William Moloney 1840 Queen's Ireland - Genealogists' Forum

Glen · #1 13-01-17, 03:16

Hi All,
I am looking for any information on my children's ancestor:
William Moloney, son of James Moloney, was born Roman Catholic in Laois, in Ireland, in about 1840 and Elizabeth or Eliza Higgins Queens, born possibly 1852. see more info below

William left Ireland in 1860 and went to Australia. He had 4 years in Australian Goldfields then migrated to New Zealand. Arriving Wairoa in 1866.

He married Elizabeth Higgins in Wairoa NZ (Possible arrival NZ - Forfarshire Ship left London 1872 and arrived 2 March 1873 Colonial Nominated Single Women Higgins Eliza 18 Queens Dressmaker)
Possible birth 1904-52= 1852 from BMDeath NZ: 1904/1583 Moloney Elizabeth 52Y Obituary 13th August 1904

They married in Aug 1873 and had a family of 11 children:

They had Alice Moloney in 1874, Elizabeth Moloney in 1876, Annie Elizabeth in 1878, William Travis Moloney in 1879, Bridget Moloney in 1880, James Lawrence Moloney in 1881. Edith in 1884, Margaret Geneive in 1886, John Michael in 1887, Francis Edward in 1889, Lawrence in 1892- 1819.

His record for his time on the Wairoa Harbour Board Reads:

MR. WILLIAM MOLONEY, J.P., member of the Wairoa Harbour Board, was for several years a member of the Wairoa County Council, was chairman of the council when the Wairoa bridge was completed, and in his official capacity declared it open for traffic in the year 1887. He has also been chairman of the Harbour Board, and was a member of the old Town Board and other public bodies.

He was born in Queen's County, Ireland, in 1840, is the son of Mr. James Moloney, and was educated and brought up to farming in his native county.

Mr. Moloney left the Old Land in 1860 for Melbourne, and spent four years on the New South Wales gold-field, and two years on the Otago and Westland fields.

He settled in Wairoa in the year 1866, on a farm near his present holding, and had the misfortune to be turned off in 1869 by Te Kooti. He then joined the Wairoa Rifles, and was present at the Lake Waikare-Moana skirmishes. In 1872 Mr. Moloney started business as a storekeeper in Wairoa, where he has been very successful.

He has taken an active interest in public and social matters generally, and was one of the founders of the Roman Catholic Church in Wairoa.

I'd love to find out where in Laois he was from although I found a record of a James Molone in Clarahill Clonaslee in a parish donation history of 1810.

Any help researching tracking family and origins would be much appreciated.

I am aware there are 42 different ways to spell Moloney.
I'd also love more info on Elizabeth/Eliza Higgins. Could it have been an arranged marriage as William had been overseas for 13 years?

Thanks
Glen NZ

kiterunner · #2 13-01-17, 07:03

Welcome to the forum, Glen.

Could this be a possible for William's baptism? The first name is obscured by a blot but will try to make it out a bit later:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/61...nSearchResults

23 May 1841 at Rosenallis, ???? of James Malone & Anne Foy, sponsors Francis & Eliza Cullen, abode Meelick.

Glen · #3 13-01-17, 07:41

Thanks Kite,
I am astounded at the speed in which you turned up a catholic register and found and entry. And then it took me forever to create a sign in to ancestry - fish into spam blocker and pull out a new password etc.

I have no idea if this is the James Moloney? Molone born possibly 1820s. Have no idea of his wife's name. What does "sponsors Francis & Eliza Cullen" mean?

I have just bitten the bullet and ordered NZ death certificates to see if this helps with locating parental names.

And google Meelick as a place in Queen's. Good tracking anyway.
Many thanks
Glen

kiterunner · #4 13-01-17, 07:58

Here is another child of the same parents but again, the first name is really hard to make out:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/61...nSearchResults

Mar 1844 ??????? of James Malone & Anne Fahy, sponsors Michael & Anne Dunne, abode Meelick.

Sponsors = godparents.

If William was born in 1840 then his father was most likely born before the 1820's.

Here is another possible baptism for William, and this time the surname is Molony and first name is definitely William, so a better fit!
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/61...nSearchResults
7 Mar 1840 Stradbally
Wm, of Jas Molony & Alicia Doran, sponsors Buckley and Cahill, abode Ballycoolin.

Edit - mother's name fits with your William's eldest daughter.

kiterunner · #5 13-01-17, 08:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glen

I have just bitten the bullet and ordered NZ death certificates to see if this helps with locating parental names.

Good idea. Let us know when they arrive!

Glen · #6 13-01-17, 08:37

"7 Mar 1840 Stradbally
Wm, of Jas Molony & Alicia Doran, sponsors Buckley and Cahill, abode Ballycoolin."
That is a good fit with the name Alice. Elizabeth fits her name and interesting that 3rd daughter Anne is Annie on birth cert. from day 1 - a pet name already maybe from Eliza's side.

I'll let you know what the certificates turn up- it may take a few days. The first son William after the father and "Travis" the middle name may be her father?

Finding more kids to those parents would be good. Does Familysearch have access to these catholic registers?
Many thanks again
Glen

kiterunner · #7 13-01-17, 08:39

Glen, do you have a copy of William and Elizabeth's marriage record? And if so, what are the details from it, please?

kiterunner · #8 13-01-17, 08:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glen

Finding more kids to those parents would be good. Does Familysearch have access to these catholic registers?

They aren't on FamilySearch, but they are on ancestry and Findmypast. Also on the National Library of Ireland site, but they are not searchable by name on there:
http://registers.nli.ie/

Here are some more children of James and Alicia baptised at Stradbally:
29 Mar 1829 Bryan, of James and Alicia Molony, sponsors Ed Smith and Cath Hyland.
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/61...nSearchResults
8 Aug 1830 James, of James Mulroney and Alicia Doran, sponsors Denis Bryen(?) and Sarah Doran, abode Ballycoolin
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/61...nSearchResults
Apr 1833 John, of Jas Molony and Alicia Doran, sponsors Michl McGah(?) and Mary Lalor.
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/61...nSearchResults

kiterunner · #9 13-01-17, 08:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glen

interesting that 3rd daughter Anne is Annie on birth cert. from day 1 - a pet name already maybe from Eliza's side.

It wasn't unusual for a birth to be registered as Annie rather than Anne.

Glen · #10 13-01-17, 09:09

Awfully sorry - was looking at those jpeg images and going crossyeyed wondering how you did it in finding names.
They were married Aug 1873 Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
1873/8038 Elizabeth Higgins William Moloney
I have 21 August 1873 - maybe that info was from a newspaper search at the time.
I could try to find where tomorrow I found that.

I cannot get over the speed with which you are recreating their family.
All match except the Bryan!
How amazing - I hope you manage to sleep some time - Where are you based as it is an hour from midnight here!
Many thanks
Glen