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I've been searching for my great great grandfather Mathew Farrell (c1830).  He dropped from outerspace into Buffalo New York around 1848 or so. He first appears in a Buffalo census in 1860 with his wife Mary (Doyle) Farrell and children Thomas, Bridget, Ellen, Pierre (Perry) and John.  There were three more, I think.  Mary was an infant who died.  There was Michael that I could never track and a William (also known as Guglianas).  Using the Catholic Parish records I thought I found Mathew in a Farrell family in Castlepollard Parish in Westmeath, but I do not match the DNA of one of the brothers descendents.

I believe that Mathew came to Buffalo with brothers.  His daughter Ellen has a godfather named James, so I assume that James is a brother.  Also, after Mathew's death in 1870, his widow lived for a short time in the home of Christopher Farrell, who I also assme is a brother.  The family in Westmeath was of James and Bridget (Fagen) Farrell and had all three names...Mathew, James, and Christopher all at about the right time. There were two more brothers and a few sisters as well so it was a large clan.

DNA testing, however, has thrown us a curve.  My brother has done the YDNA67 test and has a terminal SNP of DC63.  This puts our origin more likely in Limerick, Tipperary, or Clare.  There's no telling when they may have left, however...if they even did.  Perhaps two or three generations earlier a Farrell moved from these counties elsewhere.  I thought it was worth a shot to check in here though.  I'll also post in Tipperary and Clare.  My fingers are crossed that some of this rings a bell to someone.

BTW...Mathew's two eldest children, Thomas and Bridget were born in Ireland to a different mother.  Mathew immigrated and Mary Doyle supposedly brought the kids over after he was established.  He and Mary got married in Buffalo and had several more children.

Tuesday 19th Jun 2018, 04:47PM

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  • Hi Nancy.  My second great grandmother was Anna Farrell.  Accoriding to obituaries, she was born in Tipperary in either 1830 or 1832.  At an early age she came to Buffalo NY and then on to Janesville, WI.  She married James Francis Cass 09 22 1851 at St. Patrick's Catholic church in Janesville.  James (also from Tipperary) and Anna settled on a farm in Cottage Grove, WI.  I beleve James' parents were in Madison along with their younger children.  A September 3, 1891 newspaper clip shows that Anna's brother William from Janesville was visiting her.  I have only causally researched the Janesville and Buffalo connections so far. I have done a YDNA test at Family Tree DNA, but since my farrell ancestor was a woman, i don't think that will help.Let me know if any of this rings a bell for you.  All the best,

    Pat Cass 

    pat.cass.cpa@gmail.com

     

    ixouser715307

    Friday 10th Apr 2020, 05:41PM

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