52 ANCESTORS 52 WEEKS - BRICK WALL

My brick wall, or research that has come to a halt is headed by John Murphy born about 1853 in Ireland and his wife, Honora Quinlan born about 1852 in Ireland.

They both came from Ireland in the late 1860’s or early 1870’s.  Murphy is one of the most common names in Ireland so to find a John Murphy without a townland, is impossible.  I don’t even have a county in Ireland.  The Quinlan family name is not that common and Honora isn’t as common as Mary but pretty common.  

The only documents I have found about John Murphy is a directory listing, one census, and the birth of his children.  None of them have any mention of where in Ireland he came from.

I have found several documents for Honora Quinlan but only after she is married, her children’s birth records which mention her maiden name, census records and a probate record for her sister.

John Murphy died in 1891 in Brooklyn, NY, so he was only in one census, the 1880, before he died.  If he was in the 1870 census before his first daughter was born, I haven’t found it.  So, I have figured he came to New York between 1870 and 1873 when his daughter was born. It still is impossible to find him in Ireland without a County or town.

The probate record I found with Honora mentioned also indicates a brother Alexander.  I thought maybe I would have some luck with an uncommon first name of Alexander and Quinlan.  Everything I found for him never mentioned where in Ireland he came from.

I do not have the parents or siblings for John Murphy.  I do have Honora Quinlan’s, Mother Mary and Father Michael.  The mother lived with Honora and was widowed.  In the Directory it lists Mary as wife of deceased Michael.  Honora had four siblings, Jane, Margaret, Michael and Alexander.

I have looked at ship passenger lists and have not found the Quinlan family.

This is my brick wall and I hope some day to break it down.