Genealogy for Dewey-O’Neil-Tracy McKillip-Finnegan Wallace-Ryan-Gaffney Families Of Franklin Co., NY

Who Arrived First

The FINNEGAN's were the first to arrive in the new world, landing in Nova Scotia around 1830 and traveling south to first settle in Willsboro where the first six of Michael and Mary Ann (McCUSKER) FINNEGAN's 14 children were born (1837-1849). The brothers Michael and Owen FINNEGAN, and possibly a sister, Bridget and mother, Nancy, then settled next door to each other on Sorrell St. in Franklin Falls between the last half of 1849 to 1850.

The McKILLIP's began arriving between 1832 and 1845, passing through Canada as most of the northern NY state immigrants did. The McKILLIP family consisted of six siblings, John, Hugh, Patrick, Archibald, Bridget (married into the COLLINS family) and Mary Jane (married into the LACY family). Documentation has found that the oldest, John, arrived in Montreal in 1832 aboard the Brig Joseph Hume which had sailed from Greenock, Scotland just across the bay from Antrim where they lived. He worked there for a period of time probably earning money for the passage for the rest of the family. Patrick and Hugh arrived in 1840 aboard the ship, Cahawba, again sailing from the same port in Scotland. Initially this family settled around the Keeseville area, where Archibald married his wife Ann O'NEAL in 1851, and all but Mary Jane later moved inland to the Franklin Falls/Alder Brook area. All of these families had arrived in Franklin County by 1850.

Around 1840 or so the Martin DEWEY family showed up in Plattsburgh, possibly moving from Ellisburg, Jefferson County, NY where the 1820 and 1830 census show this family. Shortly thereafter, the RYAN ancestors also arrived in Plattsburgh and met there around 1846. Thomas and his sister, Catherine RYAN, arrived in Canada in 1846 aboard the ship, Marmion, which had sailed from Liverpool, England. The arrival time of their mother, Mary, and other brothers is unknown. Martin DEWEY went with the Cornelius RYAN clan to settle in Franklin Falls. They settled on Sorrell St around 1847-8.

Around September of 1847 Patrick O'NEIL's family arrived in the US with one son and a daughter that was born on the boat; they first appear in the 1860 census in Black Brook, Clinton Co. a short distance away from Franklin Falls. Where they were in NY prior to 1860 is unknown; since all the remaining children are shown as born in NY, they were probably near Keeseville, NY since two of the children were baptized at Immaculate Conception. They finally became residents of Franklin Falls on Sorrell St. by 1860.

Andrew TRACY was in the US in 1845. His wife, Bridget RYAN, arrived in the US in 1849. They met, married and moved to Black Brook by 1850. They are shown living in the house next to William Wallace DEWEY and his wife Eliza RYAN. William Wallace is the suspected brother to Martin DEWEY and Bridget TRACY and Eliza may also have been related. Andrew and Bridget TRACY relocated to Franklin Falls around 1852 and settled on the Franklin Falls road where it intersects with Sorrell St. Meanwhile, Andrew TRACY's sister who had married John D. WALLACE created their homestead about the same time across the street from the O'NEILs.