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“The Geneal Geologist” |
CreativeGraces.net
This synopsis reviewed
and fully updated by “The Geneal Geologist”, 12 Dec
2017 Part 1: General Synopsis & Discussion
“MENNIS Country” in West Cork, lies between
Rosscarbery in the south and just north of Cappeen Name variations, as examples, can
include MENNICE, MENIS,
MENUS, MINNIS, MINNISS & MINNESS.
Historical surname distribution (MINNIS & MENNIS), below,
confirms that the County Cork families are extreme outliers from their likely
earliest settlement in Ulster:
MENNIS or MINNIS is a
spelling found in Ireland, with MENNIS a rare form found in Southern Ireland
(only 5 heads of household in 1901, all Catholic), while MINNIS is associated
with Northern Ireland (53 heads of household in 1901, the majority being
Protestant). As an 'Irish' surname it is possibly an Irish corruption of a
Planter surname, possibly the original surname may have been Scottish
'MENNIS' or maybe even 'MENZIE', which may also
explain the earliest stories of Presbyterian roots. There is currently no DNA
evidence to connect the two groups of surnames. Research Preamble This research is based
on several face-to-face and telephone conversations with West Cork locals
connected to the MENNIS families. My grateful thanks to them. My thanks also
to MENNIS relatives Pauline Sheehan (Cork), Kay MENNIS (Reenascreena), Tom
MENNIS (Navan), John MENNIS (London), Con Scully (Ardfield) as well as
regional expert Frank Fahy who have provided input to this final version. Even though the family
is small (less than 120 individuals within County Cork over a period of 200
years) research was complex. Where records were unable to clarify, families often
knew “who married whom”, or where their homeplace was; all valuable clues to
piecing together this family puzzle. These findings include
all named individuals from church records (available from the early C19th) to
the end of Irish BMD indices in 1958. Only those MENNIS family members born
after 1958 and known to me through investigations or provided through
conversation are included in the tree. Confirmation of unknown or uncertain
family associations were provided through research certificates from the
Irish GRO, Irish Wills index or family notices gleaned from web searches. Having the
historical framework for a skeleton tree from Irish family legend was
important. Such stories prove to be remarkably robust when supporting records
are found, although such stories are sadly disappearing with the present
older generation where information is not always written down. Most of the
MENNIS family shared first names, lived in the same area, and had the same
occupations. As not all baptism and marriage records can be located, it is
too easy to make wrong assumptions. The overall lack of records lead many
online researchers astray, so this was a project best tackled once resident
in West Cork. In more than 36 years of research this researcher has rarely
come across such a small and complicated set of individuals. Consequently,
investigations had to be as forensic as possible. This is the first attempt
at publishing a complete West Cork MENNIS family tree, and based on family
documents it is a story that appears to go back to the end of the 1600’s,
which in itself, is unusually long in Irish genealogy. It is accepted that
what is presented here may not be entirely correct where some speculation is
made based on processes of elimination, so comments and corrections are
welcome. The final version incorporates additional observations where
uncertainty can be reasonably be accepted, but is as complete as possible. The date of the arrival
of the MENNIS family in West Cork is unclear (but prior to first church
records in Dunmanway c1819), as is proof how parts of the West Cork tree
connect precisely. As of 2016 there remains just one known living male
descendant of the name still in West Cork, due to less offspring along male
lines; a combination of male
farmers who did not marry, men who entered the church and Irish emigration. Branches of this family do continue
outside of West Cork, both overseas (directly to Australia, Canada & the
US (New York)) and present-day Navan, County Meath, by way of C20th
Ballycastle, County Mayo. A couple of modern branches have apparently gone
full circle by settling back in England. Any direct descendant male of these
lines can help contribute to the understanding by providing their Y-DNA to
the MINNIS
DNA Study on FTDNA. Genetic matches could prove that the West Cork
families are related to each other and in turn offer a chance of matching the
West Cork group to MENNIS or MINNIS families elsewhere, possibly with an
original family in Ulster or England before then. If interested, please
contact me or the MENNIS project administrator Jerry MINNIS (via FTDNA) for advice. The Challenges Original church baptism
records and birth/marriage/death research certificates (“BMD”) were important
to provide reliable anchor dates on which to base the tree. This research
highlighted a common truth that many records in Ireland (be they census,
marriages, or death) are, for many reasons, poor in terms of accurate ages if
you do not have a baptism or birth certificate. It was common in Roman
Catholic families that baptisms took place on or within very few days of
birth, so a baptism date is usually a good indicator of a close birth date,
although date of birth registration is often a confusingly third date in
indices. Additionally, records are generally poorly indexed and often
mistranscribed, so viewing original online entries is also
important. They are few records in the Cork & Ross Diocese prior to 1820
and none in Dunmanway prior to 1819. Burial records are generally difficult
to find. Some relationships could only be made by process of elimination.
These are some examples of the more extreme findings in terms of records: · One James MENNIS death was indexed with an age of 35,
when the original death record was 85. · Upon marriage, a couple’s marriage certificate gave them
as aged 26 & 21, when in fact they were 34 & 17 based on
birth/baptism. · A baptism and a marriage mistakenly assumed by many
researchers to be for the same girl. “Girl A” is known by family to have
married someone else (proven by baptismal records of her children). It is her
baptism; her marriage is not yet located. The marriage is for “Girl B” whose
baptism has not yet been found. Confusion results by having the same name and
being married around the same time. ·
Deaths for the
first two of the apparent four wives of a James MENNIS have not been located.
He does not always appear to be referred to as a widower. Some of the basic
statistics highlight why research was so complex: ·
Total persons born as MENNIS connected
to this West Cork tree
= 135; 73 males, 62 females. ·
Most
popular male MENNIS names = John
(21), James (14) & Michael (14), i.e. more than 80% of
all boys, common to all family lines (and therefore a main indicator, apart
from geography of a familial connection). The next most common name is Denis (4). Most of the other male
names are found outside of West Cork, but the traditional family names remain
popular. ·
Most
popular female MENNIS names = Mary
(12), Catherine / Kate (9), Ellen (7), Hanora & variants (6), i.e. 55% of girls are known by one of
these four names. ·
Earliest
baptism = 1819 at Dunmanway, Co. Cork, therefore all MENNIS born earlier have
an assumed approximate year of birth (“YOB”) based on marriages or deaths.
Even if in the Irish death index, it is noted these can also be inaccurate,
especially approximations for reporting deaths of elderly relatives which can
be estimates or rounded ages. ·
Earliest
marriage = 1825 at Kilbrittain, Co. Cork. The Arrival of The MENNIS
Family in West Cork The Griffith’s map
(above) supports the oral and written history of the MENNIS family that
appears to be consistent from any family member or local person that has a
story to tell along one part of the West Cork family. A tree from a typed
letter from related family the US in 1933 is provided below. The letter
stated that the family were originally Presbyterians from England or
Scotland. They appear to have settled in Ulster (which has a high relative
name density on the above map), but one branch (my wife’s family) at some
point in time, settled in County Cork. Some branches remained Protestant
while other converted to Catholicism. The MENNIS family in West Cork appear
to have converted to Catholicism prior to their arrival in the county, or at
least prior to 1819 as all subsequent records are in Catholic churches. The headline story refers
to son of an English Presbyterian minister, John MENNIS who married a Miss
GALLOWAY (probably in Ulster) who was the 3xGGF of the first generation
mentioned in the 1933 letter, and would be my wife’s 6xGGPs. It is likely
that this family moved south as part of the wool & flax trade to
establish farming and milling businesses in West Cork after John retired from
military service. Records confirm that the letter refers directly to the
branch of the family who settled in Moreagh, just SE of Dunmanway, County
Cork. Moreagh (Magh Riabhach - grey or cold plain) is
a townland of 261 acres. James MENNIS,
at the start of the tree was born in 1862 Moreagh but settled in the Bronx,
New York. It is this letter, or versions of it, that can be found with many
non-MENNIS descendants in West Cork today, which provide consistency
(supported by records) for the relatively straightforward tree branching from
Michael MENNIS & his wife Mary MAHONY. Unfortunately, the 1933
letter provides no clue on how all the other West Cork MENNIS families tie
in, which are assumed (from circumstantial evidence of records in 1826) to be
Michael’s brothers and sisters.
So far, there are no
surviving stories that link the families apart from general stories of
“brothers” or “sons”. With the lack of a paper trail, this question has only
been answered by DNA. Based on the letter and confirmed research dates for
the three most recent generations on the 1933 letter, and a suggestion that
Michael MENNIS (born c1797, based on his given age at death) who settled in
Moreagh, it is possible to speculate that the MENNIS family were already
established in West Cork by the turn of the C19th, which in turn suggests the
original John MENNIS probably met and married Miss GALLOWAY at the end of the
C17th or in the earliest part of the C18th to allow for the two generations
between. The timing of the move to West Cork remains unknown, as is the
conversation from Presbyterian to Catholic, but with both the son and
grandson of John MENNIS & Miss GALLOWAY reported as marrying DONOVAN
women, and DONOVAN being a main surname of West Cork, it could be that the
move south or even the marriages took place in West Cork in the early 1700’s.
The 5th generation in the letter could equally have been born in Ulster, as
the timing of the marriage relative to John MENNIS’ retirement from the
military is unknown. Hanora DONOVAN, the wife of James MENNIS, is reported as
being the d/o an Andrew DONOVAN & Mollie O’HEA. Andrew is not a name
known in the family, so was not passed down, and not common in Catholic
families, so the conversion to Catholicism may have occurred in the late
C18th prior to Michael MENNIS and Mary MAHONY. A descendant of James, brother
to Michael of Moreagh, recently related the same story regarding the John
MENNIS at the head of the family tree being a soldier, further supporting the
deduced relationship. In addition, a family story that the MENNIS family name
may have Huguenot origins.
A few records provide some hints
about further children of James MENNIS senior & Hanora DONOVAN. In 1818
Dunmanway, there is the baptism for David HICKEY the s/o James HICKEY &
Mary MENNIS. As this record is just when records begin, it is not known how
long the couple had been married. Information from Canada (Kingston, Ontario)
shows that the couple migrated and settled on farm land there in the 1820’s,
with their HICKEY children later marrying. Fortunately, the Catholic
registers record both parents, with Mary generally as MINNIS or MINNES. This raised the interesting question of whether
there were other MENNIS siblings from Cork that settled the same area, and
indeed records suggest there are MINNIS families originally from Ireland with
names such as John & James. Whether they are related in unknown, but may
be revealed by DNA evidence.
a.
One Letter The
1826 Applotment Book index for Moreagh has entries for a James MINNER &
James MORRIS (both of whom are James MENNIS mistranscribed) who can be
reasonably assumed to be the father of Michael, providing an indication of
the latest date James MENNIS &
Hanora DONOVAN
may have moved there. The 1826 records around the townlands of Reenascreena
had no MENNIS families then. All baptisms prior to Moreagh were from “Two
Neeves” (i.e. Gneeves, see discussion below), the last being in 1826. Margaret MENNIS, presumed to be an
elder daughter of the couple, who married in 1827, was recorded as being from
Moreagh. Other transcription errors possibly remain to be found as some
expected baptism and marriage records have not been located. However, since
none of the assumed or known sons of James MENNIS senior (i.e. Michael, John
& James junior) can be found elsewhere independently farming land,
despite being of age and married, it can be reasonably assumed this is James
senior and that his sons and their families are all resident under him at
Moreagh in 1826, having recently moved there. Gneeves had no MENNIS families
in the 1834 Applotment records. A Mary/Maria MENNIS (born before 1814, if aged 21)
married a Jeremiah MAHONY in
1835 at Darrara church, Clonakilty. She is likely to be another daughter of
James & Hanora, or possibly the eldest daughter to one of the Gneeves
couples.
The location of the Moreagh townland, SE of Dunmanway. Michael
MENNIS farmed area 5 on the map accompanying the Griffith’s Valuation
(below):
· James MENNIS (1826-26); · James MENNIS (1827-96) Farmer of “Saroo” (Sarue), Reenascreena & “Saugmore”
(Snugmore in Garraha townland, Kinsale), who appears to have married four
times: (1)
Catherine
DONOVAN of Ardfield & Rathbarry in 1851. Her
death is not located. Child: Catherine
MENNIS (1852-1911) = Daniel COAKLEY (1851-1895) in 1879. Children born in West Cork
include a Daniel Mennis COAKLEY
(1885-1974, married Ellen Maria
“Nellie” MANNING) and Hannah
Mennis COAKLEY (1889-1958, married Frank
Cornelius ODENWELLER); Catherine and her
children living in Boston, USA from 1906; (2)
Ellen DONOVAN at Ballinspittle near Kinsale in
1862. At the time, James was given as a Farmer at Snugmore near Kinsale. No
parents were given upon his marriage witnessed by a John MENNIS (assumed to
be his uncle) & Timothy DONOVAN (a relative of the bride). There are no
known children and Ellen’s death has not been located;
(3)
Mary
“Minnie” MAHONEY of “Saroo” in 1885 at Rossmore
Chapel. Note: James and Minnie’s marriage
certificate only provides them as being of “full age”, therefore it remains
less than 100% certain that this is the 3nd marriage of this
James. Based on his age at death and an earlier marriage with just one child,
he should have been twice a widower, however his MC states “bachelor”. It is
possible that this is a mistake or an assumption by the incumbent marrying
the couple at Rossmore. Children: o
Michael
MENNIS (1886). Michael lost his mother aged 6 and
his father aged 10. In 1901 he is living as “nephew” in the household of
unknown aunt widow Ellen O’SULLIVAN in Cappagh, Kinsale. He appears twice in
British military records serving with the Royal Garrison Artillery (in Hong
Kong in 1911 and registered for medals for WWI service). Nothing more is known.
It is assumed he survived the war and possibly settled in the UK; o
Jeremiah James MENNIS (1888). In 1901 he was living as
a “relative” in the household of John & Minnie McDONNELL at Ballyvorane
North, Nohaval, west of Kinsale. In 1922 Kinsale he married Mary Anne O’KEEFFE. He was granted
probate of his father’s estate. Children: § James
John MENNIS
(1923 Kinsale) – no history; § Mary
Agnes MENNIS
(1926 Kinsale) – no history; o
John
MENNIS (1890-1910 Kinsale). He was also a “nephew”
in the O’SULLIVAN household in 1901, along with his brother Michael; (4)
Margaret COLEMAN in 1888 Kinsale. No issue. Death
records indicate James died back at “Saroo”. After his death, Margaret is
living as widow MENNIS with her brothers in the Kinsale area. ·
Mary MENNIS (1829) = Richard “Rick” DONOVAN
(1825-78) of Derrinasafagh, Dunmanway; · Denis MENNIS (1830-82) Farmer of
Moreagh = Ellen CROWLEY in 1857 Dunmanway. Children: o
Mary MENNIS (1858-1932) = Michael
DONOVAN of Edencurra, SE of Moreagh; o
Julia MENNIS (1860-1938). Unmarried: Inherited the farm from her father and
ran it with (eventually passing it on to) her nephew Michael DONOVAN (s/o her sister Mary) who was living with her
both in 1901 & 1911; o
James MENNIS (1862), “Head” of the 1933 tree = Ellen KEARNEY. Family moved to the Bronx, New York: § Denis Frank MENNIS (1892-1969) = Mamie
of unknown family – no further information; § James Joseph MENNIS Jr (1896-1987) = Evelyn S
DILLON. Children in New York & Connecticut, USA: § William Edward MENNIS (1926-2004) = Jeanne Bap
DOLAN. Children (with possible further issue): § Robert A MENNIS (1954) of Boise, ID; § James J MENNIS (1955) = Patricia A
TISCIA; § Peter F MENNIS (1957) = Pamela of
unknown family; § Sister Jane M MENNIS
(1930); § Sister Dorothy C MENNIS
(1932); § John F MENNIS (1937) = Patricia
“Patti” RIORDAN (1939-2008). Children: § Claire Marjorie MENNIS (1965); § Gregory R MENNIS (1969) = Britt K COLLINS.
Child: § Boden Collins MENNIS; § Heather-Lyn MENNIS
= Tom AMES; § Mary Ellen MENNIS (1898-1973) = Edward
Francis MANION; § Cornelius Joseph MENNIS (1899-1985); § William H MENNIS (1903-1992) = Grace ADDI.
Children: § Edmund Addi “Ed” MENNIS (1919-2009) = Selma A
TRES. Children: § Ardith Grace MENNIS (1948) = Stephen J
GARLAND; § Daniel Liam MENNIS (1952) = Linda Anne
KELLY; o
Ellen MENNIS (1863-1869); o
Rev. Michael MENNIS
(1865-1937) of Moreagh. Died in Louisville, Kentucky, USA; o
John MENNIS (1867-1906). Unmarried farmer and living in House 5 at Moreagh
in 1901; o
Rev. Cornelius MENNIS
(1868) arrived in New York in 1889 and was living in Brooklyn in 1910 &
1916; o
Jeremiah “Jerome” MENNIS (1877-1922). Unmarried farmer; · Ellen “Nelly” MENNIS
(1833) = Daniel DONOVAN. Couple lived in Gurtnadihy townland near
Leap and had three children baptised between 1855 & 1860. Descendant
family and relevant stories are documented on scullytree.com,
including the SCULLY family of Dunowen & Ardfield; · Honora MENNIS
(1835-95) = Michael DINEEN in 1863 Dunmanway; · Anna or Ann MENNIS
(1838) – No story; · Mary MENNIS (1839) – As several
Mary’s in the family are known to be, she was possibly known as Margaret; · Michael MENNIS (1841) – No story; · John MENNIS (1844) - No story; Locations of the four main townlands around Reenascreena
where the MENNIS family lived & farmed:
b.
“Two Neeves” Based on declared place
of birth, the MENNIS family were living at “Two Neeves” or “Neeves” until ca.
1826, and baptising their children in Dunmanway. Gneeves is an old Irish land
measurement equivalent to 10 acres, and there are several local places that
use the term. As examples, there is the townland of Three Gneeves north of
Leap, and Two Neeves is part of the Baurnahulla townland (Drimoleague). In
local press, such as the Southern Star,
Two Neeves is always associated with Drimoleague, whereas Gneeves is always
associated with Kilmichael, NE of Dunmanway. As it would have been unusual
for a resident of Two Neeves (Drimoleague) not to use the local church there
for baptisms, this suggests inaccurate recording by clergy at Dunmanway.
There were a few other families of Two Neeves using the church, which does
suggest a local townland. Dunmanway church records and a badly transcribed
index describe the place variously as “Tevor Neeves”, Tow Neeves”, “Two
Nieves”, “2 Neeves”, “2 Nieves”, “1 Neeves”, “Q Neeves” or just “Nieves”,
etc. Some of the original records also have a suggestion of a small “g”
before the “n”. One marriage record in Dunmanway states “Two Gneeves”.
Gneeves (or incorrectly labelled Kneeves on OSi maps) is part of the townland
of Barnadivane in the uplands between Kilmichael & Cappeen, part of the
Dunmanway parish (see maps below). It is pronounced with a hard ‘G’ so can
explain incorrect recording by local clergy who may have had a lack of local
knowledge and issues with dialect. Local expertise around Dunmanway
categorically confirm that Gneeves is the place recorded at Dunmanway and is therefore
the earliest known homeplace of the MENNIS family prior to moving on to
Moreagh & around Reenascreena. Applotment Books do not indicate any
MENNIS at Gneeves in 1834, and none at greater Reenascreena in 1826, so the
move from Gneeves to Moreagh took place around 1826, thereby suggesting three
surviving sons of James MENNIS & Hanora DONOVAN. Where not reciting
original text, “Two Neeves” will be referred to as Gneeves in the following
synopsis.
The townland local experts believe is referred to as “Two
Neeves” in older church records
There were two couples,
with the men likely being the brothers of Michael MENNIS of Moreagh. As only
one senior Michael MENNIS is known, the Michael MENIS (sic) who witnessed for the wife at the marriage of William MURRAY
& Mary LANE (both of “Two Neeves”) in 1832 at Dunmanway, would have to be
of full age, i.e. at least 21. This suggests that Michael MENNIS (c1797) is
part of the Gneeves family,
and that he may have had some relationship with the LANE family of the same
place. William MURRAY is probably the same man who was sponsor at the baptism
of Denis MENNIS of Moreagh (1829):
In one discussion with a descendant
of Michael, it was suggested that he moved from Reenascreena (“Reena”) to
Moreagh, which did not really sit well with the overall story, as the other
brothers seemed to move to Reena later. It is interesting to note that
adjacent to Barnadivane is the townland of Reanacaheragh, which is possibly
the place associated with Michael misremembered (speculation only). The
family in Reena are reported to have had their own seats at St Peter’s
church, Carrigfadda (just north of the village) and owned/managed eight farms
in the greater Reena district. Apart from the main
assumption from 1826 records, the two sides of the family (and each potential
brother) remain unconnected on paper. Additional research notes are provided
where some doubt exists regarding family associations. A. The family of John MENNIS
& Ellen HENESY or HENNESY of “Two Neeves”: John & Ellen are
assumed to have married c1814 +/- 5 years for four known children to be
baptised between 1819 & 1827 at Dunmanway. It is possible, based on their
daughter Hanoria’s death record in the US, that other parts of the family may
have emigrated to the US. No deaths have so far been found for John &
Ellen, so it is assumed they occurred before 1854 (start of the Irish BMD
index). John could be a slightly older brother to Michael MENNIS of Moreagh
(born mid-1780’s to mid-1790’s) and other children may be missing from
baptism records. John has not yet been found recorded as an independently
recorded farmer in West Cork, so is presumed to have always been working
under his father or had another occupation. Ellen is assumed to be the Nelly
MENNIS who was sponsor to baptism of Mary MENNIS (1829). Their children: · James MENNIS (1819-95) of “2 Neeves”, Farmer at Lisbealad (south of
Dunmanway, SW of Moreagh) & “Saroo” (Reenascreena). He died as widower
with his death registered by a “nephew” James
MENNIS of Froe. Based on extracted death records his wife appears to be Margaret of an unknown family
(1826-91). There are no known children to their marriage that occurred prior
to the Irish index and is not located in church records;
James
MENNIS farmed areas 1 & 2 at Sarue (Saroo), left, and area 9 at Lisbealad
East, right, on the maps accompanying the Griffith’s Valuation · John MENNIS (1822) of “2 Nieves”. Sponsored by James & Ellen HENESY.
Assumed to have died young; ·
Honoria Teresa MENNIS
(1826-96) = Henry George ALLEN in
1864 in Boston, USA. Her parents are clear on her US marriage & death
certificates. Her birth date is known from US records but no corresponding
baptism found in Dunmanway. How or why she moved to the US is unclear as her
presence there is not currently associated with other MENNIS family members.
She arrived in Boston from Liverpool in 1850 onboard the Josephine, not travelling with obvious family members; ·
Ellen MENNIS (c1827-96) = Michael WALSH in 1854 Dunmanway. No parents or townland declared.
The couple had 7 children and lived in Hollybrook, north of Skibbereen. She
is assumed to be a daughter of one of the Gneeves families, most likely the d/o John & Ellen, and is so
in this tree by age and name association; · John MENNIS (1827) of “Neeves” – No story. Note that the original record
for father and son is transcribed as “Jer”. This
John was born too late to be the John who married Catherine COLLINS in 1838,
so this does not explain the “nephew” of James (1819). Did this John go to Canada?; B. The family of James
MENNIS & Catherine DALY of “Two Neeves” (my wife’s 3xGGPs): As John, above, James is
a likely older brother to Michael MENNIS of Moreagh. His age on death
suggests a birth year of 1783 (abt 14 years Michael’s senior), which further
suggests, together with the name of his father, that James could be the
eldest son, placing his parent’s marriage c1780. Three of James &
Catherine’s children can be found baptised at Dunmanway between 1820 &
1826. Based on given age on death for assumed son John (c1814 based on given
age on death), the couple were probably married c1809 +/- 5 years. Hence, the
Mary/Maria who married in Clonakilty in 1835 could be their eldest daughter.
Their known children are listed below.
John MENNIS
(below) farmed area 7 at Edencurra, left, and areas 9, 10A & 10B at
Reenascreena South, right, on the maps accompanying the Griffith’s Valuation · John MENNIS (c1814-1902) = Catherine
“Kate” COLLINS (c1815-1864) in 1838 Leap, my wife’s proven 2xGGPs.
Children born in Reenascreena South include seven daughters who are the
source of the family tale of “seven
daughters marrying seven whiskery men”, six of them as ‘made marriages’
to farmers. Note:
John’s parents are unproven and is only suggested
as s/o James & Catherine because the couple had children earlier than
brother John & Ellen, this John potentially named his first two children
after his mother and father (although his mother and wife shared the same
name), and his uncle had two sons John baptised during his lifetime,
precluding John & Ellen as his parents. Children: o
Catherine “Cath” MENNIS (1839 – sponsor: Michael MENNIS) = Timothy “Teddy” “Tadg” SULLIVAN (brother of Patsy, who
married Margaret MENNIS) in 1867 and lived in Dunmanway. No issue; o
James MENNIS (1841-1918) = Johannah “Hannah” KEARNEY (1852-86) in
1874. Couple lived in Reenascreena. Children: § Catherine “Kate” MENNIS
(1875) = Maurice SHEEHY; § John MENNIS (1876-96); § Margaret MENNIS
(1877-1949) = John DONOVAN; § Mary Ellen MENNIS (1878-1907); § Michael MENNIS (twin, 1879-97); § James MENNIS (twin, 1879-1900). In 1897 he was listed as serving with the Royal
Munster Fusiliers. In April 1900, he was listed as a deserter from the
barracks of the 8th (King’s Royal Irish) Hussars at Dundalk, Co.
Louth. It is not entirely clear what had happened to James, whose death was
registered in the following quarter in Clonakilty; his regiment were due to
sail to South Africa re. Boer War around the time; § Hannah MENNIS (1880-1919); § Dennis MENNIS (1882-1952) = Catherine
DONOVAN (1893-1923) in 1920 & Ellen
COLLINS in 1925; § Timothy MENNIS (1883) Farmer at Froe = Agnes
O’REGAN in 1924; § James George MENNIS (1926-2001); § Hannah M Philomena MENNIS (1931-2006) = Brenden
CONNOLLY; § Thomas MENNIS (1885-1907); o
Mary MENNIS (1843) = John CROWLEY in 1876 Rosscarbery (witness: Joanne
MENNIS) and lived at Carhoovaler, Knocks; o
John MENNIS (1846-1900 – sponsor: Michael MENNIS) = Catherine “Kate” SHEEHY (1855-1910).
The couple ran a shop in Strand Street, Clonakilty. Children: § John MENNIS (1884-85); § Catherine “Kate or Katty”
MENNIS (1885); § John MENNIS (1888-1918) who took over the shop in Clonakilty; § Margaret “Maggie” MENNIS (1889); § Ellen MENNIS (1891-91); § Mary MENNIS (1892); § Hanorah “Norah” MENNIS (1893); § Hannah “Annie” MENNIS (1895-1918);
o
Ellen
MENNIS (1848-1926) of Reenascreena
(sponsor – Catherine MENNIS) = Denis
O'NEILL of Reenroe in 1872 Rosscarbery (witness: Joanne
(Johanna) MENNIS) – my wife’s GGPs; o
Michael MENNIS (1851-1890 – sponsor: James MENNIS) = Hanora “Norah” LAWTON
(1862-1938) in 1886. Children: § Catherine “Katty” MENNIS (1887-1937) = Michael
WALSH; § Michael John MENNIS (1888-1978) = Bridget
“Bridie” O’KEEFE in 1930 Clonakilty. Children: § Norah MENNIS (1931); § Catherine T MENNIS (1932-36); § Margaret MENNIS (1934); § Ellen MENNIS (1935); § Michael Christopher
Stephen MENNIS (1937-2004) = Kathleen May “Kay” HAYES (1951); § Michael MENNIS (1989); § Cáit MENNIS (1993); § John J “Jack” MENNIS (1938);
§ John “Jack” MENNIS (1890) = Sara Kate RUDDY
in 1925 Ballycastle, Co. Mayo and settled in Navan, Co. Meath. The Mayo &
Meath branch is indicative only and to be fully confirmed. Children: § Maire Cait “Maureen” (nun
Sister Francis) MENNIS (1927-2016); § Michael Joseph “Mike”
MENNIS (1929) = Eileen MARKY. Children: § Barbara MENNIS; § James D “Jim” MENNIS = Helen Sarah KEAN in
1999, Bath, Somerset. Children: § Hannah Ruth MENNIS (2000-2001); § Daniel James MENNIS (2001); § Finbarr Michael MENNIS (2004); § Finbarr (adopted); § Thomas B “Tom” MENNIS (1933, twin) = Angela
KILROY. Children: § Marina MENNIS = Ronan
McCABE; § Therese MENNIS; § Brenden Thomas MENNIS = Dorothy BRENNAN. Children; § Tom MENNIS; § Jack MENNIS; § Anna MENNIS; § Ellen MENNIS; § David MENNIS; § John Francis MENNIS (1967) = Patricia M
WALSH. Children: § Katherine Angela M
“Katie” MENNIS (1997); § Rose Marina “Rosie”
MENNIS (2001); § John Patrick MENNIS (twin 1933-2005) = Angela
DWANE. Children: § Claire MENNIS; § Patricia MENNIS; § Michael MENNIS; § James Finbarr “Jim”
MENNIS (1938-2014), Monsignor in the
US Navy; o
Margaret
(Mary) MENNIS (1853-1908) = Patrick “Patsy” SULLIVAN (brother of Teddy, who married sister
Kate MENNIS). Margaret was the only sister who did not marry a farmer; the
couple lived in Dunmanway. Son Tim & daughter Jo; o Honora “Nora” MENNIS
(1854) = Laurence Michael “Larry”
WHITE in 1879 Clonakilty and lived Carhoovaler, Knocks; o
Johanna “Hannah” MENNIS (1857) = Patrick John
“Pat” COLLINS, and lived in Dromasta, Drimoleague; 6 sons (John, Patrick,
Jeremiah, Donal, Michael & Denis) & 3 daughters (Katie, Mary,
Hannah); o
Julia MENNIS (1859-1921 – sponsor: Mary MENNIS) = Cornelius BARRETT
in 1890 Clonakilty. 2 sons (Richard & John) & 4 daughters (Ellen,
Cis, Hannah & Julia) at Tullyglass, Newcestown; · James MENNIS (1820) – No story. Did he go to Canada?; · Michael MENNIS (1822-1916) Farmer at “Saroo” = Mary “Bridie” BARRY in
1853. He was resident as father-in-law at Reenascreena North in 1901 &
1911 and suggests why WHITE inherited the farm at Reenascreena through
daughter Ellen: o
Catherine
“Kate” MENNIS (1854-91); o
Mary Ann MENNIS (1858-1943) – Was the Post Mistress at Reenascreena; o
John MENNIS (1860); o
Michael Barry MENNIS
(1860-1941) = Mary BURNS in 1886
Queensland, Australia. Children: § Mary Kate MENNIS
(1887-1964) = Michael Patrick GREEN; § Helena MENNIS
(1892-1987) = Daniel O’SHEA; § Emily MENNIS
(1894-1936); § Michael Patrick Joseph MENNIS
(1897-1972) = Patricia (unknown
family) & Clemonse HILL; § John Francis MENNIS
(1902-1978) = Mary Elizabeth DELAHUNTY.
Children: § Maureen Josephine MENNIS
(1934); § Brian Joseph MENNIS
(1934) = Mary ECCLES. Children: § John Bernard MENNIS
(1964); § Paul Joseph MENNIS
(1967); § Gregory Brian MENNIS
(1971); § Joanna Mary MENNIS
(1974); o
Hanora “Norry” MENNIS (1862) – Shop Assistant in Reenascreena (PO & Shop); o
Ellen MENNIS (1864-1909) = James WHITE in 1899; · Catherine MENNIS (1826-1909) of “Two Neeves” = Patrick HARRINGTON c1845 and lived in Bandon, Co. Cork. They had
a daughter named Leonora Mennis HARRINGTON (1866-1957);
Unknowns Despite what may be viewed as a
complete tree, there will always remain some unknowns: ·
An unknown William
MENNIS & his wife Mary MURPHY
baptised their child Elizabeth
Margaret MENNIS at Ballinspittle (Kinsale) in 1879. This was the same
church that James MENNIS married Ellen DONOVAN in 1862. The couple had
married in 1874 in Gorey, Co. Wexford. There is currently no other history or
evidence to suggest William belongs to the West Cork group or that they
remained in the county for long, but this record is included for
completeness. The outline above is indicative only and not
necessarily fully correct or complete. |
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