Last week, I was bound and determined to find birth and death dates for Michael Tattan (my gggg grandfather).  I’ve been stuck on Michael Tattan Sr for years!  (For those of you who are related to me….Michael Tattan…Nellie Tatten Campbell…James Campbell…Ellen Campbell Clark).  I couldn’t find records of him in Detroit, but I found 2 of his sons (Michael Jr and James) and 2 of his daughters (Nellie and Annie).  Then I thought I hit the jackpot.  I found cemetary records in Mt. Olivet for Michael Jr, Michael and another Tattan also.  So I wrote down the section and plot numbers and road tripped to the D (Detroit).

Two things about this.  Number one:  Mt. Olivet is a beautiful yet HUGE cemetary.  Number two:  Ask for help at the office in huge cemetaries before you go traipsing through monuments to the dead.  Otherwise you will spend over an hour wandering around looking at gravestones and never actually find the one you’re looking for.

By the time I got back to the Mt. Olivet office, it was closed.  Sadness.  But at least it was a warm sunny day and I got some Vitamin D in the D.  Right?  Right!

So the next day, I went on-line and tried to find records for Michael.  Nothing.  Nada.  Zip.

Then I made a great new friend named Jason.  Jason’s ggg grandfather is none other than Michael Tattan Sr!  His gg grandfather and my ggg grandmother were siblings who both came to Detroit from County Cork Ireland in the 1880’s!  We’ve been sharing family legends and stories about blind pigs during the prohibition in Detroit (and our family’s involvement) & other family history!  I’ve really been enjoying talking with him.

Not only did we share great stories, but my new friend solved the mystery of Michael Tattan Sr.  He told me that Michael Tattan Sr was baptized in Lisgood, County Cork Ireland on September 20, 1816 and died in his farmhouse in Carrigtwohill, County Cork Ireland between 1885-1887.

Michael and his wife, Mary Flynn Tattan, never left Ireland!!!

Hence why I couldn’t find concrete records of them in Detroit!

I also learned that Michael’s parents are Jasper Tattan and Bridget Callaghan.

Mystery Solved!

Love Velma

PS.  We have new mystery to solve this week though, as Nellie’s (who’s birth name is Ellen) baptismal record shows her being baptized at St. Mary’s in Carrigtwohill (see link for pics http://carrigtwohill.myparish.eu/) on 16 May 1858.  But most records I’ve found for her show her birth as May of 1868.  So I’m warming up the Mystery Machine…

PSS  Big thanks to my new friend and distant cousin Jason!