I have just come up as a DNA match to a descendant of the Fanning Stapleton family who came out to Australia in 1857 and 1858. They eventually settled in Esk Queensland. They had lived for some time in Guernsey in the Channel Islands.
The gentleman who matches me on Ancestry believes that John Fanning who married Judith Loobey was the brother of my grgrgrandfather William Patrick Fanning (Big Bill) of Sunnyside Bulla. He has joined my Fanning family with his on Ancestry.com. As yet I am not convinced that these two trees are connected.
I have just found the marriage record for John Fanning and Johanna Luby. They were married in an adjoining parish on 5 Feb 1825, in Boherlahan Parish. Judith Loobey came from Boherlahan and John Fanning from Moycarkey. Witnesses were John and ? Luby of Ballytarsna.
If John Fanning from Moycarkey was the son of Edmond Fanning and Judith Darmody born 1809 he would have been 16 years old when he married. This seems highly unlikely.
The only evidence or proof I have that this John Fanning who married Judith Looby is the son of Edward Fanning and Judy Darmody is my DNA match with this Fanning Stapleton descendant. But this match is quite small as we only share 8cms. This in itself could be okay but we don’t share any matches which is odd as I have two close Fanning cousins who are direct descendants on Ancestry and by rights they should have come up as matches. I have since found out that matches only come up if the people involved share at least 20 cms.
It is still quite possible that we are related but not as one of my grgrgrandfather’s brothers. On his tree he has many other Co Tipperary folk all living around Thurles where my grgrgrandfather was born.
I might add this family to my Ancestry tree and see if this produces any more matches. The offspring of John’s son Laurence and his wife Mary Stapleton were numerous. There must be many descendants of this family out there. Laurence Fanning and Mary Stapleton are in 58 trees on Ancestry!
I have two GedMatch numbers if any descendants want to see if we match. A029138 and T470174. My brother has done a Y chromosome test with FTDNA. His kit number is 120450. Early records are scarce so DNA matches may be the only way to figure out the relationship.
Here is some background on the Fanning Loobey Stapleton family. I’ll start with the children of John Fanning and Judith Looby. They lived in Moycarky near Thurles in Co Tipperary. John was a farmer.
Catherine Fanning born before 1830. I have no Baptism record for her as the Moycarky Church records start at 1830. Catherine came out to Australia in 1857 with her cousins, Walter and John Stapleton, on The Regina. her occupation was listed as cook. She paid a deposit for her brother Laurence Fanning and his family to come out in 1858 from Guernsey on The Mary Pleasants. Catherine was living in Surry Hills in Sydney. Her parents are listed as John and Johanna and deceased. She went on to marry George Ivory and died in Esk Queensland in 1878.
I have found the baptism records for four other children of John Fanning and Judith Looby.
Laurence (Larry) born Graigue baptised in Moycarky Parish 6 April 1830. Sponsors were Michael Looby and Mary Fanning. He married Mary Stapleton.
Ellen Fanning baptised 1 August 1832 in Moycarky Parish. Sponsors were John Donnelly and Mary Heffernan.
Mary Fanning, address Graigue, baptised in Moycarky Parish, 14 May 1834. Sponsors were Ed Donnelly and Anto Russell.
Johanna Fanning of Graigue baptised in Moycarky Parish on 3 Sept 1838. Sponsors were William Loughnane and Mary Cahill.
Laurence Fanning and his wife Mary Stapleton came out to Australia from Guernsey in 1858 on the Mary Pleasants. They arrived in Sydney from Liverpool on 16 Nov 1858 and settled first in Laidley Queensland and then in Esk Queensland. they came with three of their children: Johanna, Maria and John. John died on the voyage. Mary died in 1906 and Laurence the following year. They are buried in Esk. Laurence Fanning worked for the Queensland Rail.
