Cummings/Gillespie

Hi John,

i still live in Lackawanna County. Many of my ancestors were from Ratheskin in Kilfian, most notably, O'Donnell's, Ruddy's, O'Boyle's and McHale's. Of them, there were quite a few who originally settled in the small town of Hawley in Wayne County and worked their way to Dunmore, Scranton and Minooka. I have only recently discovered where my great grandfather, Dominick Gillespie originated. I knew he was in Pittston, Luzerne County in 1860. He was living in a household headed by James Early. It included his wife, Barbara, a son John, an infant, Dominick and Mary Gillespe. I have tried every way imaginable to find him on the ships lists and nothing matched. Finally, I simply typed "Gillespie." After all of these years, I couldn't find him because his first name was abbreviated "Dmk." He arrived in New York on November 24, 1859. He was accompanied by two small children and two young women, Barbara and Mary Gillespie. Barbara had apparently married James Early in Ireland. One of the two children with them did not survive the voyage but Barbara must have been expecting when she left Ireland. Mary married a James Judge sometime between 1860 and 1870 . This was corroborated by my late aunt who said she remembered cousins named Judge from Pittston. 

thanks to the "Find a Grave." Website, I obtained the dates of death of both Barbara and Mary. Dominick was killed in a mining accident in 1891 and his death certificate is local and gives little information. Mary and Barbara have official Pennsylvania certificates and their parents were listed as Anthony and Mary McAndrew Gillespie of Doonbreedia, Addergoole parish. Their landlord was Walter Bourke. Also on the same page was a John Carney. Dominick married a Margaret Carney in Holy Rosary Church in North Scranton in 1863. Dominick's best man was Dominick McAndrew, possibly a cousin. Margaret's maid of honor was Mary, daughter of Patrick Roland of Cloughbrach, also in Addergoole. Margaret's parents are unknown but the possibility exists that she was the daughter of the previously mentioned John Carney.. Of this particular group she remains a mystery. She claimed to have been born in the US in 1848, Despite arriving at different times and settling in different towns and counties, so many of these closely aligned families stayed in contact for many years. 

there are Cummings' here but I don't really know them.

marybeth

Thank you John for your help.  Sorry I didn't respond sooner.  I've been caught up is some other things and away form "family work."  I'll certainly have a look at what you sent.

Much appreciated.

Mike