Cousins

Cousins and Other Relations I Have Met

I have had the opportunity to meet in person, over the internet and via DNA matches several cousins who have helped expand the family knowledge.   Also, via the internet, I have had the good fortune to become acquainted with descendants of lines who have married into the family.

McIntyre Line

In 1995, at the London home of a wonderful third cousin, Maria O'Malley Farrelly, I met many of my Irish/English McIntyre descendant cousins at a family gathering coordinated in my honor.  It truly was a life changing experience, I was so overwhelmed by the fact that all the people in the house, more than 30, were blood relatives of mine.  I had never met any of them before and I didn't know most even existed. Recently, we have all reconnected over Facebook - I am thrilled.

In the summer of 2011, my husband and I traveled to Ireland to search out six ancestral farms, walk cemeteries, do research at various libraries and archives, and locate records at the Valuation Office as well as enjoy a lovely three-week vacation in the Emerald Isle.  I had the good fortune to be introduced to Patrick O’Hara, who turned out to be my second cousin.  And, oh the stories he can tell.  I look forward to my new association with him.

Closer to home, I have had the good luck to make the acquaintance of two descendents of Patrick McIntyre, a cousin (or possibly a nephew) of my direct ancestor, Michael McIntyre.  Dolly Parker Purcell posted a query on RootsWeb.com  in 2003 about the McIntyres of Lislea and has freely exchanged information ever since.  Her cousin (and mine) -- Sal Bigone -- contacted me through this website as has Joanie Zandona.  They have spurred me on to find out more about the Patrick McIntyre line and they have provided me with wonderful photos from family albums and genealogy road trips.

Recently, the cousin connection has gone international.  I'm thrilled to have electronically met my fourth cousin, Marina McIntyre, who lives in Berlin.  She also is descended from Patrick McIntyre.  I thank Google Translate which allows me to communicate in German with her.  This line also extends to Central America via Arturo Quan Urrutia, another descendent of Patrick McIntyre, who has shared information on his mother and siblings.  And, most recently, to Patricia Morales Tijerino of San Salvador, the two times great granddaughter of Patrick McIntyre, granddaughter of Elena McIntire, who has tirelessly provided photos, translations, and genealogical information centered around descendents of Patrick's son Bartholomew/Bartley/Bartolo.

In 2018, Sal Bigone had the good fortune to connect with Richard McIntyre, a descendent of Patrick McIntyre mentioned above. He generously took a Y-DNA test and he and my uncle Thomas Joseph McIntyre are definitely descended through the same McIntyre line. The connection to my international cousins has been proved. Thank you Richard.

Sullivan Line

Nancy Connor Post (1946-2004) was found on RootsWeb.com one “exciting night” many years ago.  Over a number of years and several visits to Salt Lake City together, she shared her knowledge, research and love of family with me.  Via email, she introduced me to Daniel Schattnik, another cousin, who also has done considerable research on the Connor line.  Through their research, I have been able to expand this line and much of what is known about the Connor family is because of these two genealogists.

Out of the blue, in September, 2012, the wife of a great, great grandson of James Connor and Anasastisa Colfer found me on the Internet. After sharing how we matched up (her husband and I are third cousins), she told me she had the Connor Family Bible from the 1870s.  I was blown away, having no idea such a Bible existed. The entries in the Bible have identified the townland where the Connor/Colfers were from. In Irish genealogy, it doesn't get much better!

In 2003, my Mom, Helen Sullivan McIntyre, became interested in learning if any of her Sullivan first cousins were still living.  Unfortunately, by the time I did the digging, the last of them had died in the prior year.  But, we were lucky to meet the wife of Joseph Sullivan (1929-2001), Sandy Shaw Sullivan (1935-2011), and she shared some Sullivan photos and a copy of the Bible page which listed the Irish townlands Joseph Sullivan's grandparents were from.

Through the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago, I was connected with a Madigan cousin, Pat Bulger, who helped confirm the genealogical relationship with some of the more prominent Madigans in Illinois. More recently, through the Internet, I located Carleen Malone, another Madigan cousin.  In July 2009, I was invited to the Annual Woods/Madigan Family Picnic in St. Charles Illinois and met numerous cousins for the first time.  Many of us are now friends on Facebook. I look forward to sharing information with them and further expanding this line.

In 2012, Joseph R. Sullivan, third cousin, found this website and associated blogs and called me.  Since then we have shared much information about our ancestors descended from James Sullivan and Philip Sullivan.  He, in turn, introduced me to two more cousins, Jack Sullivan and Rosemary Hughes descended from James Sullivan and Ellen Sullivan (Mulvaney) respectively.  The three of us have met and continue to share information.  Recently, I was contacted by a descendent of Patrick, another Sullivan immigrant brother.  Robert L. Sullivan is the great great grandson of Patrick, my third cousin, and lives in Wisconsin.  We have only just begun sharing information via the Internet. Then in late 2016 I received an email from Eileen Sullivan of Canada to tell me she descends from another child of Patrick Sullivan, i.e., Matthew Sullivan. She has helped tremendously with information related to all things Denbawn - the Townland of the Sullivans.  All the Sullivan siblings -- Philip, James, Ellen, Patrick and Matthew -- are children of Patrick Sullivan and Rose Corcoran.

More recently, connections with Teresa Sullivan Cahill (third cousin, once removed proved via DNA) and her daughter Michele, Mike Sullivan (potential 5th cousin) and Micil Ryan (third cousin, twice removed) have all share information about the extended Sullivan/O'Sullivan/Sorahan/Sorohan/Soraghan/Soroghan family. Who knew it could be spelled so many ways!

Extended Family Lines

Additionally, the Family History presented here includes information I have obtained on members of the extended family including many who have married into the family.  I have been fortunate to collaborate with a descendant of the Batkes, Donald Fredrick, who has supplied considerable Batke family history and color.  He has introduced me to the Link neighbors who have contributed stories about the Batkes as the two families made their way from Russia to Canada and eventually to the US.  

Also, research has been undertaken to incorporate information on the Rohloff/Fowler family, another extended family connection through a niece.  By putting this information on the website, I was recently contacted by a relative who had an original marriage certificate from 1887 which she graciously shared with me.  So now my grandnieces have an image of their 3great-grandparents wedding certificate which would never have been possible without the internet connection.

DNA "Cousins"

In 2009, I had DNA from Thomas J. McIntyre (1919-2009), which he provided just months before he died, tested.  Additionally, three cousins provided Y-DNA for the Sullivan line. Two are similar, one is not -- interesting! I have had my mtDNA tested, but given the longevity of mtDNA, I don't see the ability to use these results to locate "cousins" in a genealogical timeframe.

Now that more and more individuals are taking the autosomal test, I have been able to connect with Ken Leibach, my second cousin, once removed via the Connor/Colfer line. He has wonderful stories about the Connor family in Evanston. I look forward to more of these types of connections as the DNA pool enlarges.

Another DNA cousin is Daniel Moore. He has been providing extensive information on the Thomas line for which I am very appreciative. Through DNA it has been proven that we are third cousins connected via John Thomas and Bridget Reidy.

 What Has This All Taught Me?

1. It is never too soon to begin the family history quest
2. Family sources are a very important, probably the most important, resource
3. It is essential to share your information with others
4. When you cannot locate your ancestor, look to their neighbors
5. There are many ways to find your “cousins” who have knowledge and love of your family
6. The Internet connects extended family like no other media
7. Not all cousins live in the United States
8. DNA is the next frontier in family history; get as many relatives tested as possible
9. Genealogy can be an instrument to learn about and get to meet a wonderful extended family
10. We all have many more cousins than we ever imagined.

Thank you to the ever-growing extended family for sharing information about your (and my!) relatives.  These family connections show how truly related we all really are.