Gaynor brothers: Ireland to Kentucky
Several years ago, my grandmother told me of my Irish great-great-great-grandfather, James Gaynor, who as a child, is said to have stowed away on a ship headed for America.
I recently met a distant cousin online who told me her (or perhaps his) grandmother's version of the story. In this version, James was about 6. In my grandmother's version (My grandmother admits to not knowing much about the topic.), he was 12 and boarded the ship while his family thought he was at school.Regardless of the age, I am now rather confident that the story is true.
Anyway, my distant cousin has told me that James' parents were John and Mary Gaynor, and that James was accompanied on the ship by an older brother, George.
According to my standard information, James Gaynor was born on March 25, 1831 in County Longford, Ireland.According to 1860 US Federal Census records of Hancock County, KY, James Gaynor was 25 years of age.
If he was in fact 25 in 1860, he could not have been born on March 25, 1831.The birthdate that I have recorded for him is from his tombstone.
James Gaynor married Valeria Kellams on January 9, 1859 in Hancock County, Kentucky, and died May 29, 1917.James and Valeria are buried in Utility Cemetery, Hancock County, KY.
Children of James and Valeria (Kellams) Gaynor were George C., Mary "Molly", Margaret, Eliza, James J., Franklin, and Owen.
Also, according to the 1860 census, George Gaynor was also living in Hancock County, KY.He is listed as 28 years old and a farmer.His wife was named Ellen (Eleanor Cathrin Terrill), and he had a five year-old daughter whose initials were M.M..
My online distant cousin has just written me again and told me that she was told that a family in the Boston area had taken in James (and I assume George), but we still don't know how he got to Kentucky.
If anyone can add to this information, please let me know!
Thanks,
Sonja
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Re: Gaynor brothers: Ireland to Kentucky
J Wheaton 1/12/02