Liscannor. He was also a town postman. They had two daughters, Anna and Mary, who emigrated on marriage to England. Alex Browne bought their house and extended his business over two properties.
the morgan public house is now closed and and still in business in 1970.
the morgan family recorded in 1901 - 1911 Ireland census Clare ennistymon in church street


all public houses in ennistymon are well photographed i unable to find one of the morgan bar
at present ?
regards michael oloughlin

mcreed
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Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by mcreed » Fri Jan 03, 2014 2:40 pm

Here's a link to a photo of Browne's shop in Ennistymon, taken c 1968, possibly before Alex Browne extended the shop. Hector Browne in the photo was Alex's father, and Vinnie is his son. Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the pub (or shop) to the left of Browne's in the photo.

http://foto.clarelibrary.ie/fotoweb/Gri ... mit=Search...

mick o
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Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by mick o » Sat Jan 18, 2014 3:02 pm

michael oloughlin,
morgans public house is the black painted bar in the photo in church street ennistymon.

bobcusack
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Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by bobcusack » Thu Feb 20, 2014 7:23 am

Thank you for the photo and Morgan information, Michael. Does the Ennistymon magazine information back into the 1800's and is it available to view at the Clare Library?

mcreed
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Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by mcreed » Thu Feb 20, 2014 10:58 am

Hello Bob.
the Ennistymon parish magazine was published annually at Christmas from the mid 1980s to about 2002, and from 1990 included articles on houses in Ennistymon and surrounds and their occupants. The Clare Library has those articles online at http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... ar_mag.htm

bobcusack
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Location: Wangaratta, Victoria. Australia

Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by bobcusack » Thu Feb 20, 2014 11:30 am

Thank you for the link to the magazine. Yet another great bit of historical information available at the Clare Library.

bobcusack
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Location: Wangaratta, Victoria. Australia

Re: Michael CUSACK c1820 County Clare

Post by bobcusack » Mon Sep 08, 2014 2:12 pm

Further to my earlier posts in search of Michael Cusack

I have been searching all parish record films at the Local Studies Centre, Ennis and have located a baptism for James, the third child of Michael Cusack and Bridget Morgan on 24 March 1855 in the parish of Kilmurry Ibricken. No townland was recorded. My search has now been narrowed to West Clare.
I am posting this update in the hope that someone may have knowledge of my small family in this parish. I am yet to find a marriage between Michael Cusack and Bridget Morgan or the baptisms of John C.1851 and Katherine C.1854. In the meantime I will keep searching.
Thank you, Bob

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