Scotch-Irish-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: Re: [Scotch-Irish] 300 families?
Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2001 15:23:15 -0700

Hi Ron,

I did find it in the archives in 1999 by searching for Butler and
Donegal:


Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 01:06:00 -0700
From: linda Merle <>
To:
Message-Id: <>
Subject: A Migration of Irish
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Hi folks, while I was in Pennsylvania, I briefly researched a group of Irish who
migrated to the Butler Co area of Western Pennsylvania quite early. My Andersons
intermarried with several ladies that have VERY irish names that do not appear
in the Covenantor families. Specifically HAGERTY and KANE. Also McGARY,
my direct ancestress, but I beleive she did not come out of this group of Irish.

I found a book in the Butler Co Library on the history of the Pittsburgh Catholic
Diocese that had much about this group. Some information was also published
by the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society in an article entitled:
100 YEARS of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese 1843 - 1943." WPGSQ 17 no. 1 (Summer 1990).

The commity was named Sugar Creek or orignally the 'Buffalo Mission.' It is the oldest Catholic community in western Pennsyvlania.

It began with the emigration of a group of Catholics from the banks of Loch Erne in County Donegal, Ireland, in 1790. Some first settled for a time in "the Neck" in the northwestern section of Fayette County. Later they came in groups to the western part of Armstrong and the northern part of Butler County. The Donegal colony gave its name to Donegal Township in Butler County in 1795. It was the focal point of a Catholic settlement extending over 20 square miles numbering appx. 90 families.

Here are some surnames:
BoyleGallagherBlack
GillespieCallahanCoyle
CravenCroosicksCypher
DennyDuganDuffy
DurneighDoughertyEasly
EnepichFerryForquer
HanlinHartmanHunter
McCueMcElroyMcQueen
MeehanMurrayO'Connell
RodgersReedSheridan
Sweeny

They were visited by a Fr. Helbron of Sportsman's Hall in 1803. He baptlsed some who had waited ten years for baptism. He made subsequent visits, but he did not speak English. (Father Helbron's baptisms in the area are available
at LDS and possibly elsewhere).

The Donegal settlers sent a petition to Bishop Carroll asking for a priest they could under stand. This petition was signedby:

Thos. DuganJohn FarquerJohn Dugan
John GilespieChas. DuffyRobt. Harkins
Neal DuganPat. McLaughlinDom'k. Coll
Michael DuganDessnis DonnelPat'k. Boyle
Owen QuinnMichael ReadNeal Sweeney
Mich. PriceHugh McElroyBlarney Kelly
Archibald BlackK. HegartyPat'k. Ferran
Pat'k. LaffertyDennis McFaddinJohn Boner
Dan'l. ReedNeal Dougherty And'w. Dugan
John MegeeDennis DuganArthur Donnel
Jas DaughertyJohn Duffy, Junr.Jas. Sheridan
Jacob McGinnellyMichael KerrivanEneas McBride
Casper EaslyAndw. EaslyPat'k. McCue
Columbus McGinnelyWm. ShieldsJohn Coyle
John GaIrJohn McGinnellyA. Christy
Patr'k. McBride, Junr.George DoughertyFrans. Duff
Edward McFaddinMaj. John WelshMichael Lynch
John SmithEdw'd. ColePat'k. McAnally
Pat'k. BahenHugh MorranMichael Kelly
And'w. HagginsPeter TruxlerHugh Sharkey
Philip HartmanJohn GriffinHugh Gillespie
John McLaughlinJohn CollinsJohn McClafferty
Neal McFaddinMarty O'BryanJas. Benson
Nicholas WalheyThos. ConnorChas. McCoy
John Gillespie, Junr.Joseph BleakleyPeter Cole
Edward McFaddln Jr.Jas. GreenPhilip McKray
John Rogers

(The petition list was taken from Edmond J. Adams and Barbara Brady O'Keefe's Catholic Trails West Volume 2, Gateway Press 1989 ).

All of these people above are not Catholic. A number of Protestants lent their support for the petition.

I beleive the Blarney Kelly is a typo for Barney Kelly, because the latter name
appears in various tax lists.

We are also told there was considerable intermarriage with the surrounding
Protestant population as well as conversions in both directions. One other
Hagerty converted to Catholicism from Methodism, for instance.

There is a graveyard or so, but the earliest graves are in the early 1800's.

Linda Merle

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