Hi Listers, I'm looking for the origins of a William McQu* (McQuaid/oid/ade/aide/ead/?), who emigrated from Ireland pre-American Revolution, possibly with young son John. An 1890 Venango County (PA, USA) history book says the family immigrated to eastern Pennsylvania in 1764; but there is no source for this information. I've located two interesting contemporary newspaper items, one of which encourages the possibility of County Antrim as origin: ITEM #18795 October 2, 1755 The Pennsylvania Gazette "Willistown, Chester county, September 21, 1755. Whereas Patrick McQuead, son of John McQuead, living in the county of Antrim, in the parish of Derrylichin, in Ireland, came to some part of America about twelve years ago from England; if the said Patrick be alive, he is desired to send a letter directed to the care of Mr. Nathaniel Grubb in Chester county, to be left at the Printers hereof, and the favour will be thankfully acknowledged by ARTHUR McQUEAD." [accessed through Godfrey Library Scholar subscription (16 Sep 2005); via ³Accessible Archives² database: Pennsylvania Gazette] Considering my immigrant's eldest son was named John, it is possible this Patrick could be a brother, cousin or uncle to my William. There is also a Chester County connection with one of William's other 8 children. The other fascinating article is from the Belfast Newsletter and leads me to think the county history written 100 years later may have erred in the immigration date: Letter of Thanks from Passengers of Ship Prosperity SOURCE: The Belfast News-Letter, Friday 14 to Tuesday 18 July, 1775 ARCHIVE: The Central Library, Belfast KEYS: #SERIAL=1200303; #DATE=14:07:1775; #TYPE=EMG $$ TAGS $$ LOG Document added by LT, 19:12:00. IMAGES/TRANSCRIPT: "Belfast, July 15, 1775. HENRY McKEDY hath this Day received Advice, that the Ship Prosperity, Captain William McCulloch, who lately sailed from this Port for Philadelphia, arrived there the 7th June after a Passage of seven Weeks, all well. The said Vessel is soon expected back here, and will return shortly afterwards to Philadelphia with Passengers. The Passengers who went in said Vessel last Voyage were so well pleased with the Treatment they received on board, that they desired the following Certificate might be published:- Though we the undernamed are sensible that Captain William McCulloch's Character needs no Support from us, his humane Treatment of his Passengers being already well known; yet we think ourselves bound, in Gratitude, thus publickly to return him our most hearty Thanks for his unwearied Endeavours to contribute to our Happiness during our late Voyage from Belfast to Philadelphia, and are obliged to declare, that his distributing Plenty of wholesome Provisions, relieving the Necessitous, publickly exposing and punishing the Lewd and Vicious, and countenancing the Well-behaved, deserves Imitation and Applause. Given under our Hands at Newcastle, this 7th Day of June, 1775. James Conchy, John Hunter, Rev. James Martin, Samuel McFaddin, John Wright, Samuel Brown, Henry Wright, John Neilson, David Wright, John Young, James Wright, Philip Moynagh, Robert Ferguson, John Huston, John McCulloch, Robert Warnock, George Taylor, Alexander Tenant [Tennant?], Simon Boyd, Leslie Bryson, John Parkhill, William McQuoid." **** Adam Harbeson, I hope someone on the list may have knowledge of any of these McQu* in County Antrim (or elsewhere in Ireland) in the mid 1700s. Thanks! Carolyn McQuaid Thomas <http://www.rootsweb.com/~pavenang/census1830sugar.htm> - McQuaid <ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/venango/wills/mcquaidj.txt> - McQuaid <ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/cumberland/land/m2300001.txt> - McQuaid <http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/cumberland/1picts/mcquadewmland1812.jp g> - McQuaid <ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/cumberland/wills/m23001vendue.txt> - McQuaid