Since then, Bill did the L226 SNP Pack test and his results indicate that Lineage III currently has the following SNP Progression (i.e. the SNP markers that characterise each branching point on the Tree of Mankind down to where Bill currently sits):
- R-P312/S116 > Z290 > L21/S145 > DF13 > ZZ10 > Z253 > Z2534 > BY25450 > FGC5618 > FGC5625 > L226 > FGC5660 > Z17669 > A10950 / DC63
The last SNP (Bill's so-called "terminal SNP") is currently DC63 but this will change with further testing (i.e. Big Y). DC63 is approximately 1500 years old, so this is before the advent of surnames and further testing would help clarify which downstream branches the West Clare Gleeson's sit on. Below is the DC63 portion of the Tree of Mankind (click to enlarge).
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| The DC63 branch of the Tree of Mankind (from The Big Tree) |
Interestingly, Bill's closest matches at the 67-marker level of comparison are Maloney (Genetic Distance 2/67, terminal SNP DC127), Smith (3/67, DC127) and Palmer (3/67). Two of these matches sit on the DC127 branch of the Tree (one branch lower than where Bill currently sits - see the far left of the diagram above). Other surnames possibly associated with the DC127 branch include Johnson, Farrell, Hart, Costello, Lynch, Kelly, and Phyffe (this information comes from the L226 Haplogroup Project). Further testing (Big Y) may reveal that the West Clare Gleeson's also sit on this DC127 branch (and indeed several branches below this).
DC127 is approximately 1200 years old (still "pre-surnames") and thus still relatively "upstream" on the Tree of Mankind. Ideally we want to move further "downstream" on the Tree in order to identify which branch is "Gleeson-specific". We have managed to achieve this with the North Tipperary Gleeson's (Lineage II) and in time we should be able to achieve this for the West Clare Gleeson's of Lineage III.
Ideally two people within the group (as distantly related to each other as possible) should do the Big Y test. This will help move the group downstream from DC63, probably to DC127, and then further down below this to an as yet unidentified branch of the Tree of Mankind.
THE GLEESONS OF WEST CLARE
(revised May 2018)
Some of the following is speculation based on solid findings in fact. I have tried several scenarios to make things fit and I am aware that not all of it is perfect nor should it be taken as such. Please advise me of anything you can support to the contrary and I will make adjustments. Bill Gleeson (wjgleeson@aol.com)
THE BEGINNING
Recent DNA analysis confirms that the Gleesons of West Clare arose independently from the Gleesons in Northern Tipperary. This would be due to either a Non-Paternal Event (NPE) or a separate group of people who chose the surname Gleeson. There is a Dalcassian genetic signature with this group and they have been assigned the name Lineage III in the Gleeson/Gleason DNA project. Gleeson is not a surname normally associated with the Dal gCais (Dalcassian) line, lending credence to the NPE possibility. One member of the group participated in advanced Y-DNA testing and shows a terminal Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) of DC63. This marker was unexpected and suggests that the name could have been adopted rather than the Non-Paternal Event. Surname advent occurred between 1000 AD and 1300 AD in Ireland. The earliest appearance of the Gleeson name, in West Clare records, appears to be in the late 1700's.
THE GLEESONS OF COORE AND THE CONNOLLY GLEESONS
The Gleesons of West Clare in the early 1800's are found primarily in two locations: Coore and several townlands just south of Connolly. These two groups which are very closely related are colloquially known as the Gleesons of Coore and the Connolly Gleesons. Coore and Connolly are just 7 miles apart. There is no genetic doubt that this is the same family with a common ancestor.
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| It should be noted here that the region (several townlands and Connolly) around Reanagisha, Furroor, Aildavour and Boolyneaska is often referred to in the civil records as "Boulinagleragh" which should not be confused with the southernmost townland of Kilmaley Parish, Boolynagleragh just 3 miles to the SE of this location. There is no record to date of Gleesons in this townland. |
The earliest names associated with West Clare Gleesons are Matthew Gleeson in Coore (1815 Freeholder records) and John Gleeson in Furroor (Tithe Applotments of 1826). The relationship between Matthew and John may be brothers but father and son is more likely and if so, then Matthew would be the father. There is confirmed movement between families of Coore and of Connolly throughout the years.
Around 1850, Michael Gleeson, presumably son of Matthew, who lived in Coore and was the probable heir to the farm, disappeared from the records in Clare. Michael was married to Margaret McCarthy. If we conclude that he died at an early age, then his children would have been too young to take over the family homestead as they were born in the 1840s. The 1855 Griffith's Valuation shows Cornelius Gleeson, who lived on the Connolly farm, associated with property in Coore, Reanagisha, Killernan, and a "Connor" Gleeson in Corbally (Kilkee). Research of the civil records is pointing to the probability that all these Cornelius' (and Connor) may be the same person and would be Michael's brother. By the 1857 Griffiths Revision lists, Cornelius' name is crossed off the Coore property and replaced with Matthew (married to Sarah Walsh), who we know by DNA (from his descendants) is the son of Cornelius Gleeson and Mary Killeen, supporting another move between Connolly and Coore.
GENERATION I.
I. MATTHEW (PRESUMED PATRIARCH) b. circa 1770
Matthew Gleeson of Coore was listed as a freeholder in 1815, Likely birth date would be around 1770 as predicted by the yDNA analysis of five descendants done by Maurice Gleeson (no relation), genetic genealogist. If in fact Matthew is the patriarch, then his children would have been John, Cornelius, Catherine, Honora, Mary, and Michael. DNA testing has been done on descendants of Cornelius, Catherine, and Michael so far and results support this relationship.
Branches of the Gleeson Family per the children of Matthew :
John - Eustace, Clohessy, Moran branches
Cornelius - Coore Gleesons, Sullivans, Kilkee Gleesons,
Marrinans, and John Gleeson/Sextons of Connolly.
Catherine- O'Brien and Looney branches
Honora - Kelly branch
Mary - Meade branch
Michael - "Gleason" branch of Coore
GENERATION II. Born between 1790 and 1820
II. JOHN (SON OF MATTHEW) b. circa 1790
It appears from the civil records that John was the oldest son in Coore but lived on the farm in Furroor (Connolly) by the time of the Applotment Tithes in 1826. He had at least two children, Patrick and Catherine. Catherine married Michael Eustace and gave rise to the Eustace branch of the family. They lived on the farm in Furroor (Connolly). Patrick married Bridget Kinnane and farmed with the Lynch family in Booleyneaska townland (Connolly). We have followed some of his line to the Clohessy family near Kilkee but no current descendants have been located as yet. One of Patrick's daughters married into the Moran family and took over his Booleyneaska (Connolly) farm.
II. CORNELIUS (SON OF MATTHEW) b. 1794
From the early applotment tithes , Matthew(father) and Cornelius(son) had farmed together around Coore, including properties in Coore, Mt Scot with the Meade family, and in Killernan with the Burke family. By the time of Griffiths Valuations in 1850, Cornelius had married Mary Killeen of Coore and relocated to Reanagisha (Connolly) near his brother, John. This is now the Sullivan property today. Tommy Sullivan is a descendant of Cornelius Gleeson and Mary Killeen and he lives on the family farm in Reanagisha (Connolly). This is the Cornelius Gleeson that many male descendants were named after.
II. CATHERINE (DAUGHTER OF MATTHEW) b. circa 1801
Catherine married James O'Brien of Mt Scot (Knockanalban) and gave rise to many of the Ireland O'Briens, New Zealand O'Briens, and the Looney branch of the family. Some of the O'Briens and Looneys ended up in the U.S as well. There is documentation that Looneys and Gleesons from Mt Scot were in the saloon business together in Kansas City, MO in the U.S. The 1900 US census shows the James Gleeson family and the John Looney family living in the same house in Kansas City.
II. HONORA (DAUGHTER OF MATTHEW) b. unknown
There is not very much information about Honora except that she married a Kelly from Quartermire. One account says there were no children and when it came time to pass along the farm, it was taken over by a nephew, Johnny Marrinan.
II. MARY (DAUGHTER OF MATTHEW) b. circa 1810
Mary married James Meade and lived on the farm in Mt Scot. Although they had three children, Mary's name appears on the property in the 1855 Griffiths. By 1858, her brother, Cornelius Gleeson's name is on the revision list for a very short time before Michael Gleeson's name shows on it by the 1862 revision. Cornelius would once again presumably be the same Cornelius married to Mary Killeen in Reanagisha (Connolly). Michael would be his son and he married Bridget Moloney of Reanagisha(Connolly) before moving to Mt Scot.
II. MICHAEL SON OF MATTHEW b. circa 1811
Michael lived on the Coore farm during the time he and his spouse Margaret McCarthy had 4 recorded children between 1840 and 1849. It is thought that he passed sometime in the early 1850s because the Griffiths Valuation of 1855, once again, Cornelius Gleeson's name appears on the property for a very short time. This is presumably the same Cornelius married to Mary Killeen of Reanagisha (Connolly). In the 1856 Griffiths revision, Matthew Gleeson, Cornelius' son appears on the Coore property. Matthew is married to Sarah "Sally" Walsh. Michael Gleeson and Margaret McCarthy had 4 children, at least two of which traveled to the U.S. , Patrick and Bridget both of whom changed the spelling of Gleeson to Gleason and lived in Middletown Connecticut.
GENERATION III. Born between 1813 and 1849
A. Children of John Gleeson b. c1790 and unknown spouse
III. CATHERINE GLEESON (DAUGHTER OF JOHN) b. circa 1813
Catherine married Michael Eustace in 1841(church of Kilmaley) and according to the Eustace family records lived on her father's farm in Furroor (Connolly). John Mayer's Kilmaley Parish History book says they had 4 children, Michael, John, and two daughters. The Eustace family has an extensive genealogy available on the internet. They report 4 children, Michael, John, Patrick, and Bridget.
III. PATRICK GLEESON (SON OF JOHN) b. circa 1815 d. circa 1880
Patrick was married to Bridget Kinnane and he farmed with the Lynch family in the townland of Booleyneaska (Connolly). They had eight children, Michael, Martin, Mary, Bridget,Catherine, Margaret, Anne, and Ellen. Of these, only Catherine and Margaret's line have been followed so far. Catherine married James Moran and they lived on the farm in Booleyneaska (Connolly). The Griffiths Revaluation of 1881 shows the name change on the property from Patrick Gleeson to James Moran.
Margaret married John Clohessy and when she applied for her pension in 1921, she was living in Carrowbloughmore, Farrihy, Kilkee, just across the road from the Gleeson farm in Corbally.
The 1911 census of Glendine South shows a Michael Gleeson living with the Talty family and is listed as a "Relative". It is not known whether or not this is Patrick Gleeson's son but the age is right and we know that there was a marriage of the Marrinan family and the Talty's early on in the family history.
B. Children of Cornelius Gleeson b. 1794 and Mary Killeen
III. MICHAEL GLEESON (SON OF CORNELIUS AND MARY) b. 1831 d. 1896
Michael married Bridget Moloney of Reanagisha (Connolly) and moved to the Meade farm in Mt. Scot. The 1858 Griffith's Revaluation shows Cornelius Gleeson's name crossed off and replaced by Michael Gleeson. They had 11 children: Cornelius, Patrick, Bridget, Mary, James, Anne, Michael, Timothy, Margaret, Matthew and John. In 1890's they moved to the Corbally farm. Applotment Tithes and Griffiths show the Corbally farm first in the name of Patrick Killeen (Mary's father), then following Patrick's death in the name of "Connor" Gleeson. The Griffith's Revaluation in 1872, the same year that Cornelius died, Connor's name is replaced with Michael Gleeson. Michael's son, Michael remained on the Meade farm in Mt Scot until 1913 when he also moved to Corbally.
III. PATRICK GLEESON (SON OF CORNELIUS AND MARY) b. 1834 d. 1904
Patrick was never married and lived in Knockanalban at the time of his death. This is probably the same place that was described as a "hut" where two uncles in the Gleeson family lived. The other was probably Cornelius and Mary's son, Connor, who moved to knockanalban from the Reanagisha (Connolly) farm following the death of his second wife, Ellen Looney of Coore.
III. MATTHEW GLEESON (SON OF CORNELIUS AND MARY) b. 1837 d. 1900
Matthew's name appears on the Griffith's Valuation in Coore in 1856, just one year after his father's name shows on it in 1855. Prior to this time, during the 1840's, Michael Gleeson, Matthew's uncle, lived here as the church and civil records support. It is thought that Matthew's father, Cornelius, who lived in Reanagisha (Connolly) at the time of his brother's death had Matthew take over the Coore farm. Matthew was married to Sarah "Sally" Walsh and they had eight children Connor, James, Connor, Mary, John, Cornelius, Honoria, and Matthew, two of whom died at an early age. Both these young boys were named Cornelius(Connor) and they died at age 4 and 6. Later following the second death, the next male child was named Cornelius again. Matthew and his wife are buried in Killernan graveyard next to Cornelius Gleeson and Mary Killeen.
III. CORNELIUS "CONNOR" GLEESON ( SON OF CORNELIUS AND MARY) b. 1837 d. after 1911
Connor was married to Margaret Burke and lived on the Reanagisha (Connolly) farm. They had six children: Bridget, Mary, Patrick, Michael, Margaret, and John. In the first Griffith's Revaluation after the death of his father in 1872, it shows that the farm was in his name shared equally with his brother, John Gleeson. His daughter, Bridget "Bid", married Thomas Sullivan and in the 1889 Griffth's Revaluation, the farm was in the names of John Gleeson and Thomas Sullivan. Margaret Burke died in 1894 and Connor while still living in one of the four houses on the Reanagisha (Connolly) property, married a second time to Ellen "Nelly" Looney of Coore. She died sometime after the 1901 census and Connor moved to Mt Scot by the 1911 census.
III. MARY GLEESON (DAUGHTER OF CORNELIUS AND MARY) b. 1841 d. 1908
Mary married John Marrinan and lived on the farm in Cloonanaha. There is a question about her birth date as the census in 1901 lists her age as 60 but the death record says she was 74 in 1908. Mary and John had 8 children: Patrick, James, John, Conor, Mary, Bridget, Honor, and Timothy. Her son James married Norah Talty and the 1901 census in Cloonanaha shows Mary living with James' family at that time.
III. JOHN GLEESON (SON OF CORNELIUS AND MARY) b. 1842 d. 1901
John married Catherine "Kate" Sexton of Bonavilla and they lived on the farm in Reanagisha (Connolly) shared with his brother, Cornelius (Connor) in separate dwellings. John and Kate had 13 children : Mary, Bridget, Anne, Cornelius, Catherine, Ellen, Ellen, John, Michael, Mary, James, Patrick, and Daniel. Two of the children died early, Mary at age 14 and Ellen at age 1. The names were re-used for later children. Following the death of John, the 115 acre farm was listed in the 1903 Griffith's Revaluation as 49 acres with Kate Gleeson's name and 66 acres with Thomas Sullivan's name.
C. Children of Catherine Gleeson b. c1801 and James O'Brien
III. JOHN O'BRIEN ( SON OF CATHERINE AND JAMES) b. 1823 d. 1889
John married Bridget Moloney and lived on their farm in Mt Scot. They had five children: Catherine, Thomas, John, Mary, and Catherine. The first Catherine is thought to be an infant death. They are buried in the Killernan Graveyard.
III. MARGARET O'BRIEN (DAUGHTER OF CATHERINE AND JAMES) b. 1838 d. 1903
Margaret married Michael Looney of Mt Scot and lived on his farm. They had 11 children : Patrick, Catherine, Bridget, Mary, Michael, James, Joseph, William, John, Mary, and Honor. One of the children, John, immigrated to Kansas City and records show him in the saloon business there in 1912 with Matthew Gleeson, son of Michael Gleeson and Bridget Moloney of Mt Scot. Margaret and John are buried in Killernan Graveyard.
III. PATRICK O'BRIEN(SON OF CATHERINE AND JAMES) b. 1839 d.unknown
Suspect an infant death with Patrick as there is a second boy named Patrick born in 1845.
III. MATTHEW O'BRIEN ( SON OF CATHERINE AND JAMES) b. 1842 d. 1897
Matthew immigrated to New Zealand where he met and married Julia Higgins of Taum, Co. Galway, Ireland. Matthew and Julia were wed in Killinchy, NZ in 1867. They had 13 children: James, Catherine, Mary, Julia, Bridget, Margaret, Daniel, John, Rose, Matthew, Ellen, Charles, and Ann.
III. PATRICK O'BRIEN (SON OF CATHERINE AND JAMES) b. 1845 d. 1916
Patrick left Ireland for the U.S. in 1866 as a single man. He arrived in Colorado living in Jefferson, Co in the 1880 census. He married Sara Feehan also of Ireland in 1881 at the Golden Catholic Church and they lived in several communities around Golden while having six children: John, Mary, Patrick, William. Richard, and Catherine. Patrick died in Golden, CO in 1916 at the age of 70.
III. CATHERINE O'BRIEN (DAUGHTER OF CATHERINE AND JAMES) b. 1847 d. unknown
The only record to date of Catherine is her birth in Mt Scot.
D. Children of Honora Gleeson b. unk and Unknown Kelly
It is thought that they had no children.
E. Children of Mary Gleeson b. c1810 and James Meade
III. MARGARET MEADE (DAUGHTER OF MARY AND JAMES) b. 1839
The only record to date of Margaret is her birth in Mt Scot.
III. JOHN MEADE (SON OF MARY AND JAMES) b. 1844
The only record to date of John is his birth in Mt Scot.
III. ELLEN MEADE (DAUGHTER OF MARY AND JAMES) b. 1848
The only record to date of Ellen is her birth in Mt. Scot.
F. Children of Michael Gleeson b. c1811 and Margaret McCarthy
III. BRIDGET GLEASON (DAUGHTER OF MICHAEL AND MARGARET) b. 1840 d. 1882
Bridget was born in Coore but like her brother, Patrick, immigrated to the U.S.
The destination was East Haddam, Middlesex, CT which is where she died in 1882 at the age of 42. Like her brother, she changed the spelling of her name.
III. MARY GLEESON (DAUGHTER OF MICHAEL AND MARGARET) b. 1842 d. unknown
The only record to date of Mary is her birth in Coore.
III. MARTIN GLEESON (SON OF MICHAEL AND MARGARET) b.1844 d. unknown
The only record to date of Martin is his birth in Coore.
III. PATRICK GLEASON (SON OF MICHAEL AND MARGARET) b. 1849 d. 1914
Patrick was born in Coore and came to the U.S. in 1870. One record shows immigration in 1868 and traveling with John Gleeson, relation unknown. Patrick also changed the spelling of his name. His destination was East Haddam, Middlesex, CT where he met and married Hannah Donovan in 1880 according to the US census of 1900. He listed his occupation in that census as "Burnisher of spoons". They had four children: Robert, James, Gertrude, and Urban. Patrick died in East Haddam in 1914.
Bill Gleeson
June 2018
