Hi Sheila,
My apologies as my last paragraph was indeed confusing. Yes, of course, if Thomas McNamara the missing Civil War soldier is Thomas born to John McNamara and Mary Kelly in 1832, then Margaret is his younger sister and her children are his nieces and nephews. What I was trying to convey was the opposite approach to problem solving. The only facts we know are that Mary McNamara Madigan of Barnsley and Elizabeth McNamara Hornbeck of Warwarsing are the sisters of the missing Thomas McNamara. We know (or I think we know) that the parents of Margaret McNamara Meehan are John McNamara and Mary Kelly. Therefore, if we could prove that Margaret Meehan is the sister of either Mary Madigan or Elizabeth Hornbeck, then the parents of the missing Civil War soldier must be John McNamara and Mary Kelly. We could solve part of the puzzle, simply through the relationship between the sisters. This could be done for example, if the Meehan daughters moved to Barnsley or Wawarsing to live with their Aunts. However unlikely this might be of course, it would not solve the other part of the puzzle: what happened to the missing Thomas McNamara?
The evidence that the Margaret McNamara who married Thomas Meehan is the daughter of John McNamara and Mary Kelly is a 1838 baptism record with Derryulk as a residence. When Margaret McNamara married Thomas Meehan in Tulla, the residence was also Derryulk. Her birth in 1838 is perfect for a mother who would have children from 1858 through to 1877. The fact that Stephen McNamara appears as a sponsor on one baptism, might reflect a sibling relationship or it could just as well reflect a favorite cousin relationship. Margaret and Thomas Meehan had many children, and if Margaret was a sister to Stephen McNamara as you suggest, I would have expected Stephen's other four siblings to appear on the baptism register as sponsors. While Margaret's first born daughter was named Hannah, her second born son was named John.
Great job in finding the Anne McNamara born about 1845 in Derryulk who I agree must be the daughter of John McNamara and Mary Kelly. On the Tulla baptism register there is a gap in births for John McNamara and Mary Kelly between Margaret born in December 1838 and Bridget born in January 1845. I believe Mary McNamara Madigan of Barnsley was born in the missing baptism page for May through July 1841. Your new discovery Anne McNamara may have been born in the missing baptism page for January through March 1843. That would be within 2 years of her age on the 1901 Irish census which are often not so accurate. Another option, is that "Anne" is the "Bridget" born in 1845 to John McNamara and Mary Kelly. Pat McNamara and Hannah Keefe also had a "Bridget" born in 1839 in Derryulk and perhaps it was easier for one to be called "Anne" to distinguish between the two? I cannot find any marriage record for either Bridget that specifies Derryulk to identify them. Thanks again for discovering their daughter Anne McNamara.
For the children of Thomas Meehan and Margaret McNamara, there were 3 schools in Crusheen Parish: Crusheen, Ballinruan, and Drumbaniff. The Meehan children attended Drumbaniff National School in Drumbonniv whose records are available on ancestry.com. It was very interesting to read the original records to see what new information can be gleaned and also to test a well known theory of Irish immigration.
For each of the Meehan children, the Drumbaniff National School records included date of entrance, age, residence, religion, occupation of father (or else "widow"). There were several Meehan families represented based on residence; parent names were not reported. Here are the children I believe of Thomas Meehan (occupation, farmer) and Margaret McNamara from 10 separate records:
1) Anne (Hannah?), 1865, age 5, Tubberbreeda
2) Catherine, 1870, age 7, Tubberbreeda
3) Bridget, 1871, age 5, Tubberbreeda
4) John, 1875, age 5, Cloun
5) Eliza, 1878, age 4, Tubberbreeda
6) Elliza, 1881, age 7, Tubberbreeda
7) Ann, 1880, age 3?, C. Derawen
8 ) Ellen, 1883, age 4, Tubberbreeda
9) Ellen, 1885, age 6, Cloun
10) Anne, 1886, age 9?, Cloun
My previous map included "Clooneen" and "Cloonagowan" simply because of the "Cloun" baptism records of the Meehan children. The above school records are evidence that you were absolutely correct that the Meehan family lived in "Clounderaown" an old townland adjacent to Cappafeean and Knockaloaghan. Their local school would abbreviate this as "Cloun", the same as the Crusheen baptism register. "C. Derawen" likely stands for "Clounderowen" which is great evidence. Tubberbreeda, of course, is the same as the Thomas Meehan family on the 1901 / 1911 census reports.
Another Meehan family lived in Cappafeean, and I agree that the priest most likely confused the families with the baptism of Anne in 1875. A Meehan who was a herdsman lived in nearby Ballyscanlon, and another Meehan farmer living in Derrycragg (not sure where on map?) sent his two sons to Drumbaniff School. Below is a map which shows where the various Meehan families lived. From Knockaloughan to Drumbonniv it is only 2 km and about a 30 minute walk.
There was no sign of the eldest son Pat, born about 1859, who in the 1901 census could both read and write. The 1886 Drumbaniff School record for their daughter Anne, stated that she was transferring from the National School at Knockjames, Clare. This is in Derryulk, so perhaps Pat as well as Honora (born 1867) also attended school in Derryulk and lived with relatives.
The school records were very interesting. It appears that you had to be in attendance at least 90 days during the year to qualify for the test / assessment on various subjects that you needed to pass to move to the next level. Many students would take 6 years to attain only 3 levels. Of the Meehan children, Anne Meehan who attended school in Knockjames prior to the Drumbaniff School was by far the most clever of the Meehan children based upon her report card. I thoroughly checked the USA immigration records to see if she immigrated to America, but was disappointed. Annie Meehan Littleton and Michael Littleton are living in the adjacent house to the widow Margaret Meehan in Knockaloaghan in both the 1901 and 1911 Irish census; they had 9 children in the 1911 census from ages 17 through 1 years old.
Here is a cool website of "Disused School Houses" in Ireland by Enda O'Flaherty from County Cork. The Drumbonniv School page states that the existing disused school was built in 1890 and the original school building opened in 1844. So not the same building as the Meehan children attended, but interesting photos nonetheless. Enda O'Flaherty has also just published a related book "Disused School Houses in Ireland" (September 2018, Collins Press).
https://endaoflaherty.com/2014/12/31/dr ... -co-clare/