According to his death certificate, William Mahoney was born 1854 in Williamsport, OH to Patrick Mahoney and Margaret Gray, immigrants from Ireland. We don't know if they were married in Ireland or in OH. They are not listed in the 1850 census There are 4 towns named Williamsport in OH; plus 3 Williamsburgs, 1 Williamston, and 2 Williamstowns. Was there a group of Irish immigrants in any of those towns in the 1850s? Is anyone researching in any of those towns? I would greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thanks! -Judy ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

During the first half of the nineteenth century, thousands of people of Irish descent migrated to Ohio. Many of these people came to Ohio as a direct result of the potato famine in Ireland during the 1840s. Unable to pay mortgages for their land due to the poor potato crop, many of these people hoped to come to the United States to start their lives again. Many arrived with nothing more than a few pieces of clothing. While most of these people hoped to become farmers, without any money, they took whatever jobs they could receive. These jobs were usually among the least desirable ones in the United States, because of the hard work and the poor wages. Many of these people who came to Ohio first served as laborers on canals like the Ohio and Erie Canal and the Miami and Erie Canal. Once railroads arrived in the state, many of these same workers helped lay the track. Earlier Ohioans did not always receive the Irish migrants with open arms. Most Ohioans were from Protestant faiths, and opposed the Irish, who usually followed Roman Catholicism. Struggling Ohioans also did not like competition from the recently arrived migrants. During the 1850s, many Ohioans joined the new Know-Nothing (American) Party. This political party vehemently opposed new immigrants -- especially the Irish -- from coming to the United States. Hatred of the Irish was so deep during this time period that many communities required deceased Irishmen and women be buried in Irish-only cemeteries. Despite their difficulties, many of the Irish migrants succeeded in establishing successful lives in Ohio. They also helped improve Ohio's economic standing by helping the state establish a transportation infrastructure. ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 4:11 PM Subject: [IRISH-AMER] Williamsport, OH abt. 1857 > According to his death certificate, William Mahoney was born 1854 in > Williamsport, OH to Patrick Mahoney and Margaret Gray, immigrants from > Ireland. We > don't know if they were married in Ireland or in OH. They are not listed > in > the 1850 census > > There are 4 towns named Williamsport in OH; plus 3 Williamsburgs, 1 > Williamston, and 2 Williamstowns. Was there a group of Irish immigrants > in any of > those towns in the 1850s? Is anyone researching in any of those towns? > > I would greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thanks! > -Judy >