Records

Jean:

Baptismal records for the RC church in Ballylanders do not begin until 1842 and marriage records start in 1848 according to RC Roots Ireland www.rootsireland.ie so it appears there are no church records available for your ancestors. Civil registration started in 1864.

Roger McDonnell

Jean,

Did he go directly to Wisconsin? Do you know uf he ever lived in Chicago or had any children? I have a mystery man on my family tree whose last name was Donovan, and my family is from Ballylanders. It's a long shot, but you never know. The Mr. Donovan I am looking for may have been married to my GG Grandmother Mary Long O'Sullivan around 1900 in Chicago. The only recird I have if his existance us a censys record. I do know that my Chicago family had friends and relatives in Wisconsin, though.

Very possibly...he went to Waterbury CT and lived there until about 1856.  He and his first wife lived in Milwaukee until after Civil War and then farmed in Brillion WI area.  He married his second wife(my great grandmother) in 1883.  After his death in 1894 the children from his first marriage all move to Chicago area.  A daughter, Mary(Mae) marries a man named Smith.  Because all the children move to Chicago it leads me to believe that they had relatives living there....perhaps thru his brother, John???  Anyway, my grandfather, Patrick, and my grandmother are married in Chicago. They met each other through relatives of the Donovans living in Chicago.  There certainly seems to be a connection as Ballylanders is not a large town.  The only Donovan child of Thomas that I cannot locate is Thomas Jr.  born in 1864.  

Hope this information is of some help.

Thank you.