THE DOWNEAST SHAMROCK FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
THE DOWNEAST SHAMROCK
A
Monthly
Heritage Maine,
Journal
and New
of
Irish
Genealogy England,
in the
Northeast, and Canada
From The Editor, 1 Queries, 2 “The Cousin Story,” 6 Galway Surnames, 10
The John Sullivan Family, 13
Old Photos (P. J. Stanton), 17
Civil War Irish, Portland, ME, 18
Old Photos (World War I), 22
VOLUME 3, NUMBER 3
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
PORTLAND, MAINE
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THE DOWNEAST SHAMROCK FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013
FROM THE EDITOR Welcome once again to another issue of THE DOWNEAST SHAMROCK, a monthly journal devoted to Irish heritage and genealogy in Maine, New England, the Northeast, and the Maritimes. We also welcome articles and other pieces from other parts of North America; in fact we welcome pieces on the Irish no matter where they settled in the world! For all of our regular subscribers, you have not missed an issue! We decided to skip over January 2013 and do a combined February/March issue so that we can get caught up! We are unfortunately quite behind in getting out a monthly newsletter. We are doing our best to rectify the situation. We hope that our members will help us reach this goal by renewing their subscriptions. Many of our readers/members are now behind in their annual membership dues. We hope to continue to aid and support Irish American researchers on a timely basis! We thank all of you who have contributed queries, articles, photos, and the like. This month we especially thank MICHELLE THORNE TUCCI and DEB SULLIVAN GELLERSON, who provided us with fascinating family histories. Thanks, Michelle and Deb! Most of you will receive this newsletter around or just before March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day, our “national” holiday! Here in Portland, Maine, the day will be celebrated by many special events, including not one, but two parades! The first parade will leave the Maine Irish 2
Heritage Center (the old St. Dominic Church) on Sunday, March 17, at 8: 30AM. This is a small parade that works its way down through the Tate and Tyng Streets neighborhood, heading towards the waterfront and ending up at Harbor View Park, or, as we like to call it, “Eddie Murphy Memorial Park.” Eddie was a great promoter of all things Irish and was called the Mayor of Tate Street. A plaque was erected in memory of him at the foot of a flagpole, where each St. Patrick’s Day the Irish flag is flown. The second parade begins at 12 noon on St. Patrick’s Day on Commercial Street. It begins near the Fish Pier, parades down Commercial Street, and ends at the Maine State Pier. Last St. Patrick’s Day, when the weather was balmy 60 degrees, over a thousand marchers were cheered on by a crown of some two thousand or more who lined up along Commercial Street. Among the marchers last year and this year are the Irish American Club of Maine (who organize and promote it), the local Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Maine Irish Heritage Center, the Stillson School of Irish Dance, the Maine Emerald Society, the Claddagh Mhor Pipe Band, the Maine Highland Band, representatives from all the local police and fire departments, and many other groups and organizations, including local restaurants and pubs. Now we only hope the weather holds out, as we in the Northeast know that we have had a snowstorm almost every Saturday or Sunday for weeks! Well, HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY! Slan go foil (Goodbye for now!). Matthew Jude Barker, Editor.
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QUERIES Send us your queries today! You can email them or send them snailmail. We will print them as space provides. Queries should be to the point, providing as many details as possible, including full names, places of birth, marriage, and death, and all relevant dates. Please remit to: Matthew Jude Barker, Editor, PO Box 8421, Portland, Maine, 04104. 219-‐3 FLANAGAN-‐GLEESON-‐ HASSETT-‐FINN-‐CARRIGG-‐LYNCH Seek ancestry, desc. of MARY FLANAGAN, wife of MICHAEL GLEESON (1785-‐1869) of Fenloe, Tomfinlough Parish and Smithstown, Drumline Parish, County Clare. They had following known children: JAMES, m. BRIDGET HASSETT; MARY (1825-‐ 1913), m. MICHAEL FINN; HONORA; JOHN (1830-‐?); BRIDGET (1832-‐1919), m. THOMAS CARRIGG; PATRICK; & MICHAEL, m. ELIZA LYNCH. Any help appreciated. MATTHEW J. BARKER, PO Box 8421, Portland, ME, 04104. 220-‐3 SULLIVAN-‐THORNTON-‐ KILDAY-‐CADY-‐FLAHERTY Seek ancestry, desc. of JOHN SULLIVAN (1823-‐1881) & MARY E. THORNTON (1826-‐1878), of the Parish of Ross, Co. Galway and Portland, ME. They had: PATRICK E. (1848-‐1879), 3
m. MARY FLAHERTY; JOHN WILLIAM (1852-‐1920), m. MARGARET E. KILDAY; SABINA F. (1857-‐1934), m. JAMES CADY; PETER A., m. JULIA FLAHERTY; MICHAEL; MARY JANE; & MARK J. (1868-‐1899). Any help appreciated. DEB SULLIVAN GELLERSON, 221-‐3 QUINN Seek ancestry, desc. of brothers MICHAEL QUINN of South Newmarket, NH, PATRICK (1815-‐1891) of Newfields, NH, & JAMES QUINN (1818-‐ 1905) of Portland, ME, natives of Tullyroe, near Ballygar, County Galway. Any help appreciated. MATTHEW CARNEY, mfcarney3@yahoo.com. 222-‐3 O’DONNELL-‐MORRISON-‐ SHANAHAN-‐SHANNON-‐SITEMAN-‐ CONLEY-‐CONNOLLY Seek ancestry, desc. of VALENTINE O’DONNELL (1840-‐1905), d/o MARTIN & CELIA CONLEY/CONNOLLY O’DONNELL of Co. Galway, m. ELLEN MORRISON, Portland, ME, children incl. CECILIA, m. DAVID SHANAHAN/SHANNON, 1887, died Boston; & HELEN F. O’DONNELL (1872-‐ ) m. JOHN H. SITEMAN, 1892, Portland, 3 children. Any help appreciated. KEVIN O’ROURKE
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223-‐3 VACHON
JOYCE-‐LAFFEY-‐SULLIVAN-‐
Seek ancestry, desc. of WALTER JOYCE & wife BRIDGET JOYCE (-‐1909), of Clonbur, Glenglass, County Galway. Their son WALTER THOMAS JOYCE (1862-‐1929) m. BRIDGET ANN “DELIA” JOYCE (1857-‐1942), b. Maam Cross, Co. Galway, d/o ANTHONY & BRIDGET LAFFEY JOYCE, both died Portland, ME. Their son MARTIN THOMAS JOYCE (1894-‐1935), b. Tiernakill, Co. Galway, d. Long Island, NY, m. RUTH E. VACHON, had dau. RUTH E. JOYCE (1922-‐1995), who m. NATHAN HOWARD SULLIVAN, JR. (1920-‐1980), many desc. in Portland area. Thank-‐ you. DEB SULLIVAN GELLERSON, 224-‐3 KILDAY-‐O’MALLEY-‐SULLIVAN Seek ancestry, desc. of DENNIS KILDAY (1827-‐1892), b. Greve (Creave), County Donegal, died Portland, ME, m. MARIA O’MALLEY, b. 1827 Tyrone, d. 1878 Portland. Their dau. MARGARET ELLEN KILDAY (1858-‐ 1925), b. Portland, d. Cape Elizabeth, ME, m. JOHN WILLIAM SULLIVAN (1852-‐1920), b. Ross Parish, Co. Galway, d. Cape Elizabeth. Any help appreciated. DEB SULLIVAN GELLERSON,
225-‐3 THORNTON-‐BURKE-‐MONAHAN-‐ FROST Seek ancestry, desc. of JOHN THORNTON & ANNIE BURKE, of Cummer or Donaghpatrick Parish, Co. Galway; their son THOMAS THORNTON (1830-‐1900), m. LOUISA FROST, Newbury, MA, many children, incl. EDWARD BURKE, EMMA, & LENA THORNTON. Tom was killed by a train. Annie Burke Thornton believed to be sister to MARY BURKE MONAHAN, who m. JOHN MONAHAN, 1834, Cummer Parish, Co. Galway. Any help appreciated. MATTHEW J. BARKER, PO Box 8421, Portland, ME, 04104, mjudebark@gmail.com. 225-‐3 CRAVEN
Seek desc. of JAMES CORLISS, s/o PATRICK & KATE GLYNN CORLISS of County Galway, who m. MARY GREANEY, d/o MICHAEL & BRIDGET CRAVEN GREANEY of Ballintleva, Galway, m. 1890 Amesbury, MA, where children born bet. 1891-‐1904: EDWARD; MICHAEL JOSEPH (1892-‐ 1900); JAMES (1894-‐1966), m. GRACE, dau. MARY, b. 1928 Amesbury; MARY ELIZABETH; CATHERINE; WILLIAM; & FRANCIS & HENRY, b. & d. 1904. Any help appreciated. MATTHEW J. BARKER, mjudebark@gmail.com.
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CORLISS-‐GREANEY-‐GLYNN-‐
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226-‐3 BOYCE-‐DEVER-‐GREGAN
228-‐3 O’LEARY-‐MILLER-‐JOHNES
Seek ancestry, desc. of MANUS BOYCE (1821-‐1900), born in County Donegal, son of PATRICK & LETITIA DEVER BOYCE, m. MARY GREGAN (1820-‐ 1884), b. Ireland, parents unknown, in St. John, New Brunswick, 1843. Children b. in St. John & Portland, ME: JOHN, MARY A., JAMES, EDWARD, WILLIAM, CORNELIUS “NEIL” (1854-‐ 1933), DANIEL, JOSEPH, & ELLEN. Any info. much appreciated. Thank-‐you. ANNE O’LEARY HOYE, 19 Hersey Street, Portland, ME, 04104.
Seek ancestry, desc., birthplace of AUGUSTINE “A. D.” O’LEARY (1808-‐ 1900), lottery dealer, bank president, born Ireland (County Cork?), immigrated to Maryland 1830s, m. MARY ELIZABETH JOHNES, b. PA, children born bet. 1835-‐1849: MARY J., JEROME (Confederate Civil War vet), MARTHA, SUSANNA “ANNIE,” HENRY G., ELLEN, CHARLES, & WILLIAM J. O’LEARY. Jerome, prisoner of war, m. CELESTE MILLER (who were her parents?). Any info. helpful. Thank-‐ you. ANNE O’LEARY HOYE, 19 Hersey Street, Portland, ME, 04104.
227-‐3 NEWELL-‐LALLY-‐O’REGAN-‐ROSS
Seek info. on MATTHEW NEWELL (1858-‐1918) and his sister BRIDGET NEWELL (1856-‐1922), w/o WILLIAM O’REGAN, who immigrated to Australia in 1879. They were c/o JAMES NEWELL (1802-‐1887) & CATHERINE “KATHLEEN” LALLY (1824-‐1911) of Ardrumkilla, Killower Parish, County Galway. Bridget Newell O’Regan, a licensed victualler in Herbert Division, Queensland, had four daughters: CATHERINE MARY, 1891, m. JOHN J. ROSS, 1910; ELLEN LAURA “NELL,” 1893; HANNAH MONICA “DOT,” 1895; & “BABE” O’REGAN. Any help appreciated. MATTHEW J. BARKER, ).
229-‐3 O’HARE/HAIRE-‐O’TOOLE/ TOOLE
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Seek ancestry, desc. of MARCUS “MARK” O’HARE/ HAIRE (c. 1847-‐ 1931), of Knock, Spiddal, County Galway, m. BRIDGET O’TOOLE/TOOLE (1848-‐1883), children b. Knock bet. 1871-‐1883: MARY A. (1871-‐1945), m. JOHN TOOLE, 1895; SARAH, m. twice, PETER, & MICHAEL O’HARE. Any info. helpful. MAUREEN PATTEE, 9 Chapman Street, Portland, ME, 04103, KIOSIT@aol.com.
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NEW MEMBERS
CEAD MILE FAILTE!
IN MEMORIAM
We welcome the following new members for January-‐February 2013 with “a hundred thousand welcomes!” Those marked by an asterisk have recently renewed their membership. Please let your friends, fellow researchers and relatives know about us, so that we can reach as many people as possible. And please remit payment for renewal if you have not already. We would like to thank everyone for their continued support.
Our member JULIA SIMONEAU BALL tragically died on St. Valentine’s Day from injuries received in a fire at her house in February in North Deering, Portland. She was 56.
MARGARET Augusta, ME *
FEENEY
LaCOMBE,
ROBERT EMMETT FOLEY, Westbrook, ME DEB SULLIVAN GELLERSON, Gray, ME PATRICK J. BELL, Portland, ME* 6
Julia Dorothy Simoneau was born in Portland, the daughter of EUGENE and ELAINE FARR SIMONEAU. She graduated from Portland High School in 1975. Julia “was a self-‐employed housekeeper, companion, and confidante. Her clients were truly part of her extended family,” according to her obituary in the Portland Press Herald (19 February 2013). Julia, who was nicknamed “Duddy,” had been hobbies, interests, and talents. “She was the family historian and spent hours upon hours researching genealogy.” This editor helped her with her Cragin ancestry, a large Portland Irish family. According to her obituary, “Family and loved ones were of utmost importance to Duddy. She led the way with her common sense, wit, empathy and kindness. She taught forgiveness and compassion among other things.” Julia is survived by her son Corey Dubay of Portland, her sister Renee Wright, brothers Arthur and Tracy Simoneau, and by several nieces and nephews. She will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family.
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“THE COUSIN STORY,” By Michelle Thorne Tucci Editor’s Note: We would like to thank our member Michelle Thorne Tucci for the great family history story below; we also thank her for the great images that accompanied it! “THE COUSIN STORY” “Everybody had a distant relative who (insert event or famous acquaintance here). My great-‐granduncle JAMES GORDON McCOY (1881-‐1956) was asked to go to California not once, but twice with acclaimed Hollywood director JOHN FORD (born as John Martin Feeney in Portland, 1894). No really. Ask anyone over the age of 60 in my family and they will swear by it. Curious about just who Gordon McCoy was and if it was even remotely possible that he was invited to go to California twice, I dove headlong into a singular mission to ascertain the truth. According to my great-‐aunt MARY BURKE CLARK MALLETT (1919-‐2008), “Gordon McCoy never married and worked as a purser on cruise boats. This is the one I remember as a child on the corner of State and Pine Streets in Portland, Maine. My mother [MARY “MINNIE” McCOY BURKE, 1882-‐1979] would invite him over for dinners on Sundays which he enjoyed very much. He had Parkinson’s Disease which seems to be prevalent in the McCoy descendants. I remember him as a tallish, slender person and he never 7
seemed to clean, but this was seen through a child’s eyes. My mother would give him leftovers to enjoy later.” I was very much encouraged to hear at least a nugget of information and something to build upon. I next turned to my other great aunt ANNA BURKE BRENNAN. “I don’t really know what he did for a job, but he worked on ships. One time when my aunt JULIA [McCOY RUSSELL, 1884-‐ 1936] was sailing back to Massachusetts my father M. JOSEPH BURKE (1890-‐1954) brought me to the ship to see her off. Gordon was also working on it, I think. I tried to stowaway, but father found me and was very cross with me. Gordon brought the stone in the ring I’m wearing though, from somewhere. He brought back three sapphires and gave them to three of his nieces.” I turned next to my aunt LINDA BURKE SMALL who had worked on the family genealogy with my mother JANET BURKE THORNE (1945-‐2010) and great aunt Mary before their passing. She said, “Oh, sure, I know all about JOHN FORD and GORDON. There are actually three additional family connections [which follow]” Connection One: JOSEPH GRIFFIN (1890-‐1961) married MARY FLAHERTY (1862?-‐) in Boston who was a first cousin to John Ford. Furthermore, M. Joseph Burke (Gordon’s brother-‐in-‐law) lived with
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these Flaherty cousins in Boston for a time in 1913. Truth: MARY AGNES FLAHERTY is JOSEPH A. GRIFFIN’s mother, not wife. Joseph Griffin did marry WINIFRED BURKE (1894-‐1978), sister to M. Joseph Burke, but they were not wed until 1914 and lived in Portland until 1923 when they moved to Somerville, Massachusetts. Joe Griffin’s parents also resided in Portland at the time of the marriage. Connection Two: When ANNE STANTON (1864-‐1894), wife of PATRICK BURKE (1862-‐1910), passed away, Patrick was working in Boston and Annie was “embalmed by Bishop Feeney’s family.” Truth: Census records show that the two families were indeed neighbors at 25 and 28 Summer Street in Portland. BISHOP DANIEL J. FEENEY (1894-‐1969) himself was only a few months old at the time. Being too averse to exploring the history of embalming, I would prefer to acknowledge that the neighbors, the Feeneys in this case, would naturally have helped the neighboring family in such a tragedy {Annie dying at age thirty, leaving a husband and small children behind}. The kindness of MARY QUINN FEENEY (1872-‐1949), who had two children under two herself at the time, in helping with Anne and five children ranging in age from nine to forty-‐four days old deserves remembrance in Burke family lore. However, it does not 8
appear that the two Feeney families were closely related, if at all. {Editor’s note: these families were related, but distantly}. Connection Three: Minnie McCoy Burke’s grandmother was JULIA FORD McCORMACK (1883-‐1905), but Julia’s father had used the name FORHAM. LAWRENCE FORHAM was born in Scotland and married and died in Kerry, Ireland and was, you guessed it, a cousin to John Ford. Truth: This connection is difficult to research given the Irish and Scottish record base. The only date to build on is the marriage date of Lawrence Forham and JOHANNA BUCKLEY on 17 January 1819 in Kerry and with John Ford’s family from County Galway {and actually Feeneys} I will call the shared Ford name a coincidence, if not wishful thinking! {Editor’s Note: The Irish surname FORHAN/FORHANE (FORAHAN) of Kerry and Cork was sometimes recorded as FORD/FORDE}. Connection Four: After all is said and done, there is still one connection which I would like to introduce into family lore—St. Dominic’s Church. The Feeney and McCoy families both worshipped here and John Ford was even an altar boy at the church, according to the book JOHN FORD IN FOCUS (McFarland Press, 2008). My colleague at St. Joseph’s College, Michael C. Connolly, writes about John Ford’s early life in Portland and the family’s connection to St. Dominic’s
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where they continued to worship even after they moved to the East End of Portland. John Ford’s brother FRANK FEENEY, a. k. a. FRANCIS FORD (1881-‐ 1953), was the same age as my uncle Gordon McCoy. Perhaps it was Frank’s relationship with Gordon, forged within St. Dominic’s community (or perhaps in Francis’ grocery store saloon at 42 Center Street) which elicited the first invitation and when John followed his older brother out west in 1914, John put forth the invitation again. Even after exploring all the family connections, I found very little about Gordon himself. I turned to Federal Census records, Portland City directories, World War I draft cards, and ship manifests for some assistance. Uncle Gordon was born JAMES GORDON McCOY on 28 February 1881 in Portland, Maine. He attended parochial schools through grade eight and went to work at the Portland Star Match Company as a machinist. My great aunt Mary had also said in genealogy notes dated 18 January 1999, “GEORGE McCOY (1855-‐1939) worked as a carpenter for Burrow’s Company (a fact confirmed by census records) for $9.00 a week. When he broke his arm, Gordon and Minnie had to quit school to support the family. They worked in the match factory for $8.50 a week. Every day they would take quahogs to work and fill them 9
with coal from along the railroad tracks to take home to heat the house.” Gordon worked at Star Match at least through 1911 according to city directories. He next appears living and working as a night manager at Bedford Lunch in Boston according to his WWI draft card in 1917. He was all with black hair and brown eyes. During the 1920s-‐1940s Gordon was working on various ships as a café waiter, mess man, and steward. A 1934 ship crew list for the Acadia reports that Gordon had fifteen years of service at sea, making his seagoing career begin about 1919. Gordon resided with his family throughout his time in Portland, first at 69 rear Salem Street. He later used 58 Clark Street as a home base between cruises, sometimes listing his profession as waiter and other times as steward. It was not until his father passed away in 1939 that Gordon lived alone at 18 Pine Street, the address which my great-‐aunt Mary remembered. He never married, left no known descendants, and is interred in Calvary Cemetery in South Portland. Even with careful documented research, a timeline of Gordon’s life is thin regarding all the moments that really matter and I am reminded of the poem, “The Dash,” by Linda Ellis whose thoughtful poem encourages the reader to recall the moments of
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substance and loving relationships occurring instead of the dash between one’s birth and death dates, e. g. family dinners with a beloved sister’s family, leaving school to support the family of ten, visits with siblings, sapphire gifts for three nieces, and adventures with shipmates in tropical climates…And I am given pause by my efforts to make a life more by tying it to another’s fame, even if it is that of my cousin John Ford.” Michelle Thorne Tucci
We would like to thank Michelle again for her enjoyable story of the quest for the connection between her great-‐ granduncle Gordon McCoy and John Ford. Even if there is no connection, Gordon led an interesting life. All of our ancestors and relatives led interesting lives, at least to us! We hopefully all strive to go beyond the names and dates and retrieve the stories, the oral history, as much as we can, as Michelle suggests by mentioning the poem, “The Dash.”
The following are old photos that Michelle provided for us of many of those mentioned in her article.
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GALWAY SURNAMES, FIVE, By M. J. Barker
PART
This is part five of our ongoing series that will explore the many surnames indigenous or common to the County Galway. This series will not feature every surname from Galway, but hopefully the majority will be treated here. For more information on the following surnames, please consult Edward MacLysaght’s SURNAMES OF IRELAND (Irish Academic Press, Dublin, 6th Edition, 1999) or Michael C. O’Laughlin’s FAMILIES OF COUNTY GALWAY (Irish Genealogical Foundation, Kansas City, Missouri, 1998). MacLysaght is still the acknowledged expert on Irish surnames, although he passed away more than twenty-‐five years ago! The entries will usually include a brief background on a given surname, along with various spellings, corruptions, anglicized forms, and Irish Gaelic spellings. EARLS: This family has been settled in Galway since the 1200s and presumably began as a nickname, according to MacLysaght. It is quite distinct from EARLE. (Mac) EGAN: A common name found in Counties Galway and Tipperary, 11
derived from Mac Aodhagain, “son of Egan.” EAGLETON, EGLETON: This name, origins unknown, was found in Milltown, County Galway, and many other places. A Mark Eagleton was a 19th Century Galway priest. ELWOOD: This name, also spelled ELWARD, was a distinguished Anglo-‐ Irish name in County Mayo, but has been found in Galway City and East Galway for several centuries. EYRE: According to MacLysaght, this surname was “an influential Cromwellian family in Co. Galway,” hence Eyrecourt and Eyreville. (O) FAHERTY: O Fathartaigh in Irish, this name is quite distinct from FLAHERTY, but many Fahertys became Flahertys, especially in America. It was originally located on the east side of Lough Corrib. FARTY is an American abbreviated form. (O) FAHY, FAHEY, FAY: O Fathaigh in Irish, this name was a sept of the Ui Maine territory centered near Loughrea, County Galway. One synonym of the name is GREEN (from the similarly sounding word faithche,
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which means lawn or green) and also recorded many times as FAY. FAHEY is the usual American spelling. FAGHY, VAHEY.
Roscommon. It has also been spelled FEENY and even FINNEY. (Mac) FEERICK: Mac Phiaraic in Irish, from an Irish derivative of Peter; it has been found in Mayo and Galway.
(O) FALLON, FALLOON: O Fallamhain in Irish, this surname was a sept found near Athlone. It has been confused with FOLAN.
(O) FINNERAN: O Finnthigheirn in Irish, from fionn tighearna, “fair lord” in English, it is found in Galway and Roscommon.
FANNING, FANNIN, FANNON: This surname, of Norman origin, is Fainin in Irish and is found in Counties Galway, Roscommon, Limerick, and originally Tipperary.
FEURY: A Galway form of FUREY.
FANT: A well-‐known member of the “Tribes of Galway,” it is of Norman origin.
(O) FINNERTY, FINAGHTY, FEENAGHTY: Originally O Finaghty, O Fionnachta in Irish, it is often corrupted to FINNERTY. Found in Counties Galway and Roscommon.
FARAUGHER, FRAHER, FARRAHER: A name found in Counties Galway and Mayo. O Fearchair in Irish, from fearchar, “man dear.” (O) FEENEY: This surname, made famous by acclaimed Hollywood director JOHN FORD, ne JOHN MARTIN FEENEY, of Portland, Maine, is spelled many ways in Irish, including O Fiannaidhe (soldier), O Feinneadha, O Fidhne, and Fighne. It is prevalent in Counties Galway, Sligo, and 12
FLEURY: An occasional form of FUREY in County Galway. (MAC) FOLAN: This was a brehon (law giving) family of County Galway, known as Mac Fualain in Irish. It was once used as a synonym of FALLON, hence “O’Folan’s Country” for “O’Fallon’s Country.” This name belongs almost exclusively to Galway and adjacent sections of Mayo. It has been strangely converted to FOLEY in America, which is usually a County
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Cork surname. FOLANE, FOLEY, FOLLAND. (O) FLAHERTY: This is an important County Galway family, called “the leading sept of Iar-‐Connacht” by MacLysaght. Another sept was found in Kerry. It is O Flaithbheartaigh in Irish, “bright ruler” in English. It is sometimes confused with FAHERTY, which is a separate surname. This name was corrupted to many different forms in America. FLAHERTIE, FLARITY, FLARTY are some of these corruptions. It is rather common in the Northeastern United States, especially in Portland, Maine. (O) FLANAGAN: O Flannagain in Irish, from flann, red or ruddy, this name belongs to many septs in Ireland, but the most important Flanagan sept was in Connacht. At one point “their chief ranked as one of the “royal lords” under O’Connor, King of Connacht,” according to MacLysaght. It is found in Galway, especially East Galway, and in nearby County Clare. FLANNAGAN, FLANIGAN, FLANNIGAN, FLANEGAN. FORD, FORDE: This name is found in Counties Galway, Leitrim and Cork. This well-‐known English name has been used as a synonym of many Irish names, including MacKINNAWE, MacELNAY, FORAN, and FORHAN (E). 13
Hollywood director JOHN FORD was not a true FORD; his brother FRANCIS “FRANK” FEENEY changed the familial surname to FORD out in Hollywood. FORKIN, FORKAN: This is a Counties Galway and Mayo surname. It is O Gabhlain in Irish, from the Irish word gabhal, fork. The Irish spelling has sometimes been anglicized as GOULDING (GOLDEN). (O) FRAHER: See FARAUGHER. FRANCIS: This name was originally the Norman name le Franceis, the Frenchman, but became Proinseis in Irish in the Irish-‐speaking areas near Galway City. (O) FUREY: This surname originated in County Westmeath, where it was a branch of the O’Melaghlins. It spread to East Galway, where it became rather common, being now spelled O Fiura in Irish there. Earlier Irish versions included O Foirreith and O Furreidh. Variants include FURY, FEURY, and even FLEURY. FRENCH: One of the “Tribes of Galway,” and very prominent. Some branches became Ffrench.
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THE
JOHN
FAMILY
OF
SULLIVAN PORTLAND,
MAINE County Galway emigrants JOHN SULLIVAN and MARY E. THORNTON came to Portland, Maine about 1862. Their descendants became quite prominent in many fields of endeavor. Our new member DEB SULLIVAN GELLERSON of Gray, Maine, has generously supplied us with a history and genealogy of the family, as well as some great photographic images. Deb took the FamilyTreeDNA autosomal DNA test and discovered she was a distant cousin of this editor! We not yet found the connection! In February 2013 she loaned the Maine Irish Heritage Center in Portland the original photograph of the progenitor JOHN SULLIVAN, a beautiful, giant image which now hangs in the center’s library. We all would like to thank Deb for such a generous gift or loan. The following is a brief outline of the family that Deb compiled. JOHN SULLLIVAN was born in the Parish of Ross, County Galway, about February 15, 1823, m. MARY E. THORNTON there in the 1840s, who was born in Ross about 1826, and emigrated to Canada after they had two sons in Ross: PATRICK E. (1848-‐ 1879) and JOHN WILLIAM (1852-‐ 1920). In St. John, New Brunswick, they had SABINA F. (1857-‐1934) and PETER 14
A. SULLIVAN (1860-‐1890). They then migrated to Portland, Maine, in May 1862, where they had three more children: MICHAEL (1862-‐1863), MARY JANE (1865-‐1879) and MARK J. SULLIVAN (1868-‐1899). In Portland, John Sullivan eventually owned and operated a grocery store and saloon. John was naturalized in Portland on August 27, 1872 and his character witnesses were Edward O’Mealley, Timothy Carey, and Jeremiah Flaherty, all of Portland (New England Naturalization Petitions, 1798-‐1906, microfilm number M1299, Roll #108). He was residing at 30 York Street at the time. Deb Sullivan Gellerson wrote a nice biography of John Sullivan and family to accompany the photo of John. She wrote: “Between 1848 and 1868, John J. and Mary were blessed with 7 children. Fourteen grandchildren were to follow: eleven of whom were born to John William and his wife Margaret Kilday; one to Sabina and James Cady; and one each to Patrick and Peter who married the beautiful Flaherty sisters, Mary and Julia. Their youngest and very handsome son, Mark, was a favorite of the young women in the city and never married. But, it was said he had a very exciting and gifted life! “Sadly, John J. and Mary suffered the loss of their daughter, Mary Jane, at age 14, in a tragic accident, and the
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loss of their son Michael, who died shortly after his birth.
Portland High School with to school with John W.’s son Francis W.
“Along with the inherent Irish wit and charm, John and Mary instilled in their children a strong work ethic, great love of family, and a deep respect for the value of education which became a standard for the Sullivan family to follow as they thrived in Portland’s bustling seaport city. Opening new businesses, sharing resources, and with a constant eye toward frugality, the family was to attain the American dream. Among the accomplishments of John and Mary’s children and grandchildren are a fine pianist, lawyers, educators, a Maine Supreme Court Justice, an AFL Union Chairman, and veterans of World Wars I and II. They were also to endure the tragic losses of brave young men, women, and children to war, disease, and accident.
“Today, the Sullivan family has grown to give John J. and Mary Thornton Sullivan many more generations who have retained that fine Irish wit and charm and are thankful for the family passing on the traditional values held so high…good work ethic, love of family, and a deep respect for education.”
“As with many of Maine’s Irish families, the anecdotal history is full of wonderful and interesting stories of struggles, romance, tragedy, and adventures…sometimes with later-‐to-‐ be-‐famous people, including temperance leader Neal Dow, whose political views differed considerably with merchant and innkeeper, John William! Artist and neighbor Homer Winslow was said to have loved to dine on Margaret Kilday Sullivan’s oyster stew and even painted her children posed on the rocks at Prout’s Neck. Hollywood director John Ford went to 15
We would like to thank Deb Sullivan Gellerson for writing this nice piece on the Sullivans and for allowing us to share it with our readers. John Sullivan, who, along with his son John W., were sometimes arrested for selling booze on the sly in a state that had way too many alcohol prohibitive laws, became successful and was able to have a beautiful portrait made of him at some point, a copy of which you can find on page fifteen. John died on July 1, 1881 in Portland at the age of 58. He had suffered from paralysis, from which he succumbed to. His wife Mary Thornton Sullivan, who had a sister Anne Thornton in Portland, had died three years early on April 29, 1878, at age 52 from “congestion.” They were interred in Old Calvary Cemetery in South Portland, where a tall white monument marks their grave.
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John and Mary’s son JOHN WILLIAM SULLIVAN became a prominent grocer, saloon owner, landlord, and innkeeper. He married MARGARET ELLEN KILDAY (1858-‐1925), who was born in Portland the daughter of DENNIS KILDAY (1827-‐1892), a native of Creave, County Donegal, and MARY “MARIA” O’MALLEY (1827-‐1878), perhaps a native of County Tyrone. They were married in St. Dominic Catholic Church (now the Maine Irish Heritage Center) on July 29, 1876. They had seven children in Portland, including JOHN J. (1876-‐1912), HENRY CLEAVES (1878-‐1952), GRACE B. (1881-‐1930), SABINA C. (1887-‐1920), who married HENRY J. HORTON, NATHAN HOWARD (1888-‐1948), EDWARD T. (1891-‐1938), and FRANCIS WILLIAM SULLIVAN (1894-‐1967). According to Deb, “Margaret Ellen Kilday was born in Portland where she met and married John Sullivan in 1875. John W. was a very generous and prosperous man. After his marriage, he and his brother-‐in-‐law DENNIS KILDAY, JR. opened SULLIVAN & KILDAY OYSTER & EATING HOUSE on Center Street in Portland. That restaurant was burned. John also provided furnished rooms to let for gentlemen only! John owned two hotels/inns both called THORNTON HOUSE {after his mother, Mary Thornton}, one in South Portland and one in Portland. John and his wife lived in a stately house on High street in Portland which he sold in 1916 to 16
investors who built the Eastland Hotel. He then built his home in Cape Elizabeth. John died of diabetes and gangrene. Margaret died of breast cancer.” John W. died at his home in Mountain View Park in Cape Elizabeth on March 14, 1920. According to his obituary, “For a number of years he was engaged in the grocery business later owning and managing restaurant here. In 1880 and 1881 he represented his ward in the City Council and was recently elected a constable in Cape Elizabeth. He had always taken a keen interest in politics but always in the interest of his party as he rarely sought office. Mr. Sullivan retired from business 15 years ago and about six years ago sold his fine home on High street and moved to his newly erected home on Marguerite Road, Cape Elizabeth. The Portland Lodge of Elks was the only organization of which he was a member.” John W.’s son John J. Sullivan was universally known as “Johnny,” according to his obituary, and “was not only popular as an athlete, but socially and in every other way. He was the personification of “hail fellow well met,” and so generous that as the saying goes he would take his clothes off his back to help a friend in need. You couldn’t know Johnny and not like him. He had the sunny disposition and personal magnetism that drew everyone to him.” Johnny died in New
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York City on June 27, 1912 at the age of thirty-‐five “after a week’s illness of blood poisoning contracted from the scratch inflicted by a cat.”
Also according to his obituary, “Foot ball was his specialty, and as half back on the Portland High School team and at Hebron, both of which he captained, and as a quarter on the unbeaten Portland Athletic Club, Johnny was in a class by himself. After leaving preparatory school, Sullivan entered Brown University, but played there but one year when he left college to go into business. Johnny was a great sprinter and could do the one hundred yard dash in close to 10 seconds flat.”
John W.’s son Henry Cleaves Sullivan was named for Henry B. Cleaves (1840-‐ 1912), a prominent Portland attorney, city solicitor, state representative, attorney general, and the forty-‐third governor of Maine (1893-‐1897). Perhaps influenced by his namesake, Henry Cleaves Sullivan himself became a prominent Portland attorney. He married ALICE K. DERRY, a member of a prominent Irish-‐German Portland family. He died in Portland in 1952. John W.’s son Francis William Sullivan also became a prominent Portland attorney. He later became a Maine Supreme Court Justice. Francis married MARY ALBERTA KENNEDY and had a daughter MARGARET SULLIVAN, who supplied Deb with much oral family history.
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OLD PHOTOS
The following gentleman is PATRICK JOSEPH STANTON, born in Mossfort, Caherlistrane, Donaghpatrick Parish, County Galway, on October 20, 1859, the son of MICHAEL STAUNTON (1836-‐ 1916) and SARAH MONAHAN (1840-‐ 1926). He emigrated to Portland, Maine, where he married SARAH FRANCES GREANEY (1868-‐1960), d/o PETER GREANEY (1830-‐1912) & CECELIA “SALLY” MONAHAN (1832-‐ 1914) of Mossfort & Portland, Maine. They had the following children between 1887-‐1904: WALTER PETER; MICHAEL JOSEPH “JOE;” ALBERT JAMES; SARAH ELLEN “SADIE,” m. JOHN F. NORTON; JOHN RICHARD “JIMMY;” HENRY PETER; WILLIAM P.; EDWARD RAYMOND; FREDERICK C.; & ANNA MILDRED, m. JOHN ROHLAND.
Patrick worked on the railroad for many years. He and his wife and children had always made their home in the West End of Portland and attended St. Dominic Church.
Patrick died on November 16, 1931 at the age of 72. Sarah died on March 19, 1960, aged 91. They resided on Cushman Street at the time. The Stantons are all buried in Calvary Cemetery in South Portland. Patrick and Sarah’s granddaughter is Mrs. ANN ROHLAND DICKEY, a local genealogist and member of our newsletter. This particular photo is courtesy of LINDA BURKE SMALL and MICHELLE THORNE TUCCI, who are descended from Patrick’s sister ANNIE E. STANTON BURKE.
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IRISH CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS OF PORTLAND, MAINE, PART ONE This is Part One of a new series that will feature the names of the known residents of Portland, Maine who were either Irish-‐born or of Irish heritage that fought in the Civil War. As we all know, 2011-‐2015 marks the 150th Anniversary of that terrible conflict in our nation’s history. These names have been culled from W. W. Clayton’s HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, MAINE (1880: Everts & Peck, Philadelphia). We would like to thank our friend, local historian and former state representative HERBERT ADAMS of Portland for alerting us to this rich resource. Further information on these individuals can be found in the Maine Adjutant General’s Reports, copies of the original of which can be found in many libraries, including the Maine State Archives & Library and the Maine Historical Society. Ancestry.com has indexed many Civil War records also. We had many Civil War articles in 2011 and we will continue to have more in the future. The following list records the name of the Maine regiment and company, followed by the name of the soldier, and where possible, the date of muster and discharge. Some entries will also give when a given soldier was captured by the Confederacy, wounded, or died. 19
By contacting the National Archives, one can, for a fee, obtain complete military records and or pension records. This cannot be considered a complete list, as not all soldiers can be absolutely ascertained as Irish judging by a surname alone. In researching the Portland Irish over the last twenty years, this editor has been able to compile a large database of the Irish families of Portland and has been able to confirm when someone was Irish-‐ born or of Irish heritage. This information is often reflected in this list. A list of all known Portland Irish men and boys who were killed or died during the war will be featured in a future issue. The following list will show most of these individuals. FIRST MAINE VOLUNTEER INFANTRY Company A: Edward Roach Company B: William H. Fagan Thomas Kelly George T. Mahan Company C: Thomas Curran {Thomas B. Curran} Edward J. Dolan George McGinley
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Company D:
SECOND MAINE INFANTRY:
William Brine
James Hickey, Company A, mustered 12 Jul 1861, transferred to 20th Maine, 20 May 1863
George E. Conley Richard Burchill John Conway John Campbell Robert Curran John H. Doody Watson R. Gribbin John H. Hart Patrick McDermott Patrick Maloney Timothy McCarthy Company E: John H. Dennison Martin T. Dunn Joseph F. Mackin William E. St. John Company I: Peter Clusky William Murphy Charles T. Dunn William Welch 20
John Damrell, Co. B, must. 31 Aug 1861, disc. 11 Nov 1861 {Damery} Andrew O’Neill, Co. B, must. 31 Aug 1861, trans. To 20th Maine John Connolly, Co. D, must. 28 May 1861, discharged for disability, 18 Feb 1863 James McCullum, Co. E, must. 1 Jul 1861, disc. 13 Oct 1861 John O’Connell, Co. I, must. 5 Jul 1861, promoted to corporal, disc. 3 Oct 1861 William Walsh, Co. I, must. 5 Jul 1861, disc. 14 Aug 1861 Patrick Carlin, Co. I, must. 5 Jul 1861, dropped from rolls, 3 Oct 1861 Michael Kenney, Co. I, must. 3 Jul 1861, dropped from rolls 3 Oct 1861 John Murray, Co. I, must.5 Jul 1861, trans. To 20th Maine Charles Farrell, Co. I, must. 10 Jul 1861, wounded at Hanover Court-‐House, disc. Jeremiah Murphy, Co. I, must. 10 Jul 1861, prisoner at Gaines’ Mill, exchanged, trans. To 20th Maine John Collins, Co. I, must. 16 Jul 1861, dropped from rolls, 3 Oct 1861
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William Dougherty, Co. I, must. 10 Jul 1861, discharged for disability, 1 jan 1863 Michael Deehan, Co. I, must. 16 Jul 1861, wounded at Gaines’ Mill, trans. To 20th Maine Michael Kearse, Co. I, must. 28 may 1861, wounded at Manassas, disc. 4 Jun 1863 Jerry Sullivan, Co. I, must. 1 Jul 1861, trans. To Co. H, disc. 4 Jun 1863 Michael Hogan, Co. I, must. 28 May 1861, disc. 4 Jun 1863 THIRD MAINE INFANTRY Patrick Dolan, Co. B, must. 19 Aug 1863, trans. To 17th Maine
Henry Kane, Co. F, must.25 Aug 1863 John Donovan, Co. G, must. 1 Oct 1863, trans. to 17th Maine Constantine Towle, Co. H, must. 19 Sept 1863, trans. to 17th Maine John Kane, Co. K, must. 24 Aug 1863, trans. to 17th Maine FOURTH MAINE INFANTRY John Callaghan, Co. A, must. 1 Sep 1862, trans. to 19th Maine William Carroll, Co. A, must. 2 Sept 1862 James Daily, Co. A, must. 1 Sept1862, trans. to 19th Maine Patrick O’Neal, Co. D, must. 2 Sept 1863
Daniel Cooley, Co. C, must. 20 Aug. 1863, missing in action
Andrew J. Dolan, Co. G, must. 27 Aug 1863
Thomas W. Welch, Co. C, must. 22 Aug 1863, trans. To Navy, 14 Apr 1864
Eugene Dunleavy, Co. G, must. 28 Aug 1863
Conscripts:
Patrick Reed, Co. G, must.28 Aug 1863
William Galvin, Co. D, must. 18 Aug 1862, trans. to 17th Maine
Matthew Clanay, Co. H, must. 28 Aug 1863
Patrick Lyons, Co. D, must.20 Aug 1863, trans. to 17th Maine
William Shehan, Co. D, must. 5 Oct 1863, missing William Farrell, Co. F, must. 24 Aug 1863
This series will be continued next month. If you have an Irish ancestor or relative who fought in the Civil War from Portland, we would love to hear from you!
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NEWS FROM THE MAINE IRISH HERITAGE CENTER As always, the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC) has been quite busy as of late. The Portland Winter Farmers’ Market continues to cater to thousands of people a month and the MIHC’s DNA projects are as popular as ever. As we referred to on page one, the MIHC will sponsor or co-‐sponsor not one, but two parades this St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday, March 17. The first parade, the “small” parade, will leave the center at 8:30AM and march to “Eddie Murphy Park” or Harbor View Park near the Casco Bay Bridge. A reception will follow at the center immediately afterward. The “big” parade will commence at 12 noon on Commercial Street and meander its way from Fish Pier, near “Becky’s” Restaurant, to the Maine State Pier, where there will be speakers, the Stillson School of Irish Dance performers, and two pipe bands, including the locally renowned Claddagh Mhor Pipe Band, which practices at the MIHC. The MIHC’s DNA studies continue to bring in more and more family historians and genealogists who want to learn more about their ancestry and genetic makeup. The Maine Gaeltacht DNA Project now has over a hundred members, a hundred people who have taken an autosomal FamilyTreeDNA test and added their results to a database that was created by 22
MARGARET FEENEY LaCOMBE, one of the resident genealogists at the center. Most of these people have roots in the County Galway, especially from Connemara, part of the Gaeltacht or Irish-‐speaking areas of Ireland. This has generated some amazing results, including one member finding out the ancestry of one of her grandmothers that she never knew about and one member finding numerous clues to help her identify her birth father. The MIHC genealogists have also taken the Ancestry.com DNA test and have ordered the 23andme DNA test. We will have more on these tests in future issues. Please email us if you would like to learn more about the center’s DNA program. Other events that are coming up at the MIHC include “Spring Ceili Classes,” which begin at the center on April 11th; the annual Not So Silent Auction, which is at the center in early May; and Irish Language Classes, which commenced on February 22. Belfast-‐native BRENDAN McVEIGH teaches the language class. In June, Kathryn Miles, an author from Belfast, Maine, will speak about her new book, ALL STANDING: THE REMARKABLE STORY OF THE JEANIE JOHNSTON. For more information on these events, please call 207-‐780-‐0118 or go to the center’s new website, maineirish.com.
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OLD PHOTOS
The photo below was taken about 1917 in Portland Harbor during World War I. It shows young men aboard a vessel who had recently joined the U. S. Navy and were preparing to depart Casco Bay. Fort Gorges can be seen in the background.
The third man in the front row is LAWRENCE ROBERT NEWELL, born in Portland in January 1894, the son of LAWRENCE NEWELL (1846-‐1940) and MARGARET GREANEY (1856-‐1943), natives of Ballintleva, Ardrumkilla, Belclare Parish, Tuam, County Galway, Ireland, who came to Portland in 1882.
Lawrence “Larry” Newell later served in the U. S. Army and was discharged in 1919. He did not see any overseas service. He returned to Portland, where he married SARA C. “SALLY” SLYATER (1901-‐1980) in 1932. They did not have children. Larry worked for the railroad briefly, but then was employed by Burnham & Morrill Company for more than thirty years, many of which were spent as traffic manager. He died at the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough in October 1990, aged 96, and was the last survivor of his five siblings.
Does anyone recognize this photo? We would like to identify the other men.
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IRISH GENEALOGY
As most of our readers know, 2013 is an extraordinary year in Irish genealogy. Ireland is promoting “THE GATHERING,” a year-‐long festival in which people of Irish heritage, no matter how remote, are being asked to return to the “auld country.” Many Irish families are holding special reunions in various parts of the country. And many areas are hosting genealogy and heritage festivals. For instance, in County Leitrim, the LEITRIM ROOTS FESTIVAL, being advertised as Ireland’s Premier Genealogy Festival, will be held the week of September 20-‐28, 2013. You can follow LEITRIM ROOTS on Facebook (/leitrimrootsfestival2013).
PHOTOS ON COVER
For more information on this year’s events in Ireland, please see thegatheringireland.com. Another aspect of The Gathering is the systematic, country-‐wide collecting of DNA from representative individuals from every town and parish in Ireland.
The photos on the cover are of BERNARD W. DEAN, born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1866, the son of BERNARD DEIGHAN (1821-‐1890) and MARY MAY (1827-‐1905) and his wife MARGARET ELLEN PATTERSON (1869-‐1923), born in Halifax, the daughter of JOHN PATTERSON and MARGARET HUNT. They were married in 1892 and had eleven children, born between 1893-‐ 1907, including JOHN; JAMES BERNARD; WILLIAM EDWARD (1895-‐ 1962); ALBERT; PETER; ROBERT ARTHUR; MARY MAUD; JOHN JAMES; MARY BEATRICE; BERNARD JOSEPH (1906-‐1981), and JOSEPH HENRY “HARRY” DEAN. Most of these children died young and only William and Bernard have known descendants. The Deighan/Deehan/Dean family was originally from Loughgilly Parish, County Armagh, Ireland, and came to Nova Scotia about 1821. FMI, contact us at mjudebark@gmail.com.
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