Individual Details
Mary Josephine O'CONNOR
(1843 - 5 Sep 1906)
I am told Mary's parents lived on a large property in the townland of Ovaun, south of Elphin town. The house was called Cherryfield, the ruins of which are still standing today. Mary's marriage record tells us that she was from Tobbermulla or Tobbermulia (the handwriting is hard to decipher). I have been unable to find any townland of this or similar names on any Roscommon map or townland list so I am assuming that it is a subdivision of Ovaun.
According to family members, Mary was a relative of Major General Sir Luke O'Connor who was awarded a Victoria Cross for bravery at the battle of the Alma during the Crimean War (1854) and who was knighted in 1913. However, it is not known how she might be related. If anyone has any further information on Mary's connection with Sir Luke, I would be very grateful if you would get in touch by emailing HelensFamilyTrees@gmail.com. Thank you.
1901 census records checked on www.leitrim-roscommon.com to find more information on Mary and John and their family: the only Gordon household in Sheepwalk is that of a Mary Gordon, aged 55, which ties in roughly with the age our Mary would have been in 1901. The children listed in the census return for Mary Gordon are Mary (25), John (24), Winnie (21) and Annie (17). Her husband is not listed, indicating he may have died, which ties in with the fact that our Mary's huband died in 1895. Winnie is not included in the list of the children of John and Mary as provided by family sources, although Mary, John and Annie are listed. Although these three names are extremely common in Irish families, it is possible that the the Mary Gordon in the census return is our Mary Connor who married John Gordon.
Mary died in 1906 in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal where her son James, a doctor, and daughter Kate lived. She left her estate (valued at £10) to a "Mary Gordon, spinster and James McCann". James McCann was a nephew of Mary's and it is likely that the "Mary Gordon, spinster" was her eldest daughter Mary who we know did not marry until about 1908.
According to family members, Mary was a relative of Major General Sir Luke O'Connor who was awarded a Victoria Cross for bravery at the battle of the Alma during the Crimean War (1854) and who was knighted in 1913. However, it is not known how she might be related. If anyone has any further information on Mary's connection with Sir Luke, I would be very grateful if you would get in touch by emailing HelensFamilyTrees@gmail.com. Thank you.
1901 census records checked on www.leitrim-roscommon.com to find more information on Mary and John and their family: the only Gordon household in Sheepwalk is that of a Mary Gordon, aged 55, which ties in roughly with the age our Mary would have been in 1901. The children listed in the census return for Mary Gordon are Mary (25), John (24), Winnie (21) and Annie (17). Her husband is not listed, indicating he may have died, which ties in with the fact that our Mary's huband died in 1895. Winnie is not included in the list of the children of John and Mary as provided by family sources, although Mary, John and Annie are listed. Although these three names are extremely common in Irish families, it is possible that the the Mary Gordon in the census return is our Mary Connor who married John Gordon.
Mary died in 1906 in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal where her son James, a doctor, and daughter Kate lived. She left her estate (valued at £10) to a "Mary Gordon, spinster and James McCann". James McCann was a nephew of Mary's and it is likely that the "Mary Gordon, spinster" was her eldest daughter Mary who we know did not marry until about 1908.
Events
| Birth | 1843 | probably Ovaun, Elphin, Co. Roscommon | |||
| Marriage | 4 Feb 1869 | Elphin, Co. Roscommon - John GORDON | |||
| Death | 5 Sep 1906 | Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal |
Families
| Spouse | John GORDON (1838 - 1895) |
| Child | Patrick GORDON (1870 - 1912) |
| Child | Mary GORDON (1871 - 1944) |
| Child | Martin GORDON (1873 - 1918) |
| Child | John (Johnny) GORDON (1874 - 1969) |
| Child | James GORDON (1876 - 1955) |
| Child | Catherine (Kate) GORDON (1877 - 1950) |
| Child | Ellen (Helen) GORDON (1879 - 1962) |
| Child | Ann (Annie) M. GORDON (1879 - 1975) |
| Child | Thomas GORDON (1880 - 1937) |
| Child | Cormac GORDON (1881 - 1927) |
| Child | Michael GORDON (1883 - ) |
| Father | Martin O'CONNOR ( - ) |