12. The Buggy-Brannagan Family of Freshford: A Possible Match!

Despite several discrepancies with U. S. sources for Dennis Buggy’s family, the Richard Buggy-Mary Brannagan family of Kile, Freshford Parish, County Kilkenny, bears closer examination because its Denis is approximately the correct age to be Dennis Buggy the immigrant. 

The Richard Buggy-Mary Brannagan Family of Freshford

County Kilkenny, Ireland

Catholic Church, Freshford Parish (Kilkenny, Ireland), Parochial Registers, 1773-1881, Baptisms, 1800-1825 (first item in chart only), and Baptisms, 1825-1847, pages as indicated in column 1; Family History Library microfilm 926,192, items 1, 3.

page	date	child	father	mother	male sponsor	female sponsor	residence
[none]	7 Feb 1825 26	Elizabeth Buggy	Richard Buggy	Mary Branagan	[none]	Margaret Buggy	Kile
1	7 Feb 1825	Eliza	Richd Buggy	Mary Branagan	[none]	Margt Buggy	2-6 Kile St G[___]
35	16 Apr 1827	John	Richd Buggy	Mary Brannagan	Joseph Talent	Judy Qualey	Kile
66	6 June 1829	Denis	Richd Buggy	Mary Brannagan	Andy Buggy	Kath Quealey	Kile
101	23 July 1831	James	Richd Buggy	Mary Brannagan	Richd Fitzgerald	Catharine Brannagan	Kile
167	21 Jan 1835 T M	Patt	Richd Buggy	Mary Branagan	Jas Hogue	Mary Fitzgerald	Kile
217	17 Aug 1837 T M	Michl	Rich d Buggy	Mary Brannagan	James Butler	Mary Hayne	Kile
262	12 Apr 1840 R. T.M.	Rich d	Rich d Buggy	Mary Branigan	Edm d Hoyne	Ellen Campion	Kile

Elizabeth and Eliza Buggy, born in 1825, are the same child.  The first entry is at the very end of one parish register, and the second is on the first page of a new register.  The consistency of the ink and handwriting in all entries in the registers suggests that they were copied into the books from notations made on slips of paper.  The priest entered Eliza's baptism in the old book and repeated it in the new one. 

Freshford baptisms from 1820 through 1847 show the above children and no others baptized for this couple.  Marriages were examined from 1820 forward, and there is no Richard Buggy-Mary Brannagan marriage recorded in the Freshford Roman Catholic parish registers.[1]  Given the timing and frequency of births from 1825 through 1840, more baptisms would be expected before 1825 if the couple had been married and living in Freshford earlier.  Firstborn Eliza is not mentioned as illegitimate, so Richard Buggy-Mary Brannagan probably married elsewhere and moved to Freshford parish some time before her baptism.  They may have had other children elsewhere as well.

Comparing with the Phelan Family History

The Phelan family history book asserts that Dennis Buggy’s parents Richard Buggy and Mary Butler were buried in Freshford.[2]  Unfortunately, the microfilmed Freshford parish registers do not include burials.  Baptism records (above) do show that the couple was there at least through 1840.

The family book also lists the children of Richard Buggy and Mary Butler and where they resided, in this order:[3]

            John Buggy (Ireland-Naugatuck, Connecticut)

            Dennis Buggy (Ireland-Minnesota)

            Patrick Buggy (Ireland-Naugatuck, Connecticut)

            Elizabeth Buggy Neary (Ireland-Naugatuck, Connecticut

            Henry Buggy (died in Ireland)

            James Buggy (died in Ireland)

            Michael Buggy (Ireland-Waukon, Iowa)

            Richard Buggy (Waukon, Iowa)

Here’s how they match with the Freshford family of Richard Buggy and Mary Brannagan:

Freshford Buggys in order of baptism	Phelan book birth order
1. Eliza/Elizabeth Buggy	4. Elizabeth Buggy Neary
2. John Buggy	1. John Buggy
3. Denis Buggy	2. Dennis Buggy
4. James Buggy	6. James Buggy
5. Patt Buggy	3. Patrick Buggy
6. Michl Buggy	7. Michael Buggy
7. Richd Buggy	8. Richard Buggy
	5. Henry Buggy

  

Except for Henry, who does not appear in Freshford parish records, the children’s names are the same.[4]  It appears that these are Dennis Buggy and his siblings, seven children baptized in Freshford Parish, County Kilkenny, Ireland.

Making this match on the basis of name matching is tenuous.  It's useful to seek more information, in U.S. and Irish records, to confirm the identity.

Another look at U. S. records, this time for Dennis’ siblings who also immigrated, is in order.  First, though, back to Dennis, whose U. S. marriage record has turned up.

Update, 26 May 2013

Like many family books compiled from saved records, reminiscences, and scraps of data, The Phelan family history has inaccuracies.  Official records contradict some information, and I’ve indicated the discrepancies in this blog.  Public records, created by persons in an official capacity (priests, town recorders) are generally reliable.  They were created close to the time the event took place.  In general, I trust them more than family members’ recollections.

I cannot explain why the Phelan family book claims that Dennis Buggy’s mother was Mary Butler and that he had a brother with the decidedly un-Irish name of Henry.  These statements conflict with official parish records, and I can only attribute them to errors of memory or copying.  Perhaps these were names from other branches of the Phelan family.

Next Time: Twice-Married Dennis Buggy

© 2013 Judy Kellar Fox, CG, foxkellarj@comcast.net.

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[1] Catholic Church, Freshford Parish (Kilkenny, Ireland), Parochial Registers, 1773-1881, Marriages, 1799-1877; Family History Library microfilm 926,192, item 2.

[2] “The Phelan Descendants: The Buggy Family, The Delaney Family, The Dollard Family,” privately held, 2013, 8.

[3] Ibid., 3, 4.

[4] Henry rarely appears as a given name in the Freshford Catholic parish registers, suggesting that the family record of this child may be confused.