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

These families became part of the earliest settlers of Franklin Falls and Alder Brook. They consisted of the Cornelius RYAN family, Martin DEWEY, Patrick O'NEIL, Andrew TRACY, the brothers, Michael & Owen FINNEGAN, and John D. WALLACE. In both Franklin Falls and nearby Alder Brook, the McKILLIP family settled and consisted of the four brothers, John, Hugh, Patrick, Archibald and sister Bridget who married a COLLINS; another sister, Mary Jane, married and settled in Clintonville with her husband, Daniel LACY. All of these families were connected through marriage at different times.

All of the families and one of the McKILLIP brothers, John, lived on Sorrell St. in Franklin Falls. Archibald McKILLIP lived farther north in Alder Brook and moved there after his marriage to Ann Jane O'NEAL in Keeseville in 1851. He was a Postmaster in Alder Brook, ran a store and was also a Civil War Veteran. He left the Infantry with a health problem that was similar to malaria and his widow secured a pension following his death.

Andrew TRACY lived around the corner from the RYAN/DEWEY homestead on the left side of Franklin Falls Road as it headed south toward "the Falls". It may have been on a piece of property that burned in the huge fire in 1852 that wiped out Franklin Falls. They moved to Franklin Falls about that year.

Thomas RYAN lived in another house on the same property as the RYAN/DEWEY home. He built his home and housed his mother, Mary RYAN, and also around 1850 his sister, Catherine, and her husband, Martin DEWEY. Thomas also was a veteran of the Civil War however his term of service was only about a year.

Further west was the home of Patrick O'NEIL and across the road from him was the sister to Andrew TRACY, Hanorah, who had married John D. WALLACE. Again, further west were the homes of the brothers, Michael and Owen FINNEGAN, who lived on adjoining properties. Michael already had six children when he arrived on Sorrel St. Owen was unmarried and his probable mother, Nancy (Ann) , and sister, Bridget, lived with him.

Names that are in Red indicate that the person also belongs to another of the families on this site.