Hi hiflyte -- Thank you for the Martin - Dignan data. Bridgidam Martin is among my known relatives, the daughter of James Martin & Mary Dignan. In the 1844 Irish marriage record for the parents, James appears with the surname variant of Kilmartin. In that 1845 baptismal record cited for Bridget, the surname Martin is used, and in the 1850 baptismal record for the second daughter, Catherine, they use Gilmartin. These events all took place in Ardcarne Parish, up in northern County Roscommon, Ireland. In the Scottish death record for Mary Martin (nee Dignan), her parents are listed as Thomas Dignan and Bridget McLoughlin -- and this couple were known to have lived in Seltannaveeny townland, Kilronan Parish, Co. Roscommon, where two of Mary's siblings were born. That townland is right on the border with Co. Leitrim. James Martin's death record in Scotland lists his parents as Patrick Martin and Catherine Pow. In 1855, a Patrick Gilmartin was married to Bridget Earley in Haddington, East Lothian County, Scotland. Because the year was 1855, the record gives more information than in any year previous or since. It was Patrick's second marriage. His parents were listed as James Gilmartin and Catherine Duignan. I suspect that this Patrick was the father of the James Martin who married Mary Dignan... the product of Parick's first marriage to Catherine Pow. If that was the case, Mary Dignan may have been a cousin of some kind to James, -- if James' father was this Patrick... the son of a James Gilmartin and Catherine Duignan. Apparently, the Martin/Kilmartin/Gilmartin men found the Dignan/Duignan women irresistible. Several Martin and Dignan families of Irish lineage settled in East Lothian County, working the farms and tending to the cattle. They were probably seasonal laborers that made their stay permanent in Scotland during and after the Famine back home. There were well-established Martine families in East Lothian County, too, spelled with an "e" on the end, denoting Scottish lineage. Some of these Martine families did have some ties to Ireland, with the birth of a child in Co. Sligo in one case, and in another case there was a will (as in last will and testament) with a reference to Lissadell House in Co. Sligo. Patrick Gilmartin and Bridget Earley had a daughter, Mary, born in Haddington, and the surname used in the record was Martine... perhaps a simple mistake in spelling by the Parish Priest... or an attempt on the part of the parents to assimilate better. Thanks again, Bill

Hi Bill I am interested in Bridget EARLEY. My great grandmother was Mary EARLEY who I think was born in Kilronan about 1844 and her parents were Laurence EARLEY and Mary GILHOOLY. She married James O'RORKE in Edinurgh in 1865 and eventually settled in West Calder. She had a sister Catherine EARLEY who married Michael WYNNE in 1874 and they settled in Pumpherston Regards Rhona ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Martin" <macgiollamhartain@gmail.com> To: <MIDLOTHIAN@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 1:49 PM Subject: Re: [MIDLOTHIAN] Martin - Dignan > Hi hiflyte -- Thank you for the Martin - Dignan data. > > >. In 1855, a > Patrick Gilmartin was married to Bridget Earley in Haddington, East > Lothian County, Scotland. Because the year was 1855, the record gives > more information than in any year previous or since. It was Patrick's > second marriage. His parents were listed as James Gilmartin and > Catherine Duignan. I suspect that this Patrick was the father of the > James Martin who married Mary Dignan... the product of Parick's first > marriage to Catherine Pow.