Library Forum

Dear Clare community, on behalf of a relative in USA, I am seeking any information on the parents or relatives of Thomas Patrick Burns, who is thought to have been born in Co. Clare.
On his death certificate it says that Thomas Patrick Burns Occupation Police Officer (Retired) who died 08 Jun 1948 in Rumford, Providence,Rhode Island, Burial Place Worcester, Massachussets, USA. Aged 70, his Birth Date 10 Sep 1877 & said to be born in Ireland. He was Married to Loretta C. Cavanaugh
On Thomas' death certificate it also states that his Father's name was Michael Burns, Birthplace Ireland & that his Mother's Name was Ann Mee born in Ireland.
Source of information is https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F84M-GHB.

I would be grateful if anyone could shed any light on any family links in Co. Clare. I have been unable to trace from Irish records online any birth, marriage or death records for the birth of Thomas, the marriage of the parents as listed above, nor any siblings. It is thought from US census records that he emigrated to USA around 1900 but from Ellis Island records I cannot match the person or his parents.
Thank you for any help or suggestions
Kevin Henry
Co. Derry

Hi Kevin, welcome to the forum.
You say that Thomas Patrick Burns "... is thought to have been born in Co. Clare." It would be good to try and nail down his place of birth a little bit more firmly than that, before we head down what might prove to be a dead alley. Has your relative exhausted all resources in the US which might provide more definitive evidence of his origins? Through familysearch I found Thomas Burns age 49 in the 1930 census residing in Worcester, Worcester MA, together with wife Loretta 36 and children Thomas F 22, Florence 18 and Thomasina 4. It also notes his date of immigration as 1905. Following a quick look at the Ellis Island records two entries around this time caught my eye.

First Name : Thomas
Last Name : Burns
Nationality : Ireland, Irish
Last Place of Residence : Clenaghe
Date of Arrival : May 14th, 1905
Age at Arrival : 20y
Gender : Male
Marital Status : Single
Ship of Travel : Cedric
Port of Departure : Liverpool
Manifest Line Number : 0011

First Name : Thomas
Last Name : Burns
Nationality : Ireland, Irish
Last Place of Residence : Clare Island [likely means Clare Ireland]
Date of Arrival : May 19th, 1904
Age at Arrival : 20y
Gender : Male
Marital Status : Single
Ship of Travel : Majestic (1890)
Port of Departure : Queenstown
Manifest Line Number : 0008

Regarding the first, there is a townland called Clenagh adjacent to the Fergus Estuary in Kilmaleery Parish. The Ellis Island website requires $29 to examine the ships manifest. These two may be worth viewing. I'm no expert on US sources, but there may be other avenues that can be pursued, eg marriage certificate for Thomas and Loretta, and Thomas's police service record, etc which may give some clue to a townland or parish in Ireland as a starting place for a search.
One further point to add here: if in fact Thomas did emigrate in 1905, then we should be able to find him in the 1901 census. I had a quick look but was unable to turn him up, so the possibility that he went to England first then migrated from there should be considered.
Cheers
Murf

The odd name out here is his mother Ann Mee, not many of that name in Co.Clare. A check of the Griffiths Land Valuation of 1855 lists only 6 people of that name in 2 parishes Kilfenora & Kilfarboy both close to each other. I would try searching in that area.
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... fithm9.htm . A lot more in the 1901 Census most of them in the same area http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... anJohn.htm

Hey, not sure if this is still happening but MEE was sometimes transcribed as Nee.

I can lay claim to a David Mee who first had two children with Ellen Shaughnessy.
Austin died young, John came to Australia.

Ellen died.

He remarried an Anne / Bridget McNamara and they had two children
A Michael who never married and a Mary who married later in life, I think to a Hogan, no children.

Children born 1855 / 1865 ish around Kilfenora, Clare.