Sharlotte, I did find the statement of Marriage for Elisha Williams, b 1820 to Honora Winne in Newark, Essex, NJ. Date of marriage was 16 Aug 1852. This was found in Familysearch.org (The LDS web site). You might wish to search further there for the Dardis' If I find anything else I will let you know. I ran short of time. Dorothy In a message dated 12/19/2010 2:32:02 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, Donnelly@one.net writes: Hi, I am looking for more information on my husband's great-grandfather, Thomas John Donnelly, raised by John and Mary Dardis. What is the connection between the Donnelly and Dardis families? Thomas John Donnelly was the only child of Michael Donnelly and Honora "Norah" Winn Donnelly Williams, both from Ireland. Thomas was born in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey on July 28, 1849 and christened at Saint John Roman Catholic Church in Newark. Thomas' father Michael died a few days before Thomas' first birthday. As a baby or young child (sometime between the ages of 1 and 10), Thomas became the foster child of John and Mary Dardis, a childless couple from Ireland. After his father's death, Thomas moved first to the Spencer Township area of Jennings County, Indiana where he farmed with his Dardis family. Later (between 1870 and 1875), John and Mary Dardis and Thomas joined the rest of the Dardis family in Madison County, New York. A family tradition says that somehow Thomas lost contact with his birth mother. Two years after Michael's death, she married Elisha Williams of Newark and had more children. Thomas had at least three younger half-siblings of whom he probably was not aware. At age 32 Thomas married Honora "Norah" Heffernan Donnelly from Tipperary, Ireland on October 18, 1881 in Cazenovia, Madison County, and they had seven children: Helen Donnelly Dietz, Mary Donnelly Barrett, Nora Donnelly, Catherine Donnelly, John Dardis Donnelly, Thomas James Donnelly, and Dorothy Donnelly Heintz. They lived in Canastota, Madison County. In Indiana Thomas had farmed with his foster parents John and Mary Dardis. For most of his life, however, Thomas John Donnelly was a railroad conductor first for the New York Central Lines Railroad and then the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Thomas began work with the Lehigh Valley system February 28, 1882, as a trainman. On April 1, 1884 he was promoted to be a conductor and March 1, 1895 a passenger conductor, a position he held until his death. He died on March 14, 1928 in Madison County at age 78 after years of failing health. His funeral Mass was at Saint Agatha Roman Catholic Church in Canastota. His nephews were pall bearers. He is buried in Saint James Catholic Cemetery in Cazenovia. Officials and employees of the Lehigh Valley railroad gave him a tribute seldom, if ever before, accorded a Canastota citizen when they went there on a special train to attend the services. Every station on the Lehigh between Canastota and Cortland is said to have been represented among the party of railroad men. John Dardis, Jr. was born in Ireland in 1814 the son of John Dardis, Sr. and Mary Wade Dardis and the brother of Andrew Dardis. John Dardis, Jr. and his wife Mary Dardis came from Ireland to America, and for more than a decade they were farmers in the Spencer Township area of Jennings County, Indiana before returning to Madison County, New York to join other Dardis family members. Unable to have birth children, they adopted Thomas John Donnelly, the son of Irish immigrants Michael Donnelly and Norah Winn Donnelly, after Michael's death. In the 1870s the Dardis family returned to Madison County, New York, and John became a tanner like his father. John, Jr. died in 1887 in Madison County at age 73. He is buried in Saint James Catholic Cemetery in Cazenovia, Madison County, New York. Mary was born in Ireland in 1815. Mary died in 1876 in Madison County at about age 61. She is buried in Saint James Catholic Cemetery in Cazenovia, Madison County, New York. I would appreciate any help in figuring out the connection between the Donnelly and Dardis families. Where they related? Did John and Mary Dardis get Thomas John Donnelly in New Jersey or Indiana? Are there any photos of John and Mary Dardis? Why did the Dardis family leave Indiana for New York? Thanks, Sharlotte Neely Donnelly donnelly@one.net ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYMADISO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message