Our family has been traced back to Anna Carlos. The surname Carlos is found mostly in County Roscommon and many theories have been put forth as to how an obviously Spanish surname wound up in Ireland. One story tells of shipwrecked sailors from the ill fated Spanish Armada washing up on Irish shores. Anna probably lived in the Strokestown area where at least one of her children was born.  She married a an by the name of John Farrell. Their son, Joseph Patrick, was born on Saint Patrick's Day, 1874.

JOSEPH PATRICK FARRELL  was born March 17, 1874 in Strokestown. He grew up in Ireland and came to America sometime before 1900. His death certificate said that he had come to the U.S. around 1893. Ellis Island records show a Joseph Farrell, aged 23 years, resident of County Roscommon came on the ship Teutonic on May 1, 1895 from Liverpool, England.