Bridget McGreal Haddican : Short Biography

Bridget McGreal Haddican 1828

County Mayo

Mayo

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Place of migration

Migrated to/Born in USA

Bridget McGuire was born in Mayo County about 1828. She married Thomas McGreal in Bekan Parish in 1848. A son was born to them in 1849. He was named Thomas Edward and baptized in Bekan Parish. Thomas, the father, died in the cholera epidemic in 1849. We know nothing more about him. Bridget married John Haddican in Bekan Parish in 1850. She and John had 2 more sons, Edmund and James. Edmund died sometime before they immigrated to America aboard the ship "Constellation" in 1855. They settled in Bristol, Lake County, Wisconsin. There were Haddicans there at that time, Patrick and Mary (Lyons) Haddican. We do not know their connection. Bridget and John had 3 more children; Patrick, Margaret and John. Thomas Edward retained the McGreal name. John Haddican died in 1884. Her son Thomas helped her with their farm. Bridget lived in Bristol, Wisconsin until her later years when she lived with her daughter, Margaret (Haddican) Brogan in nearby Antioch, Illinois. She died there in 1899.

The photo here is the only one we have of Bridget. She is standing with her son Thomas Edward McGreal, my Great Grandfather. They are standing in front of their farm home in Bristol, Wisconsin, USA.

Additional Information
Date of Birth	1st Jan 1828 (circa)	VIEW SOURCE
Date of Death	1st Jan 1899 (circa)	VIEW SOURCE
Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname)	Bridget McGuire was married to Thomas McGreal in Bekan Parish, Mayo County, on 6 March 1848. Thomas died in the cholera epidemic in 1849. She then married John Haddican in Bekan Parish 23 May 1850. They immigrated to America in 1855.	VIEW SOURCE
First Child	The first child of Bridget McGuire & Thomas McGreal was Thomas Edward McGreal. He was born in 1849 and baptized in Bekan Parish. His father died of cholera in 1849. He boarded a ship to America as Thomas Haddican but retained his McGreal name later.	VIEW SOURCE
Names of Children	Thomas Edward McGreal 1849, Edmund Haddican 1852, James Haddican 1854, Patrick Haddican 1856, Margaret Haddican 1858, John Haddican 1861	VIEW SOURCE
Place of Death	Bridget died in 1899 in Antioch, Lake Co. Illinois. She was living there with her daughte, Margaret Brogan. We don't know where she is buried but assume it is in St. Scholastica Cemetery in Bristol, Wisconsin where John is buried.	VIEW SOURCE

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Hi. I'm not sure if this actually works.... but here goes.

My Great, Great, Great Grandfather was Edward Haddican. I've got an estimated birth of 1796. He moved to Derbyshire in the UK from Ballyhaunis (according to his census details) but I have some vague details that relate back to Bekan Parish. I'm trying to dig a little deeper but the records are pretty poor.

I'm sure he couldn't write (his daughter, Bridget born in Ireland couldn't write) and is listed as Edmund on one census and the name Ballyhaunis is Ballybeone/Ballybane/Ballyheaven. Ballyhean is in Mayo.

The daughter married a James Gleeson in Ireland and I'm trying to find marriage details. James Gleeson was a tailor.

The Haddican name seems to be from one specific area so I'm hoping there's a connection.

David

Casimir Engine

Monday 18th November 2024 04:42PM

Hi David,

Thanks for your comment and inquiry about the Haddican family in Bekan Parish. I wrote the above post in an effort to connect our Haddican/McGreal/McGuire family in Wisconsin to their family in Bekan Parish in the early/mid 1800s. I've found their marriage and some baptism records but haven't been able to piece together their family that remained in Ireland. It would be wonderful if we could find some connections. I know records are scarce but I've found quite a few Haddicans in Bekan Parish in the new records released by Family Search. I'll put a link to their info here. It is a free service but you do have to set up an account. There are many countries included so you just have to scroll down to Ireland and enter your info. They are adding new records all the time so it pays to check back each month. https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/new-records-28-october-2024. I will keep eyes open for Edward Haddican and his daughter Bridget married to Gleeson. Do you have names of any other members of their family? Good luck with your quest. Patience pays off as new records are being made public all the time.

Best Regards, Linda

lbnilson

Tuesday 19th November 2024 05:40AM

Morning

It's a snowy day in Derbyshire so we're a bit stuck indoors. I thought I'd send the other Haddican names listed for our parish. It's a strange place to emigrate to? The town of Wirksworth is as far from the sea in all directions so as land locked as you can get. The only employment at the time would have been agriculture and lead mining? I need to check the industry in Mayo to see if there's a connection with mining in some way.

The Haddican I have in my family tree is Edward born in 1796.

Other Haddicans on my list to follow up are:

Mary Haddican who married Michael Gleeson in Wirksworth between 1825/1875

Ellen Haddican married a Henry Greatorex (local name) around the same year period.

Michael Haddican appears on the census around 1800 and arrived from Ballymoe (?) married to a Honoria Burke

Edward Haddican married Annie Cussack in a town called Matlock at St Giles Church 1825/75

Catherine Haddican is listed on the census arriving from Taum in the Bekan Parish as did Thomas, Walter (my Grandfather was names Walter so maybe some connection?) and Bridget Haddican listed as arriving from Galway.

Another connection between the Gleeson family and the Haddicans... Bridget Gleeson is buried in Taum who died age 77 in 1918 at the Workhouse graveyard.

One final connection is through a Great Great Great Uncle. Robert Gleeson left for Herne Bay in Kent and set up as a tailor. He changed his name to Robert Haddican Gleeson.

Hope it all helps

David

Casimir Engine

Tuesday 19th November 2024 08:44AM

Linda

This is a link to our local parish records. Hopefully it will take you to the Haddican records but if not, navigate back to the front page, click on either census or parish records and then find the surname:

http://www.wirksworth.org.uk/PR042.htm#909