Our Ireland Family Line
We currently trace our family tree back to Robert Ireland, Sr., who was born in Belfast in August 1765.
Migrations
After leaving Belfast for America in the early 1800s,
most of our ancestors underwent an eighty year westward migration to Cincinnati Ohio,
central Illinois, northwest Missouri and then eastern Kansas. The family began scattering across the country in the 1900s and can now be found all across America.
Robert Sr. was born in Belfast, Ireland in August 1765. The last name of his wife may have been Eastburn,
and it appears that she died in Ireland about 1816. Robert and his wife had five sons and one daughter before he came to America. They are:
- Henry Ireland - born 1799 in Belfast. Married Rebecca Young in Yonkers. Died in Yonkers, NY at about age 60. Children - none.
- William Ireland - born 1802 in Belfast. Married Elizabeth Priestley. Son and five daughters born in America. Died 1864 in Philadelphia, PA.
Believed to have no living descendants in America; some members of the Ward family live in England.
- Elizabeth Ireland - born 1805 in Belfast. Died in Tasmania (southernmost Australia) in 1831 at about age 26. No known spouse or children.
- David James Ireland - born 1807 in Belfast. Spouse is unknown. Believed to have remained in Belfast and had at least two children: Sarah and James.
Additional descendants unknown.
- Robert Ireland, Jr. - born Jan 1809 in Belfast. Married Sophia Elizabeth Morgan, born 3 Nov 1817 in London. Four sons and one daughter. Died Aug 1863 in Macon, IL.
All known living members of our family in America are descendants of Robert Jr. and Sophia.
- John Ireland - born 1810? in Belfast. Some have reported he was lost at sea, but appears to have lived in Ohio in 1850.
Not believed to have had a spouse or children.
There are extensive genealogies available for the William Ireland/Elizabeth Priestley wing of the family. Many of their descendants are named Sloan, Wells and Ward.
Robert Sr. died in Cincinnati in 1848. My family descends from his son, Robert Jr.
Robert Jr. was born in Belfast in January, 1809. After emigrating with his family, he married Sophia Elizabeth Morgan on 20 May 1837 in Cincinnati, OH.
They had seven sons and one daughter:
- infant Thomas Francis - born 1838 in Cincinnati. Died at age two.
- William Henry - born 30 Mar 1849 in Cincinnati. Married Maria Louisa "Pet" McCool on 22 Apr 1968 in Macon, IL. They had four sons and five daughters. He died on 3 Aug 1919 in Bronson, KS.
- David James - born 5 May 1842 in Cincinnati. No known spouse or children. Died on 10 Apr 1926 in Sacramento, CA.
- Thomas Francis - born 20 Aug 1844 in Cincinnati. Married Samantha "Mott" McCool on 20 August 1868 in Macon, IL. One daughter and two sons. Died at age 29 in Lone Tree, NE. Buried in Stewartsville, MO.
- Ellen Alice - born 3 Jan 1847 in Cincinnati. Married William Murray Clarke on 24 Dec 1872. One son and one daughter. Died on 29 Feb 1932 in Buffalo, KS.
- Robert Morgan - born 14 Jan 1850 in Cincinnati. No known spouse or children. Died on 23 Apr 1895 in Elgin (suburban Chicago) IL.
- infant Harry - born 1 Jan 1855 in Cincinnati. Died seven months later.
- Frederick Henry - born 21 Sep 1861 in Cincinnati. Married Emma Ellis on 20 May 1887. One daughter and no grandchildren. Died on 18 Oct 1937 in Sacramento CA.
Robert Jr. died in Aug 1863 in Macon, IL. My family descends from his second child, William Henry.
William Henry was born in Cincinnati on 30 Mar 1849. He married Maria Louisa "Pet" McCool on 22 Apr 1968 in Macon, IL. They had four sons and five daughters:
- Louisa Marie - born 8 Apr 1869 in Macon, IL. No known spouse or children. Died on 19 Jan 1959 in Muscatine, IA.
- Eva Ellen - born 27 Apr 1871 in Stewartsville, MO. No known spouse or children. Death unknown.
- infant Nellie Elizabeth - born 3 Feb 1874 in Stewartsville, MO. Died 21 Sep 1874 in Stewartsville.
- William Mathewson Ireland - born 23 Oct 1875 in Stewartsville, MO.
- Thomas Francis - born 5 May 1878 in Stewartsville, MO. Died 1949 in Bronson, KS.
- Fredrick Robert - born 29 Nov 1880 in Stewartsville, MO.
- Harry Arthur - born 23 Jun 1883 in Bronson, KS.
- David Edwin - born 27 Sep 1886 in Stewartsville, MO. Twin.
- Mary Edna - born 27 Sep 1886 in Stewartsville, MO. Twin.
William Henry died on 3 Aug 1919 in Bronson, KS. My family descends from his fourth child and first son, William Mathewson.
William Mathewson was born on 23 Oct 1875 in Stewartsville, MO. He married Eva May Wright on 10 May 1899. They had two daughters and three sons:
- Romola Marie - born 28 Jun 1900 in Bronson, KS. Died 24 Feb 1934 at age 33 in Ottawa, KS.
- William Harold - born 02 Sep 1902 in Bronson, KS. Married Marguerite Phyllis Hjort on 25 Aug 1928. Died 07 Oct 1982 in Arkansas City, KS.
- Thelma Elizabeth - born 08 Dec 1904 in Bronson, KS. Married Edward W. "Ted" Detrick on 18 Aug 1931.
- Emmett Eugene - born 21 Jun 1907 in Bronson, KS. Married Lina Rae Knox in 1941.
- Harry Lee - born 12 Nov 1909 in Bronson, KS. Married Beulah Clarease Nichols on 12 Aug 1934. One son and three daughters. Died 21 Aug 1990 in Parsons, KS.
My family descends from his youngest child, Harry Lee.
Harry Lee was born on 12 Nov 1909 in Bronson, KS. He married Beulah Clarease Nichols on 12 Aug 1934. Their four children are living, so only minimal details are provided:
- Son Gary had three sons with his first wife. After they divorced, he re-married. His second wife had a daughter by a previous marriage.
- Daughter, who was married to a man who had children from a previous marriage. No children of their own. Divorced.
- Daughter, who has two children and three grandchildren. Divorced, remarried and widowed.
- Daughter, who is married with two children and four grandchildren.
Harry Lee died on 21 Aug 1990 in Parsons KS. My father is his son, Gary.
Kevin's Father
Kevin's father is living, so minimal information is provided. He has three sons from his first marriage:
- Son Kevin, married to Stephen. They have no children.
- Identical twin son, married, with one daughter and one son.
- Twin son, married, with one daughter and two sons.
Kevin and the twins have a younger half-brother from their mother's second marriage. Their half-brother is married, with two sons and two daughters (including fraternal twins.)
Kevin's father later re-married. His wife has a daughter from a previous marriage; the daughter has one son.