I am looking for Halligan relatives in Ireland. My great grandfather, John Patrick Halligan came to Mobile, Alabama, sometime around 1862. John was born in 1833 somewhere in Ireland. He was knowledgeable about building ships and could read and write. He married Alice Burns in 1865 (in Mobile) and had five children, Maggie, Josephine, Albert Sidney, Robert Lee, and Edmund Byrne Halligan. Edmund was a year old when he died. Robert did not marry and was 27 years old when he died. Maggie and Josephine were sent back to Ireland, when John Patrick's business closed in 1880. John Patrick left Mobile in 1880 to find work in New Orleans, Louisiana to support his family. One year later he died of a heat stroke. Alice died two years later of dysentery. They are both buried in unmarked graves. My grandfather, Albert Sidney was the only one left (that I know of). I believe he was raised by the Burns' family. I have found very little records here in the US of my family's. My grandfather, Albert Sidney died several months after I was born. I believe that he did not know much about his parents. He was only 3 years old when his father, John Patrick died, and 5 years old, when his mother, Alice died. I do know that my great grandfather, John Patrick designed and built a submarine during the American Civil War. I have copies of letters (in 1862) John Patrick wrote to General Beauregard about building a submarine (the "St. Patrick") to destroy the "Lincoln gun boats". Albert left his family at a young age (14 or 15) to go work on ships. He eventually became a marine engineer. He spent some time in New York City, which is where he married Johanna Coffee (born in Memphis, Tenn) around 1910. Supposedly, Maggie and Josephine came to New York City from Ireland for the wedding. A few years later, he moved back to New Orleans and fathered 3 children, Nellanna, John Francis (my father), and Thomas Sidney Halligan. Any information or help would be appreciated. I have been researching my genealogy for over 8 years, and keep hitting a brick wall when it comes to the Halligan line. Thanks, Mary Halligan Houston, TX USA