Family Stories

Jane Menary, born about 1779, married Robert Wilkins of Tyrone, and the couple immigrated to New Haven, Connecticut. They had a least two children, who were probably born in Connecticut. At some point before 1817, Robert died and Jane was left a widow. From her letter, it appears that her Menary family wanted her to return home, but she decided to stay in the US. New research has discovered some of her descendants, but it appears the family was very small and there may now be no descendants. Jane died in Brooklyn, New York in 1868 and is buried at Green Wood Cemetery, along with some of her family.

Mary Menary, born about 1784, married Patrick Hagan in 1804 and they had at least two children. Nothing more is known at this time about her and her family.

Alexander Menary, born about 1791, acquired land in nearby Cavanballaghy and married Lucy Brown in 1820. He and Lucy had two sons and a daughter, but sadly, Lucy died when the youngest child was three years old. Alexander may have married again, but it’s not known at this time. He died in 1867 in Cavanballaghy at the age of about 76.

William Menary, born about 1793, married Mary Wilson about 1831, and the couple had four children, two sons and two daughters. William farmed at Maghery Kilcranny and died there in 1867 at the age of 74.

John Menary, born about 1800, married Phoebe Kilpatrick. His story will appear separately.

Eleanor Menary was born in 1818 and married Hugh Garmony in 1852. They had only one known child. Their daughter Lucinda died shortly after her marriage Their son John married Elizabeth / Lizzie Steele.  John and Elizabeth’s son Robert born in Armagh in 1898 died in Western Australia in 1961. Eleanor died in 1899 at the age of about 81.

John Menary was born in 1823 and married Mary Jane Wilson in 1863. They lived in Knockaneagh and had three children, one of whom died as a baby. John died in 1905 at Knockaneagh at the age of 82.

William Menary was born in 1825, and at the age of 29, married Mary Jane Couser in 1854. William held land in Cavanballaghy, part of it inherited from his father, Alexander. William and Mary Jane had a daughter who died young and five sons. One son, William, remained in Armagh, but died in 1894 shortly after his marriage. The other four immigrated to the United States. Alexander, born 1859, immigrated to Chicago, while Joseph, born 1860, ended up in Williamsburg, Iowa. The two youngest sons, John and Robert Edward “Ed”, ended up in Nebraska, and both died in their twenties. In fact, Joseph was the only one of the siblings to survive past their mid-50s. Their father William died in 1911 at the age of 86.