Irish Research

[LisaJ]

Good Morning,

I am trying to research my family history and I have run into a road block.
My research leads me to my GGG grandparents, Ellen(?)McNiff born Ireland in 1847 Imm year 1866-67, she married a McNiff and had a son Michael Joseph b1874 in Worchester County, MA(USA) I am trying to find out what Ellens maiden name was and what her husbands name was.
Sometime between 1900 and 1910 they moved from MA to NY and I have Ellen living with her son. I believe her husbands name was Michael also but can not find any trail to him.
Any information would be of great help in my quest to give my grandmother who is turning 80 on 2/24/05 a list of her family history.
Thank you in advance for you help.
Lisa

[Finan researcher]

Lisa,
IF, I repeat IF Ellen McNiff was married IN IRELAND in 1866-67 you can probably learn what you want to know. The government's Civil Registration system registered births, marriages, and deaths from 1864 on. You will need to go to an LDS library near you and look up Michael McNiff in the microfilmed national alphabetical marriage index for 1866 and 1867. The index will give you the volume and page number where his marriage is contained in the registration book.

You will then have to order from Salt Lake the microfilm which
contains that registration. The registration will give bride's
maiden name, her father's name and address (townland),
groom's father's name and address, etc, etc.

If Ellen was married in the U.S. you would have to know exactly
what city or county, and then hope that they were keeping records back in the 1860's.

Good Luck,
Tom Voyles

ntvoyles@netzero.net

[Ann]

Lisa
If Ellen's son was married in New York you could check this site for the groom's data base.

http://www.italiangen.org/default.htm
If any of the Michael McNiff's you find look like yours you could obtain his marriage record...I believe his mother's maiden name would appear on the record.

Good Luck,
Ann

[LisaJ]

just wanted to thank you for the help I will go this week to the LDS in my area and start from there.

Thank you again.

[MARY]

I quess you know you can only go back so far in Irish history, when the english invaded Ireland they burned everything, no records can be found....

Have fun doing research.....

Mary