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Looking for Peoples/Brogan connections

Donegal

I am in search of my paternal Great Grandfathers roots. HIs name was William Peoples, born 12 Aug 1850 (or 51). He emigrated in about 1867 according to the US census. Two family stories exist - one saying that William came to Canada, another to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. But both say that he joined a brother or brothers in Philadelphia. That is the full extent of what my family has been able to tell me about William!

But what I have found is that the Peoples surname is concentrated heavily in County Donegal in Griffiths Valuation. And the 1880 US census says that William had an aunt by the name of Ann Brogan. This aunt actually signed the birth certificate of my grandfather, John Ignatius Peoples, as the attendant at his birth. And so I am looking for places in Donegal (or Ulster generally) where the Peoples families and Brogan families might have intersected. I have found one such family - Phillip Brogan and his wife Honora (or Anna) Peoples in Gortahork. A Sarah Peoples was a witness to one of their childrens baptism. And theres another family - William Peoples & Mary Brogan from Carrick (emigrated to New Zealand).

I am writing to ask if anyone here at Ireland Reaching Out might have any knowledge of - or maybe even be part of- any combined Peoples and Brogan families. Thank you so much for any information you might be able to share with me!

Pat Peoples

Patricia946

7 replies

Pat:

Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out!

What was the religious denomination of the Peoples family.?  Did William die in Pennsylvania 1906 or later? If so, his death record should be on Ancestry.com and may show his parents names.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hello, Roger McDonell!  My sincerest apologies but I've just rediscovered this post after many months away and see that I did not respond to your kind reply!  I am sorry for that.  To answer your question, William Peoples died in New Jersey in 1921 and, unfortunately, his death certificate lists his parents as "Unknown".   

 

Patricia946

Hi Pat!

Roots Ireland has seven William Peoples baptismal records from 1846-1851. The one in 1851 was not an August birth and the family was Presbyterian.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you, Roger!  It's been quite awhile since I visited Roots Ireland - I'll have to resubscribe to check these out!  I would mention that the 1851 date is my best estimate from various records and censuses.  William could have been born anytime between maybe 1848 and 1853!  In addition, I am not ruling out Presbyterian ancestry as the Peoples name doesn't seem to be native Irish but could possibly have originated in Scotland.  I have reviewed an Antrim birth for a William Peoples in 1851 - but he lived and died in Ireland - so not my great grandfather.  I'll let you know if anything on Roots Ireland turns out to be my William!   

Pat Peoples

Patricia946

Re: The Peoples who went to New Zealand. I have some details of  their son, John  who married Mary Ann Saunders. He was buried in the Kaikoura cemetery. A brief obituary can be found in the NZ Tablet 6-2-1919.

 

kaylenebruce

Thank you, Kaylene!  I will definitely  check out the obituary - although I am not aware of any connection in my family to New Zealand (but then much has been lost in the mists of time so anything is possible!!)  

Pat

Patricia946

Hello again, 

Probably useless info:

I have been looking at the numbers for the New Zealand Peoples but they would fail to fit your Peoples, unless he was a brother or cousin.

John Peoples buried here was born roughly around 1836 in Ireland. He died 16-12-1918 in the Catholic section, Kaikoura, New Zealand, having arrived there in 1867. He married Mary Ann Saunders in 1874. His parents were most likely to be William (born roughly 1810) and Mary (nee Brogan) Peoples. I have yet to find their names on shipping lists. 

There was a John Peoples selling a book on building stairs in 1905.

Also buried at Kaikoura is a Patrick Peoples also born in Ireland aorund 1836, not sure if he is connected to the above John or not. He married a Johanna Harnett in 1870.

Both families liberally sprinkle the names, William, Patrick and John amoung their numerous decendants, but then so do most of the Catholics interred at Kaikoura so is of little help.

If you ever find a connection I will happily email you photos of the graves.

Warm Regards,

Kaylene

 

kaylenebruce

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