This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: TyroneExPat Surnames: McCARROLL, CARROLL, McCUSKER, GAFFIGAN Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.carroll/7098/mb.ashx Message Board Post: OWEN McCARROLL was the son of Eugene CARROLL and Catherine (we don't know her maiden name), and they were farmers. He was born about 1840, in the Donacavey Civil Parish. In all likelihood, this family moved from Donacavey to Clogher parish because they made their home in the townland of Corkhill. When he married my great grandmother he was registered as Eugene, but he signed the register as Owen. CATHERINE McCUSKER was my great grandmother and she came from the townland of Augharonan, also in Donacavey. They were wed on 25 June 1867 in my great grandmother's church in Donacavey. Owen and Catherine had a number of children: Ellen, b. 1871 - 1917, married Andrew BOGAN; Patrick (also known as The Yank), b. 1873 - ? (He appears to have been buried in the family plot at Eskragh). Thomas, b. 1875 - ? married to Catherine (Kitty) DALY (DALEY? from Newtownsaville) and emigrated to USA, and became known as Carrolls. Owen was next in line, b. 1877 - ?, and he married Brigid CONROY in Beragh, and lived in Curr. My grandfather finally came along, and he was Michael Joseph (Mickey), b. 1879 - d. 1924. Then there were: Jane, b. 1871; and Hugh, b. 1883, both of whom lived in Corkill with their mother Catherine until her death in 1916. When Patrick was baptised on 7 March 1873, the given family name was Owen CARROLL, and Catherine's maiden name was listed as McKUSKAR. The baby went by Patrick Carroll. We have no other record that this was a common practice, but it seems that in the States those that immigrated were known as Carrolls. The family farm house in Corkill was there when I visited, but it was removed about November 1982. I understand that the property is possibly owned by DEVINE family, who are also cousins. The resting place is the family plot in the R.C. Church Graveyard in Eskragh (Eskra). By now, Mickey left the farm and became known as Michael Joseph Carroll. He migrated to California in 1887, aboard the Etruria, to join his brothers in San Francisco, Thomas and Patrick, who had become USA citizens. In 1904 he also gained US citizenship. After about 14 years in California's Bay Area he then returned to Fintona. He was to get married and begin a family in 1912. There is some speculation that he was ill in California and returned to Ireland because of that reason, and had recovered. My grandmother Agnes Bridget, or "Aggie," was born around 1888 in San Francisco, California, USA to John AMOS GAFFIGAN (see another posting dealing with the Gaffigans on this site) and Maggie CRENNAN. My grandmother was described in the San Francisco Call Index upon her death as being Mary Agnes (Aggie) Bridget Crennan Carroll. She remembered living though San Francisco's great earthquake and fire of 1906. She left for Ireland when she reached majority, but we do not know if she accompanied Mickey McCarroll on that journey. But instead of being married in the Fintona area, where he chose to settle as a publican/merchant after residing in Omagh at least until 1914, they were wed on 25 June 1912, at St. Patrick's Church in Dundalk, County Louth. We don't even know if they traveled together, what ship they were on, where in Ireland they landed, or where they stayed before they left for County Tyrone. Mickey, or Michael Joseph, became a publican/auctioneer/seller of shoes and coffins on the main street in Fintona (the pub owned by the late Mr. Francis McAtee). There was some gossip that he purchased the public house in Fintona from his mother's estate, or from some relative of the McCuskers. Michael and Agnes had a number of children, including my father: Michael Joseph, b. 25 March 1914 in Omagh; Patrick Eugene, b. 1915 who passed away after three days; Mary Catherine (who became Maura when she migrated to the USA), 1917 and passed away in 2004; Thomas Leo, b. 1918; Bernadette Anthony, b. 1919; and, Kevin Barry, b. 1921. My grandfather was to pass away at age 44 in Omagh, and was buried in Eskra's Catholic Cemetery. After they had sold the pub on Fintona's main street, my grandmother packed up the children and returned to San Francisco. Their voyage was on the S.S. Cameronia, a Lloyd's mail ship which left from the Clyde in Scotland and picked up passengers at Moville, near Derry. They then proceeded back to San Francisco. The Carrolls resided in the Saint James parish, where the children went to elementary school at St. James. The boys went on to Sacred Heart High School and the girls went to the Sisters of Notre Dame. Finally, they then moved to the 14th and Delores area and remained in that area until just before World War II. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.