In the late 1830's, the Dever Family of Co: Donegal,in the north of Ireland,was on the move.Although the potato blight had not yet come, life was neither peaceful or prosperous for this tribe of catholic patriots..The Act of the Union,Robert Emmit's crushed rebellion ,the new Irish Poor laws,Disenfranchisement and evictions,poverty ,and hunger---all these weighed heavily upon them James Dever , the family patriarch,was a man of Donegal,and as a man of Donegal he was resolved to remain.But his nine sons and four daughters felt the ties to the land less strongly.They decided to immigrate to America. Between 1840 and 1855 almost the entire clan left ireland. So decisively did they abandon the old homestead that fifty years not a trace of the family could be found in Donegal.Two of the brothers eventually settled in Mauch Chunk [now Jim Thorpe], in Eastern Pennsylvania. The rest of the Devers joined the great migration of their countrymen to Boston. Patrick Joseph Dever was one of the family making this move. He was on of the fifteen whenhecame to Massachusetts in 1840. Aside from the date of his arrival ,we have no record of his early career in America. Patrick had no money and no trade ,so we may assume that his first workwas simuliar to that of manya poor Irish immigrant of the day.------nasty ,brutish,and long. Sometime durring this period Patrick met Mary Lynch. It was a fortunate aquaintance forthe young man.The Lynch's were one of the the oldest of the Boston Irish Settlement. Mary's Grandfather had been one of theEmmett's Rebels,fleeing Ireland for America with a price on his head in 1803.Her father ,Martin Lynch was on of the community recognized leaders.He was a successful saloonkeeper and democratic ward politician.and--no small accomplishment-he had founded the cities first major Catholic cemetery. He also held a choice political appointment as an inspector at the federal customs house. Patrick and Mary were wed in the spring of 1855. At some point durring thenext few years,Patrick Dever became a currier,a skilled worker in leather.Wether Martin Lynch arranged for him to learn the trade is unknown. Though itwouldnt be the 1st time a father help the daughters husband. Nor can we determine if Martin gave the newlyweds any financial aide. We do know ,however,that Patrick Dever was able to buy land and open his own business in the town of Woburn Ma. in 1859. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----- Some things i can add they were bootlegers in donegal he was the ggrand uncle of Paul A. Dever [pronounced as in never] Paul A. was gov. of mass. and canadate for president in democratic primary 1948 against Truman. Some of the family stayed in woburn others went to boston and chelsea. i have almost all of this mass family.I am the grand nephew of Paul A. patricks brother EdwardDEVERS182?@IRELAND Neil DEVER1834,@IRELAND [30 IN 1860 CENSUS]30 Apr 1898@64 YRS,2 May 18981898@HOLY CROSS CEMETERY MALDEN MArs@111 merimack BOSTON MA1864-RS@93 LEVERETT ST.BOSTON MA.1865-RS@BURKE'S COURT ,BOSTON MA.LABORER,1867-1867BUGLES COURT-DAYLABORER-WEALTH$100,1860- FISHERMAN-RS BOSTON MA.,1869-RS BOSTON MA.,1869-rs@111 merimackBOSTON MA1864- CorneilusDEVER1820,abt@IRELAND rs@IRELAND1820,abt-TEAMSTER, WEALTH 30$,1860- MichaelDEVER1845,SCOTLANDrs@scotland1845abt-LABORER,BOSTON MA .1895 JamesDEVERrs@,IRELAND1838abt-rs@,IRELAND1838abt-rs@IRELAND1841 ,abt- rs@BOSTON MA.1842,abt- JohnDEVER1841,abt@IRELANDrs@IRELAND1841,abt-LABORER,RS@BOSTON MA.,1869- MaryDEVER1812@d.@80YRS 14 Mar 1892@12 NO. MONUMENT,AVE.HOLY CROSS CEMETERY MALDEN MA 7 brothers and 1 sister who has the two brothers and 3 sisters of patrick