Shivaun's Family Tree Website

Keating family

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 Part 1: John Keating (c1799 - 1891)

Early life and marriage to Honora Leahy

The earliest confirmed Keating was John Keating (c1799 - 1891). He was born c1799, most likely in County Tipperary, Ireland. Almost nothing is known about John or who his parents were. Civil registration in Ireland began in 1864, 27 years after it began in England and Wales (Scotland started in 1855). Parish baptism, marriage and burial records were maintained before and after 1864 but they provided few details so it is difficult to identify ancestors with certainty before the mid-19th century. Although there had been a census taken in Ireland since 1821 (detailing household members' names, ages, occupations and relationships - twenty years before the England and Wales' census would include such information), there are no surviving returns from the 19th century, except for a few random fragments. A fire in the Public Records Office in 1922 at the start of the Irish Civil War destroyed the 1821 - 1851 returns. The 1861 and 1871 originals were deliberately destroyed as part of government policy. (The individual household schedules from the English and Welsh censuses were also destroyed for this same reason but the information had been copied into enumerators' books beforehand and still survive). The 1881 and 1891 census returns were destroyed towards the end of World War I (some have speculated they were pulped because of paper shortages or to save storage space). [1]

It is very likely John married Honora 'Norry' Leahy (c1809 - 1869) in a Roman Catholic service in Moycarky Parish, County Tipperary, 17 January 1839. [2] John was living in Moycarky at the time and Norry in Two-Mile-Borris and their marriage was witnessed by John Brien and Norry Devane. John was a labourer and they had four daughters: Catherine, Mary, Judith and Honoria. According to the Griffith's Valuation of 1850, the Keatings lived in Blackcastle Townland, Two-Mile-Borris, and were tenants of Daniel Maher, who lived in an adjacent house and in turn leased the land from representatives of Sir J. Nugent, Baronet. Norry died 19 March 1869, aged 60, having suffered from peritonitis for eight weeks. John died 30 October 1891, aged 92. The cause of death was listed as 'old age' - a condition he had been suffering from for seven years!

 Children of John and Honora

Catherine (c1840 - ?) was baptised 16 February 1840 in Moycarky Parish. The family was living in Borris and her sponsors were Martin Lahy (possibly a relative) and Norry Duan [sic]. It is not known what happened to Catherine after her baptism.

Mary (c1841 - ?) was baptised 06 June 1841 in Moycarky Parish. The family was living in Borris and her sponsors were Daniel Maher (their neighbour) and Jude Ryan. It is not known what happened to Mary after her baptism.

Judith (or Jude) (c1845 - ?) was baptised 01 December 1845 in Moycarky Parish. The family was living in Borris and her sponsors were John Brien and Catherine Hacket. It is not known what happened to Judith after her baptism.

More information about Honoria (c1846 - c1924) appears in Part 2. [3]

Next: Honoria Keating

Footnotes

[1] www.census.nationalarchives.ie; www.findmypast.co.uk
[2] The marriage record states 'Thomas Keating' married 'Norry Lahy' but this might have been an error.
[3] Cashel diocese baptismal and marriage records courtesy of Tipperary Family History Research centre (http://www.tfhr.org); Irish civil birth, marriage, death records, Irish baptism records (www.rootsireland.ie); Ireland Census records, civil birth, marriage, death records, Irish baptism records, Griffith’s Valuation 1847-1864 (Ancestry.co.uk)