4 people from the USA with common ancestors are an interesting match on Ancestry to my Mum and to her cousin Sylvia (not all my family are on Ancestry), and myself. Their ancestry goes back to 2 families who inter-married about 4 generations ago - the Coughlin and Ryan families. Two Coughlin brothers married 2 Ryan sisters and we match descendants of both these marriages. So I don't know if the match is from the Coughlin or Ryan side. The Coughlins have a Keefe ancestor, but that could just be a coincidence, and Ryan does crop up a fair bit in our Irish matches.
So one of the following people must be the source of our DNA match, perhaps via their parents or granparents, and maybe the places they came from might give clues as to where our ancesotrs came from.
Catherine Keefe was born 1826 in USA but her father William Keefe was born 1795 in Kilworth, Cork, son of David Keefe (believed from Kilworth) and Catherine Cunningham. Her mother Mary Higgins was born Fermoy, Cork (very near Kilworth). All, including Catherine's grandfather David died in the USA.
Catherine married Bartholomew Coughlin b. 1825 Lisgoold, Cork as were all his siblings, last one b. 1835. His parents were Timothy Coughlin born about 1787 Cork, Cork (1 tree has him d. 1874 Skull, Ireland) and Mary Daly b. about 1800 Cork, Cork. Mary's parents may have been maurice Daly & Julia Mahoney.
2 of Catherine and Bartholomews sons married 2 Ryan sisters.
The Ryan sisters - Father John was b. abt 1836 in England (one tree says Co Durham), his parents John Ryan and Margaret were b. about 1810 in Ireland. The Ryans were believed to be in USA by 1842. John Ryan junior married Julia Fitzimmons who was born 1843 in USA, but her father Patrick Fitzsimmons was abt 1800 b Ireland, her mother b USA.
This is a definite match but the shared ancesor could be a long way back. The posible relationship between our family and theirs has a 60% chance of being one of the following. 6C 6C1R 5C 6C2R 4C1R 5C1R 7C Half 3C2R 4C2R 5C2R 7C1R 3C3R 4C3R 5C3R
Searching Irish newspapers shows a James keefe living in Kilworth in 1837 - Freeman's Journal 23 February 1837 (FMP) - listed, with many others in returns of "Justice Rent" Jan 1837. And Pat Keefe & Michael Keeffe listed for Justice Rent in Freeman's Journal 23 February 1837.
The Coughlin/Ryan/keefe families ended up in the Newry Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota area. I read up a lot about the Irish settling here and came across other Keefe / O'Keefe families who were there. Apparently the name Newry was chosen in 1858 at the home of William Bell, as Newry was early township pioneer Thomas Fitzsimmons' hometown in Ireland. Perhaps a relative of Julia Fitzsimmons.
Google searches finds information e.g. a rootsweb post from Jim Cannon Sun 6 May 2001
Looking for others who are researching KEEFE/O'KEEFE families who were located in Geneva and Newry Townships in Freeborn County. Many are interred at St. Mary's Cemetery in Newry Township. Most importantly is William Keefe, born 1795, Killworth Parish, County Cork, Ireland and died 2 Sept 1885, age 84. He was m. to Mary HIGGANS (HIGGENS), b. abt. 1795, Femay Parish, Ireland and died 2 Dec 1885, Newry, age 91. Other possible relations are David Keefe, b. 16 June 1815, d. 13 Dec 1905. He was m. to Elizabeth GARDNER, b. June 1821, d. 28 June 1873. She was the dau. of Richard Gardner and Mary LAWTON. Also, Michael Keefe, b. 1819, d. 1900. He m. Ellen Keefe, dau. of Michael Keefe and Muriel MULCAHY. Some of these families located in Blooming Prairie, Steele County.
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