Kensrigherar

[cmsimoneau]

Has anyone ever seen the surname Kensrigherar (my best guess from the death certificate of my great great grandfather Michael Kelley)? Catherine Kensrigherar was his Mother and she was born in Ireland according to his death certificate.

[merski]

I'll check Grenham's irish surname database on tuesday....what an unusual irish name!

[merski]

Is there any way we can see the actual death cert?  At a workshop I was at yesterday I was told that people's writing is different and can often be misinterpreted.  I belong to hisgen so if the death is before 1910 and in Mass. I can access that material if you give us the details.

[cmsimoneau]

He died January 14, 1907 in Sterling, Mass. Vol. 95, Page 191, No.4.  Thanks very much! This has had me perplexed for a couple of years.

[merski]

How anout Kennaway?

[cmsimoneau]

There are three Michael Kelley's living in Clinton at this time, all with wives named Bridget.  I have seen the 1870 census record you refer to but could not be sure if it was my Michael.  How did you know that this Bridget is a Navin as it doesn't say so on the census.  Bridget Navin is the name of my great great grandmother.  This Michael was listed as working in a saw mill.  My Michael was a farmer.  The Katie on this census was born in 1869.  My great grandmother Katie claimed to be born in 1972 although I have not found a birth record to substantiate this.  Thanks so much for the responses to my post.  I am very grateful.

[cheryl]

My guess is Kerrigan based on the Catherines, Katherines, Kates who died in Clinton and Sterling between1870-1880.  I  don't have NEHGS so can't confirm by guess.  I assume CapeColleen looked up the 1865 marriage of Michael & Bridget and didn't find a mother's maiden name there??  My question is why is she listed by her maiden name in the 1870 census? 
Cheryl

[cmsimoneau]

My guess is Kerrigan based on the Catherines, Katherines, Kates who died in Clinton and Sterling between1870-1880.  I  don't have NEHGS so can't confirm by guess.  I assume CapeColleen looked up the 1865 marriage of Michael & Bridget and didn't find a mother's maiden name there??  My question is why is she listed by her maiden name in the 1870 census? 
Cheryl

She was not listed as Navin in the 1870 census.

[cmsimoneau]

I was confused after I posted the Kenneway name. I did find a Bridget Navin married to Michael Kelley 25 NOV 1865 in Clinton. His father is Andrew mother Catherine. Bridget's father is Patrick mother Mary yet on her death listed in both Clinton and Sterling in 1909 father is Michael. The 1870 Clinton census has only 1 Michael and Bridget that fits your age and place of birth. It is the one with Catherine Kennewah living in the house. There is a death in Sterling for a Catherine Kelley maiden name unknown age 87  father listed as Andrew date 26 FEB 1890. This seems more like Michael Kelley's mother as opposed to sister. Catherine was listed as a widow. Kerrigan was one of the names I was thinking of when I looked in MacLysaght's book for Kennewah. The 1870 Kelley did work in sawmill. Is it possible he did that then bought a farm? He had money saved in the 1870 census, son Thomas was born in Sterling but Katie and Mary were born in Clinton I found 2 births that matched their ages exactly in Clinton none in Sterling Katie was listed as Cady Agnes. One of mine was a shoemaker and 10 years later was a farmer. That is certainly possible. I don't think the Michael Kelley in the 1870 census should be ruled out yet, in 1880 Sterling his 2 oldest children were Mary and Katie and their ages match those in 1870 Clinton. 

The Bridget and Michael married on Nov 25, 1865 are my great great grandparents.  My guess on Bridget's death certificate is that son Michael did not know his grandparents names.  Michael did buy a farm in Sterling in the early 1870's and another farm in the 1890's and they remained in the family until the 1930's. I will check out the Catherine Kelley you mentioned.  She did not live with Michael in the 1880 census.  My grandaunt Katherine gave me the names Andrew and Catherine as Michael's parents and Patrick and Mary as Bridgets parents, but she never mentioned the Catherine Kelley you spoke of.  Thanks!

[cmsimoneau]

New developements -- Michael Kelley had a sister Mary living in Clinton. She married a Thomas Dervin in 1863. In the 1880 census they were living in Lancaster,MA with Catherine Kelley who was 70 at that time. In 1900 Mary and Thomas are in Lancaster without Catherine Kelley. Mary and Thomas were in 1910 census Lancaster listed as Devon. They were not there in 1920. If you could get a death certificate on Mary it might tell Catherine's last name. The death in Sterling of Catherine seems to be their Mother. I have no idea who Catherine Kennewah is. I checked all the Kate,Catherine, Kelley births in Clinton. There was one born to Michael and Bridget Scott but the age was further off than the Cady born to Michael and Bridget in 1869. The 1872 birth in your lore is pretty darn close to 1869. Cady might be your great grandmother and the 1870 Michael and Bridget in Clinton might be your ancestor. I think a death cert. from Lancaster might be real helpful.

This is very exciting.  I never heard before of Michael having a sister, but my great grandmother Katherine Kelley married Michael Mahan in 1892 and they built a house next door to the Dervin's in Lancaster.  One of my Mother's cousins used Dervin as a middle name for his son.  I will certainly check all this information out. My  great grandmother Katherine (Kelley) Mahan lied about her age all the time which is why I haven't confirmed her birth yet.  As she got older she somehow managed to get "younger".  If you listened to her she was 19 years younger than her husband, but if the 1869 date is correct, she was only one year younger than him! Thanks so much for your information.