Tracing Bridget (Mahan) Hogan’s Irish Roots

This post is for documenting my efforts to “jump the pond” and find Bridget C. (Mahan) Hogan’s birthplace in Ireland.

The Facts

Here are the data points I’m starting with:

First name: Bridget
Middle initial: C.
Maiden name: Mahan/Mahon
Born about 1874 in Ireland
Immigrated about 1898 (1920 US Census says 1894, 1930 US Census says 1904. Actual date likely on the earlier end of that range because she met and married Owen in Syracuse and first child Edward was born in 1901.)
Spouse: Owen H. Hogan, born October 1861, died 22 February 1950
Married about 1901 in Syracuse
Died 8 September 1957 at her home of many years, 722 E Laurel St, Syracuse
Survived sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Grumbley of Ireland.
Visited by her sister, Mary Mahan, in 1907.

Elizabeth Grumbley

I searched IrishGenealogy for an Elizabeth Grumbley who died after 1957 and found one potential match:

Elizabeth Grumley, widow, died 1961 in Muclone, Rosenallis at the age of 77.

The death recorded in the Mountmellick civil registration office, County Laois (pronounced “leash”) in the province of Leinster. Note: Laois was known as Queen’s County from 1556-1922.

Rosenallis is the name of a village, a civil parish, and a Catholic parish served by St. Brigid’s Church in County Laois. Muclone (alternate spellings: Mucklone/Maclone) is a townland within that parish.

A townland is the smallest unit of land division in Ireland, originating from the Gaelic land division system, like a neighborhood. Townlands are primarily used for historical and genealogical research, don’t have their own local government, and typically have Irish Gaelic names that describe the land’s features or purpose. The Gaelic for Muclone is “Muc Chluain,” which translates to Pig’s Meadow or Pig’s Pasture (cluain: meadow or pasture; muc: pig).

Click here to see where Muclone is in Google Maps.

Elizabeth Grumley’s estimated birth year based on her death record is 1884, making her about 10 years younger than Bridget. The informant (person who reports the death to the civil registration office) was Elizabeth’s son, Patrick Grumley, who also lived in Muclone.

Elizabeth Grumley Death Record

Elizabeth Grumley Death 1961 — Elizabeth (Mahon) Grumley death record, 1961, Mountmellick registration district

Elizabeth Grumley Maiden Name

The next step for researching whether this Elizabeth Grumley was indeed Bridget’s sister was to find her maiden name. I searched for Patrick’s birth record, and sure enough, Elizabeth Grumley’s maiden name was Mahon!! Patrick was born 16 June in Mucklone to parents Patrick Grumley, a laborer, and Elizabeth (Mahon) Grumley.