Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I am new to this forum. I am a member of a nearby organization the Lancashire Family History Society.

My great grandfather Thomas Condon immigrated to the USA as a young man. His tombstone in Florida says that the was born in Liverpool in 1825.

The earliest record in the USA on him indicates that he joined the US Army circa 1849.

I am seeking ideas on how to find records on him (birth, baptism, census) in the Liverpool area.

I have access to Ancestry.com but have failed to find any relevent English census records.

Thanks in advance for any help/ideas.

Tom Eccles
San Jose, CA USA

Hi Tom,

Welcome to the site, do you have any more info on Thomas that you can give us, perhaps a copy of his marriage certificate or anything on his father's name and occupation, or even Thomas's occupation.

I found this on the familysearch website, no idea if he is your relatve though!

Thomas Sr. Condon Pedigree
Birth: 1825 Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Christening: Death: 21 JUL 1898

Marriages:
Spouse: Martha Taylor Family
Marriage: 24 OCT 1867 , Escambia, Florida

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Messages:
Record submitted after 1991 by a member of the LDS Church. No additional information is available. Ancestral File may list the same family and the submitter.

Jan

Welcome to the forum Tom from the "downunder" peepers...

Do you think this could be your Thomas?

Castle Garden
Arrival 26/8/1848 Thomas Condon 21 Labourer
left Lpool aboard the S.S J.Z

Chat later
Tina
good luck!

To Tina: That ship passenger record could indeed be my Thomas Condon. His arrival in 1848 at New York and his approximate age are consistent. Thanks so much for that clue. I have quite a bit of information on him after he arrived in the USA, but I have nothing on him in the way of English records. Please let me know if you have any ideas on how I could discover him in English records.

Best regards,

Tom

Jan, thanks very much for your prompt reply and info. Yes, the info on familysearch is indeed my Thomas Condon. I have quite a bit of information on him after he established himself in the USA, as follows:

Joined the US Army circa 1849 and left the Army in 1865 at the end of the Civil War.

He acquired skills with horses, and was an amateur vet with horses.

After his army service ended, he was employed (civilian) at the Pensacola, Florida US Navy Yard for 30 years as a watchman, until ill health forced his retirement.

He married Martha Taylor in Escambia County Florida on 24 Oct 1867. They had 7 children, one of whom was my paternal grandmother.

He homesteaded in the panhandle part of Florida in 1862 and built a home on his own. That home still stands and is the oldest home in Okaloosa County, Florida.

He died 21 Jul 1898 and is buried in a small family cemetery a few miles from his homestead. His tombstone indicates that he was born in Liverpool in 1825.

USA census records indicate that he was born in Liverpool, England and that his parents were also English. I do not know the names of his parents.

I am hoping to discover English records on him/his family, if he indeed came from England.

Thanks and best regards,

Tom

could you give us the first names of his children as this may give us a clue to his parents an/or siblings names.....also his religion if you know it

Susan, here are the names of his children:

Sarah Elizabeth, Mary Ellen, Thomas, George, Martha Angela, Jessie (female), Fannie Christina.

I believe his religion was Roman Catholic.

Thanks and best regards,

Tom

Hi Tom,

This is the nearest I could find, though it says he's from Ireland, and living in Manchester. Occupation weaver.


Name: Thomas Comdon
Age: 20
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1821
Where born: Ireland

Matthew Comdon 60
Matthew Comdon 25
Patrick Comdon 25
Thomas Comdon 20
John Comdon 10
Lucy Comdon 50

Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece 574; Book: 5; Civil Parish: Manchester; County: Lancashire; Enumeration District: 8; Folio: 22; Page: 38; Line: 19; GSU roll: 438726.

Just wondering if there's a possibility he may have said he came from Liverpool, with leaving from there.

Sue

Hi all Condon's in Liverpool on the 1841 seem to have been born in Ireland.. apart from the children .. there seems to be 3 families of Condon's in Liverpool

Maurice & Sarah both b Ireland c 1806

Garratte & Jane both b Ireland c 1806

Patrick & Hannah both b Ireland c 1816

And one Maria Condon in Grenville St b Ire Widow c1810

There doesn't seem to be any others born around the same time Thomas was born.

1825 & 1827 Liverpool directories comes up with no Condon's.

Its possible he wasn't born in Liverpool the IGI doesnt name a church or parents just says born in Liverpool, so to me thats not enough proof..

He may have come to Liverpool as a very young child.. and didn''t know where he was born, just took it as he was from there.


I take it you cannot find a marriage cert for Thomas as this would give you his dads name.. which would help

Regards

Hi Col
Naming one of his daughters Mary Ellen jumps out..

Tina

Hi

Yes typical Irish/Liverpool name isn't it..

Was thinking unless his whole family went over to USA there doesnt seem to any in Liverpool, or it could be he was fatherless and Condon was his mothers surname.. maybe she remarried, however he should be in UK in 1841..also why the SR by his name on the IGI record ??

Has this IGI entry been posted by Tom himself? or if not, does he know who did post it? It's not an extracted entry from anywhere, so presumably the poster has put the Sr as abbreviated from Senior?

Whoever has the marriage certificate for Thomas, is there no detail on it providing any parents names?

Hi

I had a scout round this morning on a site for Escambia marriages nothing showed up for Thomas Condon and the years were right..wonder if its definatly were they married..

Sue, thanks! It is possible that Thomas sailed from Liverpool and somehow that was handed down in family that he was born in Liverpool, when he was actually Irish. So hard to know exactly with no written records.

Thanks and best regards,

Tom

Mary, I did not post the IGI record.

With regard to the Escambia County Marriage Record, I will contact the Florida Records Office and obtain a copy of the marriage record to see if the parents of Thomas Condon are listed.

Thanks, Tom

Colette: Perhaps he was Irish and came over to Liverpool as a child or even as a young man sailed from Liverpool on his way to the USA from Ireland. I will obtain a copy of his marriage certificate from the State of Florida to see if his parents are listed. This will take a couple of weeks to obtain by mail.

Thanks for all of your help and that of all who replied.

Best regards,

Tom

Hiya

Fingers crossed you obtain his marriage.. i wonder who submitted the details to Family Search..even if you came from a little town near Liverpool sometimes people say they were born in the biggest place near that town as most likely nobody has heard of the place you are from.. i have seen this before..


Lots of luck and let us know if you find anything..as i say dont rule out he may have been fatherless and mum remarried so he could be under a different surname in 1841..I also guess Condon could look like London..

Somebody other than yourself is researching this man and so posted the IGI entry. What a pity there is no record to be able to find out who.

Fingers crossed the Florida Records find the marriage entry, hopefully the date given will help them find it.

Let us know how you go on and if there are any surprises from the certificate.

Mary and all: I telephoned the Escambia County Archives today and they found the marriage record. They will mail a copy to me. Unfortunately, no information on the parents of Thomas are there. But, let me take a look at the record they are mailing.

Thanks,

Tom

took a look at the IGI submittance......Thomas Condon b.1825 Liverpool England spouse Martha Taylor b.1851 m.24 oct 1867 Escambia, Florida.....children listed,..Sarah Elizabeth, Thomas Jr, James Ardye, Jessie......submitter is an R.E. Anderson