Eddy Hamilton and Frances Dougan

Thomas Edward Hamilton, or "Eddy" as he was known by family and friends, was born 7 Oct 1873 to Andrew Hamilton and Elizabeth Cassidy in Tullaghcullion, Donegal, Ireland.  He was the fourth of five children between this couple.  Andrew was a farmer and Elizabeth kept house.  Their lives and those around them were made of the simple things during a difficult period of history. 

The hilltop area and townland that overlooks the bay of Killybegs is known as Tullaghcullion and it was here that a homestead was started by the great-great-grandparents of Eddy and two other families on what was probably inexpensive land due to its infertile and rocky terrain.  The area was recorded as "Killybegs Upper" in many historical records to help define the location.  This was not a large town, as it only consisted of eleven wee houses in the late 1880s that were very close to one another, but did not touch.  There was also a spring that has never once failed to supply a running stream. 

The three families that started this small town were known as the Hamilton's, Boyd's, and Greenlaw's.  Where these three men came from prior to purchasing 177 acres of land near Killybegs is in question.  These three families are tied back to the same area within Scotland, but either arrived shortly after the Jacobite Rising in 1745 or were already located somewhere within Northern Ireland and returned to Scotland to fight.  There are contradicting elements to the story, and we may never know the truth.  There is little doubt that these three families were linked before their arrival to Tullaghcullion and that continued for several generations thereafter.  They purchased 177 acres of land that were divided up evenly of no less than 60 acres each between the three families and then further divided up within. 

Killybegs is a fishing village and has kept its small town feel even to this day.  For many years it has been known for its fishing and for the large dredged harbor that has been used for centuries by large ships and boats.  Although there were Hamilton's in Killybegs, they are not believed to be related directly to our family.   

Eddy grew up in a very modest home in Tullaghcullion that he shared with his parents, five siblings, his grandmother Bess, and Aunt Jane Meneilly.  He attended school nearby in Killybegs and his family attended church at St. John's.  His mothers family lived not too far from Tullaghcullion in a townland known as Drumdoit, which is also not too far from Bruckless.  His parents were married up the road at Killaghtee Church.  This church was likely the baptismal location of Elizabeth's mother, as it was customary to marry in the same church that your mother was baptized.  This was the land of many generations and in those days, people didn't travel too far either by choice or because of low income and the added expense.

Eddy's parents, and their families, had survived through the terrible potatoe famine that plagued so many in most parts of Ireland in 1845.  Thankfully, this area of Ireland was not affected and was able to continue to produce crops of potatoes due to the wet climate that kept the famine at bay.  By the grace of God, Eddy's family was able to produce enough scores of stacked oats, heaps of potatoes, a stack or two of hay, turnips, cabbages, carrots, and what not, needed to sustain the difficult periods.  They also had time to dry and bring home the makings of stacks of turf needed to feed their fires and sustain them throughout the wet winters.  They had cows, their milk, their butter, their buttermilk, and their own oats ground into the grandest oatmeal ever ate, that they also used to make other items.  These were simple people who were proud, and owned the land and all on it without fear of landlords, strife, or injustice.   

Eddy was nearly seventeen years old when he began noticing men cutting the sods to mark the boundaries of the new railway that was set to arrive in this area and designed to connect Donegal to Killybegs.  It wasn't too long before men were quarrying and blasting to cut a track through the nearby hill.  Loads of waste were loaded onto wagons to be taken down the hill for unloading.  This was dangerous work.  They worked with shovels, picks, and wheelbarrows for 12 shillings a week and up to 15 shillings due to long days.  This wage was better than the 10 shillings a week that most had earned before.

Dynamite injured and killed many men in the process.  A cousin of Eddy, William John Hamilton, was working on the line near Castlereagh with other men when a dynamite charge exploded by accident.   W.J. Hamilton was one of two injured, while another died.  He lost an eye and suffered a severe gash in his head from the accident.  Not a penny of compensation was paid to W.J. for the accident. 

About this same time, a new pier was also being developed in Killybegs.  The pier would be used to carry the fish, coal, and other goods to be transported out of town.  The town was building hotels, stores, and other places to support the expected increase in visitors and cater to these visitors about to depart or having just arrived by train or ship.  A new industrial school also opened up.  The railroad and wages afforded the opportunity for people to put a new roof on their house, add a new room, or buy new clothes.  But, it was also a time when people feared the Home Rule.  The Home Rule Bill went through parliament in 1893 but was denied by the Lords.  Many families were scared that their farms and homes would be taken away as it had to so many in other parts of the country. 


Eddy is standing on the train next to the No 4. 
Photo taken in Killybegs, Donegal, Ireland

 When Eddy was old enough, he began working at the Killybegs Railway.   Although we are not sure what he did for the railroad in Killybegs, this helped prepare him for future employment after he immigrated to America.  The railway opened up in Killybegs on August 18, 1893.  This was an exciting event for the area, with promises of growth, jobs, and a steady flow of visitors.  Most likely it was not too long after the opening that Eddy was also employed by the railway. 

We can only assume that employment was the primary reason Eddy left Tullaghcullion on 6 Sep 1901 on the Ship Anchoria from Londonderry, or "Derry" as it is known there, and arrived on 10 Sep 1901 at Ellis Island, New York, New York.  He was almost 28 years old and was leaving his homeland like many of his contemporaries were doing at that time.  Many left for America, while others decided to go to Australia. 

On the ship manifest, he put that he had not been to America before.  In the section where it asks for a final destination, he put "Youngstown Ohio" and in the section where it asks if you are going to be with a relative, he wrote "No".  In the section where it asks for an address and name of relative visiting, it appears as though the word "no" is written and then overwritten with "bl" in cursive, followed by "550" and then a lightly written "Parmalee" is scribed.  This could have been the address of his sister, Eliza and her husband, John Lemon.  The "bl" in cursive may have meant brother-in-law. 

Interestingly, 546 Parmalee would become the address that he would live at for many years and where his children and grandchildren would be born.  He began work at the railroad in Youngstown and was employed as a security guard there at one time.  In 1906, he became a Naturalized Citizen of the United States.

Around 1905, Eddy's father died in Tullaghcullion.  It is believed that Eddy traveled back to Ireland to attend the funeral, although a manifest has not been found.  We have found a record of him coming to America from Derry and arriving on 30 Dec 1908 in Ellis Island, NY on the ship SS California.  On this ship manifest, he shows an occupation of "Railway official".  Someone wrote on the manifest "Single" under the section "Single or Married", but then wrote on top of it what appears to be a very dark "M", although it is difficult to read.  He again indicates that he is traveling to "550 Parmalee Avenue" which he lists as "Home". 

Frances Dougan is the daughter of John Dougan and Mary Dugan and was born on 29 Sep 1881 in County Armagh, Ireland in the townland of Carnavanaghan.  Although her mother's maiden name is similar to her husband, their must have been enough distance, if related, for the church to allow the marriage.  From what we can discern, these are different lines, with different spellings of their surname. 

Frances' parents were farmers of this area and her father inherited the old Crozier family farm that they lived on.  One of her older sisters, Mary, or "Minnie" as she was referred to, married a Crozier.  We are not certain of the Crozier connection to this family other than Minnie's marriage, although it must have started a generation or two before due to her father inheriting the Crozier farm. 

John Dougan was born around 1841 in County Armagh to parents unknown.  There are many Dougan families living in this general vicinity and it has been difficult to know which is the father of John.  In 1864, he is listed on the Griffith's Valuation as a farmer in Carnavanaghan, Kilclooney Parish, County Armagh.  He was leasing land from Earl of Charlemont in the Barony of Fews, Lower in what was classified as "House, offices & land".  The Valuation lists him next to James Dougan with John Crozier a few houses away. 

Mary Dugan is the daughter of James Dugan and Margaret Mary Martin.  This James Dugan is probably the James recorded in 1864 living next to John Dougan.  The Dougan name appears to be modified on occassion to Dugan and this appears to be the case when some of Mary's family moved to America where they appear to have adopted the "Dugan" spelling. 

Based on the first child of John and Mary, they were probably married around 1865, although no marriage records have been found.  Frances was the fifth of seven children born to this family.  John Robert, Elizabeth, Minnie, and Anna were older siblings, with Jane and Rebecca as younger siblings.

Mary's family appears to have had some wealth based on their frequent travel to America and the farms that they owned in and around Carnavanaghan.  Her grandfather, Dr. Harry Dugan/Dougan, was the local family physician of the period and his sons were both born in New York, although James resided nearly all of his life in County Armagh as a cattle farmer. 

On 12 Dec 1901, Frances' father, John Dougan, passed away in Markethill, Carnavanaghan, County Armagh.  He wrote a will in which he named his living children and the belongings he chose to bequeath.  Frances was given the sewing machine and a small amount of money. 

Mary's brother, and Frances' uncle, was Samuel James Dugan, Sr.  Samuel moved to New York to live with an uncle, Andrew Gordon, around 18 years of age before he moved several times and settled at Coraopolis, PA.  Later in life, Samuel was employed as a constable and prominent figure at the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, in their police department, of which he soon became the chief.  The importance of this information is that Mary and Frances traveled to Pittsburgh to visit Samuel in 1905, according to the ship manifest.   This is the same company that owned the railroad in Youngstown, Ohio where the young Eddy Hamilton was employed.

According to hand-written notes from Frances daughter, it was her Uncle Samuel James Dugan, Sr. that asked Eddy Hamilton to come by when he was over in Ireland to meet his family.  It was at this time that he met Frances.  They must have courted for a period of time as was customary for most Irish, which likely began before she came to Pittsburgh in 1905 and she returned again in 1909 to Youngstown, OH to be married. 

On 24 Nov 1909, Eddy Hamilton married Frances Dougan in Youngstown, Ohio.

This photo is believed to be the wedding photo of Eddy Hamilton and Frances Dougan Hamilton.



Center:  Thomas Edward "Eddy" Hamilton and Frances Dougan Hamilton
Back Row (L to R): William Henry Dugan, Eliza Hamilton Lemon, Mrs. William Henry Dugan, Samuel James Dugan Sr., Mrs. Samuel James Dugan Jr., and Samuel James Dugan Jr.
Front Row (L to R): John "Jack" Lemon and Eliza Lemon seated on opposite sides of Eddy Hamilton and Frances Dougan Hamilton.