Irish Maternal Roots_ the beginning

  

Prior to making our journey to Ireland this past summer (Clint and I)_ I did some research into our family history:

The reseach consisted of talking via telephone with my cousins, my brothers (Mike & Kevin), checking the Internet, and reviewing immigration records on my paternal grandfather.

  

John Curran, my paternal great great grandfather, was born in Ireland in 1850. He married Julia Sheehan, who was born there also. They had eight children:

1. Patrick_           born in 1869, died in 1936
2. Katherine_      born in 1871, died in 1885
3. Daniel_            born in 1872, died in 1904
4. Johanna_        born in 1873, died in 1954
5. John Joseph_  born in 1875, died in 1946
6. Mary_              born in 1875, died in 1959
7. Dennis_           born in 1880, died in 1895
8. Julia_               born in 1883, died in 1885

John Joseph was born in Cahersiveen, Ireland and migrated to the United States on the passenger ship Britannic from Liverpool. He arrived at Ellis Island on August 9,1895. He received his U.S. citizenship on October 23, 1896.

 John Joseph Curran married Maude Lucy Carpenter on November 21, 1899 in Westfield, Massachusetts. They resided in Willimantic, Connecticut before and after their marriage. Maude was born September 8, 1878, and died February 22, 1921. John worked at the American Thread Company in Willimantic, and died suddenly while at the Elk's home (Willimantic) on November 10,1946. According to his obituary, " he was a star first baseman for the Old Willimantic Nine in his younger days".

They had seven children:

1.    Doris Maude        _ born in 1900, died in 1973
2.    Milton John          _ born in 1902, died as an infant
3.    Irene Carpenter  _ born in 1904, died in 1988
4.    Dorothy May        _ born in 1907, died as an infant
5.    Helen                   _ born in 1913, died in 2001
6.   James Daniel       _ born in 1916, died in 1993
7.   Florence                _ born in 1918, died in 2007

 James Daniel Curran, my father, married Shirley Marie Meyers in 1946:

   

They started their family immediatedly; three children:

• Michael Sean_ born in 1948,
• Patricia Joanne_ born in 1951 and
• James Kevin_ born in 1954

Both James and Shirley attended Windham High School in Willimantic. James, also, graduated from Bently College in Waltham, Massachusetts with a degree in Accounting. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 and served four years as a Warrant Officer.

My father first worked for M. Swift & Company as an Accountant, and then later for LaPointe Industries located in Rockville, Connecticut. He was the Vice  President of Finance upon retirement:

Tragedy  struck in June of 1958, when Shirley died of skin cancer.

James re-married to Claire Bacon Enos in January of 1960. This was a second marriage for Claire also, as her first husband had been killed in an automobile accident.

Claire had two children from her first marriage; Geraldine and Joan.

October 13, 1973 I, Patricia Joanne Curran, married Johnnie L Harris:

Just moments prior to the ceremony my father and Claire slipped me some "just in case money": just in case I ever needed to come home.