Hi, I'm researching my ancestors who settled in Attleboro, Bristol Co, MA, in the late 1800's. They are descended from John and Bridget (Nugent) McCracken who emigrated from Ireland about 1850. If any relatives are out there I'd love to hear from you.

Mary Kate

Mary

I believe John McCreighan (father of John McCracken b1865) was one of three brothers (John, Arthur, Michael) who emigrated from Ireland to Attleboro. All are the children of Edward McCreighan and Mary. Additionally I know John's mother's maiden name, which was McCourt.

Whilst researching one of my ancestors (John McCreton b~1834) I searched the Kildress parish records. Although I couldn't find a record of my John I did come away with a small list of marriages and baptisms with the namess McCreighan/McCretton in Kildress in the 1840's, 1850's and 1860's. The list is fragmentary as the records were incomplete and hard to read.

Since returning home I have tried to link any of these records to people who subsequently appeared in England or America. From the dates of birth and parents names I believe the Arthur and Michael in Attleboro correspond to two of the baptisms in Kildress. John McCreighan in Attleboro has the same parents names as Michael and Arthur. In addition, although separate households, John is living in the same residence as Michael on the 1870 census.

The baptism records for Arthur and Michael give the parents names as Edward McCreighan and Mary McArt. The age for Michael is a direct match with records in the US although Arthur's age is a few years out.

I believe there is at least one other set of siblings with a link back to Kildress who came to Attleboro slightly later than these three. Unfortunately I don't think I will be able to find a solid link between these and the three brothers. These were Sarah Ann b1869, Arthur J b1874, Catherine b1876 and Mary b1884. From US marriage / death records their parents names were Hugh McCretton and Ann Murphy. There was a marriage in Kildress in 1863 of Hugh McCrettan and Ann Murphy. The dates and names are consistent but unfortunately I don't have records of baptisms later than 1845 to corroborate them.

In any event there seems to be too many McCrettons appearing in what is a relatively small town for at least some of them not to be related to each other.

Although I can't say that I am related to you in any way there are people on ancestry descended from both of the other two possible brothers (Arthur and Michael). The descendants of the other two brothers settled on the spelling McCretton.

I have started a small public tree on Ancestry of McCrettons in Attleboro in the second half of the 19th and the early part of the 20th centuries and I have tried to find supporting documentation for as much as possible. Please have a look and let me know if you can add anything. One thing I haven't been able to find is a record of John McCreighan and Bridget Nugent's wedding.


Richard Collinson

Hello,
My great-great grandfather and grandmother are John and Bridget of Attleboro, MA. I am grandson of Thomas Leo McCracken, and son of Thomas Richard McCracken. There are a whole bunch of us. Thomas Leo had a brother Henry and sister Mary and several others. Matt

By the way John McCracken(McCreighan)of the ,MacNeachhtain, McNauchtan Clan (name variants) fron county Tyrone, Ireland (27 Nov. 1830) (27 June 1907) married 1857 Bridget Nugent (Nov. 1831) (2 Nov. 1906). Looks like we have some longevity on our side. To live till their mid 70's was pretty good for the time! Their children were Mary, Catherine, John,James, Elizabeth and Sarah who died in her infancy.

Hello Matt!
Wonderful to hear from you!
John & Bridget's son, John, married Mary Ellen Keane and they had Margaret Dorothy in 1901, who was my maternal grandmother. She moved to NY and bore my mother out of wedlock in 1943 and kept it secret from the family until her death. So it hasn't been easy finding stuff out. Thank you so much already for the info on John & Bridget. I was really stumped.
My mother got in touch with Eleanor (McCracken) Maceil in the early 1990's, and she and I are sporadically in touch. We met Margaret's brother Henry in 1991 and he was already well into his 90's and very spry. So we have hopes for the longevity.
You can contact me at my email address PennyPumpkin@verizon.net. I live in NY and would be happy to share all that I have found so far, if it will be of any help to you.
Thanks again!
Mary Kate Pendergast

Hello Matt!
Wonderful to hear from you!
John & Bridget's son, John, married Mary Ellen Keane and they had Margaret Dorothy in 1901, who was my maternal grandmother. She moved to NY and bore my mother out of wedlock in 1943 and kept it secret from the family until her death. So it hasn't been easy finding stuff out. Thank you so much already for the info on John & Bridget. I was really stumped.
My mother got in touch with Eleanor (McCracken) Maceil in the early 1990's, and she and I are sporadically in touch. We met Margaret's brother Henry in 1991 and he was already well into his 90's and very spry. So we have hopes for the longevity.
You can contact me at my email address PennyPumpkin@verizon.net. I live in NY and would be happy to share all that I have found so far, if it will be of any help to you.
Thanks again!
Mary Kate Pendergast