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Names I am researching:
ADAMS, CAIN/KAIN, CRAWFORD, DENNY/DERRY, GREEN, JACKSON, LOCKHART, MARTIN,MILLER,MCLAUGHLIN, TWYFORD AND WILSON of Western Pennsylvania including the counties of: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, and Indiana.
Origin of the name: CAIN
The Irish surname CAIN is an anglicized form of the old Gaelic surname O'CATHAIN. Originally there were two septs bearing the surname O'Cathain, one located in Derry and the other spread over Munster and Connacht. However, as the latter subsequently became KEANE it is more probable that bearers of the surname CAIN may trace their origins to the more powerful Derry sept. It was only after the twelfth century that the O'Cathains of Coleraine established themselves as a force in their own right by ousting the O'Connors from their territory. For the next five centuries they held the title of Gaelic chief and "erenagh" in their territory. An erenagh held church lands and titles from generation to generation and as such was privy to all exemptions bestowed upon a Church leader. In later years however, with the advent of the English Plantation of Ireland, their fate was less secure. In 1598 Donnell Ballagh O'Cahan joined forces with O'Neill of Tyrone in opposition to the English invasion. Having lost much of his lands however he was forced to surrender; he was subsequently arrested and spent his last years in the Tower of London. There are many variations of this name including O'Cain and O'Cahan. In Ireland the forms Cain and O'Cain are to be found mainly in the Galway area. In the remainder of the country this form has been supplanted by the more anglicized KANE or O'KANE.
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My earliest known CAIN ancestor is John KAIN,Sr. (spelled with a "K" in early PA records). He supposedly immigrated from Northern Ireland. It is my belief that John, Sr. came to America circa 1765-70. It is very probable that he may have served an indenture in or around Philadelphia. To date I have been unsuccessful in locating a record of his journey across the sea. Once he was free to move on he came to western PA and settled in what was Washington Co, later became Allegheny Co. and then in 1800 became Beaver Co., PA. John was first married to Agnes, maiden name unknown, conjecture is it might have been McCLELLAND or McCORMICK. Whether they were married in Ireland and came with children is also unknown.
John and Agnes had the following children:
1. John, Jr. b. 1774-1776, d. unknown in BCPA. He married Mary (unknown) who was born about 1776 and died on 16 June, 1812. She is believed to be buried on what was the property of Joseph Moore, Kane Road, Hopewell Twp, BCPA.
2. George, 2nd child of John, Sr. and Agnes KAIN: b. abt 1778 in Mechaniscsburg,Allegheny Co, PA, d. 8 June, 1858 in BCPA. He married Mary AGNEW who was b. 13 Aug., 1778 in Shousetown, Allegheny Co., PA. and died 16 January, 1857. Both are buried at Service Creek U.P. Cemetery, Hanover Twp, BCPA.
3. Hugh?? KAIN, b. abt 1780, nothing further known
4. Sarah, b. abt 1782. She married James McCORMICK/McCORMACK
5. Henry?? KAIN, b. abt 1785
6. James, b. 1787,d . 27 Aug., 1850, buried Chester Twp, Meigs Co, OH.(Red Brick UP Church Cemetery) Marr:(1st) Mary Ann GREEN abt 1811. She b. abt 1791, d. after June, 1818. Perhaps buried Pine Grove Cemetery,BCPA. (This is my direct line) James married(2nd) Nancy Agnes McELHANEY Dec. 20, 1820. Moved to Meigs Co, OH between 1840-1850.After the death of James Cain in 1850, Nancy married her second husband, Isaac Postlewaite, a farmer in Sutton Twp, Meigs County, Ohio. Isaac was born in Virginia and according to the births of children moved to Meigs County along about the time that Nancy and James located there. He is listed as head of family with six children (ages 11 to 23) living in his household in 1850. Nancy would have been about 48 years old at the time of their marriage in 1852. Acc
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