|
The main branches of my family tree include the last names: Ryan, Foley,Hasler,Beaulieu,Ferris,Gundersen and Salo.
I started research about 10 years ago starting with "The Ryan Family Tree" compiled in 1939 by Miss Catherine "Kitty" Ryan of Nashwauk, Minnesota. Kitty was born in Ironwood, Michigan on April 11, 1891 and died in May 1969 in Nashwauk, MN. She was employed by the Board of Eduction, Nashwauk, MN.
The patriarch of the Ryan family tree was shown as Michael Ryan Sr. who was born about 1790 in Limerick, Ireland. He was married to a Mary O'Brien. I attempted to get information on these two through a researcher in the Shannon Development office in Limerick, Ireland. However that person could not find a Michael Sr. or Mary O'Brien with children I had identified in any genealogical sources.
In 1999 I was contacted by a Paul E. Ryan of Bellevue, WA who found my family tree on the internet. He was distantly related to a member on my family tree. He advised that he was going to Ireland to trace his family tree. I told him of my troubles in finding any data on Michael Ryan, Sr. I told him I had a suspicion that Michael's first name was actually Patrick and asked him to check on this when he was in Ireland.
I got a letter from him dated June 23, 1999 in which he advised success in finding the correct Ryans at the archives in Limerick. The Shannon Development Office at the Limerick Archives advised that with two exceptions, they had matched up the childrend of Patrick Ryan and Mary O,Brien. The archives did not locate a wedding certificate for these two. Also, they advised that the family lived in the Murroe-Boher Parish.
This family first settle in Galena, Illinois and then moved on to Wabasha, MN. I have visited the St. Felix Church and Cemetery and have uncovered a lot of genealogy for the Ryan's. My grandfather John Patrick Ryan was born here in 1868 and his parents Michael and Catherine Ryan were married here in 1864. It is interesting to note that Catherine (Donovan) Ryan was the first white woman to be born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 1848. Her father, Timothy Donovan died in 1851 and her mother Margaret "Mollie" (Finnegan) Donovan married James F. Foley in 1853.
I started a family tree on the Foley's and had a few entries. Then I was contacted by a Alice Close who found my family tree entries through Family Tree Maker. Her ancestors were Foley's and she had down a very fine professional genealogical search on the Foley family and furnished me the detailed family tree.
The Salo family tree is from my mother's side. She was born in Finland in 1900 and moved with her family to the U.S. when she was 1 year old.
The Beaulieu/Hasler family tree that I am working on is from my wife's side.
The Gundersen family tree is from my sister Jean's daughter marriage to a Dr. Erik Gundersen in LaCrosse WI.
Other family names in my family tree are: Secor,Trier,Schlender,Nulty, Kangas,Buzza and Rein.
|
