Children of Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney of County Meath- Chain Migration of the Allen's from Ireland to America

Keeping in touch with family and writing letters was traditionally the role of women. In our family, the eldest daughter, Aunt Mary (Marlin,) wrote the letters back to Ireland for her great Uncle Tom, who lived with her family, to his brother, Uncle John, in Dangan, Summerhill Parish, County Meath. The women in the generation before her surely did the same, writing to their parents and siblings who remained in Ireland.

Pauline Allen and  great uncle Tom

Often letters from America contained money - it was common for small bits of cash to be sent around the Christmas and Easter holidays. During the height of the famine, these gifts sustained the family back in the old country- helping not just with food, but with rent and taxes- a necessity to avoid eviction. Millions of letters flowed from Irish Americans back to their families in Ireland, easing the pain of separation, and encouraging the possibility of emigration.

Their letters home told about family news; marriages, the births of children, and details of their lives in America. This provided hope for the future and connections for their siblings to make the journey themselves. Sometimes they even contained a prepaid ticket for a sibling to emigrate and join them. Three quarters of Irish emigration were paid for by money or tickets sent from America.

Chain Migration to Jerseyville, Illinois

Few Irish immigrants during the famine could afford to bring the whole family to America all at once. Instead, they practiced "chain migration" in which one member of the family would come to America, and save money to help the next person, often giving them a place to stay and a start in the new country. This was the pattern for the Allen's from County Meath. (Some of our Kilkenny ancestral families did come all together- which was often a sign, during the worst of the famine, that their landlords had evicted them and paid their passage so the small plots of land that they farmed could be converted to more profitable pasture.)

The Chain Migration for the Allen family siblings took nearly 20 years. The order appears to be:

Mary- 1850's
Frank- before 1860
Hugh- before 1860
Patrick- before 1870
Thomas-before 1872
Richard- before 1872
Edward- before 1880
Peter- about 1881

John and Catharine (the youngest child) were the only two Allen siblings to stay on the farm in Great Umberstown, Ireland, along with their aging parents, Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney Allen.

Mary Allen (Burns)- It is likely that Mary was the first of the Allen siblings to come to America.

Mary, the eldest Allen sibling, was married to Patrick Burns in Summerhill Parish in February, 1851. A biographical article on Patrick B. Burns, of County Meath, shows him born Aug. 15, 1825, the son of Patrick and Anna Murray Burns, who came to America and settled in New Brunswick N.J., where they remained until their deaths. According to the family history, Patrick and Mary settled for a time in New Jersey, likely with his parents in New Brunswick. The census records show that their first two children were born in New Jersey; Anna in April 1855, and Patrick in 1856.

The family notebook says that Patrick Burns worked for three years until he could purchase his land. (article in notebook of Helen and Margie Allen)

According to the census, they had moved to Illinois before the birth of their next child; Francis "Frank" in 1858. By the 1870 census, they are shown on a farm in Township 8, Range 11, Jersey County, not far from the farms of Franklin and Hugh.


Hugh and Frank Allen

Our family history says that Hugh first arrived in New York, and worked there for several years before coming to Jersey County, Illinois. He likely arrived in the late 1850's. I wonder if he might have lived right outside NY with his eldest sister, Mary Allen (Burns) who had settled in New Jersey.

1860- A census with the right names but the wrong ages and place of birth!
(I have found that census inconsistencies happen and we have to remember that many of our ancestors could not read and write.) This census entry is for Macoupin County, right next to Jersey County. This shows that Hugh Allen was living with older brother Franklin Allen and his wife Rachel Allen and their child. Franklin's personal property was valued at $520, Hugh at $75. If this is our Hugh and Franklin, it hints that either they came together, or Franklin came first, with Hugh then joining him.

Source: Year: 1860; Census Place: Township 12 Range 7, Macoupin, Illinois; Page: 188; Family History Library Film: 803206
  1863-By June 1863, the U.S. civil war draft records show both Franklin, age 30, and Hugh, age 25, in Jerseyville.

Source: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records (Provost Marshal General's Bureau; Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865); Record Group: 110, Records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau



Our ancestor, Hugh Allen, helped many of his siblings get a start when they came to America.

Patrick Allen


By 1870, Hugh's younger brother Patrick had immigrated to America. He was 29 years old and was living with Hugh's family in Jerseyville, helping on the farm.

Source: Year: 1870; Census Place: Township 8 Range 12, Jersey, Illinois; Roll: M593_233; Page: 796A; Image: 811; Family History Library Film: 545732

In April 1874, Hugh was the witness for Patrick's marriage to Catherine Burns, at St. Francis Xavier in Jerseyville. 

Source: Catholic Diocese of Springfield; Springfield, IL; Illinois, Church Records, 1853-1975



Thomas and Richard Allen

By 1872, both Thomas and Richard Allen (Hugh's younger brothers) were also living in Jerseyville.

According to census records, Thomas Allen (great uncle Tom who later wrote letters home to Ireland) had come to America by 1861. In 1872, he was married in Jerseyville, with his brother Richard Allen as his witness. (Later Tom's wife died, and by 1910 he was living with his nephew, Thomas Allen (my grandfather) Hugh's son.)

On September 21, 1876, Richard Allen died at the age of 32.

Chances are that Richard, too, had been living with Hugh, as Hugh was the executor of his estate.

Edward Allen

By 1880- Hugh's youngest brother, Edward, was living with Hugh's family in Jerseyville.

In 1885, Edward Allen married Mary Bryan at St. Francis in Jerseyville.




The move west to Nebraska- Patrick, Edward, and Peter Allen

Patrick:

Patrick Allen moved to Nebraska between 1875 and 1876. Homesteads were readily available at this time.

By the 1880 census- Patrick Allen had moved  to Mud Creek, Gage County, Nebraska 

The census shows that Patrick's first son, Richard, had been born in Illinois in 1875, but by the birth of his daughter, a year later, he was in Nebraska. By 1885 they were in Filley, Gage Nebraska. Patrick continued to farm there, until his death in 1910, at the age of 74.


Edward: 

Edward Allen and his wife Mary Bryan soon moved to Nebraska as well. Their son Richard was born in Filley, Gage, Nebraska in June 1886. The family then moved about 18 miles to Plum Creek, Pawnee, Nebraska.

Edward died in 1897, at age 53, leaving his wife Mary a widow with 6 young children. The 1900 census for Plum Creek, Pawnee County Nebraska, shows Mary, a widow, Richard 14, James 12, Maggy 10, John 8, Peter 6, and Edward 3.

Peter

The 1900 census also shows Peter Allen, who emigrated in 1881, living in Plum Creek, Pawnee, Nebraska, next to the farm of Mary Allen, the widow of his brother Edward. He was 63 years old. Peter died 5 years later in 1905.

Although the youngest Allen child, Catherine, never came to America to join her siblings, her daughter, Maggie was another story! (See separate Post)


Sources:
https://www.theirishstory.com/2018/11/17/the-irish-girl-and-the-american-letter-irish-immigrants-in-19th-century-america/#.Xnn2at_Yosk

http://www.mayolibrary.ie/en/LocalStudies/Emigration/LettersinIreland/

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Ireland&co=stereo (explore this)

Margaret Sweeney's relatives-The Cemetery at Moy, gravesite of Hugh Sweeney- born 1760, died 1824, Dangan, Summerhill Parish

               

I had a new discovery this week! Hugh Sweeney.

Hugh Sweeney was most likely the father of our ancestor Margaret Sweeney who married Richard Allen at the church in Dangan, County Meath, on July 10, 1825. This would make him the maternal grandfather of our ancestor Hugh Allen who emigrated to Jerseyville. So- Hugh was likely named after his maternal grandfather, Hugh Sweeney. We have had quite a few "Hugh's" in our family!

The Summerhill Parish records show that Hugh Sweeney from Dangan was buried on March 3, 1824. The record shows him as married, so we know that his wife was still alive at the time of his death. (I need to do more research to find her name.)

                     Summerhill Parish Death Record

The Cemetery at Moy, gravesite of Hugh Sweeney      

Hugh Sweeney died on the 4th of March, 1824. He was buried at the cemetery at Moy, on land that was  once within the Summerhill Demesne.
His son, Patrick Sweeney, had an inscription put on his grave. Based on his age age at death, 64, we know that Hugh was born in 1760.

               Erected by Patr Sweeney
               In Memory of his Father
             Hugh Sweeney who departed
              This life March the 4th 1824
                         Aged 64 years
                    Requiescant in Pace

 There is little trace of the original Catholic church that was there before Cromwellian times, but a circular graveyard still exists, partially surrounded by a wall. There are shady trees within the graveyard, and the headstones date from the mid-eighteenth century to modern times.

The cemetery sits just south of the Knightsbrook River, on the New Moy Road just south of the village of Summerhill. 

 Moy Cemetery on New Moy Road, south of Summerhill

        If you get to visit Ireland someday, maybe you
              can visit the grave of your ancestor, 
                              Hugh Sweeney.

Places: A Gentleman's Description of Summer Hill and Dangan in 1828

Dangan Castle

    Summerhill


" Being desirous of seeing the ancient castle of Dangan, the birth-place of the hero of our day (the Duke of Wellington who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815) we left Dublin for Summer Hill, a village about thirty miles from Dublin, and a very short distance from Dangan Castle. It was autumn, and, as we reached Summer Hill late, we went quietly to bed- deferring the object of our curiosity till the morning."

"We arose almost with the sun on the following morning, and after a rural breakfast in one of the prettiest villages in Ireland, Summer Hill, we set forth on our walk to Dangan.

Dangan


"The day brightened as we left the village, and we saw at a mile's distance the gates and woods of Dangan. We passed down the side of the domain wall, and, pursuing a noble road with woods on each side, at length reached an eminence, whence Dangan Castle burst on our view. Its windows glistened in the morning sun, and many coloured foliage added to its beauty."

"Having walked over the domain, we proceeded to the castle, and examined the interior of it. It is now quite a ruin, having been sold by Lord Wellesley, (father of the Duke of Wellington) and since the sale has passed through many hands. It had, moreover, suffered recently by some fire, so as to look more picturesquely in a distant prospect than upon a close inspection. The shell of the castle, which had so fine an effect, with its battlements and turrets amongst the surrounding woods, had a very different aspect as we approached it. Still it appeared to us as historic ground, and we lingered long in the domain and its vicinity"

"We passed the rest of the day in walking through the adjacent country, which is fertile and well cultivated. From every part of the landscape, the woods, and frequently the castle of Dangan were to be seen. We continued to walk through this wild and romantic scenery, and could not but be pleased with the varied landscapes of a fine corn country, always terminated, and, as it were, framed by the beautiful and extensive woods of Dangan. We stopped at an humble Irish cottage; the inhabitants produced a repast of potatoes and milk, of which we of course partook. How exceedingly cheaply are the Irish peasantry maintained- how cheaply might even an English family, and of the first respectability, live most substantially in Ireland. The largest and fattest fowl is six-pence or seven-pence- a goose thirteen pence- a turkey the same; taxes almost nothing, and labour not a shilling per day. The rent of land is about twenty-five shillings the English acre, and in taking a domain of fifty or sixty acres the house is rated as nothing, being included in the rent..."

"....The wages of maid-servants are about four pounds a year- of a coachman about ten. Every family makes their own candles and soap..." "..We returned to Summer Hill to sleep....in a quiet slumber at a village inn.


"With the first gleaming of the golden sun, illuminating the peaceful village, we set out for Trim.....we again approached Dangan Castle on our way to Trim..."


..."Proceeding toward Trim, a country town thirty miles from Dublin, we passed through some of the finest and best cultivated land we had seen in Ireland. Good farm-houses, large fields, and every appearance of good crops and proper cultivation, showed us what Ireland might become under due culture. "


Trim


"Upon bidding farewell to this interesting little spot we passed on to Trim, a considerable Irish country town. The old castle is the most striking and picturesque feature of the place. It is situated upon the memorable Boyne, which is here about as wide as the Thames at Richmond; and is beautifully blue. when Marquis Wellesley sold his castle at Dangan, he resided some time here. Trim is likewise remarkable for the occasional residence of (Jonathan) Swift (Church of Ireland cleric, later dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, best known for his book "Gulliver's Travels" written in 1726) his parsonage at Laracor being near it. "


"...Again we beheld the cradle of our Wellington, and the baronial edifice of King John, for in his reign it (the castle at Trim) was built. The first dawn of the morning was on its walls; the autumnal woods reddened with the rising sun; the cheerful redbreast poured forth its song; and the sheep grazed through the domain. It was altogether a picture of exquisite rural beauty and country repose."

Trim

Journal Source:
Mr. Peel- page 183-page 188  
Public Characters of the Year 1828
Printed by Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green
Paternoster Row, 1828
(Pictures are not from the book- found on Google images)


  

Allen Blog-1841 Ireland- A 420 meter scroll and a new find!

       This is the 1841 signature of my great-great grandfather,  Richard Allen. This is significant, not just because it is his signature, but because it shows that unlike many Irishmen of the time, Richard Allen was literate.

                      George Howard- Lord Viscount Morpeth

I came across this by accident today, while researching another relative. In 1841, Lord Viscount Morpeth (George Howard) was retiring from his post as Chief Secretary for Ireland. He was given a gift of a 420 meter roll of parchment consisted of 652 pieces of paper signed by 160,000 people from all over Ireland. The signatures included men from all levels of Irish society. There were some famous people of course, including the great Daniel O'Conner, but most of the signatures were those of everyday farmers and businessmen.

In 2013 the scroll was sent on a 14 month tour of Ireland, where it could be seen by the public for the first time in 170 years. It was also digitized at Ancestry.com and can be seen online.

 If you look at my Allen Family Tree on Ancestry, you can see Richard Allen's signature on the scroll. Many of his relatives and neighbors at the time also signed the scroll.

Patrick Sweeney was a neighbor of Richard Allen in Great Umberstown, and likely the brother of Margaret Sweeney.

Peter Allen and John Allen of Dangan were likely Richard's brothers and Andrew Young of Dangan was the husband of Elizabeth Allen-likely Richard's sister. 

The scroll is full of the names of many neighbors and friends of the Allen's and Sweeney's.

The names led me to more questions (of course) What relation was this Francis Allen and this John Sweeney?

Here is a look at part of page 442- can you find Rich'd Allen?

Source: page 442, The 1841 Irish Testimonial to Lord Morpeth, Castle Howard, York, England
Caste Howard Estate Ltd., Ancestry.com. Ireland, Lord Viscount Morpeth's Testimonial Roll, 1841

Historical Morpeth Roll is digitised (Click to read article)

Places: Understanding our ancestor's Townlands in Ireland

This is a wonderful article on understanding townlands!
What is a Townland?  (click to link to the article!)

Quick answer; a townland is the smallest geographical division in Ireland. Townlands have survived since medieval times and many retain their Gaelic names or a translation of that name. Their boundaries usually follow natural features such as rivers.

The Down Survey of Ireland (1656-8) was one of the first national surveys of land in the world. Its purpose was to measure lands which would be forfeited by the Catholic Irish and given to Cromwell's followers.  The Down Survey of 1656-8 (click to link to the article) Each townland was measured, and towns, houses, churches, and roads noted.

Griffith's Valuation again mapped Irish townslands for tax purposes.

Our ancestor's Townlands:

County Meath

Allen's and Sweeney's Townland- Great Umberstown
(Barony Lower Moyfenrath, civil parish Laracor)
Great Umberstown consists of .69 square miles, 439 acres
link with map- Great Umberstown

Children of Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney County Meath- John Allen 1833 Summerhill- 1918 Summerhill

"When distributing the estate of Richard Allen (1843-1872) in Illinois, John, Catherine, and Edward were listed as living at Summer Hill, County Meath, Ireland. Edward later came to U.S. in 1880." from genealogy notebook of Helen and Marjorie Allen

John Allen

John Allen was baptized in the Dangan Church in Summerhill Parish on May 20, 1833. He was a year older than his brother Hugh, our ancestor.

John remained single and stayed on the family farm with his parents, Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney Allen.

In the 1901 census John, age 62, was still farming and living in Great Umberstown, with a 19 year old cousin, Jane Moran. The census notes that John can read, but cannot write, while Jane can both read and write. This would fit with Aunt Helen's memories of her sister Mary Allen writing letters for their Uncle Tom Allen (who lived with their family until his death in 1920) to his brother back in Ireland. John would then have a female relative in Ireland write letters back.

In 1911, John, now listed as 76 (there doesn't seem to be much attention paid to ages, although the church baptismal records don't lie!) is farming in Great Umberstown, but his nephew, Thomas Byrne, 37 and single, is helping him with the farming.This notation of Thomas Byrne as his nephew was the key to unlock the mystery of Catherine Allen- the other sibling who remained in Ireland.

John died of old age on January 8, 1918 at the family farm in Umberstown. Margaret Byrne was with him at his death.

Our Irish Ancestral Names and Emigrants

        Our Irish Ancestral Names and Emigrants

Allen- County Meath

 RC Parish Summerhill, Townsland Dangan/Great Umberstown. 

Hugh Allen emigrated to Castle Garden, NY before 1862, possibly 1857

Stayed in Ireland John and Catherine Allen

Durney- County Kilkenny

RC Parish Owning and Templeorum, Townsland Piltown, likely Garryduff

Margaret Durney emigrated before April 1864 (marriage to Hugh Allen)

Sister Bridget Durney arrived 24 Feb 1851 on the Antarctic from Liverpool

Brother James before 1861

Brother Michael 1855 (married 1857)

Stayed in Ireland? Thomas Durney bap 10 March 1817 Owning Templeorum to Daniel Durney and Annastasia Walsh (illeg) Mullinbeg sp John Cuddihy and Mary Kennelly

Fitzgerald- County Kilkenny

Grace- County Kilkenny 

Kinsella- County Kilkenny

RC Parish Carigeen and Mooncoin, Townsland Clogga/Baronswood

Quinn- County Kilkenny

Sweeney- County Meath

RC Parish Summerhill, Townsland Dangan/Great Umberstown. Stayed in Ireland

Walsh- County Kilkenny

RC Parish Owning and Templeorum, Townsland Piltown, likely Garryduff

Hugh's Story- Jerseyville- Married to an Irish Girl

                                   Marriage

Almost a year to the day after buying his farm, Hugh, now 30 years old, was married. On April 25, 1864, he married Margaret Durney. Margaret had come from Kilkenny Ireland and her family had also emigrated to Jersey County. She had brothers and sisters in the area. At the time of their marriage, she was 24 years old. 

Nine months later, on January 24, 1865, their first child, Richard, was born. Soon more babies arrived; Margaret on October 17, 1867, Rosa on August 13, 1869, Thomas on December 22, 1870, and Hugh on March 5, 1873.

They started out on an 80 acre farm with an existing log cabin. But in time, Hugh built a new house. As his family was growing, so was his farm. Hugh saved and put his profits into buying more land. Eventually the boy who had grown up on a 17 acre rented farm in Ireland owned a 360 acre farm in America.

Mysteries and Clues: Allens and Sweeneys in Laracor Civil Parish- using Griffiths Valuation to find family connections

http://askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/

Griffiths Valuation lists families by civil parish and townland.
Using Google maps we can tell the distance and walking time between each of these Allen families.

Our ancestors, Richard Allen and Margaret Sweeney, lived in Laracor civil parish, Great Umberstown townland. Richard rented land from Charles P. Leslie. What other Allens and Sweeneys lived in Laracor civil parish? Might they have been related?

Richard Allen, Great Umberstown, renting 17 acres from Charles Leslie.
John Allen, Great Umberstown subletting a house and garden (no acreage to farm) from Richard Allen.

Who was John Allen, who survived with just a house and garden, on the farm of Richard Allen? Surely John was a relative of Richards. This may well be his elderly father or both of his parents. There is a John Allen in Umberstown in earlier records- in the 1828 Title Applotments. This John Allen paid a yearly tithe (generally 1/10th of the yearly production) for his 22 acre farm.

Neighbors in Great Umberstown- Ellen, Richard, James, Mary, Patrick Reilly, Patrick Flynn, Thomas Murrin, Michael Connolly, John Corcoran, William and Patrick Doran, Patrick Sweeney- we see these names as baptismal sponsors for the Allen children.

Other Allens in Laracor civil parish- see the blog for the map of all the families:

Dangan- Richard Allen's land bordered on those of Dangan.

James Allen, Dangan, renting 5 acres from Thomas Burrows
Peter Allen, Dangan, renting 3 acres from Thomas Burrows.

Ballinrig

James Allen, Ballinrig, renting 26 acres from Charles Leslie.
Rose Allen, Ballinrig, renting 10 acres from Charles Leslie.
(Neighbors Peter, James, Thomas Byrne, Michael Doran, Walter Rattigan, James Connolly)

Clondoogan

John Allen, Clondoogan, renting 21 acres from Richard Rowley
Edward Allen, Clondoogan, renting 11 acres from Richard Rowley

Stokestown

Anne Allen, Stokestown, renting 32 acres from Charles Leslie and subletting land to Jane Huntheon

The only Sweeny in Laracor Parish was Patrick Sweeny, a neighbor of Richard Allen in Great Umberstown. We can be fairly certain that Patrick and Margaret Sweeny were related. Patrick rented  two plots  of land from Charles Leslie; one 12 acres and one 8 acres.

The amount of acreage tells us a good deal about these families.  James and Peter Allen in Dangan had very little land to live on. Might they have worked for the Dangan Estate? The landlord, Thomas Burrows, had leased the estate to Roger O'Conner, an Irish nationalist, who hoped to host a conquering Napoleon there, but after a questionable fire, the  castle was just a ruin after 1841. It was said to be the hiding place of plunder, and a den of thieves!

Allen Blog- Nebraska -Edward Allen and Mary Bryan- Part 2

Their first child, Richard, was born a year after their marriage, followed by more sons; James, John, Peter, and Edward, and a daughter, whom they named Maggie.

But then tragedy struck the young family. Edward had an attack of appendicitis, and the appendix ruptured. According to family stories, the country doctor, who had no anesthesia, attempted to remove it while five men held Edward down. He survived the surgery only to die a painful death from infection days later. (1)

 He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, in Burchard Nebraska, his gravestone reading “Born in Summerhill Parish, County Meath, Ireland.” 

Now Mary Bryan Allen was left a young widow with six children to raise on her own. The youngest, Edward, was only a few weeks old. Mary stayed on their farm in Plum Creek, Nebraska, raising her family.

 Mary Bryan Allen never remarried. When she grew older, she left the farm and lived in a house with her son John and daughter Margaret. She died there in 1932, aged 79. Her gravestone reads “Wife of Edward, born in County Meath, Ireland.”

Sources:

Ancestry.com. U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Find A Grave. Find A Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi.

1-Note on Ancestry.com by Mary Dillard, descendant of Edward Allen

Year: 1900; Census Place: Plum Creek, Pawnee, Nebraska; Page: 4; Enumeration District: 0131; FHL microfilm: 1240935