Hugh and Mary (Kiernan) McGeehan
Immigrant ancestor Hugh McGeehan came to the US during the potato famine, probably arriving in New York City on 10 April 1848 aboard the Ambassadress that had embarked from Cork. Hugh's obituary reported that he had been born in County Donegal, but we do not know which parish or town he was from. Hugh married Mary Kiernan, whose own obituary indicated she had emigrated around 1851 when she was about 20; we do not know, however, if she came alone or with other family members. According to his death certificate, Hugh was the son of John and Mary McGeehan.
A Hugh McGee (aged 27) is enumerated in the 1850 census in Ransom Township, Luzerne Co, PA, in the household of Lawrence Gaffney; about 26 other single Irish laborers also are listed in the same residence, suggesting they worked for Gaffney in some kind of dormitory or barracks-type living arrangement. No other listing for a Hugh McGeehan under any spelling can be found, either in Pennsylvania or in any other state.
By 1860, Hugh was married and lived in Hazle township with his wife Mary and small son, Edward. (That year, their household also included Michael Canan [23] and Hugh Canan [21], both born in Ireland; it is possible that they were actually Michael and Hugh Kiernan -- census takers were notoriously poor spellers -- but we have no further data at this point to confirm this possibility.) Hugh never learned to read or write, according to census records, although Mary could. He was identified in the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses as a "laborer," although his work was not always constant; in 1880, for instance, he told the census enumerator that he had been unemployed for 7 of the past 12 months. In 1900, he described himself as a "capitalist."
It's unclear when he purchased "The Homestead," the tavern that he and his sons ran in Hazleton for years. We're still looking into records on that purchase. Hugh and Mary's eldest son, Edward J., became a doctor; Edward's sister Anna (who married John J. Gough) named one of her sons Edward John -- and this Edward also became a doctor, in honor of his uncle.
Hugh McGeehin (b. Apr 1826, Co Donegal, Ireland - d. 17 Apr 1903, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA)
m. 20 Jan 1859, in Hazleton, Luzerne, PA
Mary Kiernan (b. 1830, Ireland - d. 28 Aug 1898, West Hazleton, Luzerne, PA)
Children:
i. Edward J. McGeehan (b. Nov 1859, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA - d. 24 Jan 1926, McAdoo, Luzerne, PA); m. Bridget
ii. Mary McGeehan (b. 4 Jul 1861, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA - d. 7 Nov 1916, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA), m. John James Burns
iii. John J. McGeehan (b. Apr 1863, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA - d. 1924); m. Mary Ann O'Donnell
iv. Anna McGeehan (b. 15 Aug 1865, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA - d. 14 Aug 1944, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA), m. John J. Gough
v. Hugh McGeehan (b. 26 Jul 1867, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA - d. aft Aug 1930); m. Catherine Fallon
vi. James E. McGeehan (b. Nov 1869, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA - d. aft 1910); m. Ellen C. [last name unknown]
vii. Margaret McGeehan (b. 25 Jul 1875, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA - d. 1929, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA); never married