Lynch mysteries - geting nowhere slowly

[jennyblain]

I mentioned this family a good while back.. and then found one birth in the Catholic archives.
My G-grandfather Thomas Lynch is a family mystery. He appears in Glasgow in 1868 with partner Margaret Cassidy, with the recording of the birth of their eldest child, and according to the 1871 census both were born in Dundee, Thomas around 1833, Margaret around 1841. On his death in 1889 his 20-year-old son Thomas (my grandfather) reported his father's parents to be Michael Lynch, weaver, and Margaret McTaggart.

I have never found any trace of him earlier (except for a possible marriage to Euphemia Low in 1850, with son James born the next year, which a TS forum member alerted me to).

Now in the Catholic records I've found the birth of a Thomas Lynch, in 1830, baptised 6 months later in Jan 1831, to a Michael Lynch and Margaret Haghey (or Hagley or Waghey or just possibly Maghey, though the shaping of the first letter makes this unlikely). There seem to be no other records of births to this couple. It's a 'lawful' birth so they were married.

Poking round in the 1841 census for any of these names, I've found only one household in Angus with a Michael Lynch and it also includes people with a name transcribed as Mackley. Here's the info from freecen:

MACKLEY Joseph M 25 Linen Hand Loom Weaver (born) England
MACKLEY Margaret F 20 Linen Hand Loom Weaver Ireland
LYNCH Michael M 20 Linen Hand Loom Weaver Ireland
LYNCH James M 14 Linen Hand Loom Weaver Ireland

Well, I suppose that given that '20' in the 1841 census means approximately 20-24, this Michael could have been the very young father of the child born in 1830 - just - or this Michael could be a cousin, though the speculations start getting a bit remote. Perhaps he might be the eldest son of the couple whose child Thomas was baptised in 1831. In the 1851 census there's a Michael Linch, aged 35, who is 'cousin' of a head of household Betsey Monhey - as this bit of info is from an ancestry transcription the name could be anything really!

I'm going round in circles and getting nowhere, indulging in too much speculation. So thought I'd run this by people.

Anybody got Lynches or McTaggarts or Hagleys...?

Jenny

[Andy]

The couple moved about a lot. Both children listed in IGI as born in Glasgow but the family are in Dundee in 1871:

1. THOMAS LYNCH - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 17 NOV 1868 Clyde, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland

2. MARGARET LYNCH - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 23 JUL 1872 Bridgeton, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland

Either of these certificates should show if and when AND where the couple got married.

If Thomas was born about 1833 the first recdorded born, Thomas, would have been quite a late start. Any chance he could have been married before?

Where is Thomas in 1841 - 1861 and in 1881 and 1891?

[jennyblain]

Hi Andy,
The issue is that there is nothing conclusive for 1851 - though possibly 'my' Thomas Lynch is the one married to Euphemia Low and appearing in the Kirriemuir census, as mentioned previously. We do know that this couple split up and that Thomas Lynch disappeared from the scene. And yes, if he had left (rather than died) that would give reason why he couldn't formally remarry.

Nothing that I can find for him for 1841 or 1861.

He and Margaret Cassidy were partners for at least rwelve years, from before the birth of young Thomas in 1868 until her death after a third childbirth in 1880. People around considered them married (from family stories) and in the 1871 census she is described as 'wife', but the official births and her death record shows that there was no marriage and therefore something seems to have been preventing this.

They weren't in Dundee in 1871 though - I have their census entry in Glasgow, for Thomas, Margaret and wee Thomas in Bridgeton, with the parents described as born in Dundee, wee Thomas in Glasgow. I have everything there is to get, I think, from 1868 on... it's the earlier parts that are the mystery. And there are family stories, and somewhere along the way Thomas senior seems to have picked up an education, which he passed on to the two children, assisting them with school work throughout their childhood. Stories say that he was quite often away from home, with a neighbour looking after the children (my mother had her name, I alas don't) and he used to write letters to them that began, 'dear little people..' Altogether, there is a lot of mystery and I'm trying any leads I can get.

Though, I might just have found Margaret Cassidy, again in the Catholic birth records, though it's hard to tell as alas parents' occupations aren't given. (Her father was a railway worker and they seem to have moved around a bit too..)

All best,
Jenny

[Rach]

Hi Jenny,
In 1871 was Thomas a labourer in a Chemical Mill? In 1861 there was a Thomas living at 160 Canning Street, Bridgeton. This one was 28, a Labourer [clemiel - probably wrongly transcribed and should be chemical!]. He was living with wife, Jean, 22. Both born Ireland. Then there was Mary, 3, daughter born Ireland.
Probably just a coincidence as there are so many Lynches around but maybe worth an extra look. I haven't got time to go any further just now.
Rae

[nelmit]

Not much help really but a look at Euphemia Low in 1861 & 1871 sees her with her illegitimate children. I'm sure you have the right Thomas in 1851 married to her.

Looks like you are right about him not being able to marry because he was still married to Euphemia as this birth entry of one of her illegitimate children shows that she is still married to Thomas Lynch.

DAVID ADAM OR LOW OR LYNCH


Birth:
24 OCT 1858 Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland

Parents:
Father: PETER OR PATRICK ADAM Family
Mother: EUPHEMIA LOW OR LYNCH

Regards,
Annette

[jennyblain]

That's very interesting, Annette - that does tend to indicate that the Thomas Lynch who married Euphemia is still alive.

Poor souls - they were 18 or 19 when they married in 1850. I think there's a high chance that he is mine..

Rae - yes, I saw the 1861 one, but the problem is the births in Ireland - the later material is very consistent that he was born in Dundee, and the 1851 Kirriemuiir census (the one with Euphemia Low) gives 'Dundee' as Thomas's birthplace too. As you say, there are a lot of Thomas Lynches - I think this is probably a different one. (It does say "chemic'l" on the actual census, but I think this is co-incidence - my Thomas is variously described as labourer in different contexts, chemical, iron-forge, engineer's...

(There's another one in Dundee - age given as 30, Dock Labourer, with mother and brothers, but again the whole family was born in Ireland.)

I would like to find Margaret Cassidy in 1861, but have not as yet managed this.

All best, and thanks,
Jenny

[jennyblain]

Just to let people know - I've put up the 'story' of Margaret Cassidy's family and the little bit known on Thomas Lynch at http://wyrdswell.co.uk/ancestors/Additi ... Lynch.html.

Jenny