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Winifred McGowan, married Bryan Connolly [Conley] in 1861 .. in Portland, Maine. She was born in Ireland, Lietrim Ccounty near Sligo and Donegal Bays in 1844. McGowan is a name derived from old celtic for smith or ferrier .. and McGowans came from Scotland to Ireland settling mainly in Ulster. By the mid 17th century, after rebellions and new Kings and their land grants ... the McGowans' were displaced and migrated south mostly to Lietrim; allying there with the Darty Family .. one of Lietrim's Chieftains. Connollys were there too, also spelled Conley. Winifred is the daughter of Terence McGowan who brought his family, and was later joined by his brother Patrick, to Portland, Maine .. where he established a book and clothing store. Their father had been killed in a wagon accident in Lietrim. Older unavailable but remembered records in my family, and later referenced ones of a correspondent place Terence & Patrick's births in Gurteendarragh, Kinlough, Lietrim Ireland. McGowans came to North America as early as the 1630's with Calvert, Lord Baltimore's company to colnize Catholic Maryland. Our McGowans arrived in the mide nineteenth century as early as 1859 in Portland, Maine. Other McGowans arrived in Philadelphia in 1844. Many were named Terence and Winifred & Winiferd. Winnifred is a very Scottish first name from men and women. They are Scots-Irish. Other Portland, Maine McGowans also hail via Ireland from Prince Edward Island. Ship passengerr ecords also suggest that McGowans and Conleys may have also visited New Brunswick and Nova Scotia via Boston seeking work .. before coming to Portland, Maine. Many of those Baltimore McGowans migrated through the west of Maryland through Tennessee & Kentucky. |