Newry, Donaghmore,
Loughbrickland & Banbridge Web Site
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The Michigan Ruddock's
Our
findings thus far are that Hannah McConnell Ruddock (born: about 1792 in
Ringclare, Co. Down) and three of her sons came to the United States around
1843 from Ringclare, Donaghmore Parish, in Co. Down, Northern Ireland.
Her son Andrew came earlier about 1837 also settling in Rochester. We
have found no records of the ship they sailed on or the exact dates they left
Ireland.
Hannah's
husband Robert Ruddock (born: about 1790 in Ringclare, Co. Down)
apparently had died before 1843 in Ringclare, but we can find no records of
his death. Family notes indicate that he had died in Ireland.
Hannah and Robert were married in the Donaghmore Parish in 1820.
Hannah
is the sister of Dinah McConnell who married Andrew Ruddick in 1820 and
shortly thereafter left for St. John's, New Brunswick, Canada in 1820.
We think Andrew Ruddick was a brother of Robert Ruddock (above). We have
found no records linking them as brothers, as yet.
Hannah
and her sons, upon arrival in the United States, settled in Rochester, NY,
living with the Alexander Finley and his wife Letitia McMullen Finley.
Hannah's sons were:
1. Andrew Ruddock born: 1819 in Ringclare d. Sept. 24, 1885 in Minneapolis, MN.
Father listed as Andrew Ruddock in the Church records.
Married in Rochester, NY to Mary F. Finley b. ? in Ireland, d. 1914 in
Marshall, MI.
2. John Gibson Ruddock born: June 11, 1821 in Ringclare d. Nov. 1, 1904 in
Marshall, MI. Father listed as Robert in Church records.
3. James A. Ruddock born: Aug. 30, 1825 in Ringclare d. March 12, 1910 in
Marshall, MI in Ringclare, Co. Down
Married in Rochester, NY to Elizabeth Finley b. Jul 22, 1834 in Ireland d.
Jan. 24, 1920 in Marshall, MI.
4. Robert Ruddock born: 1816 in Ringclare d. May 10, 1904 in Marshall, MI
Father listed as Andrew Ruddock.
5. Joseph Ruddock b. abt. 1816 in Ringclare d. unknown Father listed as Andrew
Ruddock. We are not sure Joseph was a son of Hannah, but think this is
possible due to the dates and Andrew connection (listed as father in Church
records). He stayed in Co. Down and is listed as living in the
Loughbrickland area, which is just North of Ringclare in Co. Down (within 2 to
3 miles).
In
1857, Hannah and her sons relocated to Ceresco, Michigan from Rochestery, NY. Again her son
Andrew had preceeded her to that location.
Andrew
later moved on the Minneapolis, Mn.
The
remainder of Hannah's sons, stayed in the Calhoun, Co. area near Marshall, MI.
raising their families there.
Note:
It is not known why Andrew was listed as father to 3 of Hannah's
children. This may have been an error in Church records.
There
appear to be at least 2 possibilities of why Hannah decided to come to the
US. Her son Andrew had already relocated to the US some years earlier
(around 1837). The fact that Hannah and her sons lived with the
Alexander Finley's in Rochester, would lead you to believe that they knew each
other in Ireland before Hannah left (the Finley's came to the US in 1837) or
that a Rev. Moses Finley who lived in the Glebe house in Frankfort and was
connected with the Donaghmore Presbyterian Church, may have influenced Hannah
to make the move.
There
have been few Finley's found in the immediate area of Donaghmore. Some
Finlay's are up around Banbridge and Tullylish areas. There were
also McMullen's (Alexander's wife Letitia McMullen) who have been found in the
Donaghmore area from Co. Down Land Records, and the listings of the Male
members of the Donaghmore Presbyterian Church. The John McMullen listed
may have been Letitia's brother.
The
fact that there was a John Gibson connected with the Presbyterian Church in
Donaghmore, makes the likelihood of the reason Hannah named one of her sons
John Gibson Ruddock. The John Gibson found in the Church records,
however, was back in the early to mid 1700's, which makes Hannah knowing him
questionable. He may have had a longer lasting impression on the Church,
however, thus the choice of names. There were other Gibson families
found in the Donaghmore records, as well.
From
reading the Harshaw & John Martin accounts of the people in this area of
Co. Down. The Church's played a strong role in the lives of the families
of the area. Thus the influence on names and travel to the US thoughts.
Of
interest in tieing the Hamilton roots in to the Michigan side of the Ireland
Ruddock's/Ruddick's and McConnell's. Hamilton's were also found in
Rochester, NY and were married into the family in the Marshall, Michigan
area. We have not traced these Marshall and Rochester Hamilton's
back to Ireland from these two areas, but the possibility exists that they
were connected. The fact that other families were found in both areas of
the US and Co. Down make this a real strong possbility. i.e.
Porter's, McConnell's, McMullen's, Finley's, McKinstry and others.
