Connies Surname Page
MEEHAN, MEIGHEN AND MEIGHAN.
No one is excluded...everyone has a past.
I dedicate this page to all of my relatives that came before me....I love you grandpa you are sorely missed....
I have quite abit of info on the Meighen surname and a little on the Meehan surname. I recently came in contact with several people who were Meighan's. We are still trying to find our connections to each other however. The Meehan and Meighen surname originated in Ireland that is why I have a Bit O' Irish on my page!
I have been doing research on the surname MEIGHEN for the past 6-7 years.
My line started over in Inver Abby and the River Eany, Inver, County Donegal, Ireland
The farthest back that I have been able to go was James William Meehan and Susan McCloskey Meehan they came to America in 1792 with some of their children.
THE REASON THEY CAME OVER:
Back in 18th Century, there was a practice where the Landlord had the right to take any just married girl to his bed on her wedding night. If the landlord was unable to do this then his sons had this right.
Well James and Susan had a daughter that was to be married and when the landlords two sons came to "claim their rights" to her James and Susan's 2 older sons, John and William met them at the door holding shillelaghs.
The landlords sons were left bloody and unconsious on the road directly in front of the Meehan house. John and William thought that they had killed them both and took off for Donegal, Killybegs or Teelim.
They stayed in hiding for about a week while their parents, James and Susan, collected up the money that they would need to go to America. Once they came up with the money James and Susan and their children (that were still at home) John, William, Peter and Susan left Ireland and came to America. This all happened in 1792.
Several years later The two sisters who were still in Ireland with their husbands, Margaret and her husband John Mulrine and Elsie and her husband Dennis Timony moved to America and settled there. That is when John and William found out that they had not killed the landlord two sons.
The reason that the name change went from Meehan to MEIGHEN was because John and William were afraid of the law catching up with them.
This story has been passed down thru the generations. I remember my grandparents telling me this story. I also bought a book by Bernard Patrick Meighen called "The Meighen Sept in America and Ireland". In this book he also verifies this story.
Here is a DIRECT line for me:
James William Meehan and Susan McCloskey
John & Christena Watters Meighen
J- B:1769 D: 5-31-1854
Peter & Mary Elizabeth(Morrison) Meighen
P- B: 1800 D: 1-10-1854
James William & Susannah (Riggs) Meighen
J- B:Nov 16, 1838 D: 3-30-1908
Rio Vista & Fleta Velma (Campbell) Meighen
R- B: Aug 24, 1875 D: Dec 1963
Jay McKay & Melva Paulene (Shoemaker) Meighen
J- B: Nov 25, 1897 D: July 1981
Gerald Jay & Kathy Elenore (Holley) Meighen
G- B: May 20, 1946 D: still living
Me~~
Here are a few of my family photos...I thought you might enjoy them!
John Meehan/Meighen's tombstone
This is the tombstones of James and Susannah(Riggs)Meighen
Here is a copy of James' Obituary as it was written.
THIRD OLD CITIZEN TO DIE SUDDENLY IN WEEK.
James Meighen, one of the oldest
and most highly respected citizens
of Grundy County, died suddenly at
his home north of Galt, where he
lived with a son, this (Tuesday)
morning. He retired last night as
usual and was found dead in his
bed in the morning, by his son.
Mr. Meighen was about seventy
years of age and on November last
celebrated their golden wedding anni-
versary. Mrs. Meighen died in
January, leaving him to follow
within two months. Deseased leaves a
family of eight children, many of whom are scattered in the dis-
tant states. Funeral arrangements
have not been completed.
Mr. Meighen was the third old
citizen to pass away suddenly here
within a week's time. J.L. Lowen
and J.C. Wilson being the other
two. There is an old saying that
such events occur in groups of
three.
-----------------------------------
James William Meighen died on March 30, 1908
so this would have been in the paper right
around that time.
------------------------------------
This is Fleta Velma, Jay McKay(age 8 yrs) and Rio Vista Meighen taken in 1911.
This is my gpa, Jay at the age of 2. Taken abt 1900.
This is Jay about the age of 18. Taken in 1915 in Warrensburg, MO. (Wasn't he handsome!)
NEW LINKS FOR THE MEEHAN'S!!
Bob Anderson's Meehan Table of ContentsA Good one!
Bob Shepherds Surname PageMeehan and Meighan's!
I will be adding more siblings to this page as I go. If you feel like you might have a conection pleasesend me mail
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