Hogan Family in Limerick, Ireland

T Sprenger:

You mother has done  excellent work researching your family history.

It is very difficult to try to find church records back to the 1700s in Ireland. For Co. Limerick, most RC parishes in Limerick city have records for the second half of the 1700s. I checked the subscription site Roots Ireland and they hhave a William Hogan baptized in 1750 with father Thomas and another William Hogan baptized in  1752 with father Timothy. Both record were in the St. Mary's parish records. Very likely no baptismal record exists for William.  

The earliest baptismal record in the Roots Ireland data base for Joseph Hogan in Co. Limerick was in 1781.

I know you indicated that resources are tight but a DNA test by your mother may be helpful. Many of the DNA testing companies have sales where a test may be only $59.

Roger McDonnell

Thanks so much for the response Roger. My mother has done the DNA test through ancestry.com and GEDMatch. There are so many Hogan's out there with slightly different information it is really difficult to determine which ones to believe. LOL.

Tamitha has a post about the Hogan family on Tipperary board, posted 17th September 2018.

Tami, you mentioned 2 possible years for James Hogan's birth, 1780 and 1789. 

A Jacobus Higonn was baptised at St. Munchin's, Limerick City 1789. Jacobus is Latin for James. A Joannes Hogan was baptised at same church 1785. That would be John. A Joseph Hogan was baptised at St. Mary's, Limerick 1781,  as mentioned by Roger. It would be an idea to look up all 3 in case of incorrect transcription. Catholic Church registers can be viewed free on the National Library of Ireland website  https://registers.nli.ie  

Miriam her GEDmatch number is A944148

A MESSAGE FROM MY MOTHER: (Fact clarification!!)

My name is Cynthia McTaggart, I am Tami's (Tamitha Sprenger) mother.

My Mother's name was Martha Lou Hogan, (b) 09/29/1934 - Georgia

My Maternal Grandfather was Grady Henry Hogan (b) 07/06/1900 - Georgia

My Great Grandfather was John Mac Hogan (b) 1876

My Great Great Grandfather was John Chappell Hogan (b) 1837

My Great Great Great Grandfather was James Hogan (b) 1780

Note: It was told by everyone that knew James, that he spoke with a Gaelic accent.

The Story of Joseph Hogan

by Wes Hogan

My sources show John Chappell Hogan was the son of James Hogan and his wife Elizabeth Spraggins. James was the son of the immigrant, Joseph Hogan, who left Ireland on a ship when only 14 years old, in 1758. I can confirm the data on James, but am still looking for proof for Joseph.

Right now the best proof I have is the story told by my great grandfather and namesake, Dr. Thomas Wesley Hogan, to my Aunt. He said his father was William, brother of your Thomas J. Hogan. They were sons of James and Elizabeth, and James was the son of Joseph. Joseph was the progenitor of our family according to the Dr. Thomas Wesley Hogan family lore. Joseph lived in Tipperary, Ireland, near the water. When he was 14 years old, he was sent to a mill on a mule with a sack of grain to be ground for his mother. Arriving at the mill, he encountered the captain of a sailing ship who was recruiting boys to come to the new world. No money was needed, for someone would pay the passage in return for work on a farm as an indentured servant. Joseph sent the animal home and left Ireland, without the consent of his family. He is said to have arrived in South Carolina about 1758, and worked his way across South Carolina to Pickens, SC. However, Pickens County did not exist until it was formed from the Pendleton District in 1825. Some of the time Joseph was fighting in the French and Indian War, which started in 1754 and continued until peace was signed in February 1763, but for the most part he was a farmer.

According to Jewel Moats Lancaster, a descendant of Joseph, and at one time president of the Georgia Genealogical Society, the story is slightly different. She says: "Mama always said she understood that his [meaning Joseph's] mother sent him to the commisary for supplies; he went, but found out that there was a war going on over here [ in America] so he went aboard ship, came over to find that war had just ended; he wanted to "look around" before going home, but was warned that the boat was going right back to Ireland; just the same, he "looked around" and when he got back the boat was gone!'

The records are silent on any Joseph Hogan, until 1773, when a Joseph Hogan is mentioned as a landowner on the Little Saluda River, SC. This area fell within the confines of 96 District. In "Abstracts of Old 96 and Abbeville District Wills and Bonds, by Young, there is a will for Joseph Hogains, written 18 November, 1779 and proved 9 February, 1785, which gives the following information: Exr. wife Rebecca Hogains; witnesses Sterling Turner, Peter Foy, John Foy. Bequests are made to Jesse Gains and Sarah Gains. Claims made by our family members that this is the will of our Joseph do not appear justified for the following reasons: The name Hogains never appears in family lore; Family lore says Joseph died in 1814, yet this will was proved in 1785; Joseph's son James was not born until 1790, 5 years after Joseph Hogains died.

Only family legend exists to prove the above details on Joseph and his wife. The story and connection with the cited will are based on information passed to Martha Hogan Avett, my aunt, by her grandfather, Dr. Thomas Wesley Hogan. Dr. Hogan named his father, William, as the son of James, the son of Joseph. If Joseph Hogains is the progenitor, it may be that Dr. Hogan was mistaken and a generation is missing between Joseph and James.

I still have problems with the story of Joseph, which I will be happy to discuss, but the story stands up pretty well.

Wes Hogan

Since joining Ancestry.com I have found information that James Hogan's parents are said to be William Hogan and Nancy Dillard both from Virginia but settled in South Carolina.

William Hogan is the mystery, there are many, many, many William Hogans in Virginia, Kentucky, and South Carolina.

The belief on Ancestry.com is that our William Hogan is actually William Lawrence Hogan (b) 1750 but that does not fit with the story of Joseph, does it?

William Lawrence Hogan was said to be born in Virgina to US parents however his son, William Lawrence Hogan (b) 1792 was Naturalized in South Carolina in 1826 and he states that he was born in Limerick, Ireland.

The questions we all have are this:

Are we the decendants of William Lawrence Hogan (b) 1750?

Is our William Hogan, the mysterious Joseph, possibly Joseph William or William Joseph?

I have documents that prove my lineage all the way to James Hogan. It is when we get to Joseph and/or William that I hit the wall.

I did GedMatch, my kit # is A944148 in the hopes that I can figure out the mystery.

I hope this answers all your questions.

It is very nice to meet you.

Hello all who watch this message board. It has been quite some time since I have posted and just wanted to give you an update. 

Since the last time we (My mother Cynthia and I) posted we have since found evidence that had us change a few names, and take a few names out. 

We are researching our HOGAN line. 

We have the follow information 

Cynthia is the daughter of Martha Lou Hogan

Martha Lou Hogan is the daughter of Grady Henry Hogan(b.1900 d.1985) and Ruby Jane Spears (b.1901 d.1955)

Grady Henry Hogan is the son of John Mac Hogan (b.1876 d.1922) and Sara Della Blackstock (b.1878 d.1945)

John Mac Hogan is the son of John Chapel Hogan (b.1837 d.1873) and Sarah E. Hudgins (b.1836 d.1880)

John Chapel Hogan is the son of James Hogan (b.1790 d.1854) and Elizabeth GIBSON (b.1792 d.1875)

This is where the change occurred. We originally has Elizabeth Spraggins as the Wife of James Hogan until we found the WAR OF 1812 Pension Application where Elizabeth says she married James Hogan Jan. 1816  and her maiden name was Gibson. 

James Hogan is the son of Joseph Hogan (b. abt 1744 in Ireland (The story says Tipperary Ireland.) and Died 1814 in America. We believe South Carolina) and Rebecca (No information listed for her at this time. There is a date that she died around the year 1864). 

We are still looking for the Joseph so supposedly immigrated to America abt. 1758 when he was 14, as an indentured servant.  He is said to have worked his way across South Carolina to Pickens, SC. However, Pickens County did not exist until it was formed from the Pendleton District in 1825. Some of the time Joseph was fighting in the French and Indian War, which started in 1754 and continued until peace was signed in February 1763, but for the most part he was a farmer.

The records are silent on any Joseph Hogan, until 1773, when a Joseph Hogan is mentioned as a landowner on the Little Saluda River, SC. This area fell within the confines of 96 District. In "Abstracts of Old 96 and Abbeville District Wills and Bonds, by Young, there is a will for Joseph Hogains, written 18 November, 1779 and proved 9 February, 1785, which gives the following information: Exr. wife Rebecca Hogains; witnesses Sterling Turner, Peter Foy, John Foy. Bequests are made to Jesse Gains and Sarah Gains. Claims made by our family members that this is the will of our Joseph do not appear justified for the following reasons: The name Hogains never appears in family lore; Family lore says Joseph died in 1814, yet this will was proved in 1785; Joseph's son James was not born until 1790, 5 years after Joseph Hogains died.

Only family legend exists to prove the above details on Joseph and his wife. 

If this information matches anyone out there please let us know. Any information on Joseph and his wife Rebecca would greatly be appreciated. 

Thank you, 

Tamitha (Tami) Hogan Sprenger