THE CHILDREN OF
JAMES HARRIGAN AND ANNE KENNEDY

James Harrigan of Tipperary married Anne Kennedy 16 February 1833 in Tipperary, County Tipperary, Ireland.

Anne Kennedy, the daughter of James Kennedy and Judith Anne Duane, was christened 17 October 1808 in Tipperary town.

 
 

Griffiths Valuation, Bohercrow townland, Tipperary town, 1850

James Harrigan can be found on Bohercrow Street in Bohercrow townland, Tipperary town, in 1850 in Griffith's Valuation. He had a house and yard, but no acreage, so was not a farmer. His home had less than an acre of land. He was a town dweller, and must have had an occupation, although none is known. The Kennedys who were Anne's relatives in Tipperary lived on similar sized properties, and were grocers, bakers, butter merchants, and shoemakers. James may have been of the merchant class, which explains his daughter Mary's assertion that she was of higher class than her husband, who was descended from tenant farmers and cottiers. James Harrigan's next-door neighbor was Timothy Kennedy, perhaps a brother of Anne's.

 

Bohercrow is on the west side of Tipperary town.

 

Tipperary is a market town and a parish in the county of Tipperary. It is a place of great antiquity, and is supposed to have derived its name, Tipra-Rae, from the Irish for "the well of the plains". In 1831 the town had 1,042 houses. It was a market town. Michael Harrigan, who appears as a sponsor of James' first son, is found in Griffith's Valuation in the townland of Carrownreddy in Tipperary town. Michael may be James' brother.

From www.irelandgenweb.com

The Harrigans, often called "Hourigan" in Ireland are mainly from Shronell and Lattin in County Tipperary. The cemetery in Shronell Cross has many Hourigans buried there.

James and Anne had the following children:

 

1. Patrick was christened 13 January 1834 in Tipperary parish. One of the sponsors at his christening was Michael Harrigan, who may be a brother of James. The sponsors were Michael Harrigan and Catherine Heffernan.

                        

Patrick fought in the Civil War with Confederate forces, in Company B of the Virginia Infantry, and was never heard from by the family. In a letter, his niece Anne Carey, daughter of Mary Harrigan records: "Pat fought in Civil War with the Confederate army. No word was ever received from him. Mother often thought perhaps he was the father of Dr. Harrigan who looked much, very much like the Kennedy men. (Ed and I were the redheads in our family)." Patrick enlisted in Covington, Kentucky on May 14, 1861. The muster roll for Patrick (dated Feb 28 to June 30, 1862) shows that he was "absent sick since July 1861" He returned to action, and Patrick was wounded in action, and died in Richmond, Virginia on 23 March 1862. The muster roll for Patrick (dated June 30 to December 31, 1862) states: "Wounded in action on 23 (March 1862), and left on the field." Patrick is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. The Oakwood Restoration Committee says that "I did find a Patrick Harrigan, Company B, 1st Virginia Battalion, born 1-13-1834, died 3-16-1862, at Hollywood Cemetery in Section SS B, Lot 308. Since he was a Virginian, I was able to go to the Virginia Regimental Series for the 1st Virginia Battalion by Robert J. Driver and Kevin C. Ruffner. This is the information they show on him: "Harrigan, Patrick, Pvt, Co. B, Enlisted Covington 5/14/61. Absent sick in Richmond Hospital 7/19/61 until he died 3/62." 

The 1st Virginia Battalion was known as the Irish Battalion. It was organized in May of 1861, the month that Patrick enlisted. Patrick became ill and was absent by July 19, 1861, as the battalion drove towards the First Battle of Bull Run, which took place two days later, on July 21. He must have recovered and returned to action, as a subsequent muster roll shows him being wounded in action. Patrick was wounded in action on March 23, 1862, which was the day of the First Battle of Kernstown in Virginia, under Stonewall Jackson. Jackson received incorrect intelligence that a small Union force was vulnerable, but it was in fact a full division, more than twice the size of Jackson's force. This was the only defeat of Jackson's career. In the battle, 80 soldiers were killed, and 375 were wounded on the Confederate side, including Patrick Harrigan, who was wounded in action and left on the field. The muster roll shows that he died at Richmond March 1862. He was buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, and his family never knew what happened to him. In 2010, Michelle Boyd, a descendent of Mary Harrigan Carey, visited the cemetery, but the grave is unmarked.

 

Muster roll for Patrick Harrigan

 

2. John was christened 17 March 1836 in Tipperary parish. John Houregan of Bohercrow is found in the Petty Sessions Court records, charged with two related complaints in 1866: "Willfully trespassing in complainant's premises and passage to his office in Nelson Street in the town of Tipperary on the 25th" (Mr. John Andrews, complainant, Nathaniel Andrews, witness), and "Assaulting complainant in Nelson Street in the town of Tipperary on the 25th" (Mr. Nathaniel Andrews, complainant, Nathaniel Andrews, witness). It seems that John and the Andrews family had a disagreement. (Irish Petty Sessions Court Registers on findmypast, case dated 28 June 1866 for John Houregan of Bohercrow)
 
 

3. Johanna was christened 25 November 1838 in Tipperary parish. The sponsors were Edmund Kennedy and Mary Burke. Johanna, or Anne, married William Lynch 14 August 1859 in Clinton, Iowa, and settled in Clinton. He worked in a sawmill. They had the following children: Francis (1861), William (1864), Annie (Anna Theresa, born 7 December 1865, who married Michael McBride in 1889, and lived in Terre Haute; died 10 June 1954 in Vigo, Indiana), John (1868), Philip (July 1869), Mary (1872, called Josie, who became Mrs. Moore, and lived in Texas), Joseph (1874), Francis (1876), and Johanna (1879) married Edward B. Moore 5 June 1907 in Des Moines.
 
 

4. James was christened 16 May 1841 in Tipperary parish. The sponsors were Michael Kennedy and Judith Sheehy. He married Mary Shanahan in about 1868 in Brooklyn, New York, and had the following children: Mary Ann (1869), John (1870, who died in Chicago 23 December 1900), Margaret (1873, Mrs. Gredin of New York City), James (1874), Anne (1876), and Ella (1879, who married William Sanderson and died 6 October 1946 in New York City). James worked as a laborer, and then later in an iron foundry. James died 9 April 1897 in Kings, New York.

5. Mary was christened 25 September 1843 in Tipperary parish. The sponsors were Michael Kennedy and Ellen Sheedy. Mary may have died young.

 
 

*6. Mary was born 28 December 1846, and christened 29 December 1846 in Tipperary parish. She married John Joseph Carey 13 July 1866 in St. Mary's Church in Chicago. They had fourteen children. She died 23 November 1923 in Chicago, and was buried 26 November 1923 in Calvary Cemetery.

                                          
 
 

7. Michael was christened 4 April 1850 in Tipperary parish.
 
 

8. Edmund was christened 6 February 1852 in Tipperary parish.

In preparation for Griffiths Valuation, several documents were created. One was the House Book, which shows James Harrigan in 1849 in Bohercrow townland in Tipperary.

 

House Book, Bohercrow townland, Tipperary town, County Tipperary for James Harrigan, 1849

James rented a house and yard on Lot 86 from John O'Leary. The house was 21 feet long, 18 feet wide, and 5 1/2 feet high. The house was rated 3B, which means that it was a medium-age thatched roof house of stone walls with mud mortar, or mud walls of the best kind, slightly decayed, but in good repair. It was valued at £1-16-7. The yearly rent was £1 per year. Next door, on Lot 87, Tim Kennedy rented a house only, which was 13.6 feet long by 13 feet wide by 6 feet tall.

A Field Book was created in 1851, which was created to show the quality of the land. Since James and his neighbors did not rent land, no indication is given for their property.

James was still found on Bohercrow Street in the valuation of 1858-1860. The record shows James Harrigan on Lot 70, leasing a house and yard from William King. The house was valued at twelve shillings.

 

 
Valuation List, Bohercrow, Tipperary parish, 1858-1860

In 1865, James was on the same lot, which has been renumbered to Lot 74, and the house and yard were valued at ten shillings.
 

Valuation List, Bohercrow townland, Tipperary parish, 1865

In 1868-70, James was still on Lot 74, leasing a house and yard valued at ten shillings from William King.
 

Valuation List, Bohercrow townland, Tipperary parish, 1868-1870

In the 1871 census of Tipperary, James Harrigan was found on Bohercrow Street in Tipperary town, and is listed between James Meara and Thomas Quinn. John Hourigan was listed on Henry Street in Tipperary town.

In September 1872 James' landlord changed from William King to Edward O'Leary.
 

Valuation List, Bohercrow townland, Tipperary parish, 1872

In 1885-87, the property changed from James to his wife Anne, then to John Hayes, then John Lynch. This most likely means that James died in about 1885, then Anne died soon after, within the two years. In the 1890s the property was leased by John Lynch.

 

Valuation List, Bohercrow townland, Tipperary parish, 1885-1887

SOURCES: Tipperary parish registers by corresp.; Griffiths Valuation; Valuation Lists, FLH #855433-4; letter from Joe Wright, Oakwood Restoration Committee; muster roll for Patrick Harrigan, Company B, 1 Battalion, Virginia Infantry.
 
 

Harrigans of County Tipperary

No christening records have been found for James Harrigan in County Tipperary. A commissioned search for possible Harrigan/Hourigan couples in the 1800-1810 time period found no Harrigan/Hourigans having children christened in that decade.

There are very few other Harrigan/Hourigans in the town of Tipperary. Richard Harrigan was found in Tipperary in the Tithe Applotment of 1828 in Barronstown Laffan, in Tipperary town. Michael Hourigan/Harrigan was found in the townland of Carrownreddy in Griffith's Valuation (1850), and is also a sponsor of James Harrigan's oldest son, Patrick, so may be a brother of James. He had a  house and yard, and lived next to Morgan Kennedy. Another Hourigan found in Griffith's Valuation in Carrownreddy in Tipperary town was John Hourigan. He had a house with no yard. He may be another brother. One other Hourigan was found in Tipperary in Griffith's Valuation - Honoria Hourigan on Gaol Lane in Tipperary town. She had a house with no yard.

The Tipperary parish registers are available online starting in 1810. James Harrigan may be an older child in the family of Michael Houragan and Mary Long, whose children appear in the Tipperary parish record starting in 1810. John Harrigan and Catherine Bohan had two illegitimate children baptized in 1813 and 1816. It's possible they had a child before 1810. Also, Patrick Hourigan is listed as a witness at a wedding in 1810. James' firstborn son was named Patrick.

There are no Harrigan/Hourigans in Tipperary in the Religious Census of 1766.  One Hourigan is listed in the 1766 Census of Tipperary, in the "United parishes of Latin, Bruis, Shronell, Corrogue, Clonpet & Cordangan in the County Tipperary & Diocese of Cashel". This is James Hoiragan, and he is listed as Catholic.

The Harrigans don't appear to have deep roots in Tipperary town, but may have come from Shronell, about three miles southwest of Tipperary town. Parish records in Shronell don't start until 1846, but in the Shronell gravestone inscriptions we find the family of Patrick Hourigan (born about 1771) and Eleanor Bergin (born about 1781). They had children Patrick, Catherine, and James. Could this be our James? The children would have been born in the right time period, about 1801-1810. Patrick, the son, was born in about 1806. Patrick, the father, died at the age of 47 in Shronell on 18 February 1818. Eleanor died 1 May 1851 in Shronell at the age of 70.

 


Tipperary Town

Christening Records

The release of the Roman Catholic parish registers on the National Library of Ireland (www.nli.ie) makes it possible to reconstruct Harrigan families in Tipperary town in the early 19th century. Access to civil records on irishgenealogy.ie adds to our knowledge of these families. The Tipperary Roman Catholic registers started in 1780, but only the registers from 1810 on are available online. The earlier registers are only available through commissioned search through the Tipperary Family History Research organization.

These Harrigans acted as witnesses in christenings and marriages in Tipperary parish in the early 1800s.

• Patrick Hourigan in 1810
• John Houragan in 1811 and in 1813
• Dennis Harrigan in 1811
• Walter Harrigan in 1811
• James Houragan in 1814

These Harrigan families are found in christenings and marriages in the Tipperary parish register:

John Hourigan and Judith Rawley, married in 1813, had these children:

• William, christened 1813
• Daniel, christened 1814
• Mary, christened 1816
• Honora, christened 1819
• Judith, christened 1825
• Michael, christened 1827
• Patrick, christened 1830
• Judith, christened 1835

Michael Houragan and Mary Long had these children:

• Margaret, christened 1810
  
• Daniel, christened 1813
• Michael, christened 1816
• William, christened 1820

John Harrigan and Catherine Bohan had two illegitimate children:

• Ellen, christened 1813
• John, christened 1816
  

Thomas Houragan and Catherine Condon had this child:

• Mary, christened 1817
  

Patrick Hourigan and Joanna Meade had these children:

• Debora, christened 1822
  
• Maurice, christened 1825

Dennis Harrigan and Mary Crawford had this child:

• Elenor, christened 1821

Patrick Hourigan and Brigid Flynn married in 1818.

Patrick Hourigan and Honora Brien had this child:

• Mary, christened 1829
  

Edmund Houragan and Brigid Farrell married in 1820.

David Houragan and Mary Ryan had this child:

• Mathew, christened 1821
  

Daniel Horigan and Ellen Byron had this child:

• Mary, christened 1830

Thomas Harrigan and Bridget Fineen had this child:

• James, christened 1831
  

Daniel Hourigan and Margaret Heffernan married in 1837, had these children:

• Lucy, christened 1838
• Frank, christened 1844
• Richard, christened 1846

Daniel Hourigan and Margaret Woods married in 1842, had these children:

• Mary, christened 1844
• Michael, christened 1846
• Anastasia, christened 1848 (sponsor William Hourigan)
• Margaret, christened 1851
• Ellen, christened 1853
• John, christened 1856
• Daniel, christened 1860
• William, christened 1863

*James Harrigan and Anne Kennedy, married in 1833, had these children:

• Patrick, christened 1834 (sponsor Michael Harrigan)
• John, christened 1836
  
• Johanna, christened 1838 (sponsor Edmund Kennedy)
• James, christened 1841 (sponsor Michael Kennedy)
• Mary, christened 1843 (sponsor Michael Kennedy)
• *Mary, christened 1846
• Michael, christened 1850
• Edmond, christened 1852
  

Michael Harrigan (possibly James' brother) and Ellen Corbet had this child:

• Johanna, christened 1834

John Hourigan and Margaret Sheils had these children:

• Ellen, christened 1835 (sponsor Patrick Hourigan)
• Mary, christened 1841
• Julian, christened 1843 (sponsor Patt Kennedy)
• Hanoria, christened 1846 (sponsor Bridget Kennedy)
• Joanna, christened 1849
• Catherine, christened 1851 (sponsor Margaret Hourigan)
• Eliza, christened 1854

Denis Harrigan and Mary Murnane married in 1841
(Witness: Michael Harrigan)

Dominick Horgan and Mary Brady had this child:

• Michael, christened 1833

Michael Hourigan and Catherine Cleary had this child:

• Peter, christened 1845

Michael Horrigan and Joanna Murphy had this child:

• William, christened 1849

Patt Horrigan and Catherine Dwyer had this child:

• Patt, christened 1846

William Hourigan and Bridget married in 1848.

John Hourigan and Bridget Heffernan married in 1833
(Witness: John Hourigan)

John Hourigan of Henry Street in Tipperary, publican or grocer, and Margaret Hays had these children:

• Bridget, christened 1853
• Lawrence, christened 1854
• Mary, christened 1856
• Stephen, christened 1858
• Mary, christened 1862
• James, born 5 August 1864; christened 1864
• Margaret and Kate, born 28 August 1865; christened 1865
• Michael, born 22 September 1867; christened 1867 (sponsor Lawrence Hourigan)
• Patrick, born 14 February 1869; christened 1869 (sponsors William Murphy and Mary Hourigan)

Richard Hourigan of Henry Street in Tipperary, grocer or shopkeeper, and Johanna Quinn had these children:

• William, born 23 July 1876 in Tipperary
• Richard, born 11 February 1878 in Tipperary
• Margaret, born 16 August 1879 in Tipperary
  

No Harrigans/Hourigans are listed in the 1766 Religious Census in Tipperary town.

Tithe Applotment – In the Tithe Applotment for Tipperary town, taken in 1828, only one Harrigan is listed:

Barronstown Laffan

         Richard Harigan 2-0-0 0-4-2

 

Griffiths Valuation – In the Griffiths Valuation for Tipperary town, taken in 1851, these Harrigans are shown:

• James Harrigan, Bohercrow St, town of Tipperary, house and yard
• Honoria Hourigan, Gaol Lane, town of Tipperary, house
• John Hourigan, Carrownreddy, house
• Michael Hourigan, Carrownreddy, Donohill Rd, town of Tipperary, house and yard

Petty Court Records

In 1852, Petty Court records show a court appearance for:

William Hourigan, labourer of Tipperary Town, for "Being found drunk within the public streets of the borough of Clonmel on 3rd March 1852".

(Irish Petty Court Registers on findmypast)

John Houregan of Henry Street in Tipperary is found in the Petty Court Records applying for "a renewal of license to sell spirits, wine and beer" on 10 August 1857. This is the John Hourigan who is listed as a publican or grocer in his children's birth records in the 1860s.

1871 Census

In the 1871 census of Tipperary, James Harrigan is found on Bohercrow Street in Tipperary town.
John Hourigan is listed on Henry Street in Tipperary town.

Shronell

In the Tithe Applotment for Shronell parish (near Bohercrow), taken in 1834, the following Harrigans are shown:

John Hourigan, Ballinglana
John Hourigan, Shronell
Matt’w Hourigan, Shronell
Rich’d Hourigan, Ballinglana
Thos Hourigan, Shronell
Widow Hourigan, Shronell
Wm Hourigan, Ballinglana

 

In the Griffiths Valuation for Shronell parish, taken in 1851, the following Harrigans are shown:

• Ellen Hourigan, Deerpark, renting from James Hourigan, office James Hourigan, Ballinglanna, house, offices and land
• James Hourigan, Deerpark, house, offices and land
• John Hourigan, Ballinard, house and land
• John Hourigan, Deerpark, renting from James Hourigan, office
• Patrick Hourigan, Ballyconry, house, offices and land
• Richard Hourigan, Ballinglanna, house, offices and land
• Thomas Hourigan, Deerpark, house, offices and land
• William Hourigan, Ballinglanna, house, offices and land
• James Hourigan, Ballinglanna, house, offices and land (son of William)

In the Calendar of Wills and Administrations, 1858, the estate of William Hourigan of Ballinglana is mentioned:

"20 January  Letters of Administration of the personal estate of William Hourigan late of Ballinglana in the County of Tipperary, Farmer, deceased who died 22 May 1851 at the same place, were granted at Waterford to James Hourigan of Ballinglana aforesaid, the Son, one of the next of kin of said deceased." His estate was valued at less than 200 pounds.

A James Hourigan of Shronell died 24 October 1882. He was a farmer, married, and aged 76. The informant for the death entry was his son Michael Hourigan.

The following Harrigans are found in the Shronell gravestone inscriptions:

• Patrick Hourigan – born about 1771; died 18 February 1818, age 47 in Shronell, son Patrick. Patrick, Jr has a mother, sister, nephew and niece buried in the same plot.
• Eleanor Bergin, wife of Patrick Hourigan, born about 1781; died 1 May 1851; children Patrick, Catherine and James.
• Catherine, wife of Patrick, born about 1806; died 23 February 1826.
• James Hourigan, born about 1832; died 3 August 1852; age, 16; nephew of Patrick Hourigan.
• Catherine, born about 1843; died 23 September 1862, age 19; niece of Patrick Hourigan.
• Edmond Hourigan, born about 1824; died 7 August 1859, age 36, of Ballycasry.
• Margaret Hourigan, daughter of Richard Hourigan, born about 1819; age 15.
• Richard Hourigan, born about 1790; died 24 January 1854, age 64.

One Hourigan is listed in the 1766 Census of Tipperary, in the "United parishes of Latin, Bruis, Shronell, Corrogue, Clonpet & Cordangan in the County Tipperary & Diocese of Cashel". This is James Hoiragan, and he is listed as Catholic.

In Pender's Census of 1659, the largest number of Harrigans are found in the barony of Clanwilliam, which includes both Shronell and Tipperary town. In the Principall Irish Names and their Number section the name is shown as O Howrogane, O Howrigane & O Howregane, 21.

SOURCES: Griffiths Valuation; Tithe Applotment; Shronell Graveston Inscriptions; www.irelandgenweb.com; christening records on http://tipperarysouth.brsgenealogy.com; St. Michaels parish, Tipperary, parish records online at www.nli.ie; civil registration of births, marriages and deaths on www.irishgenealogy.ie.

If you have additional information about this family, please contact me at alice@boydhouse.com.

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