Monday, July 1, 2013

Fanny Collins and Denis Crowley of Castlehaven

I think I have found another daughter of Larr Collins (1783-1867) of Adrigole, though I have substantially less confidence in this child than I have in the others. The records of Fanny Collins (1829-a. 1901) aren't tightly coupled to her siblings like the records of her siblings are to each other.

"Fanny" is an old variant of Francesca no longer in use. Fanny Collins married Denis Crowley 5-Feb-1854 in Skibbereen R.C. parish; there were neither Collins nor Crowley witnesses recorded as present.

Daughter Mary was baptized 8-Feb-1855 and recorded in Adrigole; the godfather was one Daniel Collins. Whether this is the girl's uncle is not clear as my gg-grandfather Daniel Collins had relocated to Colomane East a few years prior.

Jane Crowley (8-Feb-1857) was recorded in Adrigole and had one Ellen Collins as a godmother. Jane's mother is recorded as Ann.

A second reason why I thought Fanny may have been Larr's daughter was because the Crowleys resided for a time in Adrigole. But the main reason why I thought Fanny was Larr's daughter was because Larr was the godfather of Patrick, baptized 27-Feb-1859. These are the only two pieces of evidence I have implying such a relationship.

John Crowley (9-May-1861), baptized in Castlehaven & Myross R.C. parish, is recorded in Rineen. The baptism of Kate (6-Mar-1865), also baptized in C&M parish, is recorded with mother named Johanna, which I think is an error. Michael (15-Jul-1869), C&M parish, is recorded in Gortbrack. The mother's name was mistakenly written in as William Brown, then crossed out and not rewritten.

Now comes more confusion. Jerry (11-Aug-1875) is recorded in Gortbrack. However, Ireland Births and Baptisms shows a Cornelius Crowley born about that same time to the same parents. In addition, that same data source lists a "Coomeshall Crowly" born 17-Jun-1872. I suspect that Dennis and Fanny had a child born in Coornishal, who perhaps didn't live long enough to be baptized. I will know when I see that civil registration record.

Clearly I need to trawl civil registration and perhaps the revision books to bring some clarity to this family. The 1901 Ireland census shows Fanny Crowley as a widow, age 72, living with her son John, in Farrandau. Though their son John is there, Fanny is not listed in 1911, and civil registration does not provide clues to her death.

A third reason why I thought Fanny, or Francesca, could be Larr's daughter is because the man's name Francis pops up as a middle name in this extended family, especially with "Denis." The discovery of Fanny has compelled me to revisit the 20-Jul-1856 Caheragh R.C. parish record of a child of Daniel Collins and Mary Mahony that is unreadable. It has been transcribed as Johanna and as Jeremiah but I think it is neither. Could it be Fannia - another form of Fanny?

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