GOUDY / GOWDY; ANT>MI,USA; 1840-1861 Looking for Co Antrim ancestors and family of the following: Note, the spelling of the surname may be GOUDY, GOWDY or similar. Patrick GOUDY b: March 1825 in Co Antrim. His naturalization records indicates he emigrated in 1847, is in Otisville, MI by 1850. He was a farmer. John GOUDY. b: July 1830 in Co. Antrim. His census record indicates he emigrated to US about 1861, shows up in Otisville, MI by 1870. He was a teacher. Both men were active in the Episcopal church in MI. I have no direct knowledge of a family relationship of these two men, but John lived on Patrick's farm in MI, so I am assuming they may have been cousins - if not brothers. I have a record stating that John was born in Karif, but there seems to be no place in Antrim with that name. It has been suggested it might be Gleneriff, Fariffe or Fariff - said to be on the NW coast of antrim, near Cushendun & Ballycastle. I know these last two towns are near the north coast of Co Antrim. If they were from this area, what would have life had been like for the in the mid 1800's. Did the famine have a substantial effect on this area? Both men seem to have been educated before they emigrated - John was a teacher in MI, and there is no evidence Patrick spent much time before arriving in MI and was apparently able to read and write. How common was literacy in this area at this time? Given these items as facts, is it possible the GOUDY/GOWDY family were of the land owner class, and there might be existing records of the family in Ireland? Is the GOUDY/GOWDY surname common in the north of Antrim? Would appreciate any help on this line, including any web pages or family associations. Thanks, Stephen M. Olds [email protected]