Re: FORKER / FORQUER IRE/PA.......
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In reply to:
Re: FORKER / FORQUER IRE/PA.......
Judy Louden 6/10/00
I have the following information, collected this spring, and un-improved since (It is amazing how little free time you have after "retirement".
1. I went to the National Archives and searched through the 1901 census records in northeastern Donegal for folks with the surname Forker or Forquer.They are heavily clustered in "The Rosses", in a series of nearby communities strung along the coast.I looked elsewhere in Donegal, (but not exhaustively) and found no other Forkers.
2. Title / lease records in that area (at the Dublin Valuation office) were searched looking for those Forquers and others, starting with the 1901 records and working back in time. You can get the names of heads of households that way. I found Forquer, Forker and Farquar variations for the same individuals! Many of these familes seemed to "disappear", perhaps because they all immigrated, with no children to take over, or because the only surviving relations were those of married daughters. I recorded every Forker in that area that I found. It is possible that I missed some,because I hurried more than I probably should have. They charge 12 punts per hour to search so it cost me hundreds of dollars as it was.
3. I went to the Rosses and spent a day in graveyards, searching for Forkers.I found and recorded all I could read.I also spoke to living Forker descendants, who helped me understand some of the relationships.They don't seem to have collective memory of their relationships back past their Gt Gt Grandfather's (where the connection with my wife's line probably lies).I foundthe grave of a relative who returned to Ireland to die in 1856, and was able to confirm his identity as Neal, John's youngest son, brother to my wife's Gt Gt Granfather Charles Forquer.
Finally I was able to identify the locationof the tenant farms for each of the "Johns".Because one of them changed hands to a daughers son, (I have family records of some of the Irish siblings fromn that period), I was able to identify that my wife's relation was from Annagary itself, and the other John lived in Glennahilt.
I haven't had an opportunity to type up the underlying data, but will do so and publish it here.It may help other Forkers (or Forquers) seeking their kin. (Probably this winter when life slows down again)
Hope this is helpful.
More Replies:
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Re: FORKER / FORQUER IRE/PA.......
7/13/01
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Re: FORKER / FORQUER IRE/PA.......
Patrick Forker 10/02/01
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Re: FORKER / FORQUER IRE/PA.......
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Re: FORKER / FORQUER IRE/PA.......
christine macbean 8/20/00
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Re: FORKER / FORQUER IRE/PA.......
Patrick Forker 6/21/00