My Old Ohio Home

I’ve been looking at the family of my grandfather’s brother James O’Rourke, and have hit a soft brick wall. His wife, Mary Keyes, was the daughter of James Keyes and Mary Nugent. Mary Nugent’s death record said she was born about 1851 in County Wexford, and I can almost prove it, but not quite. Here’s the story.

The Nugents and Keyes lived on the Southeast side of Cleveland, Ohio, in Holy Name Parish. There are two other Nugent families in the same area, and both of them are from Wexford:

1. In 1880, Patrick Nugent and his wife Margaret O’Brien were living at 2040 Marble Street with their children Patrick and Catherine and a nephew John. Patrick and Margaret were married in Piercetown parish, Wexford, on July 6, 1857.(footnote)Catholic Parish Registers, Piercetown, at https://registers.nli.ie. July 6, 1857, Patrick Nugent, a servant, of Dinnistown, and Margaret Brien, of Murrintown. witnesses: William Furlong of Redshard and Bridget Brien of Fardistown, married by Wm Moran, CC. Their son Patrick was baptized there on April 9, 1860.(footnote)Catholic Parish Registers, Piercetown, at https://registers.nli.ie. Born April 8, 1860, baptized April 9, 1860, Patrick, [son of] Patrick Nugent and Margaret Brien, of Guertenmanogue, sponsors: Anne Walsh, William Cardiff, both of Gurtinmanogue, baptized by William Moran, CC. The current spelling of the townland is Gurteenminogue.
2. On January 8, 1908, a Margaret Lambert died in Cleveland, “sister of the late Johanna Nugent, at the residence of her nephew, Peter Nugent, 7202 Canton [Cannon] ave.”(footnote)Cleveland Necrology File, at https://cpl.org/newsindex/, Margaret Lambert, January 7, 1908. Peter’s death record said he was the son of John Nugent and Johanna Lambert.(footnote)Ohio Deaths, familysearch.org, Peter J Nugent, April 9, 1936. John Nugent and Joanna Lambert were married in Piercetown Parish on October 22, 1859.(footnote)Catholic Parish Registers, Piercetown, at https://registers.nli.ie. Marriages, October 22, 1859, John Nugent and Joanna Lambert, both of Gurteenminogue. witnesses: Patrick Nugent of Gurteenminogue and Mary Browne of Denistown. married by Wm Moran, CC. Their first son, John–who looks like he is the nephew of Patrick mentioned above–was baptized there on July 2, 1860.(footnote)Catholic Parish Registers, Piercetown, at https://registers.nli.ie. Born July 28, 1860, baptized July 28, 1860, John, [son of] John Nugent and Joanna Lambert, of Guertenmanogue, sponsors: Peter Lambert, Margaret Browne, both of Gurtinmanogue, baptized by William Moran, CC Sons Patrick and Richard died in Cleveland as well.

Irish Baptisms

I found the following four baptisms for a Mary Nugent in Wexford from 1851 to 1860. Our Mary Nugent's baptism should be in that range, if recorded, but none of these look like her, if her death record's information is correct.

• 1852 Suttons Parish parents: Martin and Mary
• 1845 Wexford Parish parents: Faclaleigh and Margaret
• 1856 Suttons Parish parents: Martin and Mary
• 1857 Gorey Parish parents: Thomas and Ann

Conclusion

So is Mary (Nugent) Keyes a relative of Patrick and John Nugent or not? Her death record only names her father, John, and her death notice doesn’t list brothers or sisters. I couldn’t find a death record or notice for Patrick or John—I have a feeling they both died before 1900.