Irish Parish Records for the Welch Family

 Ancestry.com has a record collection called "Ireland, Select Catholic Birth and Baptism Registers, 1763-1917"   This link goes to image 96 of 122 of baptisms in Ballinakill, Laois parish where the March 4th 1813 baptism of John Walsh is recorded. 

Digital images of Ballinakill, County Laois records begin in 1820. are also a part of this collection and a source of some records pertaining to the family of William Welch and his wife Bessie Cahill who eventually settled in West Brookfield. The records are unindexed, and therefore must be browsed.

13 April 1823 Mary, D to Wm Walch and Betty Cahill, Sponsors James Phelan and Catherine Hogan.  - Clonkeen

Nov 19,  1825   Bapt, William of William Walsh and Betty Cahill, sponsors Tim Hicky and Mary Sommon - Clonkin. 

25 July 1928 Baptism of Michl of William Walsh and Betty Cahill foudn in two different record books, Ballinakill Parish and a book from the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, Abbeyleix and Ballyroan, 1820-1872.

6 May 1932, baptism of Jas of Wm Walsh and Betty Cahill, Sponsors were Jas Wall and Sally Swain.  C. KIng

This one for James was also found in Kildare and Leighlin, Abbeyleix and Ballyroan, 1820-1872

Below is the first image from the Diocese book.

More members of this family may be in one or both of these books and will be added to this post as time permits.

Tombstone Tuesday - Notice the Shamrocks on this headstone.



 Shamrock from Wikipedia

   A transcribed entry from the Balinakill Roman Catholic Church Registry shows that James Welch was baptized in May of 1832.  The youngest of seven known children of William and Elizabeth "Bessie" (Cahill) Welch, James came to the United States in 1852, according to information recorded when he was enumerated in the 1900 U. S. Census in West Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts.  Possibly James traveled from Queens County (now Laois County), Ireland with his older brother William who also arrived in 1852.  Brothers Thomas and Michael had arrived in previous years, and had settled in Worcester County, Massachusetts.  Eventually James' parents and all of his known siblings came to Massachusetts.
   James married Catherine Moran probably in 1859, although I have been unable to locate their marriage record.  Catherine, also born in Ireland, was the daughter of John Moran and Katherine Carey.  A daughter, Mary Ann followed in 1861, although, again, I have found no birth record.   Mary Ann married John Ducey on 1 July 1882 in North Brookfield, Massachusetts. 
  James Welch died in Worcester State Hospital on 7 August 1909.  Catherine died 13 February 1926 in West Brookfield.  They are buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in West Brookfield.

John Dillon - Civil War Soldier

   John Dillon was born in County Galway, Ireland to James and Honora (Liddy) Dillon.  The actual date of his birth may be December 31, 1845 as calculated from his age of 46 years 7 months 18 days on the day of his death Aug. 18, 1892. A Church Baptism Record from www.rootsireland.ie gives the date of Baptism/Birth as 11- Jan - 1846.
   The Dillon family including John, his parents, James and Honora, a sister Sarah, and brothers Patrick and James, came to the United States in 1848. They were living in West Brookfield, Worcester County, when John's sister Honora was born July 28, 1849.
   John enlisted in the Army on Dec. 11, 1863 and served in Company I, of the Massachusetts, 2nd Heavy Artillery Regiment.  He mustered out at Wilmington, North Carolina at the end of his term of service, on Sept. 3, 1865 and probably returned to West Brookfield for a time. 
   John eventually left home, and the next known record of him is a record showing that he was admitted to the U.S. National Home for Disabled Soldiers in Leavenworth, Kansas in 1887.  The records from that facility indicate that his residence previous to his admittance was in Fremont, Nebraska and that he was a carpenter by trade, suffering from spinal concussion. John was released from the soldiers' home in January of 1891 and returned to West Brookfield.  His death record indicates that he died Aug. 18, 1892, in West Brookfield, of paralysis of the brain, and was buried in the neighboring town of Ware.


More information about the Dillon family may be found at http://www.westbrookfieldgenealogy.org/genealogy

Courtesy of Nancy Horner

                                         Commonwealth of Massachusetts

                                         To John Dillon Co I 2d H. Art'y

             The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, honoring the faithful service of her Sons who formed part of the land and sea forces of the United States employed in suppressing Rebellion and maintaining the integrity of the Nation has by a resolve of the General Court of 1869 directed the undersigned to present you this Testimonial of the people's gratitude for your patriotism.
                                       Given at Boston, this nineteenth day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred seventy.
By the Governor
Jas A Cunningham [signature]                        William Claflin [signature]
Adj. General                                                        Governor