It is very kind of you to offer to help us Limerick researchers! Thank you.

My brick wall is this: In 1850 there is a family in Frederick County, VA headed by Eliza Limerick, age 36, born in Virginia. Prior to 1850 there were no Limricks there that I can find. She had the following children: Ellen 17, Margaret 15, Lucy 13 (my great grandmother), Catherine 11, Harriet 8, Philip 6, Caroline 5, Matilda 3, Martha 1. By 1860 Ellen is married, Caroline is elsewhere, and there is a John age 26 and Nancy 4 in Eliza's household.

Records that I have found show Eliza to be single. One account says that she was married to a John Ritter who died in 1854 - she was not. However, one son changed his name to Ritter and some of the daughters were referred to as members of the Ritter family, so it is certainly possible that a John Ritter was father to some or all the children.
I have been unable to place Eliza (in some records Mary Eliza) in any family that I know about.

If you have any information in your files that would help me identify (Mary) Eliza Limerick, I would be most grateful.

I have collected information about all her children - a little for some and a lot for others - which I will gladly share if anyone is interested. Lois Marbert