Driscoll Castle Cape Clear. Photo courtesy Dennis Driscoll.
Page last modified: Thursday, 18-Feb-2021 10:51:25 EST

Categorized in Haplogroup: I2a > P37.2 > PF4135 Isles A

Earliest known ancestor: James Driscoll (b. Mar 1814/Mar 1816) birthplace southwest Cork - possibly Skibbereen, Schull, or Bantry

Family lore and private family papers reveal that James had five brothers - Jeremiah, Timothy, John, Denis, and a fifth unknown, as well as a sister Mary. A family letter states that our Driscolls came from the Bantry Bay area. However, oral history indicates that the family lived in Skibbereen or Baltimore, County Cork.

James immigrated to NY via Canada in the late 1840's. According to a family letter, his wife died at sea.

An Emigrant Savings Bank record, by Timothy, believed to be the brother of James, stated that he was a native of Cappamore, Schull East and the parents were James Driscoll and Abigail Gallagher.

There is a James Driscoll in Cappagh More in the 1827 Skull Tithe Applotment [erroneously indexed as Jas Daniel at the NAI.]

Skibbereen Heritage has found records for James' and Abigail's children Denis (1814); Tim (1818); Dan (1821); Richard - maybe the "unknown" sibling (1825). We have not found a baptism record for James, brother John, or sister Mary, though Mary is thought to have married Andrew McCarthy in 1834 and had a daughter Ellen in late 1834 and a son Daniel in 1837. Nor have we conclusively identified a marriage record of James to the first wife who died at sea.

The James Driscoll who immigrated is listed in the 1850 US census as a tailor married to Ann, along with a daughter Ann born about 1846.

He is still a tailor in the 1860 US census. Daughter Ann is missing, but wife Ann is still there along with a son Jeremiah (8) and daughters Abby (3) and Mary (1 month).

In the 1870 US census James, aged 50, is still a tailor, with wife Jane, aged 32, son Jeremiah (18), daughter Abbe (13), daughter Mary (11), and Mary? (10). Apparently, second wife Ann died between 1860 and 1870.

In the 1880 US census, James, aged 63, is still listed as a tailor. Third wife Jane is 40. Also listed is a "boarder" Jeremiah Driscoll (28). "Daughter" Mary A. Driscoll is 20. Also listed are grandsons James (4) and Joseph (1). These are probably James' and Ann's son Jeremiah, his wife Mary Agnes O'Brien Driscoll, and their two sons. Another boarder is Dennis Driscoll, aged 29. The family lived on Montgomery St, NY, NY.

James the patriarch died Jan 18th, 1901 in Brooklyn, NY; the death certificate lists James as father and unknown as mother though there is good evidence Abigail Gallagher was his mother.

Son Jeremiah (b Feb 1852) was my great grandfather. Jeremiah and Mary Agnes O'Brien had a son James J (b June 6th, 1876) - my grandfather. He and Caroline Schildknecht had 4 children.

Through private email, this project participant granted the administrator permission to publish this family history data plus Y DNA results data on : 01 May 2018.

Driscoll at FTDNA DNA Portal Project Pedigrees
 
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