We don’t know much about the parents of Hugh McGeehan and his siblings, including something as simple as their names. Hugh’s death entry in county records lists his parents’ given names as John and Mary, but the death certificates for brothers James and Daniel McGeehan say their father was Edward McGeehan, with Daniel’s certificate listing Ann Boyle as his mother. So that gives us Edward or John, and Ann or Mary.
The obituaries for both Hugh and his sister Susan McGeehan Lockman identify County Donegal, Ireland, as their original home in Ireland, while Susan’s obit goes further and specifies Derryleconnell as her birthplace.
Edward/John and Ann/Mary had at least eight children, judging from obituary, church, and court records in America: Patrick, Mary, and Bridget, who apparently lived in Ireland their entire lives, and Rose, Hugh, Susan, James, and Daniel, who all emigrated to eastern Pennsylvania in the general Hazleton area. There could be more but these are all that are supported by records so far.
Here is our reconstruction of this McGeehan family, based primarily on records created by and for the children who emigrated to the United States.
Published obituaries were very helpful. Hugh’s obituary lists his surviving siblings as James and Daniel McGeehan of Hazleton; Patrick McGeehan of Ireland; and Mrs. Susan Lockman and Mrs. Rose McGlynn of Hazleton. Susan’s obituary one year later identifies her surviving siblings as James and Daniel McGeehan of Hazleton; Mrs. Rose McGlynn of Hazleton; and Patrick, Mary, and Bridget of Ireland. Rose’s obit in 1905 lists brothers James and Daniel of Hazleton. Finally, Daniel McGeehan’s obituary said that he resided with his niece, Bridget [McGlynn] Harkins, who was the daughter of his sister, Rose McGlynn. (We could find no obit for James as there are no surviving copies of Hazleton newspapers for 1916.)
Baptismal records at St. Gabriel’s R.C. Church in Hazleton further reinforce some ties. Rose was the 1861 baptismal sponsor for Hugh’s eldest daughter, Mary, while Daniel McGeehan served as sponsor at the baptism of Hugh’s son, Hugh Jr., in 1867.
Both Hugh’s and Susan’s obituaries say that their brother, Patrick, was still alive and living in Ireland. The 1901 and 1911 Irish censuses have a Patrick McGeehan living in Derryleconnell Townland, Lettermacaward District , who is 63 in 1901 and 75 in 1911. We still have a lot of research to do before moving this Patrick from “possible” to “probable,” however.
Edward or John McGeehan (b. ca. 1800, Derryleconnel, Co. Donegal, Ireland — d. aft. 1845, probably Derryleconnell Near, Co. Donegal)
m. ca. 1822 in Co. Donegal
Mary Boyle (?) (b. ca. 1801, Co. Donegal, Ireland — d. aft. 1845, probably Derryleconnell Near, Co. Donegal)
Children:
i. Rose McGeehan (b. Apr 1825, Derryleconnell Near, Co. Donegal, Ireland — d. 14 Jan 1905, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA); m. Peter McGlynn)
ii. Hugh McGeehan (b. Apr 1826, Derryleconnell Near, Co. Donegal, Ireland — d. 17 Apr 1903, West Hazleton, Luzerne, PA); m. Mary Kiernan
iii. Susan McGeehan (b. Nov 1829, Derryleconnell Near, Co. Donegal, Ireland — d. 5 Mar 1904, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA); m. Thomas Lockman
iv. James McGeehan (b. Sep 1836, Derryleconnell Near, Co. Donegal, Ireland — d. 18 Sep 1916, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA); m. Margaret McKiernan
v. Patrick McGeehan (b. 1837/8, Derryleconnell Near, Co. Donegal, Ireland — d. aft 1903, Co. Donegal); m. Anne (last name unknown)
vi. Mary McGeehan (ca. 1838, Derryleconnell Near, Co. Donegal, Ireland — d. aft 1904)
vii. Bridget McGeehan (b. ca. 1840, Derryleconnell Near, Co. Donegal, Ireland — d. aft. 1904)
viii. Daniel McGeehan (b. Mar 1844, Derryleconnell Near, Co. Donegal, Ireland — d. 10 Mar 1923, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA); m. Mary Quinn
Sources:
- Rose McGlynn obituary, died 14 Jan 1905, Hazleton, parents not named, survived by one daughter, Mrs. Daniel Harkins, two brothers, James and Daniel McGeehan, of this city, Hazleton PA, The Plain Speaker, 16 Jan 1905, p 5.
- Peter McGlinn HH, 1870 US census of population, Hazleton, Luzerne Co, PA, 9 Jun 1870, Hazleton Borough, page 44, dwelling #217, family #320.
- Daniel Harkins HH, 1900 US census of population, Hazleton, Luzerne Co, PA, 9 Jun 1900,ED 59, SD 6, sheet 24B, dwelling #66, family #68, 118 Pine Street, ll 53-62, Ancestry online
- Hugh McGeehan obituary, dated 18 Apr 1903, parents not named, born in County Donegal, names late wife, children, surviving siblings; Hazleton, Daily Standard, p 5.
- Hugh McGeehin record, age 78, born Ireland; resided Hazleton; died 17 Apr 1903; buried 20 April; parents John and Mary; Luzerne Co PA Deaths, 1900-1905, page 341, image 395 (FHC #960582)
- Hugh McGeehin HH, 1900 US census of population, West Hazleton, Luzerne, PA, 6 Jun 1900, sheet 9, dwelling #151, family #164, 118 East Broad Street
- Hugh McGeehan to Mary Kernan, Marriage Record, St. Gabriel’s Church, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA, 20 Jan 1859, Bernard Crossin and Johanna Laughlin, witnesses; Fr. P.J. Nunan, presider.
- Mrs. Susan Lockman, obituary, 5 Mar 1904, parents not named, born in Derlaconnell; arrived in America (Philadelphia) in 1854; names late husband, children, surviving siblings, Hazleton, The Plain Speaker, 4 Mar 1904, p 1.
- Susan Lockman HH, 1900 US census of population, Hazleton, Luzerne, PA, 2 Jun 1900, ED 63, SD 6, sheet 4A, dwelling #53, family #53, 539 NE side Grant STreet, ll 21-25, Ancestry online
- Susan Lockman, death records, Luzerne County, died 3 Mar 1904, asthma, 75 years old, born Ireland, parents not named, died Hazleton, to be interred in Hazleton; FHL #960582, DGS #7621885
- Joanna Lockman McKenna, certificate of death, PA Dept of Vital Records, file #89567, 17 Oct 1947, 17 Oct 1947, coronary occlusion, 1 Aug 1879 (sic), Hazleton, Thomas Lockman, Susan McGeehan, parents; Patrick J. McKenna, husband, illegible
- James McGeehan, certificate of death, PA Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, file #93651, dated 18 Sep 1816, date of death 18 Sep 1916, gastritis, colitis, 82 years old, born in Ireland, parents: Edward McGeehan, mother unknown, Edward McGeehan, informant, PA Death Certificates online, accessed 16 Feb 2021
- Margaret (McKiernan) McGeehan obituary, Hazleton, Daily Standard, 25 Mar 1895, page unknown.
- Patrick McGeehan household, 1901 census of Ireland, Derryleconnell Near, County Donegal, March 1901, house #23, census.nationalarchives.ie
- Patrick McGeehan household, 1911 census of Ireland, Derryleconnell Near, County Donegal, April 1911, house #7, census.nationalarchives.ie
- Daniel McGeehan (obituary), died 10 Mar 1923, Hazleton, parents not named, survived by daughter, Miss Anna McGeehan, adopted daughter Mrs. Bella Connors, niece Mrs. Bridget Harkins, Hazleton, Standard-Speaker, 12 Mar 1923, Monday, p 12
- Daniel McGeehan, certificate of death, PA Dept of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, file #35579, dated 10 Mar 1923, date of death, 10 Mar 1923, broncho-pneumonia, aged 85, born Ireland, parents, Edward McGeehan, Ann Boyle, Mrs. Bridget Harkins, informant, PA Death Certificates, 1906-1967, online, accessed 16 Feb 2021