This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: DONOVAN,SULLIVAN,DOWNS,PHEIR Classification: Immigration Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/wJT.2ACEB/666 Message Board Post: MY GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS TIMOTHY DONOVAN,WHO WAS BAPTISED AT SKIBBEREEN,CORK,IRELAND AT ST, PATRICKS CHURCH,PARISH OF ROSS ON APRIL 9,1819.HIS PARENTS WERE DANIEL and catherine DONOVAN FROM THE DISTRICT OF LEAP (NAMED AFTER A FAMOUS LEAP BY A DONOVAN TO ESCAPE ENEMIES) ACCORDING TO FAMILY LEGEND HE WAS A GROOMSMAN ON THE O'DONOGHUE ESTATE AND LEFT IRELAND DURING THE FAMINE, FIRST MARRYING THE DAUGHTER OF THE ESTATE, WITH HIS FOUR BROTHERS.HER NAME WAS JOHANNA.THEY LANDED IN BOSTON THEY WORKED THEIR WAY TO NY, WIDENING AND EXTENDING THE ERIE CANAL. A REFERENCE IN JEREMIAH O'DONOVAN ROSSA'S BOOK 'IRISH REBELS IN ENGLISH PRISONS GAVE AN ADDRESS OF 264 SCHERMENHON ST.BROOKLYN 1838 (MAY BE 1858) FOR HIS BOYHOOD FRIEND AND KINSMAN, TIMOTHY DONOVAN. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO TRACE THE EXACT RELATIONSHIP, BUT ROSSA'S SECOND WIFE WAS MARY McCARTHY WHICH WAS COMMONLY HEARD IN THE FAMILY.(I REGRET THAT I DIDN'T LISTEN CLOSER TO THE LITANY THAT SEEMED TO BE RECITED AT EVERY FAMILY GATHERING - HE WAS A SON OF, SHE MARRIED SO AND SO - BUT IT BORED ME AS A CHILD) TIMOTHY BECAM,E A TRACK BOSS AND BUILT THE ERIE RAIL ROAD TO CALLICOON. THEN HE AND TWO FRIENDS HOMESTEADED A HILLTOP IN 1870, NEAR KIRKWOOD, NY. TIMOTHY HAD THREE CHILDREN, CATHERINE AND ELLEN BORN IN NY. CITY BROOKLYN AND WILLIAM BORN ON THE FARM NEAR KIRKWOOD. TIMOTHY DIED IN`1884 (JAN) AND JOHANNA IN (DEC) SAME YEAR. MUCH TROUBLE IN THE FAMILY OVER THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE TWO FARMS AND EXTENSIVE LIVESTOCK HE HAD ACCUMULATED. ACCORDING TO FAMILY LEGEND THE FOUR BROTHERS CONTINUED WEST, BUILDING AND WORKING ON THE RAILROADS. OR AS THEY SAID IN THOSE DAYS 'THEY WENT TO PENSYLTUCKY" ONE BROTHER WAS IDENTIFIED ON MY GRANDFATHERS TOMBSTONE AS WILLIAM WHO DIED IN NOV.1857. THE ONLY OTHER INDICATION I HAVE IS THAT JOHANNA DONOVAN ARRIVED IN BOSTON IN APRIL, 1848 WITH A YOUTH PATRICK WHO MAY HAVE BEEN THE YOUNGEST BROTHER MY MAIL ADDRESS IS 12401 N. 22 ST TAMPA, FL. 333612 APT F-702 HOPE THIS HELPS YOUR SEARCH JIM DONOVAN