I, too, am new to Ireland Roots, and thought I should post my Irish ancestry in the hopes of finding a match somewhere. The surnames I am searching are: FORSYTH(E), PATTERSON, McKINLEY, and THOMPSON. My great x4 grandfather was George FORSYTH, who was born circa 1762 and lived in Ballymageogh, Mourne Parish, County Down. The family supposedly came to Ireland from Scotland. He married Mary PATTERSON, also from that region, around 1787, and they became parents to many children. One of them was John Forsyth, Sr., born & christened in September of 1788. Elizabeth McKINLEY married him on 9 May 1813, probably in County Down also. She was born March or May of 1790 to William McKinley and Jane THOMPSON. Elizabeth's parents both resided in Camray (near Rathfriland), Clonduff Parish, County Down and were married circa 1789 in Griswold, Wapello County, Iowa, USA. He was born circa 1764, and she was born around 1768. John, Sr. and Elizabeth immigrated to the USA 23 May 1843 aboard the ship "Georgianna". via the ports of Liverpool, England and Philedelphia, PA., USA. Oral history has it that their 2nd oldest son, James (the eldest, William, died at age 2 in 1816), found conditions in America better than in Ireland and so persuaded the family to leave their homeland. The entire family, which included 9 children, sold their 6 acres and packed up their belongings. In November of 1853 John, Sr. passed away in Wapello County, Iowa and is buried in Kirkville, Iowa. Elizabeth followed him in the spring of 1873, also in Wapello County, and is probably buried in the same cemetery. Their children were: James, Mary Jane, John, Jr., William, Eliza, George, Thompson, Fanny & Archibald. John, Jr. is my direct ancestor. He was born 31 May 1820in Ireland, and he married Ellen PERRY (daughter of James & Mary) in autumn of 1849 in Allegheny County, PA. He died 7 December 1858 in Wapello Co., Iowa, USA. She died sometime after 1853. My line of descent from John Forsyth, Jr. is James E. (Ellsworth?) Forsyth, Leland Roy Forsythe, Audrey Forsythe Birk, Karen Birk Weatherford. I am very excited to be involved with this list, and I look forward to reading all of your postings! Karen in South Carolina, USA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- Original Message ----- From: Rob Joyce To: IRELAND-ROOTS-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 1:05 PM Subject: [Irish-Roots] Help I am new to this list and would anyone be able to advise me. My husbands great grandfather was THOMAS JOYCE. In 1870, he got married in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa and his occupation was Superintendent of Police. We believe he came from Connemara County and went to America before he came to SA. He was born around 1835. Where can I start looking? Regards, Moyra Joyce Bedford South Africa ==== IRELAND-ROOTS Mailing List ==== Plant your Irish roots here! ============================== Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx