My McLoughlin Ancestry

"People will not look forward to prosperity who never look backward to their ancestors." -Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France

Trying to research my family was a difficult task. My Grandparents immigrated to the United States with nothing more than their passports, some clothes and a few dollars. In the way of documents, little can be found about my Grandparents much less about my great grand parents and beyond. Thankfully one of my cousins on my father's side put together a family tree a few years ago. Although for the majority of my family there are just names, no dates of birth, or death because there simply aren't records readily available. 

My Great Grandparents marriage license 

One of the very few records I was able to find was the marriage certificate for my paternal Great Grandparents, Patrick McLoughlin and Helen 'Ellie' McNamara. They were married February 9, 1911 in Mohill, Ireland. The marriage certificate was officiated and the ceremony was performed at the Roman Catholic Church of Mohill. 

One of the only records I was able to find was for my Great Uncle Paddy, my paternal Grandfather's brother. Uncle Paddy was the oldest of thirteen kids. Patrick was born June 16, 1914 in Mohill, Ireland. What I find very interesting is that on my Great Grandparents marriage license and on my Great Uncle's birth certificate the documents ask for "Rank of Professionalism of Father".  My Great Grandfather was a potato farmer. 

My Great Uncle's Birth certificate

According to my Dad, my Great Grandpa was some sort of 'important political leader' in Mohill. Although my Dad is not sure what my Great Grandpa did, I know my Grandpa had some sort of connections to the IRA- the Irish Republican Army. My Dad said when he was little he remembered my Grandpa helping to collect money and donations for the IRA from New York with other Irish immigrants, so I can only imagine my Great Grandfather was involved in the Irish Republican Army in some way as well. My Dad never met his Grandfather so we can only assume what he was like. He was a tough Irish potato farmer who was born and died in the small rural town of Mohill. My family may not have exciting backgrounds but my ancestry is filled with hard workers and deep Irish roots.

Mohill, County Leitrim Ireland 1940s