These three families all came from Ireland during the Famine years.

The Ruddy's: James, Michael, Thomas and (probably) Nicholas came from, maybe, Oughaval parish in Co. Mayo during the 1840's. Recent research unearthed a document saying that Michael and Catherine were born in Clifton [perhaps this meant Clifden, County Galway about 35 miles southwest of Westport where Michael and Catherine were married. To this point I am sceptical that the family originated in Clifden based on previous research, but one should not discount family lore*. Michael and his family went to Liverpool and then on to New York City then Syracuse finally they migrated to Iowa. James Ruddy showed up in Iowa at the death of Thomas and married Ellen Murphy in Prairie de Chein. James Ruddy and his family moved by covered wagon in 1871-1872 to Wellington township in Renville County, Minnesota near the town of Fairfax.

The Murphy's emigrated from Co Limerick about 1850 had also migrated to Iowa. 

The Garrahy's were some of the first arrivals in Wellington Township migrating there in 1868 from Co Clare, Ireland by way of England and Massachusetts.

These families intermarried in Iowa and Minnesota.

The genealogy can be seen by clicking the links below:
 

*The document was the death certificate of Daniel Ruddy [born in Syracuse in 1856, died in Chicago 1n 1935]  son of Michael & Catherine, the document indicates the informant for this information was Daniel's son in law Joseph Klinger and I remain sceptical with other research showing Westport for the marriage of Michael & Catherine and a document that shows Catherine's brother Thomas Gibbons was born in Westport supports this scepticism. Without any further information Westport is pretty certain to be the area they lived before emigrating to Liverpool and Kilmeena is a possible area from which the Ruddy family originated based on other research explained elsewhere. [note: Oct 22, 2011]