Seeking a DNA connection to James John McCall (as written in America) to the McElhaw, McHaw, M*Haw, or other surnames in Ballymacool, Sallaghraine (Sallaghrane) Letterkenny area. Our family Bible, dated 1846 show James' birth to be either 1824 or 1834 in Ballymacool, Letterkenny, County Donegal.
Thank you, sincerely, for any information.
James&Catherine:
What denomination were your ancestors? The 1857 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing for Co. Donegal lists a James McHaw and a John McHaw in Sallaghagrane townland in Conwal civil parish.
I was not able to locate any civil death records for James or John.
I did find these two McElhaw families in the 1901 census in Sallaghagrane.
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Donegal/Letterkenny_Rural/Sallaghagrane/1188260/
https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Donegal/Letterkenny_Rural/Sallaghagrane/1188258/
Roger McDonnell
Oh, thank you for your engagement! I did mean to include our family's religious affiliation. Roman Catholic for as long as family stories have been told. I am 65 and have crystal clear recall of my grandparents and family stories of my GGrandparents. But very thin stories about James and Catharine.
I guess, ultimately I would be seeking to make a DNA connection to prove James' surname got Americanized upon entry into America. James' entire Pennsylvania, US Census shows he could not read or wrote until the 1890 Census. I have 3 ship manifests, and 3 Declaration on Intent and Naturalization records for a James McCall. Only one in each record type has a man signing by "His + Mark" and witnessed. So, I am pretty sure I have found my James' immigration trail.
James and Catharine and several of their children are buried in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania. I have been to the family plot.
Last August, eighteen of their dependents gathered to correct the lack of a Civil War Veteran marker for James. We did so from the very Sanctuary from which he was buried.
James&Catherine:
The RC records for Letterkenny parish do not start until 1853 and James was born before 1853. Do you know if Catherine was from the Letterkenny area and did they marry in Ireland?
I'm sure James' surname was Americanized. When did Catherine die?
Roger