NERNEY FAMILY

IRELAND(County Roscommon)

NERNEY, HUGH and MARY MCGUIRE
parents of:

JOHN NERNEY
  • Born: July 6, 1813,Roscommon, Ireland
  • Died: May 2, 1888 Attleboro Massachusetts
  • Educated: Bishop Hodson's Grammar School, Elphin

    (famous Protestant college preparatory school)

  • Orphaned and sent to live with relatives named COFFEY in England; he was youngest of 6 children
  • Apprenticed 7 years as a shoemaker (he liked to called himself a "cordwainer")
  • Cousin served as captain of an English ship in US Civil War
  • Nerney relatives were in Conferate service of Civil War
  • Sister married and settled near Chicago before 1843. John visited her before 1850.

  • John's brother Nicholas (?)was sent to Australia in 1819 as a prisoner
    JOHN NERNEY married DORINDA HOLDEN
    Married: Ashton Church, Ashton Under Lyne, Lancashire England Sept 20, 1835

    DORINDA HOLDEN

  • parents William and Sarah, Protestants
  • Born: May 2, 1812, Castlerea, Roscommon, Bumline Parish, Ireland
  • Holden Estate granted to an ancester Holden for service in Ireland with Cromwell
  • Dorinda's brothers were commissioned English Army officers
  • Her brothers settled in Canada(?)
  • Dorinda orphaned by same typhus epidemic as John
  • Dorinda was sent to live with her mother's English relatives in Liverpool, named Hillyard/Hilliard
  • Catherine and Elizabeth Holden of Bristol RI and Providence were cousins of Dorinda
  • Peter Nerney, Dorinda's eldest son, visited the Holden Estate in 1887

    JOHN AND DORINDA NERNEY's CHILDREN Born in England

  • Peter Nerney married Ann;
  • .......... 3 George, Frank, Ed (correction 4/2000)
  • Mary Nerney ? marriage
  • Jane Nerney ? marriage
  • NICHOLAS NERNEY see below
  • William, born Attleboro Mass US married Emma Wetherell;
  • ..........one son: Lester who married Gladys Angell
  • ...........children of Lester & Gladys: Dexter and Virginia
  • Sarah born Attleboro Mass US; never married(alive in 1931)


    COMING TO AMERICA

    John Nerney sailed to America alone in 1843 to establish a home in Attleborough Massachusetts, just over the Rhode Island line. He was urged to come to America by Job Field, someone he knew in England. John turned down an offer to go to Australia.

  • John's brother Nicholas was sent to Australia.
  • (Nicholas was convicted in Roscommon of robbery in 1819
  • He may have been a member of the "Ribbonmen" a secret society of Irish rebels)
  • Information from Bernice Martin of Australia,a "Nerney cousin", 1/2000

    Dorinda Nerney, John's wife, sailed with four children from Liverpool to Boston aboard the Columbian in 1844(?) a 6 week voyage

    The Nerney family purchased a home farm in 1850 on West Street in the Simmons Crossing section of Attleborough. A house and cobblers shop were built. It was a stage coach stop.

    Dorinda Holden Nerney died January 30, 1892

    NICHOLAS NERNEY
  • Born: January 5, 1843 in family home at NW corner of Old Cross Street and Pennymeadow in Ashton Under Lyne Lancashire England
  • Came to America with mother and three siblings as a baby in 1844
  • Mustered into service 9/1/1862 US Civil War,at age 18, Company H of the 40th Massachusetts Volunteers Infantry commanded by Guy Henry. Discharged June 30, 1865.
  • Campaigns and Battles: Penninsular Campaign; Pamunky River battle; engagements at front of Richmond (verifed from a Civil War site that the 40th Mass Reg was at Richmond, Second Division, Brig General John Turner, First Brigard Samuel Alford.)
  • 40th missed being at Gettysburg with Mead's army because their train collided with another(see Daggett's history)(whew!)
  • Invalided to a Washington hospital. His brother Peter visited him.
  • Nicholas was an honor guard in Albany at President Lincoln's funeral when he lay in state(along the railway?)
  • Occupations: jewelry business, motorman on electric street railway, offical town lamp lighter
    NICHOLAS NERNEY married ELIZABETH(LIZZIE)O'CONNOR
    Their children:
  • EMMA NERNEY born November 6 1871 married RufusWRIGHTINGTON
  • Raymond born: July 10, 1884 died: November 1972(SS DEATH)
  • Joseph born:Oct 24, 1897 died: January 1979 (SS DEATH)
  • Robert born ? had 7 children
  • Annie born: February 13, 1881 died: April 27 1981 age 100
  • Maryella born ?
  • John born ?

    NICHOLAS NERNEY died: August 20, 1931 age 88

  • his sister Sarah Nerney and William Nerney survived him

    ELIZABETH NERNEY died: April 16, 1922 age 75


    CLICK HERE
    FOR NEWSPAPER OBITUARY OF NICHOLAS NERNEY


    Thank you to the unknown family member who wrote extensive notes on the Nerney Family and gave them to my grandmother who gave them to me when I was a teenager in the 1960's. I have clippings of Nicholas Nerney's obituaries.

    Update September 2, 1998: On a visit to the Attleboro Public Library I discovered that much of the above information was published in a booklet The "Knobby" Line of the Nerney Family" 1972 by Ruth S. (Mrs. William A.)Nerney of Attleboro, Mass. Also, the library has information on Nerney family members in a clippings file. The Sketch of the History of Attleborough by John Daggett (1894) also mentions the Nerney family.A map of Woodlawn Cemetery on North Main Street (where the Nerney's are buried)is also available at the library. The house at 200 North Main Street is still there, built in 1849 by Colonel Willard Blackinton (the Blackinton Inn is across the street) The factory Knobby Krafters (jewelry factory)is in back of the house. There is a historic marker for the Shuttle Shop on the property. Also known as Blackinton Park, a small grassy area along the river with geese and park benches. Nearby Holden Street is named for Dorinda (through the efforts of her son Peter- from "Knobby Line"). There are other nearby streets: Elizabeth and John Street - family connection?

    Update 4/2000: Dexter Nerney and his mother Ruth Nerney have verified some information. They have also provided me with pictures which I hope to post soon.

    FOR MY OTHER NAMES: CLICK HERE RI ROOTS
    ROSCOMMON, IRELAND: CLICK HERECOUNTY ROSCOMMON HERITAGE AND GENEALOGY SOCIETY
    LEITRIM-ROSCOMMON SURNAME LIST: CLICK HERELEITRIM-ROSCOMMON SURNAME LIST

    OTHER VARIATIONS OF THE NERNEY NAME: "NERHENNY"

    Coming Soon: Info about other Nerney searchers I've heard from internationally

    Updated 4/2000

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