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Hello, I am researching my Great Great Great Grandparents of my paternal lineage among several others.  In a historical book I found on the families of Walworth County, WI there is a story about my paternal family coming to the U.S. and settling there.  It basically says that in 1815 my Great Great Great Grandparents John Curran (b. 1770's, Enniskillen) and his wife Ellen (McNamee) Curran (d. Walworth County, Wisconsin) Emmigrated to New York, NY along with their children:  Henry P Curran (b. 1803 Fermanagh), James Curran (b.1812 Enniskillen), Mary Curran (unknown b.), and John (b.1803-1812? Fermanagh).  Once in NY, the family settled for a bit before the father, John and daughter both were ill and passed away.  After that the remaining family traveled west to stop in Michigan and finally continue on to Walworth county and homestead there.  Ellen and Henry and James were to take the southern route through the US and the other son, John was to take a northern route (Canada?) and meet up with them.  He never arrived and it is a mystery as to where he ended up or got ill and passed away.  I am trying to research the father, John and his wife Ellen.  I have no information as to John and Ellen's parents or background.  I am also interested in the wives of the sons that made it to the U.S. and their lineages.

Henry P married a Margaret McQuade in New Jersey before traveling west.  I don't have any information about her parents, but she was born in 1804 in Ireland.

James married a Jane Brown (b. 1818 in Ireland) and they had George b.1834, Ann b.1837, Henry (my Great Grandfather) b.1838 Jackson County, Michigan, U.S., Ellen b.1839, Jane b.1841, Mary, John, Eliza(beth?), Catherine b.1850(who I am named after). All children were born in U.S. as they married in the U.S. after both families had emigrated. 

Jane's parents were George Brown b.1787 Fermanagh, and Ann Dugan b.1781 Enniskillen.  George was apparently a soldier in the British Army and was stationed on the Isle of Jersey and likely moved back to Enniskillen before coming to the US in 1839-1840. They had 2 other children, John b.Ireland or Isle of Jersey, and Elizabeth/Betsy b1822 Munster.  John Emigrated to Michigan in 1838 before his parents who followed after and they all ended up in Walworth County, WI. He married a Catherine Reid who was also from Ireland. Elizabeth married a Thomas Delaney b.1813, Kilkenney.  They had several children George, Ann, Mary, Margaret, John, William, Thomas, Jane, Dennis, Elizabeth, Patrick, James, and Valentine.  I'd be interested in knowing more about Ann Dugan and her parents and George Brown and his military record if it's available somewhere.  I wasn't able to determine where their son John was born.  I couldn't find records for Isle of Jersey.  

My Great Grandfather Henry b1838 married a German woman Rosina Josephi Zang  who had several children including my grandfather, George Francis who married my grandmother Agnes Meyerhofer, who was Austrian and German.  So I am 1/8 Irish, 1/4 German, 1/8 Austrian from my father's side. The other half is Scottish, Welsh, Dutch, French from my mother's side.

If anyone could help me out with any of the Irish surnames I would appreciate it greatly!  Thank you.

KatyCurran

Wednesday 20th Aug 2014, 04:22PM

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  • Dear Katy

    Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out and apologies for the delay in getting back to you!

    You have been lucky to find out so much about your family so far, congratulations on your research to date! Have you already tried using familysearch.org or rootsireland.ie to search for the Irish side of the family? The latter is a subscription site.  

    Best wishes

    Clare Doyle

    Genealogy Support 

    Clare Doyle

    Monday 25th Aug 2014, 03:50PM

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