I'm hoping to take a trip to the UK to find where the Woodcocks (near Great Harwood area), the Kelley's (I think between Killyleigh and Belfast, and the Drummond's (Sterling, Perth, Edinburgh area came from. Would love to find out as much as possible before I go over there!
My biggest challenges right now, is to find out about Michael Kelley's ancestry. I know he came from Belfast, born around 1819 and came over by ship in 1829 or so. He had one brother (name unknown) who died at sea. And another, Patrick, who fought in the Battle of the Wilderness, and later died in Libby Prison.
Then there are the countless Davis' and Effie May Kramers from the Pennsylvania Dutch area that will no doubt have me searching for some time.
Further challenged by the Woodcock family who came from England and as I understand it, birth registries were not official until the mid-1800's, which is about right where I am in my research.
What follows is my re-typing of a letter that my ancestor, Howard M. Loren Kelley (b9/19/1881) typed to someone in my family about his father’s family. The “father” referred to in this letter is named Michael Kelley b1819-died 1903. And his father, whose name I don’t know, came over from Belfast in the year 1829 I believe. This is retyped with the mistakes left in intentionally--
The History of Our Fathers Family; Our Father was Born in Irland some where near Belfast; Our Grandfather was a Ship Builder by Trade in that Port; there was always trouble between the North of Irland and the South; so Our Grandfather left Irland with his Family and Sailed for the United States. It took them then 6 Weeks to cross the Ocean; there was 5 Children besides Our Grandfather and Grand Mother; in the Family, Our Father was but 10 years Old at the time when Our Grandfather sailed with his Family for the United States; Father said the Ocean was very Rough all the Way Over and all were very sea Sick and that One Brother Died at Sea and was also Buried at Sea that left 4 Children Edward & Patrick & Nellie & Michael Our Father. They landed some where near Staton Island in New York; and Our Grandfather and GrandMother with the Children worked his way up through New York State it was then very ny a Wilderness; with lots of Indians then Roaming the Woods; and in those days the Woods was full of Wild Animals; and some very bad in them days but Our Grandfather had that courage knowing the good Lord was with Him and his Family so he moved on a little and a few more miles each day, and camping each Night and resting up for the next day journey and it realy seemed weeks before they reached the Northern Part of New York State they realy must of came in near Hammond for he said they hit the Head of Black Lake. And followed it down to a place then Called Edwardsville but a few log Houses were found there and Our Grandfather was tired and so was all the rest of the Family. Which had taken them weeks on foot to come this distance; it was while they were in this Settlement called Edwardsville that Our Grandfather Inquired for a Place that he might live in for a while but it would seem there was none to be found. Our Father often pointed it Out to me the only one Vacant was a Log House across the Road from Zibe Vanshacks I don’t know if you can Remember it or not it was Built on the Lake Side it was the Only House that was empty. They told him that it was Haunted so Our Father said. But Grandfather move3d in it with what he had. There was 3 Rooms below a Kitchen a Living Room and a BedRoom and 3Rooms up Stares Nellie had One and the Boys the Others but everything went all right for a few nights when they began to hear Noises in the Basement. This being in the Fall the Month of October the Nights were getting cool and they were all covered with Quilts at Night to keep Worm. Thare was a Fire Place he said in the Kitchen which realy did heat the whole Place but during the Night it would cool off Fathe
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