This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: DaveBoylan Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.ireland.may.general/8720.2.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hello PatBrooks1961, Many thanks for your kind reply, which I look at as payment in full. I too had wondered why there was not a baptism record for Mary Cleary. It may be that the Crossboyne & Tagheen Catholic registers are difficult to read in places, or portions have been damaged over the years. Or it may be that the IFHF has not yet transcribed all the parish registers to date. If you can, order the Crossboyne & Tagheen registers from the Family History Center, on microfilm number 1279211, so that you can have a look. Perhaps you may find other information about the Cleary family that the IFHF had missed. Concerning Martin Melican's mother Kate Hapnick, I can think of one surname this may pertain to, though of course I could be wrong about it. The name is Hapney (pronounced Hayp-nee), which is a derivation of Halfpenny. Again, this is only a guess and I could be wrong about what Kate's maiden name could have been. Do you know for sure if Mary Cleary filled out the death record for Martin, or was it the local registrar or doctor who wrote down the information? If the registrar or doctor, Mary may have told them what Kate's maiden name was, but they (the registrar or doctor), unaccustomed to Mary's particular Irish accent, may have heard the name as "Hapnick." Also, do you know if Martin Melican had any brothers or sisters who also came to the United States? If so, try to find their individual death records, as their death records may also mention who their father and mother were, and where they were from in Ireland. In addition, the birth or death records of any children of Martin's brothers of sisters may also tell you at least where in Ireland your particular branch of the Melican family came from. While Griffiths Valuation only shows one entry for a Martin Melican, this surname with this spelling was most numerous in County Clare, which means it's possible that Martin was from County Clare rather than from County Waterford. Griffiths Valuation also shows one instance of the surname in County Antrim, and one instance in County Tyrone. See below for the Griffiths Valuation index for the surname Melican: Occupier Surname, Occupier Forename, County, Parish MELICAN ROBERT ANTRIM KIRKINRIOLA MELICAN PATRICK CLARE KILLADYSERT MELICAN SINON CLARE KILLADYSERT MELICAN PATRICK CLARE KILLADYSERT MELICAN PATRICK CLARE KILMIHIL MELICAN PATRICK CLARE KILMIHIL MELICAN DENIS CLARE KILMIHIL MELICAN PATRICK CLARE MOYARTA MELICAN PATRICK CLARE MOYARTA MELICAN JOHN CLARE KILRUSH MELICAN JOHN CLARE KILFINTINAN MELICAN JOHN CLARE KILFINTINAN MELICAN MARGARET TYRONE DESERTCREAT MELICAN MARTIN WATERFORD MOTHEL MELICAN MARY WATERFORD MOTHEL ____ One of the variant spellings of the surname is Meligan, which is also found in Griffiths Valuation, but less frequently than Melican. This spelling of the surname is found in Cork, Down, as well as Waterford: Occupier Surname, Occupier Forename, County, Parish MELIGAN CORNELIUS CORK INISHANNON MELIGAN THOMAS CORK KINURE MELIGAN FRANCIS DOWN DROMARA MELIGAN THOMAS WATERFORD KILWATERMOY MELIGAN JOHN WATERFORD SESKINAN ____ Other spellings for the surname are Mellican, Melligan, Melligan. Please see below: Occupier Surname, Occupier Forename, County, Parish MELLICAN JOHN CLARE DRUMCLIFF MELLICAN HENRY LONDONDERRY MAGHERA MELLICAN HENRY LONDONDERRY MAGHERA MELLICAN WILLIAM LONDONDERRY KILCRONAGHAN AND MELLIGAN WILLIAM ANTRIM CONNOR MELLIGAN JAMES ANTRIM ANTRIM MELLIGAN JAMES ANTRIM ANTRIM MELLIGAN JAMES ANTRIM ANTRIM MELLIGAN SAMUEL ANTRIM DONEGORE MELLIGAN MARY GALWAY LICKMOLASSY MELLIGAN JOSEPH LONDONDERRY LISSAN MELLIGAN JANE LONDONDERRY DESERTLYN MELLIGAN JOHN SLIGO ST JOHN MELLIGAN JAMES WATERFORD LISMORE & MOCOLLOP MELLIGAN WILLIAM WATERFORD LISMORE & MOCOLLOP MELLIGAN LAURENCE WATERFORD LISMORE & MOCOLLOP MELLIGAN MARY WATERFORD LISMORE & MOCOLLOP MELLIGAN MARY WATERFORD LISMORE & MOCOLLOP MELLIGAN MARY WATERFORD LISMORE & MOCOLLOP MELLIGAN JAMES DONEGAL INVER ____ The most common for the spelling of the surname that I found however, was Milligan. There are several pages of this spelling of the surname, too many to list here. None of those with the Milligan surname, unfortunately, has the first name of Martin. As noted in the first reply Griffiths Valuation was enumerated in the 32 counties of Ireland between 1847 and 1864. But, there was an earlier property tax enumeration conducted in Ireland between the years 1823 and 1837. This enumeration has come to be known as the Tithe Applotment Books. You can learn more about the Tithe Applotment Books at the National Archives of Ireland website link at: http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp You access the indexes as well as copies of the original Tithe records for free from the above mentioned National Archives website link. In searching the Tithe Applotment Books, I found two entries for a Martin Melican, both recorded in the townland of Cloonreddan, Civil parish of Kilmacduane, County Clare, in the year 1825. Both entries pertain to the same Martin Melican. You can view the index at: http://tinyurl.com/c4v4y65 You can also view a copy of the original hand-written Tithe Applotment Book entry for Martin Melican. Though listed twice in the index, Martin is only listed once on the Tithe's page, which is page 11. Please see: http://tinyurl.com/bmv6z8v If in your further research you uncover anything new about your Cleary and Melican ancestors, I would very much appreciate learning what you have found. Best Wishes, and once again thank you for your generous reply. It is very much appreciated Kind Regards, Dave Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.