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John McKeegan 1802-1881 Ireland & Charleston, South Carolina

1/31/2021

Anderson Intelligencer 15 Sept. 1881

In 1850, Antrim-born John McKeegan (1802-1881) was living in Charleston with his wife Ann who was also born in Ireland. He enslaved ten human beings in the same year, ranging in age from 100 years to 8 years of age. McKeegan was a blacksmith with Real Estate valued at $20,000.

It was possible to glean the following information about John McKeegan's purchase and sale of human beings from Births, Marriages and Deaths, South Carolina, Charleston District, Bill of Sale of Negro slaves 1774-1872

18 Jun. 1824 purchased a boy named Toby from William H Wilson
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1XD-6LPZ

17 Apr. 1825 purchased a boy named HardTimes from Edward W North
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1X6-VC6Z

14 Dec. 1825 purchased Ebber, a 'negro boy said to be a Blacksmith' from Thomas R Smilie
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1X6-XSMM

26 Jan. 1826 purchased Phillis from Edward Blake Linning
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1X6-7SN2

10 Apr. 1829 purchased Nancy and her two daughters Susan & Phillis from Margaret Gidiere
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1X2-2Q3Z

17 Mar. 1830 John McKeegan sold a boy, Bob to Neil McKegan
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1XF-WHMM

17 Mar. 1835 purchased David 'a negro boy about 16 years of age' from Catherine Barinem(?)
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1XK-MK3Z

8 Mar. 1836 Nicey & her daughter Susan
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1XV-6WMM

13 Feb. 1837 purchased Nero from A C D Bryan
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1XV-JFW2

19 Feb. 1839 purchased Cato a 'negro boy warranted to be sound' from J Ripley S Hammett
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1X2-B36Z

9 Dec. 1839 purchased Andrew age 19 from Phillip J McFreeney (?)
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1X2-5PMM

5 Aug 1839 purchased a boy named Henry from Frederick Wittpen
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1XK-V4N2

21 Aug. 1840 McKeegan sold a 'negro boy' Henry to J H Otis & A Rolain
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1XP-4J3Z

8 Oct. 1846 McKeegan sold a woman named Nancy, and her children Phillis & Isaac to Vincent Nayele.
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1XL-B6W2

20 Jan. 1853 purchased Dandy, a boy, from Robert D Parker
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1X5-DHW2

4 Sept. 1854 purchased Phoebe and her daughter Rose from John Smith, Jnr.
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W1X5-3VMM

In 1860, he enslaved nine people, ranging in age from 32 years to a toddler aged one. His Real Estate was valued at $30,000 and his Personal Estate at $23,000. He was a member of the Hibernian Society in Charleston. In 1845, he sponsored one of the people he enslaved, Peter age 20, to become a Roman Catholic.
In 1881 in his will, McKeegan left a fund of $50,000 to commence the rebuilding of the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Charleston. He also left his house to a formerly enslaved person, Robert Morrison.

Notes
There are a number of Robert Morrisons living in Charleston in 1880 with a racial designation of Black or Mulatto. However, there is only one who is a Blacksmith. Robert Morrison, born 1818 with his wife, Louisa Morrison, and daughters Jane & Martha Morrison, assumed daughter Mary Keith and her husband Tony Keith. They were living on South Street in the household of Dolly Johnson, born 1810. I have been unable to verify that he is the man who inherited the house at this time.

Sources (all accessed 4 Feb.2022)
1840 US Federal Census (9 enslaved people)
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YB7-XG5?i=116&cc=1786457
1850 US Federal Census
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8Q6-F1H
1850 Slave Schedule
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-XXN2-HZ?i=94&cc=1420440
1860 US Federal Census
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZTH-HQM
1860 Slave Schedule
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WKRM-NNN2
1880 US Federal Census
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6SM-11S
Death Certificate 1881
www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HFPN-87PZ
Memorial
www.findagrave.com/memorial/47621391/john-mckeegan
Robert Morrison 1880 US Federal Census www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6S9-MYR

Mitchell, Arthur, South Carolina Irish (The History Press, Charleston, 2011), p. 71.
Krebsbach, Suzanne, 'Black Catholics in antebellum Charleston', The South Carolina Historical Magazine (Apr. 2007, 108:2), p. 156.
With special thanks to Greg Koos, author of Freedom, Land & Community, A History of McLean County, Illinois 1730-1900 (due to be published in 2022) for research assistance.

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Michael Gaffney 1775-1854 Granard, Co. Longford & Spartanburg, South Carolina

1/31/2021

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(Robert) Michael Gaffney was born about 1775 in Granard, Co. Longford. About 1804 he established a tavern and lodging house at the crossroads of a road from North Carolina to Charleston and another from Charlotte to Georgia. This became known as Gaffney's Crossroads. From these humble beginnings, Gaffney (City) became the county seat of Cherokee County when it was formed in 1897. Cherokee County was formed from parts of York, Union and Spartanburg Counties.
In 1850, the U.S. Federal Census recorded M Gaffny, living in the household of his son, H G Gafney (Henry Green Gafney). The 1850 Slave Schedule recorded Michael Gaffney as the owner of 32 enslaved people, ranging in age from 60 to a newborn baby.
A marker at his graveside records him as a man who had 'a life of many trials, considerable worldly success and long continuous struggles with the sins and evils of the world.'
Note
It has not been possible to access a copy of Gaffney's journal at this time, The Journal and Genealogy of Michael Gaffney: From Ireland to the Backwoods of South Carolina : the Travels, Adventures, Trials, Quaint Observations and Economic Conquests of the "Father of Gaffney" from 1797 to 1845 published by Scotia-Hibernia Press, 2004.

M. Gaffney, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Spartanburg County, South Carolina

Sources (all accessed 3 Jan. 2022)
1850 US Federal Census (www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8Q2-PLM).
1850 Slave Schedule (www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HRWZ-2VT2).
Memorial (www.findagrave.com/memorial/14558705/robert-michael-gaffney).
Mitchell, Arthur, South Carolina Irish (Charleston, South Carolina 2011), pp 60-1.

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Families enslaved by William McKenna, Lancaster County, South Carolina, 1861

1/11/2021

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This is a Census substitute for the families enslaved by William McKenna who died in 1859. The map is 'live' if you click on a pin you will find further information about the families. If you are related to any of the families and would like to add additional information to the map, please contact me on Twitter twitter.com/saytheirnamesIr Your contribution will be acknowledged unless you wish to remain anonymous.

Source: Auction Catalogue 1861, Lancaster County. Diocesan records and Episcopal Papers (1816-1993), Catholic Diocese of Charleston Archives, (U.S.A.).
Heisser, David, ‘Bishop Lynch’s people: slaveholding by a South Carolina prelate’ in The South Carolina Historical Magazine, 102:3 (July 2001), pp 238-62.
William McKenna, part 2, Mandee Jones b.1835
www.enslavement-to-citizenship.com/african-americans-in-irish-slaveholder-records-blog/mandee-jones-born-1835-south-carolina

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John McKeegan 1802-1881 Ireland & Charleston, South Carolina

Michael Gaffney 1775-1854 Granard, Co. Longford & Spartanburg, South Carolina

Families enslaved by William McKenna, Lancaster County, South Carolina, 1861

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