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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: Stiubhard on Saturday 14 April 12 16:44 BST (UK)
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I am trying to find where my great great grandfather, John McKenna, and his wife Margaret (Wilson) lived when they were n America in the 19th century. One of their daughters Jane McKenna was born somewhere in the US around 1861 (as shown on her place of birth on the 1901 and 1911 censuses). John and Margaret were married in Minterburn Presbyterian Church in Tyrone on Christmas Day 1852. One clue might be that a witness at their wedding was a George Bell, and a George Bell from Tyrone appears on the 1860 census for Chatham, Savannah, Georgia with his wife Susan, both borin 1822. There is no John or Margaret McKenna listed on the Savannah census, although their is a McKenna family. John, Margaret and Jane were all back in Ireland by 1864 when another daughter, Mary Ann is shown as born. Tantalisingly, although there is no John McKenna on the 1861 census there IS a Private John McKenna who enlists in the 22nd Batt Georgia Heavy Artillery Company C in May 1862, just after Fort Pulaski fell into Unon Hands and began a blockade of Savannah. The 22nd Battalion was raised in Savannah and locally recruited. He deserted in June 1863 and was not found. If that was the same man he could have been back in Ireland the following year for the birth of his daughter, although how he would have got out of wartime Georgia with a wife and young child would be problematic. However, that is conjecture. I was hoping to learn if anyone knew of George and Susan Bell and if they hailed from the Aughnacloy/Caledon area of Tyrone - Aghaloo or Carnteel parishes.
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George and Susan Greer Bell were my great great grandparents. They came to the US in after their marriage in 1844. They settled in Hoboken NJ and then relocated to Savannah, GA in 1859. Not sure where they lived in Northern Ireland, though it was County Tyrone. Susan's bible contains a printed label dated 1839 from the "Camown Sunday School" and her handwriting notes "Donagharrie" and "Donaghanie".
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Ah....now that's interesting. Omagh is where the River Strule and the Camowen River (modern spelling) meet, and a few miles outside Omagh, heading towards Beragh on the Camowen Road, you'll find Donaghanie. From there to Aughnacloy where my ancestor came from is about 16 miles, so no distance at all. Traditionally, couples married in the bride's church, so George may have worshiped at Minterburn, which would be about 23 miles from Donaghanie. If your great great grandparents left Tyrone before 1852 then it's unlikely that it is the same George Bell who witnessed my ancestors' wedding, but if they left after 1852 he might be. Either way, your great great grandparents came from a nice part of the world. I've been there many times. Thanks for the information.