Person:James Sweeney (14)

James Sweeney was born in about 1831 in Ireland, son of Catherine Sweeney, formerly Diamond, and her husband Peter Sweeney, an agricultural labourer. James was probably born at Castleconor in County Sligo, but the Catholic registers there only start in 1835. Certainly his father was renting land at Muingwore townland in Castleconor in 1833 and James's parents had a daughter Mary baptised at Castleconor in 1835. As the records only begin in 1835 it is not possible to say how many other children there were, although it has been established that James had a brother named Michael. Some time between 1849 and 1851 James's brother Michael left Castleconor and moved to Sorbie in south-west Scotland, presumably as part of the large number of people who left Ireland in the wake of the Potato Famine.

James stayed in Castleconor, marrying Bridget McLoughlin there on 30th January 1857. At the time of their marriage both were living at Emlymoran. They had four daughters baptised at Castleconor between 1857 and 1861, although there were two Catherines, suggesting the elder died young. Some time between 1861 and 1864 James and Bridget left Ireland and moved to Scotland, settling in Sorbie, Wigtownshire, the same village where James's brother Michael had settled a few years earlier. They went on to have another six children in Sorbie between 1864 and about 1875.

The 1871 census finds James, Bridget and five children living in a one roomed cottage on Wigtown Road in Sorbie. Only one of the five children was attending school. James was working as an agricultural labourer. They were still in Sorbie in both the 1881 and 1891 censuses. By 1891 they had several grandchildren living with them.

James died on 24th November 1893 at his son Patrick's home at 26 Nuneaton Street in Glasgow. He appears to have been in his early sixties. Bridget outlived him.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 General Register Office for Scotland. 1871 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh)
   897/00 006/00 003, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Wigtown Road, Sorbie Village, Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Rooms with one or more windows: 1
   Children attending school: 1
   James Sweeney, head, married, male, 40 [1830/1], Agri[cultural] lab[oure]r, b. Ireland
   Bridget Sweeney, wife, married, female, 30 [1840/1], Wife of Agri[cultural] lab[oure]r, b. Ireland
   Mary Sweeney, daughter, female, 13 [1857/8], b. Ireland
   Bridget Sweeney, daughter, female, 9 [1861/2], Scholar, b. Ireland
   Patrick Sweeney, son, male, 6 [1864/5], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Peter Sweeney, son, male, 4 [1866/7], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Catharine Sweeney, daughter, female, 2 [1868/8], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 General Register Office for Scotland. 1881 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh).

   Address: 14 High Street, Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   James Sweeney, head, married, male, 50 [1830/1], Agr Labourer, b. Ireland
   Bridget Sweeney, wife, married, female, 45 [1835/6], b. Ireland
   Peter Sweeney, son, male, 14 [1866/7], Ag Lab, b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Catherine Sweeney, daughter, female, 12 [1868/9], Scholar, b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   James Sweeney, son, male, 10 [1870/1], Scholar, b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Michael Sweeney, son, male, 7 [1873/4], Scholar, b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   John Sweeney, male, 5 [1875/6], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 General Register Office for Scotland. 1891 Scotland Census. (Edinburgh).

   Address: Private House, Wigtown Road, Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   James Swiney, head, married, male, 60 [1830/1], Agricultural labourer, b. Ireland
   Bridget Swiney, wife, married, female, 50 [1840/1], b. Ireland
   Bridget Donachiew, daughter, married, female, 27 [1863/4], Plough Mans Wife, b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Cathrine Rodger, daughter, married, female, 22 [1868/9], Plough Mans Wife, b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   John Swiney, son, unmarried, male, 14 [1876/7], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Mary Donachiew, granddaughter, female, 5 [1885/6], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Peter Donachiew, grandson, male, 4 [1886/7], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire
   Jennie Donachiew, granddaughter, female, 1 [1889/90], b. Sorbie, Wigtownshire

4. ↑ Death certificate, in General Register Office for Scotland. Civil Registration.

   1893. DEATHS in the District of Bridgeton in the Burgh of Glasgow
   No. 1323
   Name and Surname: James Sweeney
   Rank or Profession, and whether Single, Married, or Widowed: Farm Labourer / Married to Bridget McLoughlin
   When and Where Died: 1893 November Twenty-fourth 3h 0m AM, 26 Nuneaton Street, Glasgow
   Sex: M
   Age: 60 years
   Name, Surname, & Rank or Profession of Father: Peter Sweeney, Farm Labourer (deceased)
   Name, and Maiden Surname of Mother: Catherine Sweeney M.S. Diamond (deceased)
   Cause of Death, Duration of Disease, and Medical Attendant by whom certified: Bronchitis, As Cert. by John Wilson, M.B.
   Signature & Qualification of Informant, and Residence, if out of the House in which the Death occurred: Patrick Sweeney, son (present)
   When and where Registered, and Signature of Registrar: 1893 November 24th at Glasgow, John Tait, Assistant Registrar