Townlands of Taghmon Parish

Information on the townland of the civil parish of Taghmon, c1853, can be found at this site.

Old Cemetery in Taghmon, Co. Wexford

When we were in Taghmon in August, 2011, we went to the main Catholic Cemetery, but realized it was too new, i.e., started in the 1950s or so.  We asked some individuals who were in the cemetery if they knew where the older one was.  They directed us to a cemetery behind St. Munn's.  St. Munn's is a Church of Ireland, but this section of the cemetery was supposed to be the Catholic section.

It was almost impossible to read any of the stones in the cemetery.

The factory near the church in the video is the Irish Pride Bakery.




Video: Elaine Beaudoin, August 1, 2011

St. Fintan's Church, Taghmon Town

The Connors are supposed to be from Taghmon, Co. Wexford.  This has not been proven.  If true, However, it is not known if it was the town of Taghmon or the Civil Parish.

The church in Taghmon Town, originally opened in 1872, was totally restored in 2010.  It's name is St. Fintan and it is on the main street of Taghmon town.

St. Fintan's Church, Taghmon

Plaque on the wall of church

As can be seen from the commemorative plaque, there was a Catholic church fund raising effort as early as possibly the 1850s.  During this time period, I believe the Connors were still in Ireland.

 
Photos: Elaine M. Beaudoin, August 1, 2011

Evanston City Directory, 1884

Members of the Connor family are listed in the Evanston, Illinois city directories.  In the next several posts, I have included pages from directories covering 1884-1937.  Since J. C. and Thomas Connor were business people in the community, in some of the directories their advertisements appear and have been included.  Also, in 1900 and 1937, a history of the town, as reported in the directory, is provided.

Connor entries from the 1884 Evanston, Illinois city directory.

To enlarge images, just double click on each.
Source: Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois

Evanston City Directory, 1892

Connor entries from the 1892 Evanston City Directory.

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Sources: Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois

Evanston City Directory, 1897

Evanston city directory entries for Connor, 1897.

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Source: Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois

Evanston City Directory, 1900

Connor entries from the 1900 Evanston, Illinois, city directory

Directory information about Evanston 1900

Full page advertisement

Advertisement at bottom of every 10-15 pages

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Source: Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois

Evanston City Directory, 1903

Connor directory entries, Evanston, Illinois 1903.

Title page of 1903 City Directory

List of Advertisers in 1903

Initial Connor entry in 1903 directory

Connor entries and advertisement  where were side-by-side in 1903 directory

J. C. Connor full page advertisement

Continuation of Connor entry in 1903 directory

To enlarge any of the images, double click.
Images from Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois

Evanston City Directory, 1909-1910

Connor Evanston city directory entries for 1909-1910

Advertisement at bottom or random pages

Advertisement at top of random pages

To enlarge any image, double click on it.
Source: Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois

Evanston City Directory, 1920-1921

Pages from the Evanston, Illinois city directory 1920-21

To enlarge images, double click on each one.
Source: Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois

Evanston City Directory, 1922-1923

Pages from the Evanston, Illinois city directory, 1922-1923 - Connor entries:

Enlarge images by double clicking on them.
Source: Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois

Evanston City Directory, 1937

General information on Evanston and Connor entries in the Evanston, Illinois city directory, 1937.

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Source: Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois

Taghmon Tithe Applotment, c1833

Family history tells us the Connors and Colfers are from Wexford, Ireland.  In the Philip M. Sullivan bible entry it notes that his mother, Ellen Connor (1848-1919), daughter of James Connor (c1818-1897), was born in Taghmon, County Wexford.  However, we have been unable to tie either the Connor name or the Colfer name to any specific document in Ireland that proves the connection to Taghmon.

The Tithe Applotment Books, compiled between 1823 and 1837 by civil parish, list landholders who paid title against their townland address. Tithe was a tax based on land valuation, paid by all, irrespective of religious denomination, for the support of the Established Church, i.e., Church of Ireland.  Therefore, Tithe Books are, in effect, a census substitute for pre-Famine rural Ireland.

The Tithe Applotment Books for the Church of Ireland diocese of Ferns, Civil Parish of Taghmon, County Wexford lists both Connors and Colfer in the Taghmon Civil Parish.  Whether these Connors and Colfer are related is yet to be proved.  The cover to the Taghmon Civil Parish has written on it: 27 December 1833 as seen below.

Tithe Applotment Cover, Taghmon, Ferns, Wexford

On one of the pages for the town of Taghmon the names Patrick Connors and Luke Connors appear.  They are observations 227 and 228 on the following document.  It appears that Patrick Connors has two pieces of land, totalling 5 acres, 2 rods and 20 perches.  Luke Connors has only 1 acre.  Because of how they are listed, I assume they are adjoining properties.

The Connors entries are the sixth and seventh on this sheet

Also in the Diocese of Ferns, Civil Parish of Taghmon, is listed a Moses Colfer in the townland of Tracystown.  He is observation 256 on the sheet (first entry) and it states he is being tithed for two pieces of property totally 6 acres, 2 rods and 10 perchs.

Moses Colfer is the first entry on the page

Whether these are the Connor and Colfer names our my ancestors is yet to be determined.  All the images on this post can be enlarged by double clicking on them.

Ballybrennan Cemetery, Bree, Wexford

In Cantwell's Memorials of the Dead, a transcription of a head stone located in the Ballybrennen Cemetery, Townland of Bree, Wexford reads:

Erected by Thomas and Catherine Connor

of Bree in memory of their parents

James Connor

who died May 2nd 1848 aged 72 years

and Bridget Connor

who died July 7th 1850 aged 62

Although I have no proof the inscription was written by Thomas and Katherine Connor, siblings of James Connor, some facts seem to support the possibility.

• Bree is about 10 miles from Taghmon, the town that was named in a Connor obituary
• Thomas and Catherine were twins who never married and lived together for their entire life
• James and Bridget's ages would be consistent with the ages of their children - Thomas bc1810, Katherine bc1810, James bc1818 and Patrick bc1823.
• The Connor siblings came to America in the early 1850s
• All the other "Connor" inscriptions in the surrounding cemeteries use "O'Connor."  This is the only inscription which uses simply "Connor."

To view the transcription of grave #80 click on Ballybrennan Cemetery.

Although this is a long shot, it is intriguing.  More work needs to be done.