Sgt Wm Connell #2793 in the 17th Foot

[wimsey]

Findmypast (FMP) has an 1853 Catholic Parish baptism for a John Connell born to parents Connell and Cleary at Cashel & Emly, Tipperary

but I don't have a subscription to check it properly

Cashel & Emly is a catholic archdiocese

[wimsey]

this is an old thread about the 17th Regiment in Canada which may - or may not - be of interest

https://www.british-genealogy.com/fo...giment-of-Foot

[JohnnyCanuck]

Thanks ahyway Wimsey but that's not him.. Wm Connell married Mary Burke in 1850 in Ballyovey parish in Mayo

[JohnnyCanuck]

Thanks Wimsey but thats not him.. He married Mary Burke in 1850 in Ballyovey Parish in Mayo.
Johnny

[wimsey]

Thanks Wimsey but thats not him.. He married Mary Burke in 1850 in Ballyovey Parish in Mayo.
Johnny

oh dear, sorry. I jumped to the wrong conclusion when you said Michael Cleary was his brother-in-law !!

perhaps a moderator could delete my posts since they might confuse (please)

[JohnnyCanuck]

No problem. I figured that. Michael Cleary married Ellen Burke also in Ballyovey, August 1850. Both Wm Connell and Ml Cleary were in 1/17th Foot in Castlebar, Dublin, Gibraltar, Crimea and Canada. Cleary had his family with him in Canada and transferred to the Royal Canadian Rifles in 1866 and stayed in Canada. Wm returned to Ireland in 1859 with 1/17th.
FYI and others, Cleary and his family were on the 1861 Canadian census. Others researching ancestors in the 17th might want to check that.
Johnny.

[JohnnyCanuck]

Thanks Wimsey, but that is not my William in 1852, nor Ellen in 1864. I have found Ellen birth in 1851 in Oughterard. Still looking for John Joseph born Nov 5 1853 in Dublin likely (or maybe 1852 in Limerick).
Now, I have a discharge record for a Sgt JJ Connell from the 17th, #1168, in 1882, which may be him.
The record says 'Cause' of discharge was " Free " . What does this mean? It may be on the very anniversary of his enlistment, 12 yrs earlier. Is 12 yrs of particular significance in military service?
Johnny