Research Report

Swantons and Bradfields (Roman Catholic)

Dear Ginni,

I went through the parish records again, from start to finish. The findings are below. I found Michael Swanton and Elizabeth Bradfield's marriage record in 1844, and the subsequent birth of some of their children.

Elizabeth's name is variously given as Betty and Bessy. Swanton records are few in comparison to Bradfield records. You may know the relationships of some of those below. At the end there is a note on the distribution of the names in the parishes covered. It bears out the parish records; Bradfield was a more common name. I have also discovered that my girlfriend's grandmother, a Jagoe of Kinsale had an ancestor John Jagoe who married a Catherine Swanton in c.1815; and that one of their grandchildren married a Thomas Bradfield in 1896. These were Protestant branches of the family though. The impression one gets is that it was a rather close knit community. Shorten was another name with both Catholic and Protestant branches.

The R.C. parish record holdings at the National Library for the areas in question are the following:

Murragh & Templemartin
P4796
Births: 1834 1864
Marriages: 1834-1864
M. 1865-1880

Desertserges
P4798
Births: 1817-1855
Births: 1855-1880

Enniskeane & Desertserges
Marriages:  1813-1880

Ballymodan, Kilbrogan & Desertserges (Bandon)
P4793
Births: 1814-1822
Marriages: 1814-1848

Ballymodan, Kilbrogan & part of Desertserges (Bandon)
P4794

[Ginni's note: I've added a yellow square next to those records which directly pertain to my family.I've also annotated the records, adding my speculations about other relationships]

There are records missing during these years. The Murragh holdings do not cover the years 1820 and 1821. For example, the important date of 14 April 1865 (Robert Swanton) is missing from the records on microfilm; entries from 19-30 only exist. Hence our inability to find a record on the first search. Only some baptisms from the second part of that particular month are listed (P4798 Desertserges). We painstakingly went back over the Desertserges records from beginning to end. There was no trace of Swantons or Bradfields in the early years, in either marriage or baptism records. I think it has been established that these names occur frequently in the Church of Ireland records however. The good news is that Bradfields and Swantons begin to occur in the R.C. records from the mid-1840s. The following is a list of the entries:

May 1844 Margaret of James Bradfield & Constance Leahy. Michael Bradfield & Bridget ? witnesses
[Ginni's note: Elizabeth Bradfield's father was Michael Bradfield, so James was probably her brother]

April 1846 Martin of Richard Bradfield & Mary Shorten. Jas.(?) Bradfield & Anne Shorten
[Ginni's note: I suspect Richard was Elizabeth Bradfield's brother]

Sept 1846 Mich. of Jas. Bradfield & Constance Leahy. John Mahony & Mary Bradfield
[Ginni's note: James was most likely the son of Michael Bradfield, as he named his son Michael. This makes him Elizabeth Bradfield's brother]

May 1848 Susan of Jas. Bradfield & Constance Leahy. William Swanton & Margaret Clear
[Ginni's note: This William Swanton may be the brother of Michael Swanton, my g-g-grandfather]

Feb. 1858 Mary of Richard Bradfield & Mary Shorten. Michael Bradfield & Ellen Nihane

Feb. 1849 George of William Swanton & Julia Lyons. John Lyons & Mary Donovan
[Ginni's note: I have confirmed that this William Swanton was Michael Swanton's brother. He and Julia moved to St. Alban's, Vermont}

Feb. 1851 Ellen of Richard Bradfield & Honora Shorten. William Shorten & Anne Bradfield

July 1851 Joanna of Michael Swanton & Elizabeth Bradfield. Michael & Mary Driscoll

April 1851 Jas. Of Jas. Bradfield & Constance Leahy. Michael Bradfield & Jane Shorten

Dec. 1852 Jas. of Richard Bradfield & Margt. Shorten. Benjamin Shorten & Jane Shorten
[Ginni's note: Richard Bradfield may be another of Elizabeth's brothers]

June 1853 Ellen of Michael Swanton & Betty Bradfield. James Bradfield & Cath. Herley(?)

Apr. 1855 William of Michael Swanton & Betty Bradfield. Timothy Murphy & Cath. Caniff

Aug. 1854 Twins. Michael & Margt of James Bradfield & Constance Leahy. Pat & Mary Coffey & Mich. Swanton & Mary Clear

Oct. 1854 Benjamin of Richard Bradfield & Margt. Shorten. Jas. Shorten & Nancy Nihane

June 1857 Martha of Mich. Swanton & Bessy Bradfield. Mich Bradfield & Mary Shorten

Sept. 1856 Susan of Richard Bradfield & Margt. Shorten. Bart. Nihane & Mary Kearney

June 1859 Rich. of Rich. Bradfield & Margt. Shorten. Thos Bradfield & Mary Crowley

Jan. 1861 John of Jas Bradfield & Constance Leahy. J. Crowley & Mary Anne Coffey

June 1862 Jas of Michael Swanton & Bessy Bradfield. Thos Bradfield & Cath. Neil

Aug 1864 Bessie of Rich. Bradfield & Margt. Shorten. Jerry Crowley & Mary Driscoll

Records from here seem to be partial. There are far fewer baptisms and many dates are not included. The next relevant entry is:

Catherine of George Swanton & Ellen Sweeny. Jane McCarthy.

Oct. 1880 George of Michael Swanton & Jane McCarthy. John Donovan & Bridget Cleary.
[Ginni's note: This Michael was the son of my gg-grandfather, Michael Swanton]

There were no Swanton or Bradfield records found in the united parishes of Ballymodan, Kilbrogan & Desertserges (Bandon) [ Microfilm. no.POS4794 at National Library]

The parishes of Murragh & Templemartin [POS4796] were more rewarding, however.

Among the marriages from 1834 to 1880 were the following:

Feb. 1861 Arthur Leary to Sarah Bradfield. Thos. Bradfield & Mary Desmond wits.

Nov. 1857 Thos Murphy & Ellen Bradfield. Rich. Bradfield & Nelly Howan wits

May 1846 Rich. Bradfield to Joanna Twamlow. Thos Bradfield & Denis Twamlow wits

May 1846 Andrew Twamlow to Eliza Bradfield. Denis Twamlow & Thos. Bradfield

Feb. 1846 John Mahony to Anne Bradfield. Mich. Bradfield & Tim. Mahony
[Ginni's note: Anne may be Elizabeth's sister]

Feb. 1844 Mich. Swanton to Eliza Bradfield. John Swanton & Anne Hurley
[Ginni's note: John was most like Michael's father or brother]

Jan. 1837 John Connell to Susan Bradfield. Thos. Bradfield & Edward Tanner

Dec. 1835 Thos. Bradfield to Margt. Haughton. John Haughton & Julia Coughlan

Among birth records dating back from 1864 were the following:

Rich. of Mich Bradfield & Mary Kingston. Rich. Bradfield & Julia McCarthy. Kilowen

Jan. 1864 Thos. of Rich. Bradfield & Anne Hurley. Mich. Bradfield & Joanne Hurley. Kilowen

July 1863 Edward of Thos. Bradfield & Mary Herrick. Teady Carty & Anne Mahon. Parish of Bandon

Oct. 1863 Bridget to Jas. Sullivan & Bridget O Brien. Thomas Bradfield & Anne Leary. Tullyglass

Nov. 1862 Catherine of Michael Bradfield & Mary Anne Kingston. Rich. & Cath. Bradfield. Kilowen

Feb. 1862 Margt. of Rich. Bradfield & Anne Hurley. Rich. Bradfield & Mary Desmond. Kilowen

Aug. 1857 Eliza of Rich. Bradfield & Joanna Twamlow. Jeremiah Desmond & Cath. Hurley

Sept. 1857 Eliza of Rich. Bradfield & Mary Murphy. John Murphy & Mary Mahony

Sept. 1856 Benjamin of James Bradfield & Mary Herrick. Dan Costello & Bridget Canty

May 1852 Julia of Rich Bradfield & Julia Quinlan. John Connell & Ellen Long

June 1846 Margt. of Thos. Bradfield & Margt. Coughlan. John O Sullivan & Joan Lynch

Nov. 1843 Edmund of Thos. Bradfield & Mary Haughton(?). Edmund Haughton & Mary Bradfield

Jan. 1842 Mary of Richard Bradfield & Margt. Rehilly. Rich. Bradfield & Jane Tanner

Feb. 1842 Jerry(?) of William Bradfield & Mary Carthy. John Carthy & Cath. Daly

Aug. 1841 William of John Bradfield & Ellen Swiney. William Bradfield & Mary Donovan

Aug. 1840 William of Thos. Bradfield & Mary Howard. John Regan & Mary Roche

Nov. 1838 Rich. of Jas. Bradfield & Constance Leahy(?). Rich. & Mary Bradfield

Sept. 1836 Mary of John Bradfield & Ellen Sweeny. Timothy Bradfield & Mary Sweeny

Sept. 1835 Thos. of Thos. Bradfield & Margt. Haughton. John & Joan Hartnett

Feb. 1835 Timothy of John Swanton & Ellen Donovan. Cornelius Murane(?) & Cath. Donovan
[Ginni's note: Could Timothy possibly be a younger brother of Michael Swanton? If so, perhaps Michael's parents were John Swanton and Ellen Donovan. Or perhaps John Swanton was Michael's brother?]

Jan 1835 Margt of Rich. Bradfield & Margt. Rehilly(?). Pat. Rehilly(?) & Margt. Cloone(?)

Mar 1835 Sarah of Thos Bradfield & Margt. Howard. ? Quilan & Margt. Clear

Index of Surnames

T = Tithe (1830s period), G = Griffith (1850s)

Ballymodan Parish, Kinalmeaky Barony, Bandon Union

Swanton G T. The name was present in both periods, but only one householder of the name in the 1850s.

Kilbrogan Parish, Kinalmeaky Barony

Bradfieldd G T. Present as above.

Swanton G Present in 1830s, not later

Desertserges Parish, Kinalmeaky Barony

No Swantons or Bradfields in either period

Murragh Parish, Kinalmeaky Barony

No Swantons

Bradfield G3 T Present in both periods, three householders in the 1850s

Templemartin Parish, Kinalmeaky Barony

Bradfield G T

Michael Swanton & Elizabeth Bradfield were married in Murragh and lived in Desertserges.
There were several Bradfield families living in Murragh. There does not seem to be a record of a Swanton living in Desertserges in the Index of Surnames.

Sources

National Library of Ireland

Index of Surnames

Parishes of Ballymodan, Kilbrogan, Desertserges, Murragh & Templemartin, all in Bandon area of Co. Cork

The following microfilms:

1. Murragh & Templemartin POS4796
B. 1834 1864; M. 1834-1864; M. 1865-1880
2. Desertserges POS4798
B. 1817-1855; 1855-1880
Enniskeane & Desertserges
M. 1813-1880
3. Ballymodan, Kilbrogan & Desertserges (Bandon) POS4793
B. 1814-1822
M. 1814-1848
4. Ballymodan, Kilbrogan & part of Desertserges (Bandon) P4794