Strokestown Famine Diaspora welcomed back 'home' for The Gathering 2013

Project information and contact with ancestors of Ireland’s famine from Strokestown Park House, Roscommon

Larger Text

Print

E-mail

1 Comment

Strokestown Park House

Photo by oldrectoryireland.com

Tweet

Many however failed to adapt to their new life. Ellen Shannon for instance was listed as being a patient in county asylum in 1870. She was buried at Rockspring, St Louis in 1882.

What became of James Spellman who arrived in New York in 1846? Was he the same person that is listed in the 1860 census as living in Newport, Herkimer, New York with his wife Teresa 30 years, and three daughters Mary (6), Martha (4) and Catherine, by which time he had amassed property valued at $3,377 dollars and personal estate worth $1,500.

Others remain a mystery and do not appear on US Census material. Take for instance the case of Frank Coggins and his whereabouts in America after the Famine. In September 1852 the Freemans Journal newspaper reported that a man named Frank Coggins, his wife, son and three daughters entered the workhouse in Strokestown in March 1850 as ‘miserable and emaciated looking creatures’. Within a short space of time the son, then aged 15 and his father absconded from the workhouse went to England leaving the rest of the family behind. From there they then went to America, and after about nine months or so secured passage for their family and duly sent passage tickets to the master of the workhouse. It is a fascinating account of the hardships which many endured and strength and resilience which they showed. Can any more be found out about Frank Coggins, his family or subsequent generations?

You can email with queries or information to info@strokestownpark.ie or visit the website.

*Dr Ciarán Reilly is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Department of History, NUI Maynooth carrying out research on the Strokestown Park House Archive.

Print

E-mail

Tweet