My sister lives in Houston. Our family came from the Lowell, Mass area. Before Lowell they came from New Brunswick, Canada. Is there a connection?

I found Abraham Of Fayette Co, PA reported on tax lists for 1785-88, 1785 as “Araham”), 1786 (“single”), 1787, and 1788 [Fayette County, PA Taxpayers, 1785-1799, TLC Geneaology].

In what may well be a complete coincidence, I also note Abraham McCaffady paying tax in Fayette Co, KY, 22 May 1789 [Heinemann, Charles B. First Census of Kentucky, 1790, GPC (1981)]

I have a few stray facts on early KY McCafferties, but haven't found any other references to that Abraham. Do you (or anyone) have any reason to think Abraham of PA may have worked his way west via KY?

Jamison Graff

I have no proof that these Abraham McCafferty entries you have quoted are connected, however, this seems very likely since the Abraham I have been researching ended up in southern Indiana by 1800. I have been looking at those same tax entries and plan to investigate them more in Salt Lake this week.

I have Askren ancestors who made the trek PA>KY>IN, following (at least in spirit) the Ohio river. This leaves me preconditioned to think of this as a reasonable migration route :)

The Salt Lake trip sounds exciting, best of luck!

Jamison

Just curious about your McCafferty connection. I have communicated with quite a few people searching that surname who, so far, don't seem to be connecting to mine! Perhaps I can help you network.

My paternal grandmother is a McCafferty. I believe that she belongs to the Ross County, OH line of John McC Eleanor Watts. That family is supposed to have originated in VA and passed through KY. I also have some (weak) evidence that they may have spent time in PA, which is why I look there sometimes when casting my nets.

Jamison

The trip to Salt Lake was good--not great-- as far as finding my McCafferty ancestors. I found a great deal of information about James and Joseph McKefferty (as they usually spelled it)which I will share if you or anyone is interested. Some clues point toward New Jersey as another place to look. I didn't search KY. records as much as those in PA. There are still lots of places to look! Send your email address if you want to continue this. Thanks, Connie

Connie,
My ggg grandfather, Joel McCafferty, was born in 1789 in Allentown, NJ. He married Mary Worstall in Attleboro, Pa. approx. 1818. Most of their children were born in Pa., He died in Mauston, Wisconsin in 1840. Does any of that fit your information? All the information I have on him comes from his tombstone...haven't been able to find him in any records anywhere.
My e-mail address is rwood99@hotmail.com
Thanks.

I don't see a connection yet but will keep your email and look through what I have collected on McCafferty's. The surname is certainly spread out along the east coast and into PA. I will get an answer to you next week. Connie S.