The John Comer and Maria Roach Family of South Bend, Indiana: An Analysis of this Irish Family's Migration from Ireland to South Bend Indiana and Beyond in South Bend St. Joseph Church and Sacred Heart Church Records, Census and other Resources
According to an August 2, 1858 Sacred Heart Church Marriage Record, Joannes Comer was the son of Martini Comer and Maria Kelley (of what appears to say Carlain Hills?) and Mariam Roach, the daughter of Gulielmi Roach of South Bend. My second great grandfather Martino Branan and Margarita Stoney were witnesses at the wedding. I have been able to trace this family from this marriage record through the 1860,1870, 1880 and 1900 census records. What is confusing is that she is listed as the daughter of Gulielmus Roach. William and Mary Roach (a family I have been tracing) have a daughter Mary but she was only 1 year of age in 1860.
According to the 1900 South Bend, Indiana census, John and Mary Roach both immigrated to the U.S. around 1850 and John became a U.S. citizen. It appears that my great grandparents were friends of theirs early on in their relocation to the South Bend area, but I have no idea if they knew them before their arrival in the area. Family lore has it that my great grandparents traveled by train with the McNulty's and Frains from New York to South Bend. The Comer family lived next door to my great grandparents in the 1870 South Bend, Portage Township Census and they appear in the baptismal and marriage records of my ancestors and their close friends the McNulty's and Frains. John and Mary Comer.
The objective of this compilation is to try to establish the earliest possible evidence of this family in the United States through all available resources. I would love to hear from anyone who believes that they may be a descendent of this family so that we can work together to find their origins in Ireland and migration trail to the U.S. This will most definitely be a work in progress and all findings I speculate on would have to be proven for accuracy with Ireland and U.S. marriage records, church baptismal records and death records among other genealogical resources. Please use this information with that caveat in mind so that nothing is assumed and no stones are left unturned to assure it's your family and the connection is accurate.
Research Observations and Analysis:
| Census, Church or other Record | Date Born, Baptized, Married | Father, Husband | Mother, Wife | Child | Occupation; Misc. Info. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacred Heart Church Marriage Records | August 2, 1858 | Comer, Joannes (son of Martini and Maria Kelly of Carlain Hills?) | Roach, Maria (son of Gulielmi of South Bend) | Witnesses were Martino Branan and Margarita Stoney of this Parish | |
| Sacred Heart Baptismal Record for Maria Anna | July 18, 1859 Birth and August 7, 1859 Baptism | Comen, Joanne | Roche, Maria | Maria Anna | Petrus Donaghoe and Mar. Right'ny sp?? (note says she married a Sidney Thottenton? |
| 1860 US Census for Olive Township, St Joseph County (Post Office New Carlisle) | July 5, 1860 | Comer, John, age 39 born in Ireland | Comer, Mary, age 27 born in Ireland | Value of Personal Estate $50 | |
| " | " | Comer, Mary, age 1 born in Indiana | |||
| Sacred Heart Baptismal Record, So Bend, IN for Margarita Helena | December 30, 1861 Birth and February 2, 1862 Baptism | Commen, Joanna | Rush, Mar. | Commen, Margarita Helena | Martinus Brennan and Helena Rush Sp (Carlain Hills? is mentioned with this record) Microfilm 1617239 |
| Sacred Heart Baptismal Record, South Bend, IN for Elizabeth | April 5, 1864 Birth and May 29, 1864 Baptism | Comen, Joanne | Rush, Maria | Comen, Elizabeth | Gulielmus Rush and Cathar Reiley sponsors |
| Sacred Heart Baptismal Record, So. Bend, IN for Elizabeth | September 9, 1865 Birth and November 24, 1865 Baptism | Commen, Joanna | Rush, Birgitta | Commen, Elizabeth | Joannes Stoney and Cath McClosky sp |
| Sacred Heart Baptismal Record, So. Bend, IN for Clara | February 28, 1866 Birth and April 29, 1866 Baptism | Commen, Joanne | Rush, Anna | Commen, Clara | Petrus Talbot adn Anna Talbot Sp (Carlain Hills is mentioned with this record) |
| Sacred Heart Baptismal Record, So. Bend, IN for Catharina | August 8, 1868 Birth and August 9, 1868 Baptism | Commen, Joanne | Rush, Anna | Commen, Catharina | Joannes Brennan and Anna Stoney sp |
| Sacred Heart Baptismal Record, So. Bend, IN for Maria Catharina | September 6, 1869 Birth and September 20, 1869 Baptism | Commen, Joanne | Roche, Maria | Commen, Maria Catharina | Michael Fresnay and Maria ? sp |
| 1870 US Census for Portage Township, St Joseph County, Indiana, (South Bend Post Office) | July 9, 1870 | Comer, John, age 48 born in Ireland | Comer, Mary, age 28 born in Ireland | Comer, Mary Anne, age 10 born in Indiana | Farming? for John's occupation; value of personal estate $200; They are next door to my Brennan (Branhan) family in this census |
| " | " | Comer, Margaret E, age 8 born in Indiana | |||
| " | " | Comer, Elizabeth, age 6 born in Indiana | |||
| " | " | Comer, Clara, age 4 born in Indiana | |||
| " | " | Comer, Theresa, age 9/12 born in Indiana | |||
| Sacred Heart Baptismal Record, South Bend, IN for Joannis Gulielmus | March 14, 1872 Birth and May 19, 1872 Baptismal | Comer, Joanne | Roach, Maria | Comer, Joannis Gulielmus | Joannes Redmont and Cath - ipsius? sp |
| St Joseph Church, South Bend Indiana Census for 1876 | 1876 | Comer, John age 39 | Comer, Mary (looks like it says Careless?) age 35 | Comer, Mary A, age of 16 | |
| " | " | Comer, Maggie, age 14 | |||
| " | " | Comer, Eliz age 10 | |||
| " | " | Comer, Clara, age 8 | |||
| " | " | Comer, Theresa age 6 | |||
| " | " | Comer, Jno age 3 | |||
| " | " | Comer, Agnes age 1 |
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| 1880 US Census for St Joseph County, Indiana, 4th Ward City of South Bend | June 2, 1880 | Comer, John, Head, age 53, born in Ireland, parents born in Ireland | Comer, Mary, wife age 39 born in Ireland, parents born in Ireland | Comer, Mary A, Daughter, age 19 born in Indiana | John 's occupation: Street crew?, dtr Mary A a House Servant |
| " | " | Comer, Margret E, Daughter, age 17 born in Indiana | House Servant | ||
| " | " | Comer, Elizabeth, age 15 or 16? born in Indiana | Home | ||
| " | " | Comer, Clara, age 14 born in Indiana | Home | ||
| " | " | Comer, Clarissa, age 12 born in Indiana | Home | ||
| " | " | Comer, Agnes, age 5 born in Indiana | Home | ||
| " | " | Comer, Alice, age 4 born in Indiana | Home | ||
| " | " | Comer, John, age 8, Son, born in Indiana | Home | ||
| " | " | Comer, Edward, age 5/12 mos. born January 1880 | Home | ||
| St Joseph Church, South Bend Indiana Census for 1876 | 1876 | Gomer?, John, age 53 | Gomer?, Meary age 69? | Gomer, Mary Anne, age 20 | This family is listed in the "G" section of the church census but I believe it is the same Comer family in their 1880 census |
| " | " | Gomer, Margarite, age 19 | |||
| " | " | Gomer, Eliza, age 16 | |||
| " | " | Gomer, Clara, age 14 | |||
| " | " | Gomer, Theresa, age 10 | |||
| " | " | Gomer, Johnnis?, age 8 | |||
| " | " | Gomer, Agnes, age 5 |
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| " | " | Gomer, Alia?, age 3 | |||
| " | " | Gomer, Edward, age 10 mos. | |||
| 1900 US Census for St Joseph County, Indiana, Portage Township, South Bend City, District 0128 Corby Street | June 11?, 1900 | Comer, John, Head, age 67 born June 1832 Ireland married for 42 years (married 1858) | Comer, Mary, Wife, age 56; born August 1843 Ireland 13 children, 8 living | Comer, Martin, Son age 15 born in Indiana on June 1884, Single; | says "ng" for John's occupation; Martin is in school |
| 1910 US City Directoryies 1821-1989 Ancestry.com database | 1910 | Comer, John (Mary) area living at 431 Corby; | John is lsted as retired | ||
| St Joseph Church Deaths (possible death record for John Commer head of this family) | March 11, 1910 | Commer, Joannes | age of 80- microfilm 1617235 St Joseph Deaths |