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Descendants of Andrew Melvin

Contributed by Denise Mell

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1.    Andrew MELVIN , b. 1802.  He married Jane TURNBULL, 18 Jan 1832, in Backs, Co. Mayo, d. before 1867.  Andrew died 3 Dec 1867, Hill St., Ballina.  Andrew was a farmer when he married Jane Turnbull, their townland appears to read "Cloon??lloo?? duff".n  They must have moved to Ballina shortly after their marriage as Martin and Michael were both born in Hill Street, Ballina in 1834 and 1836.  In an 1846 Directory there is an entry for Andrew Melvin, Public House in Hill Street, Ballina.  When he died in 1867 of "bronchitis - 7 days" his address was still Hill Street, Ballina.  He was aged 65, a widower and was working as a Summons server.  Martin Melvin of Knox Street, Ballina was the informant who was present at the death.

                                    Children:

                2.          i          Martin MELVIN b. 1 Nov 1834.

                             ii       Michael MELVIN, b. 20 Sep 1836, Hill St., Ballina., baptized 25 Sep 1836, Kilmoremoy, Ballina.  The sponsors at Michael's baptism were Margaret and Dennis McNulty.

Next Generation

2.    Martin MELVIN, b. 1 Nov 1834, Hill St., Ballina, baptized 17 Nov 1834, Kilmoremoy, Ballina.  He married Mary FITZPATRICK, b. 1828, d. 24 Dec 1898, 75 Queen St., Dublin, Ireland., buried: YG60, Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.  Martin died 26 Feb 1878, Ballina, Co. Mayo, Ireland., buried: Leigue Cemetery, Ballina, Co.Mayo.  Martin was born on 1st November 1834 to Andrew Melvin and his wife, Jane, he was baptised on 17th November 1834 the sponsors being Thomas Brown and Bridget Clark.  He lived in Bridge Street, Ballina Co. Mayo in 1859 when his first son William Thomas was baptised at Ballina Cathedral.  In 1864 he was living in Knox Street, Ballina with his wife Mary (nee Fitzpatrick) when their second son, John Martin was baptised on 30th March.  He was the proprietor of the Moy Hotel in Knox Street from at least 1867 until his early death in 1878.  Martin and Mary's eldest daughter Mary, my great grandmother was born in about 1856 and they had another daughter Catherine born around 1862.   Martin died from bronchitis and consumption aged only 42 on 26th February 1878 and is buried in the family burial ground at Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.  His burial plot is surrounded by ornate metal railings and there is a fine Celtic cross erected by "his numerous friends as a token of the estimation which he was held in all relations of life".  He made a will leaving his effects valued at under £600 to his widow, Mary.

       Father Michael J. Machale (1846-1887), an author and poet, completed in 1880 a book of poetry entitled "Songs of Freedom".  One of the poems was "for an old friend, Martin Melvin, who died in 1878".

       "I stood beside they grave today,

       O friend of all my days of youth,

       O man of honour and of truth,

       And bent my reverent head to pray."

       After Martin's death and that of her son in law, John Rourke in 1884, it is believed Mary moved to Dublin with her daughter Mary Rourke (nee Melvin) who was suffering from TB.  She opened a family hotel at 39 Great Brunswick street where "she hoped with cleanliness and strict attention to the comfort and convenience of her guests, to merit a share of public patronage".  By 1888 she was the owner of a boarding house at 52 North Great Georges St ., and by 1890 had moved to a boarding house at 7 Hardwicke Place, Dublin (very down market from her original address).  She must have been taken ill in about 1894 as she died on 24th December 1898, age 70 at the home of her daughter Catherine, 75 Queen Street, Dublin of general paralysis (4 years).  She is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery with her grandson Denis and other members of her family.

                                    Children:

                             i          Mary MELVIN, b. 1856, Co. Mayo, Ireland.  She married John ROURKE, 21 Aug 1873, in Ballina, Co. Mayo, b. 1846, Beauparc, Co. Meath, Ireland., (son of Denis ROURK and Mary NORRIS) d. 29 Dec 1884, Ballina, Co. Mayo, Ireland., buried: Mountown Cemetery, Beauparc.  Mary died 1 May 1886, 39 Gt. Brunswick St., Dublin., buried: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.

                                       Mary was born in about 1856 and married John Rourke on 21st August 1873 when she was 17 years old.  The marriage was performed at Ballina Catholic Chapel by Hugh Conway and the witnesses were James Rourke and Sarah Curran.  Mary and John had five children Denis Martin, John Joseph, twins Kate and Mary and Mary Christine.  Mary died when only 30 on 1st May 1886 at 39 Great Brunswick Street, Dublin of phthisis (TB), from which she had suffered for a year.  She is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

                                       John was born in Co. Meath about 1846.  On 21st August 1873 he was a commercial traveller living in Ballina when he married Mary Melvin, the daughter of a local hotel owner, at the Catholic Chapel in Ballina.  The witnesses to the wedding were Sarah Curran and James Rourke, his brother.  In 1874 he was working as a clerk in nearby Co. Longford.  When his father in law died in 1878 he took over the running of the Moy Hotel in Ballina and became a well respected member of the community.  He was Hon. Sec. of the Ballina Race Meeting and was instrumental in bringing about the success of the Gurteens Races of 1884.  John and Mary had five children, but only three survived to adulthood, twins Mary and Kate, who were born on 3rd October 1879 died on 8th and 17th October respectively.  In the middle of December 1884, John was taken ill with rheumatic fever and died at 10.30 am on 29th December 1884, aged only 38.  His funeral was held at Ballina Cathedral, with his small son Denny following the coffin carrying a beautiful wreath. John's body, accompanied by several friends including the Rev. P. McNulty, who had conducted the funeral service, was taken by train to Dublin to be buried in the family plot at Mountown Cemetery.  In February 1885 the entire furniture, horses and vehicles of the Moy Hotel were sold by public auction.  His wife, Mary was taken ill with phthisis (TB) shortly afterwards and the family moved to Dublin, where the boys, Denis and John were looked after by their Uncle James.  Mary died at her mother's house, 39 Great Brunswick Street, Dublin on 1st May 1886 aged just 30 years.  She is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery with her son, Denis and sister in law, Catherine Brennan.

                             ii       William Thomas MELVIN, b. 25 Jul 1859, Bridge St., Ballina, Co. Mayo, Ireland, baptized 28 Jul 1859, Ballina Cathedral, Ballina, Co. Mayo.

                            iii          Catherine MELVIN, b. 1862, Co. Mayo, Ireland.  She married Michael DELANY, 1 Sep 1887, in R C Cathedral, Marlboro St., Dublin., b. 1857, Co. Kildare, Ireland., (son of Thomas DELANEY and Mary BLAKE).

                                       Catherine was born in about 1862 and married Michael Delaney on 1st September 1887 at the Roman Catholic Cathedral, Marlborough Street, Dublin.  They both gave their residence as Catherine's mothers house in Nth. Great Georges Street.  Michael who was born in  Co. Kildare in about 1857 was the son of Thomas, a grocer and his wife Mary (nee Blake).  By 1894 Kate and Michael were living at Stoneybatter, Dublin and had had five children.  Mary was born in 1889 and died aged 48 in December 1937;  Joseph born 1890;  Michael born in August 1891 died aged only 10 weeks in November 1891;  Martin born 1892 died aged 28 in December 1920 and  Catherine who was born in 1893.  In 1901 the couple were running an ironmongery business at 75 & 76 Queen Street, near the Quays in Dublin and had had a further five children -  Margaret who was born in 1894 and died aged 1 month in August of that year;  Thomas born in September 1895 who died aged 1 week;  Bernard born in 1896; John born in 1898;  Patrick born in April 1899 died in September of that year and in 1903 they had their final child, Agnes.  Six of their children are buried in Glasnevin Cemetery with Denis Rourke, their cousin.

                            iv          John Martin MELVIN, b. 30 Mar 1864, Knox St., Ballina, Co. Mayo, Ireland, baptized 30 Mar 1864, Ballina Cathedral, Co.Mayo, Ireland., d. 6 Apr 1864, Ballina.  When John Martin was baptised on the day he was born his sponsors were Martin Doherty and Ann Turnbull.  He died aged only 7 days old after having "convulsions since birth".  The informant was his father, Martin who was present at the death.