I'm so glad to see some activity on the Phelan-L. Have you ever heard the this story told in your family? It's our oral traditiion, and not all that many years ago, but I've never been able to find colaboration. Eight brothers came to US during the Irish famine c.1848-50 by ship. Got to St. Louis, MO, and split up to make their own ways. Didn't stay in contact with each other. My g-gf was John Phelan. He married Kate McGrath (m13JAN1866) in Quincy, IL, lived in southeast Iowa, and drowned (d27JUN1877) in a logging accident on the Mississippi at a fairly young age. The eldest of John Phelan's sons was Frank, b.1868. He "went west" and they didn't keep in contact. My grandfather, Lawrence, was b.1869. Other children were Elizabeth (Lizzie), b1871; Mary (Mayme), b1873; and Robert, b1877, who served in the Spanish-American War. Kate was left to raise these children alone. 1) I would like to find the place of origin in Ireland of my ggrandparents: 1. John Phelan (b ca. 1832 in Ire; d 27June 1877 Keokuk IA) 2. Katherine (Kate) McGrath (m John Phelan) (b. Ire; d 26Mar1920 Keokuk IA) 3. Richard Bannon (b 25Nov1843 Ire; d 26Mar1902) 4. Johanna Byrne (m Richard Bannon ) (b 2Nov1850 ire; d 23Mar1907) 2.) I would like to find anyone else with the "eight brothers" story in their family history. Patricia Phelan Dailey now in CA