OF MRS ANNE MACK, (maiden name Anne Nash,) and her three daughters, Bridget, Margaret, and Johana, natives of Raughmane, parish of Mungret, county Limerick; when last heard from, 5 years ago, was in Vermont with Bridget. Margaret and Johana landed 3 years ago. Information respecting her, or any of the children, will be received by her son Mathew, care of P H Reordan, Lexington, Ky.
Boston Pilot, publication date 30 August 1856
Without the above 1856 missing advertisement in the
Boston Pilot, it would have been very challenging, if not impossible, to trace Mathew "Red Mack" McNamara back to his origins in Ireland. USA evidence was key. But can we be sure that the Mathew McNamara searching for his mother and three sisters was in fact "Red Mack"? Yes, I believe so. There are not that many McNamara's in Lexington compared to New York. And "Mathew" is not that common of a name as, say, "John". Plus, it appears as a general immigration trend that many of the Irish had arrived in Kentucky in the early to mid 1850's.
Initially, the first record I could find of Mathew McNamara living in Lexington was a 1862 tax assessment relating to his liquor store. But now I'm also certain that Mathew was reported in the 1860 census (taken on 9 July 1860) in Lexington as "Mathew McMomary", born in Ireland, age 40 (born ≈1820), day laborer, real estate value of $1,200, personal estate value of $100. In the same household was "Mary McMomary" (age 40, born in Ireland), "Patrick Oconnil" (age 8, Kentucky), and Mary OConnil (age 12, Kentucky).
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZBJ-9BQ
Family relationships are not provided in the 1860 census, and there are a few different options for Mathew:
• Mathew McNamara was married to the widow, Mrs. Mary O'Connell, and living with two step-children. However, there is no civil marriage record to be found in Kentucky for their marriage.
• Mathew was not married when living with Mrs. Mary O'Connell, she was a widow and only reported as "Mary McMomary" to add more respectability to the household. Similar to John J. Riley (Mathew's future wife's first cousin) in the 1910 census who was living with Maude Blandin, but she was reported by the census taker as "Maude Riley".
• A widowed sister who reverted to her maiden name (unlikely).
In July 1863, a "M McNamara",
married, age 34, born in Ireland, occupation "coffee house", was registered for the Civil War draft, living at Lexington, Kentucky.
Mathew McNamara married Bridget Williams at St. Paul's on 9 February 1864, witnesses James Williams (likely her elder brother) and Margaret Connell. In civil and parish marriage records from 1864, there was no question/indication of whether or not a groom had been married previously. A widow bride might be indicated by the prefix "Mrs.".
Regardless of the marital status of Mathew McNamara at the 1860 census and 1863 Civil War registration, I am certain that the 1856 missing advertisement was related to Mathew "Red Mack" McNamara of Lexington. In the 1870 census, Mathew McNamara (age 48), a saloonkeeper, has two children: Mathew McNamara (age 4) and Thomas McNamara (age 3). By naming his first born son "Mathew", there is a good chance that Mathew "Red Mack" McNamara was the son of a Mathew McNamara.
"Raughmane" reported on the 1856 missing advertisement does not exist according to google. In viewing an alphabetical listing of all townlands in County Limerick, the nearest phonetically was "Loughanleagh" and a distant second "Rathmale"; two townlands adjacent to each other in the parish of Mungret. The Catholic parish of Mungret has baptism records only starting in 1844. In searching the Griffith Valuation reports for any McNamara's living in Mungret Parish, surprisingly there were
two leaseholders named Matthew McNamara in both Rathmale and Loughanleagh, with Robert W. Studdert the lessor of both. Their plots are quite close together but are separate households.
1) Rathmale; Mathew McNamara; plot 8a; house, offices, and land; over 12 acres; valuation over £16.
Matthew McNamara, of Rathmeal, widower, age 73, farmer, died on 17 April 1872, informant was the coroner (Limerick registration district).
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 273472.pdf
Michael McNamara, of Rathxxxxxxxx (difficult), age 22, farmer, son of Mathew McNamara, married Mary Ann Lynch, of Ballydoole, age 22, daughter of Thomas Lynch, on 2 February 1869, at the Catholic chapel at Pallas Henry, Rathkeale, County Limerick; witnesses James Bresnahan and Ellen Hurley (Rathkeale registration district).
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 193126.pdf
Michael McNamara (≈1847 - 1906) and
Mary Lynch (≈1847 - after 1911) of Rathmale were the parents of 13 children, 10 of who survived, according to the widow Mrs. Mary McNamara in 1911.
1901 Census:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... e/1495373/
1906 Death Record:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 562932.pdf
1911 Census:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... le/624095/
Since Mathew McNamara of Rathmale died in 1872, it would be inconceivable that in the early 1850's his wife would go to America. Thus, this Mathew McNamara was not married to Mrs. Anne Nash McNamara, last heard from in Vermont.
2) Loughanleagh; Mathew McNamara; plots 1ABC; house and land; about 8 acres; valuation over £13.
There are no further McNamara's in Loughanleagh townland in the 1901 census or other records. There are two civil death records for a Matthew McNamara in County Limerick not yet viewable on-line: in 1866 (age 63) and in 1867 (age 63) — I suspect these individuals were not from Loughanleagh.
As with the McNamara's from County Cork discussed previously, it would be good to know the exact year of when the Griffith Valuation for Mungret Parish was taken. Most likely in the early 1850's, but the exact year makes a big difference. Was the Mathew McNamara of Loughanleagh townland, the husband of Mrs. Anne Nash McNamara? Or their son, who I believe to be Mathew "Red Mack" MacNamara?
"Mrs. Anne Mack" of the 1856 missing advertisement appears to be a widow. She had been in the USA about 5 years, so arrived about 1851. I doubt very much she would leave Loughanleagh if her husband was still living in Ireland. So the timing of when the Griffith Valuation report for Mungret was taken is critical to determine the identity of this Mathew. If GV was taken in 1849 or 1850 for Mungret Parish, then the Mathew McNamara reported in Loughanleagh townland, might well be the husband of Anne Nash McNamara.
However, if Griffith Valuation was taken after Anne Nash McNamara left for America, then I believe it was their son reported at Loughanleagh townland, who I believe is Mathew "Red Mack" McNamara. Mathew remained behind in Ireland in an effort to keep their land. Initially only the widow Mrs. Anne Mack and daughter Bridget went to Vermont. His knowledge of his mother and sister Bridget, "last heard from five years ago", or 1851, was the last time they sent him money from Vermont or perhaps when they left Limerick. Likely living in poverty and struggling to pay the rent, his two other sisters were the next to leave, "Margaret and Johana landed 3 years ago", or about 1853, with the promise to send money back to their brother. Poor Mathew didn't receive any word, or money, from his mother or sisters, and eventually had to abandon Loughanleagh and go to America, arriving about 1855.
This theory would depend upon Mathew's age, which was generally reported in the 1820's, old enough to be a lease holder in Griffith Valuation: 1860 census (≈1820); 1863 Civil War registration (≈1829); 1870 census (≈1822); 1880 census (≈1845, the only outlier); 1887 findagrave (≈1823, but unsure source). Based on his reported age in most records, I reckon the theory that Matthew McNamara of Lexington was the leaseholder of Loughanleagh could at least be plausible.
Did Mathew McNamara of Lexington ever reunite with his mother and three sisters?
Mathew McNamara, Sr., (died prior to 1851) and
Anne Nash (last heard from in Vermont in 1851) were the parents of at least four children:
Unknown birth order since all their children would have been born prior to the 1844 start of Mungret Catholic parish baptism records.
1.0 Mathew McNamara (≈1820 ish - 1887), married
Bridget Williams in 1864 at St. Paul's in Lexington, Kentucky; ten children. See family tree on page 38 for details.
2.0 Bridget McNamara, when last heard from, in 1851, was in Vermont with her mother.
3.0 Margaret McNamara, when last heard from, in 1853, was in the USA with her sister, Johana.
4.0 Johana McNamara, when last heard from, in 1853, was in the USA with her sister, Margaret.
Why did Mathew McNamara of Mungret Parish go to Lexington, Kentucky?
The 1856 missing advertisement for Mrs. Anne Mack and her three daughters, stated "care of P H Reordan, Lexington, Ky." His Reordan contacts were from County Limerick, but not that close to Loughanleagh townland in Mungret Parish. This research didn't lead to much, except for a new route to get to Kentucky. The prior immigrants to Lexington appear to have arrived in New Orleans and went up the Mississippi, but traveling via New York appears to have been an option.
According to the headstones at Calvary Cemetery in Lexington for Patrick H Reordan (1823 - 1884) and his wife Ellen D. F. Reordan (1829 - 1904), they were born in "Maidenhall, County Limerick" and "Adare, Limerick", respectively.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/962 ... -h-reordan
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/962 ... -f-reordan
Loughanleigh is only about 4 miles southwest of the City of Limerick. Adare is less than 10 miles south of Loughanleigh. Maidenhall is not on the list of Limerick townlands, I could only find it referenced in Effin townland, close to the border with County Cork, and about 25 miles south of Loughanleigh townland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effin
Based on the detailed obituary Mrs. Ellen D. F. Reordan, her husband was a prosperous Lexington businessman and appears to have sent for Ellen from Limerick as they met up in Albany, New York where they immediately got married. "She was born in Adair, county Limerick, Ireland, where she passed the early part of her life. She was married in Albany, N.Y., to the late P.H. Reordan in 1852, coming immediately to Lexington, where her husband was engaged in successful business until his death, leaving the widow in comfortable circumstances" (Lexington Leader, Kentucky, 30 September 1904).
After getting married in 1852, the Reordan's would likely have taken a boat cruise via canal, lake, and river for their honeymoon. I could be wrong on the details of their journey, but it is interesting to consider their options. From Albany to Buffalo via the Erie Canal. Then by boat on Lake Erie to get from Buffalo, N.Y., to Cleveland, Ohio. Then taken the Ohio and Erie Canal from Cleveland south down to Akron, Ohio, and the base of the Ohio River which would have taken them all the way to Lexington, Kentucky. If anyone has a better option on how in 1852 the Reordan honeymooners would get from Albany to Lexington, please let me know.
Mathew "Red Mack" of Mungret Parish in County Limerick, and later Lexington, lived about 60 miles north of the "Black" McNamara's of Watergrasshill Parish in County Cork, and later Lexington. As noted from the baptism records of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Lexington, the two families appear to have no family connection.