Outcasts – Escaping The Great Hunger in Ireland

The Great Hunger and Outcasts

The “Great Hunger” began with the failure of the potato crop in Ireland in 1845. Perhaps unintentional, this allowed Great Britain to make significant headway in their efforts to make the Irish outcasts in their own country. Although this was called the Potato Famine for many years, the failure of the potato crop was just the beginning of a cascade of incidents that killed many Irish and caused millions to emigrate.

On the right side (east) of County Down is the Irish Channel. The Belfast Lough drops down from the top between County Antrim and County Down. The city of Belfast is at the innermost point of the Belfast Lough. South of the Stratford Lough is the town of Downpatrick – home of the McGees.

The town of Banbridge is near the County Antrim border, due west of Downpatrick. The Carneys appear to be from Banbridge.

Outcasts in Ulster

In addition to the Great Hunger famine, both the Carney and McGee families were Catholic. Great Britain had worked hard to displace or convert all the Catholics in Ireland, but especially those in Ulster. The McGees and Carneys are just two of the families that immigrated to America and found a new life.

William McGee

Records for Ireland are scarce, but Catholic records in Ulster are very hard to find. William McGee, born in 1832, stated he was born in Downpatrick, County Down, Ireland. It appears that he immigrated with his parents and siblings in 1847. William’s father is listed as a surgeon on the ship manifest. I haven’t been able to find the family in the 1850 census. According to William’s obituary the family was in Dodge County, Wisconsin around 1850. They were in Fox Lake, Dodge, Wisconsin in 1853.

Isabel Carney

Isabel Carney appears in Fox Lake, Dodge, Wisconsin with her marriage to William McGee in 1853. She is from County Down as well. There are family stories but not enough evidence to confirm that she was born in Banbridge. It is possible she emigrated with her parents and siblings. James Wiseman Carney and his father Michael, came to Fox Lake about the time of her wedding and then returned to New York or Massachusetts. Is James her brother and Michael her father? Maybe.

New Life in America – We Can Do

The McGees did not have an easy life in America, but they prospered over time.

After William and Isabel married in Fox Lake, they moved to Minnesota. Ten years later William served in the Civil War. After the war the family traveled by train and covered wagon to homestead in North Dakota. They chose the town with the name that fit their survival instincts – Cando! We can do too.

See more about the McGees and Isabel Carney at https://explorewithliz.com/tag/mcgee/