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John Carr

John Carr

Gender
Male

The 8 March 1862 saw the sinking of the USS Cumberland by the CSS Virginia at Newport News, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Well over a hundred men were lost, but among the survivors was Galway’s John Carr - after making a half-mile swim to shore. Captain Carr had arrived in Boston at the end of the Famine in 1850 (in his eleventh year) and had enlisted in the Navy prior to the outbreak of the war. A truly remarkable character, Carr fought in many battles on sea and land, and had previously fought in the capture of Fort Sumter in April 1861. The last living survivor of the Cumberland, Carr died of pneumonia at Charlestown in 1913, aged 74. Pictured is a coloured lithograph of the sinking by Currier and Ives.

 

This Chronicle was created using information originally published in the South East Galway Archaeological and Historical Society Newsletter No. 26.

Associated communities

Galway

County Galway, Gaillimh in Irish, is located in the Province of Connaught in the West of Ireland. We have a population of approximately 232,000 and look forward to assisting you in the search for your Irish ancestors. 

Other ancestors in this community

Buildings in this community

  • Kilcooly Church Ruins & Cemetery

    Location: Galway

    Kilcooly, Co. Galway, Ireland

  • Portumna Irish Workhouse Centre

    Location: Galway

    St Brigid's Road, Portumna, Galway, H53 EK74, Ireland

  • Portumna Friary

    Location: Galway

    Portumna Demesne, Co. Galway, Ireland

  • Portumna Castle & Gardens

    Location: Galway

    Portumna Demesne, Portumna, Co. Galway, Ireland

Timeline events in this community

  • 1830s

    Kilcroan in 1837

    <p>As described in Samuel Lewis' <em>Topographical Dictionary of Ireland</em> 1837.</p>

    1837-01-01 12:00:00

  • 1820s

    First Census of Inisheer

    <p>The 1821 Census of Inisheer survived the Public Records Office fire. </p>

    1821-04-01 12:00:00

  • 1820s

    First Census of Inishmaan

    <p>The 1821 Census of Inishmaan survived the Public Records Office fire. </p> <p>Family names featured: </p> <p>Beaty</p> <p>O'Brien</p> <p>Callaghan, Callaughan, Collaughan</p> <p>Carey, Keaghry </p> <p>Clancy</p> <p>Concannon</p> <p>Connor</p> <p>Conneely (Connolly)</p> <p>Cook</p> <p>Costelloe</p> <p>Curreen</p> <p>Collins</p> <p>Dignum</p> <p>Dirrane (Derrane)</p> <p>O'Donnell</p> <p>Faherty</p> <p>Flaherty</p> <p>Fitzgerald</p> <p>Flemon (Fleming)</p> <p>Folan</p> <p>Ginnane</p> <p>Glinn (Glynn)</p> <p>Grealish, Grelish</p> <p>Griffy</p> <p>Higgins</p> <p>Joyce</p> <p>Kane, Kean, Kine</p> <p>Keating</p> <p>King</p> <p>Linnane</p> <p>Maher</p> <p>McDonough</p> <p>Mulkern (Mulkerrin)</p> <p>Murry (Murray)</p> <p>Prendergast</p> <p>Scahill</p> <p>Sullivan</p> <p>Welch</p> <p> </p>

    1821-04-01 12:00:00

  • 1830s

    Arranmore, Ennismain and Innishere in 1837

    <p>As described in the "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland" by Samuel Lewis, 1837</p>

    1837-01-01 12:00:00