Bridget Dalton née Maher--Gortnahoe to Iowa via New Jersey

 Bridget Dalton was Ellen's sponsor (aka Matron of Honor) at the marriage of Ellen Maher and Patrick Joseph Murphy in Iowa 1871. She was born in 1841, in the town of Ballinastick in the RC Parish of Gortnahoe in 1841 to Patrick Maher and Bridget Mullally. You will note that Bridget's baptismal sponsors were John Cormack and Ellen Cormack.

Patrick Dalton was born in Gortnahoe in 1840 to John Dalton and Margaret Dwyer.

Bridget married Patrick Dalton in the Parish of Gortnahoe in 1863. Their sponsors were James Cormack and, what appears to be, Minnie Maher. Bridget was living in Ballinastich at the time of her marriage.

Bridget and Patrick emigrated to the USA sometime between their marriage and 1870, and lived in New Jersey before they moved to Iowa.  We know this from the 1870 census record. This record is of particular importance because by 1870 they had 3 children all born in New Jersey, and it notes that Patrick worked for the railroad. Ellen Maher married Patrick Joseph Murphy in December of 1871 in Iowa. So, sometime after this census (June 1870) and December of 1871, they all moved to Oskaloosa Iowa. Patrick Murphy worked for the railroad as well. Perhaps that's how they met.

Ellen and Patrick moved to New Jersey, and in particular Mercer County in the early 1870s; Bridget remained in Iowa the rest of her life. This leaves us with a few questions:

1. Did Ellen move out to Iowa with Bridget and Patrick (she was not living with them in 1870)? 

2. Did Ellen meet Patrick in Iowa or in New Jersey (if he was there on a visit or work)?

3. Since Ellen did not live with Bridget in 1870, who was she living with?

4. Who were the other family members in NJ?  btw: you will notice that there is a Michael Maher further up on the 1870 census who is also a railroad worker. This Michael is 24 at the time. Family?

Sadly, Patrick and Bridget both died fairly young: Patrick in 1895 and Bridget in 1898. They had 8 children:

1. MaryAnn
2. John
3. Johanna
4. Josephine
5. Ellen
6. William
7. James
8. Kathryn Elizabeth