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I know that my great-great-grandmother, Margaret Agnes Donovan, was born in Ireland around 1874. The family story says she was from Cork, though I haven't been able to find any documents to confirm.

She married a German man named George Faber in Sydney, Australia in 1892... though I haven't been able to find any records to explain how she got from Ireland to Australia.

She gave birth to my great-grandmother, Eileen Faber, in Sydney on April 8, 1893.

I found a passenger list on a ship leaving Sydney heading for Genoa, Italy in 1907 that includes Mr. and Mrs. G Faber with Miss E Faber.

Census records show Margaret as married to Guy Howard in Washington in 1910, and in San Francisco together in 1920. Census records for Margaret and Eileen both say they arrived in NY in 1907. Family history says that Margaret placed Eileen in a convent when they arrived in the US.

I've found records of two Margaret Donovans born in Cork in 1874:
* born 4 Feb 1874 to Patrick and Bridget
* born 13 Jun 1874 to Timothy and Mary

and then there are four more in 1875

I would love to be able to determine which of these Margaret Donovans is my ancestor and to learn anything more of her story and any relatives that might survive.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

None of the children whose births you mention in 1874 and 1875 have the middle name Agnes.

One of the 1875 children has the middle name Anne.


But there's also this birth:

SR District/Reg Area - Cork
Birth of Unknown DONOVAN in 1874
Name Unknown DONOVAN
Date of Birth 1874
Group Registration ID 8487793
SR District/Reg Area Cork

That's a female child, with parents Cornelius Donovan and Kate Donovan, formerly Quanell.


And another female child:

SR District/Reg Area - Cork
Birth of Unknown DONOVAN in 1874
Name Unknown DONOVAN
Date of Birth 1874
Group Registration ID 8487539
SR District/Reg Area Cork

Parents: John Donovan and Hanora Donovan, formerly O'Brien.



Yet another female:

SR District/Reg Area - Cork
Birth of Unknown DONOVAN in 1874
Name Unknown DONOVAN
Date of Birth 1874
Group Registration ID 8486922
SR District/Reg Area Cork

Parents: John Donovan and Kate Donovan, formerly Grant.


Not that that helps you to pinpoint Margaret's birth!

Your Margaret married Guy Howard in San Fancisco on 18 Feb 1918.

The record says her father was Timothy Donovan [EDIT: SORRY: I MEANT THOMAS ], and her mother Norah, nee Quinn.

The original marriage cert is scanned on someone's tree on Ancestry.

The tree says she died on 30 March 1954 in Melrose, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States - but doesn't provide any documentation to prove it.

The tree owner also wrongly shows a baptism record, supposedly for Margaret in 1874 - but with parents Patrick and Helen, nee Griffin - so not the correct one.

This will be the death mentioned in the Ancestry tree:

Margaret Howard
in the Massachusetts, U.S., Death Index, 1901-1980
Name Margaret Howard
Death Date 1954
Death Place Melrose, Massachusetts, USA
Index Volume Number 114
Reference Number F63.M363 v.114

The image gives the name Donovan in brackets .

Oh wow! You guys are so great! Thank you!

I see the parents on the marriage certificate as Thomas Donovan and Nora Quinn. I've been searching on irishgenealogy.ie, and I can't find any records of marriage for those names or any births of Margarets that list them as parents. Does anyone have any suggestions of where else I might look?

This may be of use to you

Catholic Parish Register National Library of Ireland.
Contains records of baptisms and marriages from the majority of Catholic parishes in Ireland and Northern Ireland up to 1880.You can only search individual parishes. You can not search by name
https://registers.nli.ie/

Familysearch.org have a listing for Eileen.

Jan 6 1916 married Cain Rasmussen (Danish) in California. The original entry is available to view.
She is listed as born Australia. Her parents are listed as George Faber born Germany and Margaret Donovan born Ireland

Her death on there is listed as Death: 21 November 1966
Wakefield, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

One branch of the Danish lineage dates back to 1675

I have enclosed the link to that record. I would double check the sources though.....
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/portrait/KL2C-45S

No doubt you have the following...........as you refer to census records in your post

Name Margaret Howard
Age 66
Estimated Birth Year abt 1874
Gender Female
Race White
Birthplace Ireland
Marital Status Widowed
Relation to Head of House Mother-in-law
Home in 1940 Wakefield, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Map of Home in 1940 Wakefield, Middlesex, Massachusetts
House Number 22
Inferred Residence in 1935 Wakefield, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Residence in 1935 Wakefield
Resident on farm in 1935 No
Citizenship Naturalized
Sheet Number 8B
Attended School or College No
Weeks Worked in 1939 0
Income 0
Income Other Sources No
Neighbors View others on page
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Clem C Rasmusson
59
Head
Eileen Rasmusson
47
Wife
Marjorie Rasmusson
22
Daughter
Joanne Rasmusson
17
Daughter
Margaret Howard 66 Mother-in-law

Some further information which you may find useful

Passenger Lists Leaving UK 1890-1960

First name(s) Mgt
Last name Donovan
Country Australia
Gender Female
Destination place - country AUSTRALIA
Birth year 1871
Age 21
Marital status S
Occupation D s
Ship name Jelunga
Ship registered tonnage 3371
Ship master's first name A W
Ship master's last name Mann
Departure day 29
Departure month 3
Departure year 1892
Number of passengers 276
Ship departure port LONDON
Ship destination port Queensland
Departure port London
Ship destination country Australia
Departure country England
Record set Passenger Lists Leaving UK 1890-1960
Entry struck out N
Category Travel & migration
Destination port Bundaberg
Subcategory Passenger Lists
Destination Bundaberg
Collections from Great Britain, England, Australasia

Also travelling on the same ship

First name(s) Eliz A
Last name Donovan
Age 28

First name(s) Mary
Last name Donovan
Age 22

According to Google Bundaberg is 1,280.7 km north of Sydney

Regarding Margaret's Occupation D s

The Queensland State Archives Brief guide 16 provides some explanations on Immigration Agent records.
Free and assisted passages were granted by the Government to categories of immigrants and their families, which were from time to time required in Queensland.

DS would be Domestic Servants

This is really helpful! Thank you!

I've found some new info. The most relevant is that she seems to have lied about her age much of her life. lol. We now have her daughter's birth certificate from 1893, and it lists her age as 24...which would make the year of her birth 1872...but ancestry.com shows a record of a Margaret being born to a Thomas Donovan and Norry/Nora Quinn in 1867. And, those birth and baptism records show her having a twin named Mary!

I wonder if the Mary in the passenger list above could be her twin.

Can I throw these names into the mix........

Ireland Civil Registration, 1845-1913 and Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881

Name Ann Donovan
Sex Female
Father's Name Thomas Donovan
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Honor Quinn Donovan
Mother's Sex Female
Event Type Birth
Event Date 20 Apr 1880
Event Place Ireland
Event Place (Original) Caherbarnnagh, Clare, Ireland

Name Matilda Donovan
Address Caherbarna West
Birth Date 1 Jul 1872
Father's Name Thomas Donovan
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Honora Quinn
Mother's Sex Female
Event Type Baptism
Event Date 7 Jul 1872
Event Place Lios Ceannúir, County Clare, Ireland

Name John Donovan
Birth Date 13 Apr 1863
Father's Name Thomas Donovan
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Honor Quinn
Mother's Sex Female
Event Type Baptism
Event Date 13 Apr 1863
Event Place Lios Ceannúir, County Clare, Ireland

Name Margaret Donovan
Sex Female
Father's Name Thomas Donovan
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Norry Quin
Mother's Sex Female
Event Type Birth
Event Date 2 Nov 1867
Event Place Ireland
Event Place (Original) Clare, Ireland

Name Mary Donovan
Sex Female
Father's Name Thomas Donovan
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Norry Quin
Mother's Sex Female
Event Type Birth
Event Date 2 Nov 1867
Event Place Ireland
Event Place (Original) Clare, Ireland

Name Maggy Donovan
Sex Female
Father's Name Thomas Donovan
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Norry Quin
Mother's Sex Female
Event Type Birth
Event Date 30 Jun 1872
Event Place Ireland
Event Place (Original) Clare, Ireland

Name Michael Donovan
Sex Male
Father's Name Thomas Donovan
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Honor Quin Donovan
Mother's Sex Female
Event Type Birth
Event Date 20 Jun 1865
Event Place Ireland
Event Place (Original) Caherboona, Kilmacne, Ennistymon

Name Patrick Donovan
Sex Male
Father's Name Thomas Donovan
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Norry Quin Donovan
Mother's Sex Female
Event Type Birth
Event Date 11 Feb 1870
Event Place Ennistimon, County Clare, Ireland
Event Place (Original) Caherbarna, Ennistymon

Re the passenger list -

Margaret and Elizabeth A are listed together, and both going to Bundaberg.

Mary is listed on a different page, and is going to a different place - abbreviated to "Rhton" on the list.

We shouldn't assume they are all related.
Donovan is a very common name.

Possibly the same Thomas:

Thomas Donovan
in the Ireland, Petty Session Court Registers, 1818-1919
Name Thomas Donovan
Role Defendant
Trial Date 12 Jan 1861
Court Name Ennistymon
Court Place Clare, Ireland
Residence Place Cahervarna

Crime: Drunk at Lisconnor.
Discharged without fine or cost.

Another child of Thomas and Norah?? - or the 1863 John also lying about his age?

John Andrew Donovan
in the Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Records, 1840-1915
Name John Andrew Donovan
Age 29
Birth Year abt 1870
Birth Place Co Clare, Ireland
Marriage Date 8 Jan 1899
Marriage Place Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
Father Thomas Donovan
Mother Honora Quinn
Spouse Abbie Connor

Address: 117 Otis Street, East Cambridge, Mass.
Occupation: electrician.


Joannem A. Donovan
in the Massachusetts, U.S., Boston Archdiocese Roman Catholic Sacramental Records, 1789-1920
Name Joannem A. Donovan [John A. Donovan]
Record Type Marriage
Marriage Date Jan 1899
Marriage Place Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Spouse
Abigail Connor

Another child??


Norey Donovan
in the Ireland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1620-1911
Name Norey Donovan
Gender Female
Birth Date 16 Aug 1877
Birth Place Clare, Ireland
Father Thomas Donovan
Mother Norrey Quin
FHL Film Number 255990


Norah Donovan
in the Massachusetts, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963
Name Norah Donovan
Gender Female
Arrival Age 18
Birth Date abt 1878
Departure Place Queenstown, Ireland
Residence Place Skibbereen
Arrival Date 30 May 1896
Arrival Place Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Ship Gallia
Friend Maggie Donovan

Travelling with Annie Donovan, 22, also from Skibbereen.
Going to their "aunt" Maggie Donovan at 16 Dutton Street, Lowell, Mass.




Norah Donovan
in the Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988
Name Norah Donovan
Marriage Age 22
Record Type Marriage
Birth Date abt 1879
Marriage Date 2 Jan 1901
Marriage Place Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
Father Thomas Donovan
Mother Norah Quinn
Spouse William Guilfoy


Leonora Guilfoy
in the 1910 United States Federal Census
Name Leonora Guilfoy
Age in 1910 31
Birth Date 1879 [1879]
Birthplace Ireland
Home in 1910 Lowell Ward 3, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Sheet Number 8b
Street Smith Street
Race White
Gender Female
Immigration Year 1890
Relation to Head of House Wife
Marital Status Married
Spouse's Name William J Guilfoy
Father's Birthplace Ireland
Mother's Birthplace Ireland
Native Tongue English
Naturalization Status Alien
Able to read Y
Able to Write Y
Enumeration District Number 0847
Years Married 9
Number of Children Born 1
Number of Children Living 1
Enumerated Year 1910
Neighbors
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
William J Guilfoy 35 Head
Leonora Guilfoy 31 Wife
Ethel M Guilfoy 8 Daughter

In later censuses she's called Lena, Nora, Lenora.
The surname also has various spellings.


Nora Guilfoy
in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Name Nora Guilfoy
Social Security Number 011-50-7549
Birth Date 18 Aug 1878
Issue year 1973
Issue State Massachusetts
Last Residence 01853, Lowell, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Death Date Dec 1973

And another:

Mary Donovan
Vital • Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881
"Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881", database, FamilySearch
Mary Donovan, 1875.
Name Mary Donovan
Sex Female
Father's Name Thomas Donovan
Father's Sex Male
Mother's Name Noony Quin Donovan
Mother's Sex Female
Event Type Birth
Event Date 24 Jan 1875
Event Place Roadford, Ennistimon, County Clare, Ireland
Event Place (Original) Roadford, Ennistymon, Clare, Dublin, Ireland

The "aunt" Maggie to whom Norah and Annie were going in 1896 - no DOB given on this record:

Maggie Donavan
in the 1900 United States Federal Census
Name Maggie Donavan [Maggie Donovan]
Birthplace Ireland
Home in 1900 Lowell Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Ward of City One Part of
Street Dulton Street <<<<<<<<<<<<<
House Number 58
Sheet Number 3
Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation 3
Family Number 32
Race White
Gender Female
Immigration Year 1866
Relation to Head of House Boarder
Marital Status Single
Father's Birthplace Ireland
Mother's Birthplace Ireland
Years in US 34
Occupation Spinner Cotton Mill
Months Not Employed 4
Can Read N
Can Write N
Can Speak English Y

She's one of many boarders.


Possibly the same woman in 1870, with wrong place of birth ??
Again, one of many boarders.

Maggie Donavan
in the 1870 United States Federal Census
Name Maggie Donavan
Age in 1870 24
Birth Date abt 1846
Birthplace Massachusetts
Dwelling Number 26
Home in 1870 Lowell Ward 4, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Race White
Gender Female
Post Office Lowell
Occupation Work Cotton Mill
Cannot Read Yes
Cannot Write Yes

Thank you all so much for sharing your time and helping me with this research. I am so grateful.