What happened to James Ward, Lacca & Clonin?

Married Margaret Julian, 22 August 1831, had a number of children whose baptisms are recorded in Offerlane Parish records, witnessed marriages of some of them (last was 5 December 1867) and then seems to have disappeared! His wife (widow?) left Ireland for New Zealand departing from London in November 1868 writing in a letter " I had no home to return to ".
No-one in the family now has any idea of what happened, and I have not been able to find any record of a death in Ireland about that time.
We have a birth year (1792) for him (perhaps England somewhere - we do not know), but no other information.
Any ideas?

familysearch has this one.
Death
James Ward
1867, Dublin South, Ireland
Registration District - Dublin South
Age -73
Estimated birth year - 1794

I realise it is over 100 miles from Clonin and more from Lacca.

Christanel

Thanks Christanel. I had seen this but think it unlikely unless it is late December 1867. He was in Clonin 5 December.
Perhaps I should go to the local LDS and take a look at the record!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BruceW

Perhaps I should go to the local LDS and take a look at the record!

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Hi
You don't even have to order in the film now. Read this thread about the LDS photoduplication service

Christanel

Clonin and Lacca (Lacka) are in Mountmellick civil registration area. Therefore I’d be inclined to focus on deaths registered there, unless you have some evidence that James was living in another part of Ireland. The only James Ward death I can see that more or less fits was registered in Mountmellick in 1866 Volume 8, page 461, est year of birth 1794.

How sure are you that James was alive in 1867. Could he have died in 1866? Could that witness to the 1867 marriage have been some other James Ward? A brother or cousin?

You can order a photocopy of the death cert from GRO Roscommon for €4 per certificate. Put the place, year, volume & page number on the application form (anywhere). https://www.groireland.ie/ You have to post or fax the form to them but they will e-mail the copy certificate to you if you wish. Put “please e-mail to…..” clearly on the top of the form.

Reason for believing James Ward was alive in 1867 is a report from someone who had seen the Offerlane parish register:
'Dec 5th 1867, William Ward to Mary Jane Austen witnessed by James Ward {father}'
I have not sighted this myself but have no reason to suspect an error. While William did have a brother James, he was already in New Zealand (married NZ 1860) and there is no indication he ever returned to Ireland.
However, the indications that there may have been a James Ward in the region who died 1866 is interesting. I see from 'Landed Estate Court Files' that probate related to James Ward was noted Jan - Apr 1867. If there were cousins, we have had no prior knowledge of them!

I cannot ever recall seeing a witnesses relationship to the bride or groom recorded in an Irish marriage register before. That is very unusual. Normally their identity or relationship just has to be guessed.

Thanks for that information Elwyn. Does raise some questions, though!

Probably worth ordering a copy of the 1867 marriage cert to see what exactly is recorded there. Another point to note is that Irish marriage registers rarely recorded if the groom/bride's father was deceased. In Scotland, and other places, they are usually meticulous about putting (dcd) or similar after a parent's name, where they are dead. But not very often in Ireland, so it can give the impression the parent is alive when they may not be.