Ardagh, Limerick Woulfes

These are my ancestors...

My Great uncle Jack (John)Woulfe seated

with my Grandfather

Michael Woulfe standing at right.

 It was taken in Dublin around 1910.

On this page...

My branch of the family, going back to the 1790's in Ardagh, Co. Limerick...

Leaving Ireland...

Family lore...

Elm Hill Woulfes...

Ashgrove Woulfes...

John Kearn's Askeaton Woulfes...

   Special thanks to Sean deBhulbh, Ada Woulfe (Bennick), Eileen O'Neill, and Lill (Giltenane) Woulfe of Limerick for the huge amounts of information they provided....and a huge debt of thanks to the researchers at the Limerick Archives for all their help...mw

   Here's the original Woulfe family home at the Bridgeview Farm in Ardagh, County limerick.  My Great Grandfather Michael was born in this house. During our first trip to Ireland in May of '99, we visited the family farm for the first time. It is still owned by Woulfes. My 3rd cousin Jack Woulfe and his wife Lill. The Bridgeview farm is 80 acres.  Right down the path from this house is a newer home Jack had built in the 1970's. Bridgeview a dairy farm . As you can see - the original farmhouse, built around 1800, still stands and is in good repair, but is now used mostly for storage. We revisited our cousins in 2000, and again in 2004, and had a wonderful time. I can't thank them enough for all their help. Lil Woulfe did me a HUGE favor by gathering family information for me which made it possible to complete the name list below.

Dunganville? Ardagh?

    Here's a good place to explain the way these rural areas are named throughout Ireland. The present-day address of the Woulfe farm at Dunganville is - Bridgeview, Dunganville, Ardagh, Co. Limerick, Ireland. Bridgeview is the name of the farm. The Dunganville bridge is just down the road. Dunganville is a townland, best described as a rural sub-division. Townlands vary from fairly large to sometimes containing only one or 2 farms. Sometimes their boundaries are known only to the locals and the Postman. Our Dunganville is marked on the map below.

  Ardagh is the Post Office address, arrived at because the town of Ardagh is only about 2 miles away. If you ever examine a parish map, the farm is in the Parish of Newcastle West. Up until the 19th century, the area was also known as Glenquin, the old Baronial name. I also learned from Lill that the property was once leased from the Massey family before my family acquired it. The Masseys were prominent English landlords and lived at Glenville house in Athea.  Here it is below.  But, in the early 1820's the land was owned by the Whites. I learned more about the farm's history from Paul MacCotter's research.  He discovered that there were 3 Woulfe farms adjacent to one another in the early 19th century (plotted as 2a, 3a, and 4b)  In land records from about 1820 to 1850, we find that John, James, and Edmond Woulfe lived there. They were renting the farms from a landlord named Colonel White. During our meeting in Castlematrix in 2004, Richard Woulfe clarified the relationship. .”  James and John were brothers. Their father may have been named John James. Edmond was their nephew - his father (name unknown) may have been a brother of John or James.  We are from the family group known as “Neds” or “John-Jamses”

THE HUNT FOR THE FIRST GENERATION

  As you see from land records, John, James, and Edmond Woulfe moved onto the 3 Dunganville farms in the 1820's. I am descended from John Woulfe. I can guess at his birthdate as sometime in the 1790's or 1800's. The 3 Woulfes came to the Dunganville farms from Athea.  In the early 1800's, just about every farm in the Athea area was owned by a Woulfe, and there just weren't any left for the next generation. By this point, other young Woulfes had made their way into Templeglantine to find land for new farms.   

   You will see in the coming sections that the best I can find on a wife's name for John is an illegible scrawl after the letter "B" on the Newcastle West Baptism records. Given the popularity of the name Bridget at the time, I'm assuming that's most likely what it was.  From graveyard inscriptions, I find that James married Johanna MacKessey From Knocknaderry. She erected a gravestone that says he was from Dunganville.  Below is the old Grange cemetery.   The Newcastle West Parish Marraige and Baptisim list shows that James Woulfe and Johanna MacKessey had at least 2 children. They were, Ellen, born 6/23/1827,  and William, born 1833. Other records show a 3rd child, Mary b183? married ? Mulcahey. From Graveyard and Newcastle West baptism records, I know that John Woulfe had several sons. Michael remembered on the gravestone pictured below. John, who I am descended from, and who is confirmed from family still in Ireland. Then Thomas and Maurice from Newcastle West baptism records. I am very lucky that these ancestors had enough money to put up a gravestone. Most families in western Ireland in the early 1800's could not.   This gravestone at the cemetery at Grange gives us an idea of John's birth year. We can guess that when John erected the stone, he was probably in his 40's or 50's because he's burying his 25 year old son Michael in 1847. This Michael is a brother to my GG Grandfather John. The Michael on the stone would have been born in 1822. Records show his son, my GG Grandfather John was born in 1831.   The gravestone reads....   John Woulfe of Dunganville, as a small tribute ... to the memory of his beloved son Michael Woulfe, who departed life April 4th 1847 Aged 25 years. (meaning he would have been born in 1822) Rest in peace. So, the first John Woulfe on the Dunganville farm was likely born around 1800.

   My cousin Jack at the same Dunganville farm, asked other family members, and they confirm this stone is that of our ancestors. He also says he discovered that 6 other family members, are buried unmarked beside it. I'm still working on finding out who they are.

   Two other nearby Woulfe family Gravestones at the Grange cemetery in Ardagh help solve some of the puzzle. Inside the ruined chapel, Gravestone #1 reads...Erected by Mrs Johanna Woulfe alias Mackessey in memory of her husband James Woulfe of Dunganville Nov 12 1844 age 66 (he would have been born in 1778). (This is the John aboves' brother)

    Gravestone #2 located right next to #1 reads...Erected by Edmond James Woulfe of Doocateen in memory of his beloved father James Woulfe died December ? 1878 age 76 years (he would have been born in 1802) - his mother Johanna Woulfe March 10 1866 age 46 years. His brother Patrick 1882 age 22 years. Doocateen is only about 3 or 4 miles south of Dunganville, and is about 3 miles north of Newscastle west. This Doocateen James born in 1802 would be of the same generation as John and James of Dunganville. His stone is right next to James of Dunganville inside the chapel.

   Look at the 2 names below on the Tithe Applotment book of 1829. It lists only James and John. Then in the Griffiths valuation of 1852, we have 2a John, 3a James, and 4a Edmond. Working from Gravestone information, 2a John was born around 1800, 3a James was born around 1778. (This is a huge age difference for brothers) I always suspected James was John's father.  I’m still not clear where 4a Edmond ended up. During my 2004 conversation with Richard Woulfe, he told me that Dick Woulfe of the “Day” Woulfes bought Edmond’s farm in 1921 or 22.

     I believe 3a James of Dunganville b1778 is related to James of Doocateen b1802. But - is his son Edmond James of Doocateen the same 4a Edmond mentioned on the Dunganville farms in 1852? I'm working on it. The Valuation chart of 1851 shows Edmond still in Dunganville.

The Woulfe house at the Bridgeview farm in Dunganville in 2004

When did the 3 Woulfes arrive at the Dunganville farms?

Paul MacCotter searched these documents...

  From the Griffiths Valuation of 1852...

Townland of Dunganville Upper, parish of Newcastle 

2a - John Woulfe, tenant of Col.White, 77 acres and buildings valued at £4 4s  3a - James Woulfe, ten. Col. White, 49 acres,builds. £1 7s.

From the Tithe Applotment Book, Newcastle Parish, September, 1829:

  Commentary:(From MacCotter) Note that the TAB was calculated in Plantation acres rather than Statute as Griffiths was, the former was 1.6 times the latter. Thus the 48 plantation acres held by John Woulfe in '29 is the same area as the 77 statute of '52. Note that in '52 John had a farm labourer (Dore) in a one room hovel as indicated by the value. The valuation of John's buildings in '52 indicates he had a relatively substantial farm complex and dwellings. The other single Woulfe farm of '29 had been split in two by '52, probably between two sons of the James of  '29.

From the Registry of Deeds: The land index for Dunganville (Co. Limerick) was searched for the period 1739-1849 inclusive and all entries were checked. In all 16 entries were found concerning the townland or similar named townlands and all the deeds in question were read fully. Just three of the deeds contained information of interest:

  604/560 (Transcript book and page number): leases concerning the townland of Doongoonville alias Dongonyweill, 7/10/1808, proprietorial interest held between Lord George Thynne of Baycliff, Wilts, Lord Courtenay of Powerham Castle, Devon, and Luke White of Woodlands, Co. Dublin. Mention of the 184 (probably plantation) acres of Doongoonville "now in the possession of Maurice Cremin".

  608/107: 26/3/1808, Lord Thynne landlord of 83 acres in South Doonganville in possession of Thomas Morony or his undertenants. Bounds given: north, North Doonganville, south, Doocateen, east, Coolnanoge, west, Ballyneany. Leased to Edmund Carte of Newcastle.

  846/72: Henry White of Staffordshire, immediate landlord of Doonganville Upper, 1829.

Commentary: (From MacCotter)These results are disappointing. Note the references to the White family who were senior leaseholders in Dunganville Upper during this period. These must be ancestors to Col. White of the 1850s. The important deed is the first one, which shows that in 1808 one Maurice Cremin was the farmer in Dunganville Upper - that no reference to 'undertenants' occurs shows that he actually farmed the lands, and so no Woulfe family farmed here then.

Valuation Office Tenure and House Books:

4b: Edmund Wolfe, house = 77x20x8 Office = 21x13x7 Second Office = 13x17x7

3a: James Wolfe, house = 59x20x7

2a: John Wolfe, tenant of Col. White, house, offices and land, 50 acres, annual rent: £41, tenure = at will, "taken 28 years ago".   (that would be in 1820 mw)

A4:   Edmund Wolfe, tenant of Col. White, house, offices and land, 58 acres, rent: 20 shillings per acre, tenure = at will, taken 27 years ago. Edmund Wolfe, house and offices, partner with above (sic?) James Wolfe, house, partner with above

     Commentary: (PM) These details echo and amplify those contained in the later Griffiths above. From this we know that John Wolfe took his farm in Dunganville around 1820 while the other Woulfe family in the townland arrived one year later.  The other details contained may also be of interest. The tenures were at will, which means that basically they were held from White from year to year with no security of tenure. Unfortunately these details indicate that the Woulfe of Dunganville trail runs cold about 1820 and it is most unlikely that we will ever be able to penetrate the wall beyond this.

    ***Richard Woulfe cleared up many questions about the original Dunganville Woulfes, but there are still loose ends. As we see in Paul's commentary, it's impossible to show on paper the relationship between John, James, and Edmond. But it did clear up which family branch (The “Neds”) they belonged to from Athea. Their odessy to Dunganville mirrors that of the  "Chapter"("Chapter" is a nickname for another branch of the family) Woulfe brothers who struck out from Athea in the 1790's and settled in Meenoline. I do not see anything that would link these Woulfes to the much earlier Thomas Wolfe of Ardagh shown in the late 1300's.

   I was intrigued about Maurice Cremin, the previous tenant living on the Dunganville farms. I found the family name on gravestones at Saint Mulas' Cathlic Church in Ardagh. This information is from Patrick Galligan who compiled it from The Thomond Archaelogical Society, Vol. XXXVI, 1995 article written by Jerry McMahon, Kilreash, Ardagh. The entire gravestone list can be found on Kathryn McCarthy's excellent Little bit of Ireland website.

    These are the Cremin family (and variations) gravestones found at Ardagh...

15.Erected by John Grifion, nee Crimmin, Kilredane, to his wife,Cath. Grifion, d. 23 Jan. 1838, aged 48.

This next one may be our man, the Maurice Cremin who occupied the Dunganville farms before John, James, and Edmond.

128. Maurice Crimmin, Ballyegny, d. May 18, 1838 aged 43; his son Patrick, d. May 9, -- aged 7; Erected by his wife Anastia (Enright) Crimmin.

129. Patrick Cremin, Ballinena, d. 24 May, 1893 aged 59; his daughterBridget Cremin, d. 8 May 1896 aged 20; his daughter Hannah Cremin, d. 22 Aug 1906 aged 32. Erected by wife Johanna Cremin.

134. Owen Crimen d. Aug 3, 1794 aged 31. Erected by Father, Maurice.

180a.In loving memory of the Cremin family, Ballykiely.

Now...is this Cearonin family using the Irish version of the name? DeBhulbh believes they're a branch of the McCarthys.

73. Erected by John Cearonin to his grt.grandfather d. Mar.17, 1769, aged 91; His grandfather d.Oct.17 1792, aged 77; His father, d. Oct. 11, 1831,aged 72; His mother d. April 30,1827, aged 79.

Next Woulfe generation...

   Here's as far back as I can go with solid documentation....(through official marriage and baptism registers for the Newcastle area) My great-great grandfather was JOHN WOULFE, son of the John Woulfe above born on the family farm in Dunganville, Ardagh, County Limerick in 1831.(based on his age in the 1901 census as 70) His father John erected the gravestone to a deceased son, Michael Woulfe.(mentioned above) That Michael Woulfe would have been my GG Grandfather John's brother. John married MARY HUNT on 2/20/1855. Witnesses were WILLIAM HUNT and BRIDGET WOULFE. (could this Bridget Woulfe be his mother, the one identified only as B... in the marriage records?) The church records show JOHN was from Newcastle and Mary was from ATHEA.(Which has been confirmed since visitng the Hunt farm in Athea) They had 9 children. The census form also shows he spoke both English and Irish. We know that Mary died before 1901 because John is listed as a widower in the census . John is buried with no marker next to the gravestone at Grange that he erected for his son, Michael. Mary Hunt, because of some dispute over burials at Grange, (or perhaps her unhappiness over a possible illegitimate child fathered by John), is buried unmarked at TempleAthea with her other Hunt relatives.*

  *Other research notes. The 1901 census form shows John Woulfe at age 70 still living at the Dunganville farm with 3 of his adult children and a MARY WINDLE - age 22 and unmarried. Mary is listed as a farm servant. But - often what that really means is a cousin or other relative living there to help out on the farm.  The others present at the cenus were...Mary Woulfe age 36 and still unmarried. John Woulfe age 35 and unmarried. Timothy Woulfe age 30 and single.

***In examining the Civil registration for Ireland, I found some discrepancies in dates...but...the most tantalizing peice of evidence is in birthplace entries for John's son James - with his birthplace Ardagh AND ATHEA! The listing for my Great Grandfather Michael also shows his birthplace listed as Ardagh AND ATHEA! What does this mean? A careless official jotting down the information - or is there some clue to an unknown tie to the Athea Woulfes hanging right here in front of us?

*This may be the cause of a rift between John and Mary... A Mary Woulfe, daughter of John Woulfe, farmer, married a Thomas Hunt, also of Dunganville and the Son of a John Hunt in Newcastle West on 2/9/1907. The witnesses to that marriage were John H. Woulfe and Mary Woulfe. Now - one would assume that this lady was the Mary born in 1859. If so - she would have been 58 years old, and we could not expect any children. There is one other possibility. She may be the illegitimate Mary born to John Woulfe and Catherine Nolan in 1876 in Newcastle West. It may be that Mary who married Thomas Hunt in 1907.

The Hunt Family

   Records show a large part of the land in West Limerick was confiscated by Elizabeth Tudor's forces after the murder of the Earl of Fitzgerald in the 1580's. The property was awarded to an Englishman, a Captain Robert Collom or Cullum. The grant was 12 thousand acres. Captain Collom set up residence at Ballyegny, near Ardagh where some of his lands lay. Later his son William fought with the Confederate forces in 1641, and after. As a consequence, he was dispossessed and his Athea lands were split between Richard Hunt, Dame Anne Crispe, and John Bourke, under the Cromwellian Acts of Settlement. This shows at what early stage the Hunt name appeared in the area. On a list of village residents assessed for tithes in 1833, we find a Con Hunt. He is Mary Hunt's brother. Later, 'The Griffith Valuation' of 1852 lists among village residents a James Hunt, and an Ellen Hunt. For the period 1881 to 1894, the Slater's Directory lists a group of businesses, bulking grocers, publicans and drapers together. We find a John Hunt. A Pat Woulfe is also mentioned in this group. In the 1901 census the grocers listed were, John Barrett, Margaret Woulfe, Johanna Mulvihill, and Mary Hunt. among the publicans was John Hunt. *Thanks to John P. Woulfe for this research.

   During our visit to Ireland in 2000, I met Ted Hunt who still owns the Hunt family farm in Athea. Ted's grandfather Con (Cornelius) Hunt was Mary Hunt's brother. Con and Mary both show up in Birth and Death and baptisim registers of the area. It's amazing to me that, just like my cousins, the Hunt property remains in the same family. Ted was extremely gracious, and provided pictures and family information. That's him on the left with John Woulfe and my mother Dolores. He's  showing us what's left of the old Hunt Farmhouse that dates back to the 1700's. It's the house my GGG grandmother Mary Hunt grew up in.

The Hunt house which probably dates from around the same time as the Dunganville Woulfe house was originally much larger. About two thirds of it was dismantled and this part represents the 2 bedrooms which would have been at the end of the building. Ted says it got a tin roof in the 1920's.

  Ted also walked us down the same path that Mary Hunt would have walked in 1855 when she left home to go to the church to marry my Great Great Grandfather John Woulfe.

NEXT GENERATION

Children of John and Mary (Hunt) Woulfe

***included after baptism dates are baptisim witnesses.

ELLEN b12/15/1855 witnesses - John Hunt and Johanna O'Callaghan

BRIDGET b5/19/57 wit. Thomas Woulfe and Bridget Woulfe

MARY b3/15/59 wit. Maurice Woulfe and Mary Woulfe

JOHANNA b4/9/61 wit James Noonan and Anne Noonan

JOHN WOULFE b 1/31/63 wit. James Woulfe and Bridget Dooley Dunganville - d? Dunganville - inherited family farm. Married Mary Downey (b? Glensharold - d? Dunganville) in 1900. They had 2 children. John and Esther. More on JOHN and ESTHER below.

JAMES b4/21/65 John Woulfe and Mary Woulfe

TIM WOULFE b6/4/1867 wit. Cornelius Hunt and Ellen Hunt Dunganville - d? ?

TIM married ? HEFFERNEN (b? Ballycine? d?) in Newcastle West. He was also a farmer. They had 1 son JOHN

TIMOTHY WOULFE. More on him below.

MICHAEL WOULFE - (my Great Grandfather) - Records I have show 2 dates of birth, although, I believe one is his birthdate and the later one his baptism. 5/26/69 and 6/15/69.wit. Edmond Woulfe and Mary Noonan Dunganville. d 1958 Washington D.C.. MICHAEL was born in the Dunganville house.  He married PAULINE O'NEILL in February 1900. She was born 10/1/1875 in Bombay India. Her O'Neill family was from Dublin and Carlow. Michael and Pauline moved to Dublin.(496 South Circle Road-that house also still stands) All of their children were born in the Circle Road house. Like his brother Maurice, Michael was a Dublin Metropolitian Police Officer at the Killmainham Police Station in Dublin. Michael and his oldest son John were the first to arrive in the U.S., in November 1920 on board the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria. He worked as a doorman at the Washington Hotel in Washington,D.C...(see family lore below) Among their 8 surviving children (a 9th died at birth) was my Grandfather, MICHAEL LEO WOULFE. Great Grandfather Woulfe died in 1958. Pauline died in 1944.

    Below, Michael and Pauline

      on their wedding day

                                        Michael and Pauline years later, possibly at the

                                        Newton street house in Washington D.C. There's

                                        no date on the original.                                                      

                               
MAURICE WOULFE - b7/14/1872 wit Maurice Woulfe and Bridget Geany (Geary?) Dunganville - d1946 at Dunganville. He never married. Maurice joined the Dublin Metropolitan police department in 1891. He remained in Dublin after retiring, but later returned to Dunganville. He died there in 1946. Here he is - all 6' 8" of him. He was known as "BIG MAURICE" because of his size. He was also a champion on the Dublin Police department's tug-of-war team.

                                            This photograph of Maurice at the right was copied from a copy of a page from an unknown magazine given me by my cousin Lill Woulfe. The caption reads,"The tallest bicycle made in Ireland by the Stevens Cycle company for Maurice Woolfe (mispelled) of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, who stood 6 ft 8 ins and weighed 21 stone. This photograph, which hangs in the Dublin Civic museum, was taken around the turn of the century, but Maurice Woolfe (seen up) was a familiar figure around Dublin even after the D.M.P. was abolished, as a separate force, in 1925."  

  To the right is Big Maurice and his mates on the Kilmainham police station Tug of War team. At left is Maurice the Tug of War Champion. The Dublin Metropolitan Police pictures are courtesy of Jim Herlihy. He's the author of two books on the DMP. "The Dublin Metropolitan Police - A Short History & Genealogical Guide".(ISBN 1-85182-462-6) hbk.and (ISBN 1-85182-463-4)pbk. And, 'The Dublin Metropolitan Police - A Complete Alphabetical List of Officers and Men, 1836-1925'. (ISBN1-85182-601-7) hbk.

 And here's Maurice in his later years, probably during a visit to the farm in Dunganville.

Dublin Metropolitan Police Information on Maurice and Michael...

   My Thanks to James Herlihy who has written several books on the Dublin Metropolitan police. Information on his books is in the Resources section. Also Thanks to Donal Kivlehan at the Garda Archives/Museum in Dublin..

  Michael Woulfe's warrant number in the DMP was 9895. He was 24 when he joined in 1893. His height is listed as 6 feet 2 1/8 inches. The record shows his previous occupation as farmer. He was attached to B division on January 11th 1895, and then A division December 30 1898. He retired with a pension October 16th 1920 - Just a month before he left for U.S. with his son John.
 Here is a medal Michael was awarded along with the other D.M.P. officers who guarded King Edward during his visit to Dublin in 1903.

  Maurice James Woulfe # 9716 was 19 when he joined the DMP in 1891. His height is listed as 6'6". He was posted to B division May 27 1892. C division December 21 1906, and then F division April 4th 1914. He was promoted to Sergeant December 14th 1906. He retired June 6th 1920. His annual pension was 175 pounds 10 shillings.

If you wish to find information on your DMP relatives, write to Kevin Kivlehan at...

The Garda Archives/Museum

Record Tower, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2, Ireland

Phones 6719597, Kevins office number is 6669997

There is also a website if you want to learn about the DMP and the Garda Síochána...

www.PoliceHistory.com 

Photo above taken on the only day the D.M.P. was armed in 1916. From O'Herlihy's collection.

NEXT GENERATION

***Sadly, I have no information on ELLEN, BRIDGET, MARY, JOHANNA, or JAMES' CHILDREN.

Children of John Woulfe and Mary Downey...

JOHN JAMES WOULFE b?d? married JOSEHPINE LYNCH (b?d? from Groom) in 1932. 5 children.

JACK WOULFE (my cousin Jack living in the Dunganville house), FRANCIS WOULFE, JOAN WOULFE (GEARY),

MARY WOULFE, HELEN WOULFE. More on them below.

ESTHER WOULFE (KENNEDY) b?d? married Sean Kennedy in 1935. He was a teacher and they moved to Dublin. 5 CHILDREN - SEAN KENNEDY, SEAMUS KENNEDY, PADER KENNEDY. all living in Dublin. MOIRA KENNEDY AND ESTHER KENNEDY - both daughters live in Galway. I had a delightful phone conversation with Moira while in Ireland. She told me quite a bit about Big Maurice, and is gathering up material on the family for me.

   Children of Timothy Woulfe and Mary Heffernen

They had ONE SON- JOHN TIMOTHY b?d1969. JOHN TIMOTHY WOULFE married MARY HEFFERNEN in the late 1940's. 2 sons, TIM WOULFE AND JOHN (Joe?) WOULFE and a daughter Elly. More on the below.

    Children of Michael Woulfe and Pauline O'Neill... 

  
  Here's the family in about 1906 in Dublin. Great Grandfather Michael Woulfe is seated at left. With her hand on Michael's shoulder is MAUDE O"NEILL, PAULINE"S sister. To Maude's right is their mother, MARIA O'NEILL (READ).  She married Pauline and Maud's father John O'Neill in Mhow, India in 1859. Maria died in 1914 in Dublin. Both are buried at Glasnevin cemetery. At the far is right is Pauline.  Leaning on his father's knee and wearing the sailor suit is JOHN. Seated center is MAURA. In the foreground is my Grandfather MICHAEL LEO. And in her mom's lap is JOSEPHINE. GERTRUDE, IMELDA, FRANCIS and ADA were not born yet. One other note...The name of the photographer in Dublin is on the cardboard frame around this this picture...It's W. Woolfe,113 Stephen's Green.

    MICHAEL LEO WOULFE was born January 28th 1903. He ran away from home and joined the British Army at age 14.  No one is very clear on what happened. Most believe his angry mother made the Army release him when she found out he'd joined the first time. It looks like he re-enlisted later - or - he stayed in the Army - we're not sure. To further complicate matters, he lied about his age, and enlisted using his older brother's name, John Charles Woulfe, and then shows up in later Guards records under his real name. Here's is my grandfather, Michael Leo Woulfe in his British Army uniform. The picture is cut from a postcard photo he must have had done in London.
 It's dated 1917, and says he's 22 years old. In 1917, he would have been 14.  Service documents show Michael Leo served in the Irish Guards under 2 names between 1917 and 1920. There are several documents dated 1919, including a 1919 enlistment form, that gives his name as John Charles Woulfe. Again, there's some confusion over this because family lore has it that Michael took his oldest brother John's (Jack) birth certificate with him to join the army.

  
The Irish Guards representatives have been extremely helpful, and sent me copies of every service document they had on Michael. My sincerest thanks to Dominic M Kearney of the Irish Guards. He even sent Michael's original birth certificate with his correct birthdate on it! But, they do not clear up the mystery. The 1920 records do show he joined the Irish Guards under-aged and was discharged for making a mis-statement on enlistment.. He was released from the army shortly before the rest of the family departed in 1920. The reason for discharge given on the 1920 document is mis-statement of age.

   There is also a character reference form stating that John Charles Woulfe was a labourer for a Dublin wine merchant named Mister Fitzgerald who notes that Michael is a good worker and obedient, and that he's never been in the army before.  But here's the puzzler. The documents mentioned above are copies the guards sent me. Among family documents I already had is this pass for a Woulfe, first battalion Irish Guards dated 1918.   If you would like to contact the Irish Guards.... 

      Regimental Headquarters 

             Irish Guards Wellington Barracks Birdcage Walk

                   LondonEngland, UK  SW1E 6HQ.

   Everyone who knew my grandfather called him by his middle name, Leo.  In 1925, He married VIRGINIA RUFFNER of Luray, Virginia. Here they are together in 1923.

 At right, Leo looks quite dapper... 

  Leo and Virginia had 2 daughters, PATRICIA WILLBANKS, and my mother, DOLORES WOULFE (MINER).     Leo worked for Otis Elevator from shortly after arriving in the U.S. until he retired.. He put elevators in hundreds of buildings, including the Pentagon during world war II. He also worked at the Norfolk Navy Shipyards repairing war damaged ships. Mostly the aircraft elevators in damaged aircraft carriers. During the Truman Presidency, he oversaw the replacement of the ancient elevators in the White House. In the 1950's, Otis sent him to the Dominican Republic to take over Otis Operations in the Caribbean. He and my grandmother stayed there for nearly 15 years.  It turned into quite an adventure.  When the dictator Trujillo was assassinated, Leo was suspected in the plot. He wasn't involved, but knew personally several of those who were involved.  He and my grandmother had to flee the country in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothes on their backs. A neighbor arranged a private plane to meet my grandparents at an airport and get them out of the country. They retired to Miami, and bought a house that was being moved to make way for the I-95 expressway in 1960. I remember it arriving on a huge trailer, and helping my grandfather and an uncle set it up on a lot he'd bought.

                                       Michael died in 1977 at age 74. Virginia died in 1998 at age 100.

Leo and Me on my first birthday on June 16th 1954. We're in front of the house he owned in Miami.

   As you can see, Virginia was quite good looking. Leo was great fun to be with. Here he is on Saint paddy's day in Washington DC in 1961. Next is Virginia and Leo at Gertie's on their 25th anniversary. And Leo loved the water and fishing.

 
 

Great Aunts 'n Uncles 
 

    Above are some of the best people who ever lived. From top left to right, that's WILLIAM "WILLIE" O'NEILL, ADA BENNICK ( WOULFE), and RUBY O"NEILL. In front from the left, NORA BELL ( O'NEILL), GERTIE WOULFE, and JOSEPHINE O'NEILL ( WOULFE)   The picture was taken in 1980 in front of one of my favorite places when I was growing up. My Great aunts Gertie and Josephine lived just 2 houses apart on Randolph street in Washington DC.

Michael Leo Woulfe's brothers and sisters were...

 JOHN...(b2/15/01) - He worked for Guiness in Dublin. He and his father Michael were the first to arrive in the US. (see "Goodbye to Ireland" below)) He went to work for Pullman in Washington, DC. In 1933 bought the Cosmopolitian Hotel in Atlantic city. In 1941 he took over management of the Knights of Colombus-owned Colombus Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He died in 1958. He had 2- children, JOHN WOULFE II and MAURA SCHUBERT WOULFE. Maura Schubert's Grandfather on her mother's side, Captain William A. RYAN rode with Teddy Rossevelts' Rough Riders. Maura had no children. John Woulfe II has 2- sons JOHN CHARLES WOULFE III. He's a Fire Captain in Romford, Maine.. (bachelor) LAWRENCE STEPHEN WOULFE is an artist and owns a framing business in Erdenheim, PA. He's married to Debra. No children.

 MAURA - (b10/28/04) -who became Sister Mary Michael of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word In San Antonio, Texas. She died in a traffic accident in the early '60's...

  Below are Jack, Maura and Leo at the Fransiscan Monastery in Washington D.C. At center are Gertie and Ada at the piano at Gertie's house on Randolph street at Christmas. The kid to their right is my brother John. At right are Leo, Ada, Francis in the back. Then Gertie, Maura and Josephine.

   

PAULINE JOSEPHINE...(b11/02/06) - she married her 1st cousin, Maurice Vivian O'Neill. (same family line as Pauline O'Neill) They had 2 daughters, Maureen Jenkins and Eileen O'Neill. Both live in Maryland. Maurice died 1/23/1994. Josephine died 2/10/1983. Ruby A. O'Neill and Nora O'Neill in the picture above were Maurice's sisters. Willie was a cousin. We believe Willie was the mysterious William Woulfe listed as one of the children of John and Pauline Woulfe in papers from the HMS Baltic on the trip to the U.S. Below, Josephine is on the right with her daughters, Maureen and Eileen. Seated behind them is Michael Woulfe, my great-grandfather. 
 Maureen O'Neill married Robert E. Jenkins Sr. from Virginia b5/20/47. They have 4 children. Robert E. Jenkins Junior b5/30/70 married Melissa Gribbon b11/14/70. Robert (Robbie) teaches middle school science.  Amy Christine b12/19/1973.  Jessica Ann b8/20/77. Charles Michael b4/19/79.   Below is another picture taken on Randolph Street in Washington D.C. . Great Grandfather Michael is left, then Maura (Sister Mary Michael). Peeking out from behind is Maude O'Neill (Auntie),Sister Albertine (an O'Neill cousin), Josephine. Eileen O'Neill seated. Gertie has Maureen O'Neill on her knee. I'm going to guess this was taken around 1952... This was the safest, happiest place for me to be when I was a child.

  GERTRUDE and IMELDA...twins! (b5/19/09) - Gertie never married. She She spent her last years at the Little Sisters of the Poor Nursing home in Washington DC. She died July 22 2000. Imelda married Bernard Wissman, and they lived in Hyattsville, Maryland. They adopted a young boy in the 1950's. Jimmy died of leukemia at age 11. Bernard died of heart failure 7/29/54. Imelda died in1985.

    Here's Gertie bouncing me on her knee back when I was still cute. A loooong time ago - probably 1957. Many a wonderful evening was spent in gertie's home with Ada at the piano and all of us singing Irish songs.

ADA...(b4/14/14) - She married John Bennick. No children.

FRANCIS...(b2/10/18) - The youngest. He married Anita Wojtas. They had one daughter, Barbara Ann. Anita and Barbara Ann still live in Hyattsville, Maryland. Francis died 7/21/1987.

    Below is Imelda's wedding on June 15th 1931. It was taken beside the Newton Street house number 815. Back row left, Bernie Fitzgerald who sang at the wedding, Leo Woulfe, unidentified Wissman. 2nd row starting at left with jacket unbuttoned is William O'Neill, Jack Woulfe, Martin Dufficy, Josephine, Maurice O'Neill, Father McCarthy, Maud O'Neill, Mrs. McCormick, Maura Woulfe, Father Michael Egan, 4 Wissman family members, A woman identified as Mrs Gilliam, the first family the Woulfes met when they arrived in 1920, then Francis. Front row from left, another Wissman, Ada, Michael Woulfe, Best man Alfred Wisman, Bernard Wissman, Imelda, Gertie (maid of honor) Pauline Woulfe, Bernard's mother, Virginia Woulfe with daughter Patricia on her knee, and Miss O'Donnell.  

NEXT GENERATION....

Children of John Woulfe and Josephine Lynch...

JACK WOULFE (My cousin Jack in Dunganville) married Lill GILTINANE (Giltinane is a Munster variant of Gilsenan - ref. deBhulbh's Irish Surnames) in 1971. They have 4 sons. Eoin, Paul, Kevin, and Maurice. Paul and Maurice still live at the farm. Kevin is in college. Eoin lives in Co Clare. 

  Here are some of the Dunganville Woulfes. At right is Lil, Then Jack,son Maurice,my nephew Jon, my mother Dolores Woulfe, Jack Geary, and Joan Woulfe Geary.

FRANCIS WOULFE married EILEEN MACDONNELL from Shanagolden. They have their own farm in Rathnegore, Ardagh. They have 5 daughters - Maire,Sioban, Fiona,Esther, and Frances.

MARY WOULFE married SEAN FINLEY. 2 daughters, Katherine Finley and Joan Finley - both are married.

JOAN WOULFE married JOHN GEARY in Broadford. 3 children. DAVID GEARY. MARY ANNE GEARY, DIEDRE GEARY. Both daughters married.

HELEN WOULFE married DERMOT CRONIN. They live in Dublin. 5 children. MARTIN, DENIS, JOHN, MARGO, THERESA.

Children of John Timothy Woulfe and Mary Heffernen...

TIM WOULFE - farmer - unmarried.

JOE WOULFE - farmer - unmarried.

ELLY WOULFE. married ? Collins

Goodbye to Ireland...

  Dublin was a grim place in early 1920. I.R.A. violence and brutal retaliation by the Black and Tan broke Great-Grandfather Michael's heart, and he felt Ireland was no longer safe for him or his children. We're talking about a gentle man whose duty up till then was catching pick-pockets and checking to make sure peoples' doors were locked at night. His world fell apart when fellow officers were brutally murdered, and suddenly he found himself trying to keep order in the middle of a bloody war of independence. In 1920, 500 other Dublin Metropolitian Police officers and Royal Irish Constabulary officers resigned, either out of fear for themselves and their families, or in disgust at the behavior of the Black and Tan Auxilliaries.

   The DMP's reputation had been soured when they broke up a Dublin demonstration in 1916 using billy clubs. One newspaper editorial cartoon showed a DMP officer swinging his baton at a child's head. The picture at left was taken on that only day that the Irish metropolitan police were ever armed. They were issued Royal Irish Constabulary Lee-Enfields. The decision was so unpopular that the rifles were quickly taken away again. 

    To the left is my collection of .303 Lee-Enfields. At the top is a Royal Irish Constabulary Carbine. Below that is an Irish Army Lee-Enfield. The "Irish" Lees were purchased from the British Government after independence. The original serial numbers were struck out, and they were marked with the "FF" for Fiana Fail.  In the 1980's, I bought a Lee Enfield #1 MK III dated 1918 from a fellow collector because I wanted to own a rifle like the one my Grandfather would have carried when he was in the British Army. In January, 2002, I was looking up some research on the internet on Lee Metford rifles for a friend and spotted a reference to "Irish" Enfields. It said they were #1 MK III's characterized by a struck out serial number with a new number stamped above. They also have the letters FF inside a circle stamped on the receiver. I rememberd seeing crossed out serial numbers on one of the old Enfields I own. I took down from the wall the Enfield I'd bought 20 years earlier, and right there were the crossed out serial numbers with different numbers above and a tiny circle with the letters "FF" inside. I couldn't believe it. The rifle I'd bought all those years ago to honor my grandfather turns out to be not just a veteran of the British Army in World War I, but was one of the rifles purchased by the Republic of Ireland in 1923, and disposed of in the 1980's.

  At the urging of his son John, Michael put the house in Dublin up for sale, and bundled the family off to Liverpool for the trip to America. The real estate agent who handled the sale of their house kept the money and disappeared.  Michael and John arrived first in November 1920 at Ellis island on board the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria.

  Pauline, her sister Maude O'Neill ( 9/23/1881 - 7/12/1961) ) and the remaining 7 children traveled in second class cabins. They saw the Statue of Liberty from the deck of the White Star Line ship H.M.S. Baltic in December 1920. (more below)

  Further inducement for leaving happened just a few months before. Michael's eldest son John was a member of the I.R.A.. He came home trembling one day, and told the family he had been walking down the street in Dublin with a friend when a shot rang out, and his friend dropped to the ground and died. He said he was finished with Ireland and was leaving.

 More historical notes...

  I have a Bronze medal with King Edward on the front. On the back, its dated 1903 below what looks like the seal of the city of Dublin. On the bottom edge, it's engraved "P.C. M Woulfe D.M.P" The medal was issued to all the Dublin Metropolitan Police officers who served during the King's visit in 1903. Both he and his brother Maurice would have been awarded these medals. They would also have been awarded a similar medal for the King's visit in 1911. 

HMS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria

  This is the ship Michael and John traveled aboard. Built by A/G Vulcan Shipyard, Stettin, Germany, 1906. 24,581 gross tons; 705 feet long; 77 feet wide. Steam quadruple expansion engines, twin screw. Service speed 17.5 knots. 2,996 passengers (652 first class, 286 second class, 2,058 third class).Built for Hamburg-American Line, German flag, in 1906 and intended to be the Europa. Renamed Kaiserin Auguste Victoria. Kaiserin Auguste Victoria made her maiden voyage from Hamburg to New York on 10 May 1906. She was used for Hamburg-New York service. She was laid up in Germany 1914-19. After the war, she was under U.S. control and was used to bring troops home during 1920. She was awarded to Britain for war reparations. Under Cunard ownership, and still using her German name, she then made ten Liverpool-New York round trips between February 1920 and January 1921. (during the time my Great-Great Grandfather and Jack Woulfe made the voyage) In May 1921, Kaiserin Auguste Victoria was sold to Canadian Pacific and was refitted by Vulcan at Hamburg for conversion to oil fuel. She was renamed Empress of Scotland, and entered Canadian Pacific service with a Southampton to New York trip which began January, 22nd, 1922 and was followed immediately by a Mediterranean cruise. She then entered Canadian Pacific's regular Hamburg to Québec service. Her final berth was at Southend in October 1930. She was sold for breaking up in December of that year. She burned at her berth at the shipbreaker's on 10 December. Raised in May 1931, she broke in two while being moved in June and was completely demolished by October 1931. Thanks to Ellisisland.org for the ship information and picture.

   RMS Baltic.

   It's the ship the rest of my Dunganville ancestors arrived on in December 1920. If the name of the ship rings a bell, it was the RMS Baltic that rescued 15 hundred passengers from the sinking R.M.S. Republic after it was accidentally rammed by the "Florida" in the North Atlantic in 1909. It was the greatest sea disaster story ever until the sinking of the Titanic 3 years later.   Length: 725 ft. Beam: 75 ft. GRT: 23,876 t Built: 1903 Harland & Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Operator: White Star Line Speed: 17 knots. Passengers: 2,875.

  The RMS Baltic was launched in 1903, the same year my grandfather was born.  The Baltic had quite a history. Besides at one time being the world's largest ship, she was also involved in a famous rescue.  When it was being built, already advertised as the soon to be the world's largest ship, a competitor started building an even larger ship. To make sure the Baltic would be the largest, it was decided to add another frame - another 20 feet. So, when the Baltic was launched, it WAS the world's longest ship. But, adding all the extra weight, combined with using the same engines and rudder design, made for a ship that struggled to make speed, used lots of fuel, and was difficult to steer.  Baltic was the third of White Star's "Big Four" -- Celtic, Cedric and Adriatic -- put in service in the early years of this century so White Star could provide weekly express service between Liverpool and New York. For reasons unknown, Baltic was always the most popular of these four virtually identical ships.

Historic Rescue...

   On January 23rd 1909 she picked up 1260 passengers and crew after a collision between the Liners Republic and Florida. The Baltic rushed to the rescue after getting a message over it's wireless telegraph. It was the first time the wireless had been used for an S.O.S - which was then known as a C.Q.D. Just an hour away from docking in New York, the Baltic turned around and then landed the survivors at New York the next day. It was an amazing rescue. The radioman on the Republic, Jack Binns, stayed at his telegraph key right until the sea was washing into the radio shack, and was highly regarded as a hero. The passengers on the Republic went by lifeboats to the less damaged Florida, but it was a much smaller ship, and grossly overloaded. In an unprecedented action, all 1260 passengers and crew were ferried by lifeboats to the Baltic when it arrived and taken aboard. It was one of the most dramatic rescues ever - but was overshadowed by the Titanic disaster.  Only 5 people died in the incident. Two passengers on the Republic, and 3 crewmen on the Florida were killed in the collision.  Her next date with history was April 14th 1914. Her radioman sent a wireless message to the Titanic warning of dangerous ice, and that she was forced to reduce speed to a crawl. Too bad the Titanic's Captain and crew didn't pay more attention. In 1915 she began serving as a troopship. She was attacked by a submarine, the UC-66 on April 26th 1917 but suffered no damage. In May of 1917 she carried the first US troops to Europe. Her final passenger voyage was September 17th 1932. She was sold for scrap in 1933, and set out for Japan where she was broken up.

Family Lore...

     Great Grandfather Michael loved his job as doorman at the Washington Hotel. Hundreds of guests over the years fell in love with the tall, gentlemanly Irish doorman with the long Blue cape, bushy white moustache, and distinguished-looking white hair. He stayed there well into his 70's.

Terrified of the Black and Tan....

  Ada remembers an incident when she was only 5 years old in Dublin...She was walking with her aunt Maude when a Black and Tan asked for a match. You didn't say no to them. The terrified Maude gave Ada a match and had her hand it to the man. She remembers that Maude was so terrified, it made her scared too.

Apples...what apples?

  Ada says a gang of the Woulfe children decided (at my grandfathers mischevious urging) to raid a neighbor lady's apple tree in Dublin. She says Michael climbed into the tree and shook it as hard as he could so the ripe apples fell to the ground. As the kids began scooping them up, the angry neighbor came screaming out of her home with a broom and the other children ran off, leaving Jack behind. He was too much the gentleman already, and stayed to face the music. She grabbed him by the ear and dragged him toward a policeman she spotted walking down the street. She angrily told the officer what the horrible little boy had done. The officer said he'd take care of the matter, and led the now REALLY terrified boy away. The Policeman was...Jack's father, my great-grandfather Michael. As soon as they were out of sight, he made Jack promise to never steal apples again.

No giggling while you get punished...

  Ada says their mother and Aunt Maude were the disciplinarians. She says when Great Grandfather Woulfe was ordered to punish the children, he'd take them into his room and close the door, then tell them to yell and scream while he pounded on the bed and other furniture. Ada says he never laid a hand on the children to punish them.

Why you shouldn't try to eat the dogs' food... I only vaguely remember meeting my Great Grandfather Michael. He died when I was 5. Probably the only reason I remember meeting him at all is...while I was visiting him at Gertie's, I stuck my hand in the dog's bowl - and the damn thing bit me on the arm. It happened in Gertie's kitchen. I can still remember it. Here he is at right bouncing me on his lap in Gertie's living room, probably only months before he died.

Other Woulfes buried at Grange Cemetery

There are 2 later Woulfe gravestones at Grange. One is for a Woulfe family of Ashgrove and another of Elm Hill.

Elm Hill Woulfes

**** Elm Hill Woulfes information from Mary Kennes In Alberta Canada... Her mother Joan still lives in Ireland, and she provided this information for Mary. Her branch is known as the The Elm Hill Woulfes. Her mother's generation were born in Rooska (Ardagh Parish). Joan's brothers Dick and John lived at the Elm House pictured below until Dick died in 2000 and John went into a nursing home. A sister May died in the 1990's. A brother Bill owned a Pub in Limerick and died in the early '90's. Bill's oldest son pat lives in Dublin. One other sister was named Ann. She is a Dominican Nun living in South Africa. The family moved to Elm Hill in about 1932. Some of the Elm Hill Woulfes are buried in the Church in Grange some outside. Mary's father James J Woulfe and her mother Joan were second cousins
Mary's Father's Aunt, Catherine Woulfe married Thomas Griffin. They eloped and went to the U.S. Their son, James A. Griffin, was a bishop in Chicago. He is buried in Springfield, Illinois next to Lincoln's grave. (From Chicago's Irish Families 1830-1900) He had 3 sisters: Lill, Agnes, Nell, They also lived in Illinois, they never married, they were teachers. Mary's father was born in 1904. She understands that the Griffins were first cousins. Mary's mother thinks the bishop may have had some brothers. Above is the old Woulfe House at Elm Hill.  The Elm Hill House Ghost.   Sadly, the old house is in terrible shape, with a huge hole in the roof. It looks quite spooky at night. While I was at Jack and Lill's in 2001, Lill told me the locals say they've seen a ghost outside the old house. Several people reportedly claim to have seen a ghostly little girl run up the front stairs and tug at the door as if she's trying to get in. Legend has it, a little girl was run over by a carraige in the drive right in front of the house, and it's her ghost that's forever trying to get back into her house.

Ashgrove Woulfes

  The Ashgrove Woulfes are descended from EDMOND/EDWARD/NED Woulfe (8) (b1821- d?) He left Athea and moved to Ashgrove. His is buried at TempleAthea. He was son of JAMES RICHARD of Drumalught (b1800 - d5/16/1875.(See Athea Woulfes)

John Kearns' Ardagh Woulfes

  John has been researching his Ardagh ancestors. He wrote the following history.

  My mothers name is Hannah Woulfe and she was born 20th Dec 1914. The birth was registered 19th March 1915 by her mother Jane Woulfe, formerly Kelly. (The family was called Kelly of Cahermile) The place of residence was Rathreigh. Hannah's father Michael had 2 brothers and a sister...John, Maurice (Mossie), and Mary Kate. The family lived at 12 St Mary's Terrace,Askeaton. Her father was known as Michael Woulfe of Rathreigh. He worked as a labourer for Lord O'Brien, along with one of his brothers. Jane Kelly Woulfe is buried in ARDAGH.I know this because my mothers Brother Maurice (known always as Mossie) died 6 years ago (1995) and his last wish was to be buried with his mother. Maurice never married, but retained the family home. In his later years, he moved to St Josephs in Limerick. Mary was born in 1912. She moved to Manchester England in 1937 and worked as a cook for many years. She married in 1950-ISH and had 3 children. She is still living. After working as a cook, she up nursing training during the war. She was working with my fathers two sisters, and through them she met him (he comes from Roscommon)

  Mum has 2 cousins still living that I have contact with, but to date I haven't had a chance to ask their permission to include them in this research. They are Jim Woulfe, who lives with his wife Mary just outside Adare-I do not know who Jim's father was.They were kind enough to put me up when I went to see Jack and Moss in about 1991, and subsequently for Jacks funeral in March 1993. The other cousin is Patsy,who lives at 1Brewery Lane ,Askeaton with his wife Ann.

  Jim and Mary also took me up to CARRICKERRY, next to Windles pub, and pointed out a derelict farm which they said is where my mothers Grandfather - yet another Maurice. I'm not sure of this now and it starts to get a bit confusing. I asked Mum.and she corroborated it. She said he was a grumpy old thing!! When I asked her about her Grandmother,she said she was Jane as well and she was a Woulfe--I don't know if this is true or wether she was a little bit mixed up with her own mother.