Martyn/Martin Family of Tuam Galway - A Working Hypothesis

As with so many surnames, several spellings of the name have been used over the years. For consistency and ease, I will use Martyn on this page, in relation to Anne and her family. Spellings in the table further down are as per the Church records.

Our first confirmed Martyn family member is Anne Martyn, who married John Mooney in 1835. Witnesses on the marriage record were Stephen Martyn and Margaret Fitzpatrick. No parents details are included on the record. Baptism records have been found for three of their children Patrick (1839 - sponsor Mary Reid), Bridget (1839 - sponsors David and Honoria Haddican, mother's name listed as Honoria Martyn), Margaret (1843 - sponsors Patrick Farragher and Bridget Kean). No baptism records have been found for their children Thomas or Catherine, or any other children they may have had, who died in Ireland.

Anne had died by March 1856, when John's brother Thomas paid deposits for John and his children Patrick, Bridget, Thomas and Catherine to immigrate to New South Wales. On John's shipping papers in 1857, he was listed as a widower. Catherine is thought to have been born about 1846, so Anne died sometime between 1846 and 1856.

That is the end of the "paper trail" for Anne. Her son Thomas' obituary states that he was a nephew of Richard Martin. Richard Martin was a Member of Parliament in England. He was first known as "Hair-Trigger Dick" because of his temper in the duelling era, and then as "Humanity Dick" after establishing the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, for which he is perhaps best known. Some also called him the "King of Connemara". He owned Ballynahinch a stately castle manor in County Galway (near the townland of Recess). Reseach by multiple descendants of Anne Martyn has shown that Richard did not have a sister Anne, so this claim is incorrect. Additional research into Richard's family has not been able to confirm that Anne was a niece of Richard. If there was a connection between the two Martin families, this has not been identified. It is also worth noting that Ballynahinch (where Richard Martin's manor was located) is about 100km from Tuam. It is possible that there was some sort of family connection, however what this was cannot be determined.

From the Roots Ireland website, I have found baptisms for two Anne Martyns in Galway in the period 1800 - 1820. I limited the search period to these years, as Anne's husband John Mooney was born in 1810, and their youngest known child was born about 1846.

Anne Martin was baptised 2 October 1815 ay Moycullen, and her address was listed as "Balliquirk". The record shows that she was illegitimate, so no Additional details are recorded.

Anne Martyn was baptised 31 May 1818 at Cappatagle, her address listed as Cartron, she was the daughter of James Martyn and Mary Larkin, and her godparents were James Green and Bridget Collins.

DNA results have revealed a possible solution to the family of Anne Martyn. Amongst the various Mooney relatives who have tested, I have identified matches with a cluster of over 100 matches. Of these matches, I have identified over 50 are descended from the same common ancestors...Walter Haddican and Margaret Martyn. Of the cluster, the next largest group do not descend from Walter Haddican and Margaret Martyn, but they do descend from Haddicans. The rest of the cluster descend from the same ancestor, but I have not found an obvious connection to Mooneys, Martyns or Haddicans. However they all have shared matches with my Mooney relatives and with multiple members of the other two clusters.

At this point, I have identified two Margaret Martyns born in Tuam in the right time period. That is not to say there weren't others, unfortunately Irish records from that time are not complete.

The first Margaret Martyn was baptised in Tuam in 1790, the daughter of Michael Martyn and Honora Haddican. I have found baptisms for three more children of Michael and Honora, Thomas baptised in 1796, another Thomas baptised in 1800 and Bridget baptised in 1803.

The second Margaret Martyn was baptised in Tuam in 1798, the daughter of Patrick Martyn and Honor Connolly. I have found baptisms for two more children of Patrick and Honor, Patrick baptised in 1803 and Mary baptised in 1804.

So, which (if either) of these Margarets was the Margaret who married Walter Haddican? Further research has revealed that a Margaret Martin married John Nestor in Tuam in 1815. This couple had at least 2 children, Catherine and Bridget. A Margaret Nestor died in Tuam in 1877, aged 83, she is listed as a landholder's widow. This could point to this Margaret being the Margaret born in 1790, however further research is required.

Of interest with the Margaret Martyn born in 1798, is her sister Mary born in 1804. I have found a marriage for a Mary Martyn who married a David Haddican, and had at least 5 children. When looking at marriage and baptism records, there is a strong cross over of Martin/Haddican/Mooney members recorded, which could point to close family connections.

Date
Ceremony
Participants
Parents
Witnesses
Parish
4 May 1826
Baptism
Honor Haddican
Walter Haddican & Margaret Martin
David Haddican & Mary Connor
Tuam
8 July 1826
Baptism
Honor Haddican (baptised twice?)
Walter Haddican & Margaret Martin
David Haddican & Mary Connor
Tuam
2 October 1831
Baptism
Bridget Haddican
Walter Haddican & Margaret Joyce (sic)
Daniel Connor & Honor Joyce
Tuam
6 January 1830
Baptism
Catherine Haddican
Walter Haddican & Margaret Martyn
Honor Joyce
Tuam
13 March 1836
Baptism
Margaret Haddican
Walter Haddican & Margaret Martyn
James Haddican & Mary Conel(?)
Tuam
12 August 1838
Baptism
William Haddican
Walter Haddican & Margaret Martyn
Thomas Joyce & Miss Fitzpatrick
Tuam
15 November 1840
Baptism
Anne Haddican
Walter Haddican & Mrs Haddican
William Gormely & Miss Kelly
Tuam
6 June 1843
Baptism
Peter Haddican
Walter Haddican & Margaret Martin
Rev L Ryan & Mary Connor
Tuam
6 June 1847
Baptism
Patrick Haddican
Walter Haddican & Margaret Martyn
Revd P Reynolds & Bridget Haddican
Tuam
16 February 1822
Marriage
David Haddican & Mary Martin
Patrick Tierny & Thomas Haddican
Tuam
30 March 1823
Baptism
Honor Haddican
David Haddican & Mary Martin
Walter Haddican & Margaret Martin
Tuam
17 March 1825
Baptism
Patrick Haddican
David Haddican & Mary Martyn
Walter Haddican & Bridget Martyn
Tuam
7 March 1827
Baptism
Catherine Haddican
David Haddican & Mary Martin
Patrick Joyce & Anne Martin
Tuam
22 March 1829
Baptism
David Haddican
David Haddican & Margaret(?) Martin
James Haddican & Mary Fitzpatrick
Tuam
21 August 1835
Marriage
John Mooney & Anne Martyn
Stephen Martyn & Margaret Fitzpatrick
Tuam
22 August 1836
Baptism
Patrick Mooney
John Mooney & ? Martin
Mary Reilly
Tuam
16 June 1839
Baptism
Bridget Mooney
John Mooney & Honoria Martyn
David & Honoria Haddican
Tuam
26 February 1843
Baptism
Margaret Mooney
John Mooney & Anne Martin
Patrick Farragher & Bridget Kean
Tuam
14 February 1842
Marriage
Stephen Martyn & Honor Connolly
Patrick Lohan(?) & Miss Burke
Cummer
25 May 1843
Baptism
Katherine Martin
Stephen Martin & Honora Connolly
Walter Haddican & Honora Haddican
Tuam