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I'm looking for the parents of Michael John Longan and Ellen Longan of western Co. Waterford

    Michael John Longan, b. Nov 1855 in Co. Waterford, emigrated to Akron, Ohio about 1871 (from US Census records). Naturalization records show 10 Jul 1872 in Cuyahoga Co, Ohio. He married 1882 to Margaret L. McGowan of Co. Donegal at St. Vincent's Church, Akron, Ohio. He was a stonemason and purchased property in Akron. On his death certificate, Michael John's son, Francis, reported that his father's father was John Longan/Longon, and the mother's name was unknown. 

   Ellen Longan/Longon (1868-1901) in Co. Waterford. (No civil record found of her birth.) On 24 Dec 1888, she married John Sweeney in Akron, Summit, Ohio. Her husband died in 1898, leaving her widowed with sons James (1890-1949) and John (1891-1926). Ellen died 3 years later of typhoid fever. Her two sons were then raised by their uncle, Michael John Longan. 

   Personally, my Ancestry DNA, shows a connection to the Blackwater River estuary in western Co. Waterford. 

    I've found several listings for a John Longan in Griffith's.  Some records show a listing in Canty. There's a marriage for a widower John Longan in 1869 (the year after Ellen was born) with Mary Beston in Whitechurch. 

    There's just nothing to indicate which (if any) John Longan is the father of Michael John Longan and Ellen Longan (who were born 13 years apart). Is he related to the widower in 1869? 

    Any help with this brick wall would be much appreciated.  We are coming to Co. Waterford in June 17-19, 2025, hoping to visit townlands of my great, great grandparents.  

Barbara Longon Palmer

Barbara

2 replies

The following Patrick and Ellen Langan were baptized in Waterford about 12 years apart.  Their birth years / dates are close to but not exact to the ones you found in U.S. records; as  you know, this is often the case.  I do not know if these two Langans are the ones you are seeking, but they are both from the same townland, Kilmurry, in western Waterford.  Both have a father Patrick; the mothers are different, showing that Patrick probably married a second time.  Which would explain the age gap between the (half)siblings.

It looks like your Michael John named one of his children James  Patrick.  I do not know what Ellen named her children. Irish naming patterns would lead us to expect that the first son would have been named after the paternal grandfather. But while that is an expectation, it is not cast in stone.

Anyway, these records are of interest.

 

Name:           Michael Longan     

Baptism:       03-Oct-1852

Address:        Kilmurry       

Parish/District:        DUNGARVAN

County           Co. Waterford

Denomination:        Roman Catholic

Father:          Patrick Longan       

Mother:        Mary Conolly

Sponsors: William Sliney, Catherine Walsh

 

 

Name:           Ellen Longan           

Date of Baptism:    06-May-1864

Address:        Kilmurry       

Parish/District:        DUNGARVAN

County           Co. Waterford

Denomination:        Roman Catholic

Father:          Patrick Longan       

Mother:        Mary Coghlan

Sponsors: William Phelan,            Catherine Phelan

 

www.rootsireland.ie

glanvil3@aol.com

Many thanks, Patricia, for your searches. This certainly adds some more potential pieces to the puzzle.  I've joined two Waterford DNA groups hoping to find some answers. Also, I'm questioning why Michael John Longon "decided" to settle in Akron, Ohio. Looking into surnames of sponsors who might also be in Akron at that time, or before.  The search goes on.  I appreciate your time. 

Barbara Longon Palmer

Barbara

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