My LAWLER great-great-grandparents, John and Elizabeth (nee FITZPATRICK) were married on 1st August 1835 in St Michael's RC Parish, Athy, Co Kildare. At the time of the 1871 census of England and Wales they lived at 29 Haddock St, Kirkdale, Liverpool and their birthplaces are recorded as Queen's Co (now Co Laois) Ireland. They were probably born around 1815, though dates and townlands are as yet unknown. Tenant farmers in Grangemellon, Tankardstown, Co Kildare, they had eight children, though only four of these, Joseph (b.1838), John (b.1842), James (b.1847) and Catherine (b.1851), appear to have lived until adulthood. My great-grandfather Joseph was their second child and the first son. In 1867 the family left the farm, perhaps because of eviction, and went to live in Kirkdale, Liverpool.
Catherine LAWLER, Elizabeth and John's youngest child, emigrated to the USA with her two eldest children, Mary F. and Bessie, in about 1882. She joined her husband Edward SMALLWOOD who had previously settled in Elyria, Ohio in 1880, where they had five more children: Ellen, Edward, William F., Leo C. and Agnes. In later years Edward built a house on the south-west corner of Middle Avenue and Fourth Street on the former site of the first Catholic church in Elyria.
Great-great-grandparents number two were William HOWARD, a gardener, and Julia CONNOR. They too were married in St Michael's, Athy; their wedding date was 24 November 1834. In 1851, according to Griffiths Primary Valuation, William was the tenant of a house in Janeville Lane, off Ophally St. Six of their children's baptisms are recorded in Athy Parish records, great-grandmother Anne, born 10 August 1850 'at Preston's', was the youngest of these. She was married to Joseph Lawler in 1874 at St James RC Chapel, Bootle.
As well as the links listed below I would like to acknowledge the help of the parish office of St Michael's Athy. And my grateful thanks to Lorain County Historical Society for all the invaluable information which helped to put flesh on the bones of a very vague family story.
Irish
Family History Society
Kildare Heritage
© Ann Chapman 2001