Settlers III: Patrick Devanney


The Devanney Family Homestead
Taken in the 1930s
Photo courtesy of Charles Devanney

Updated: April 2013
With a Sidebar on the Conner Family

Patrick DEVANNEY was one of the original Irish settlers to come to Sullivan Co. Born in 1804, he was a young man, he came with his family to Berwick, PA, having been married in Ireland to Mary Boland.

In 1849, he came to Cherry Twp., Sullivan Co.,Pa. and settled on a farm on Eagle Rock Road(Cook Hill, Cherry Mills). Mr. Devanney died in 1879 at about 75 years old. Patrick is buried in St. Basils, Dushore (Sec. AA,Blk. 10). He came to the US in 1848 or 1849, probably because of the potato famine (1845-1847). He made his mark "X" on deed records. He may have had brothers named Martin, Cornelius or James Devinney. A sister, Bridget, followed Patrick to Sullivan Co. Martin was a native of Carrowmacbrine (Carrowmacbryan) Parish of Easkey, County Sligo, Ireland.

Patrick came over on one the infamous "Coffin" ships, and is very likely to have lost family on the way over. There are deed records of Cornelius owning land in Cherry Twp. (Deed DB 4P 343 ,10-1-1856).

Martin is buried as Martin Devaney (died 13 Oct 1870, age 60), in St. Basil's (Sec. AA, Blk..3) and is listed in the 1870 census as Patrick Devany, 65 years, with Real Estate Value=$440, Personal Value=$150(11 July 1870).

Household members as of 11 July 1870:
  • Patrick-65 years
  • Mary-53 yrs.
  • Mary-23 yrs.
  • Owen-28 yrs.
  • Mary-1 yr.
  • The youngest Mary was the only one born in PA; all the rest were born in Ireland. She is quite possibly a grandchild.
  • Here is a picture of Owen Devanney and his wife Mary (Cuff) taken late in life in Dushore. The contributors are Tom and Sandy Crossett.


    Owen and Mary (Cuff) Devanney
    Son and Daughter-in-law of Patrick and Mary (Boland) Devanney
    Approximately around 1900
    Photo courtesy of Tom and Sandy Crossett

 
Bridget DEVANNEY Conner (1820-1887), from County Sligo, Ireland, (Patrick's sister) came to America in 1851, married to John Conner, also a native of Sligo and they resided in Forks Twp. John Connor was listed as a hotelkeeper in Dushore, age 44 at death (56-1894 in death registrar at the Sullivan County Courthouse), although other records show him born in 1815 and dying in 1865.. Their daughter, Bridget Connor (1849-1922), married John Wright of Forks Twp *. Found this information at the Sullivan Co. Hist. Society.
* Editor's Note: You can learn more about the Wright family at The Streby History of Forks. Michael Letina has developed a comprehensive online family history called the Ellis Family Tree, which contains all the currently available information in 2013 about the intermarried Devanney, Connor and Cooley families. Mike can be reached at sewerwkr@aol.com for comments and discussion. Here is what Mike had to say about these families in April 2013:

My wife, Margaret Marren--her mother's maiden name was Ruth Ellis. If you look at the tree, look at John Marren's mother Bridget (Connor) Marren (1885-1960). She was a granddaughter of John and Bridget (Devanney) Connor, via her parents, John and Ellen (Loftus) Connor. I have a lot of info on them. Bridget and many of her siblings--Patrick, Nellie, Winifred, Margaret and Joseph Connor--all moved to Buffalo in the early 1900's. There are a number of pictures in the family tree. The common grandparents are John Connor and Bridget Devanney, born early 1800's in Ireland.They all lived around Dushore, Sullivan County, PA.
Mary Connor was a sister of John and Charles Connor, and therefore an aunt to Bridget (Connor) Marren. She married Martin Cooley and moved to Tennessee. He fought as a Confederate in the Civil War. There are still Cooley's there and I have heard from them.

Another interesting connection to local history is through the marriage of Emma May Connor (1887-1987), daughter of Charles (John's brother) and Catherine (Murray) Connor, to Lewis Dudley Baumgartner (1869-1864), son of Francix Xavier and Phoebe (Walburn) Baumgartner.. The Baumgartner family history can be accessed at Settlers XIX: The Baumgartner Emigration.

 

Phelim (Latin for Phillip) (1784-1869) was Patrick's father. Luke could be a brother. (see Griffith's Valuation)
  • Patricks's Birth Date: 1804
  • Birth Place: County Sligo, Ireland(Inniscrone)
  • Christening Place: County Sligo, Ireland (Parish of Kilglass)
  • Death Date: 16 Nov 1879
  • Death Place: Cherry Mills, PA (Dushore, PA)
  • Burial Place: Dushore, Pa.
  • Occupation: Farmer -Woodsman
  • Religion: Catholic
 
 
Christening: Parish of Kilglass
Burial: St. Basil's
Research:
Sullivan County Newspaper, March 25, 1976
Northumberland Church of Latter Day Saints
County Sligo Heritage and Genealogy Society
Sullivan County Historical Society, Laporte, PA
 
Mary BOLAND Devanney (1809-1880) is buried at St. Basil's (Sec. AA, Blk. 10). A native of County Sligo, Parish of Castleconner, she was 71 years and 6 mo. at death. An infant son died but is not named on her monument. Listed on 1870 census as "keeping house" ,53 years old.
 
An old family story states that on the ship to America the weather became very cold. While on the ship's deck, a strong burst of wind blew Owen's cap into the sea. Mary commented "Poor Owen, now he'll be so cold." (story related to Charles Devanney by Mark White,Texas)

Here is another picture from the Crossetts of Thomas Devanney (1878-1900) at about the time of his death from a logging accident at Ricketts. It is the only known picture of this son of Owen and Mary (Cuff) Devanney.


Thomas Devanney
Approximately around 1900
Photo courtesy of Tom and Sandy Crossett

 
Christening: Parish of Castleconner
Burial: St. Basil's
Marriage Date: 1837
Marriage Place: Castleconner, County Sligo, Ireland
Children:
  • Owen
  • Alice
  • John
  • Birth Date: 1809
  • Birth Place: County Sligo, Ireland
  • Christening Date: See Notes.
  • Christening Place: County Sligo, Ireland (Church of Castleconner)
  • Death Date: 21 Nov 1880
  • Death Place: Dushore, PA
  • Burial Place: Dushore
  • Occupation: Housewife
  • Religion: Catholic
 
Contributor:
Charles Devanney
crd@dejazzd.com

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