My great-great grandfather, Daniel Earley came to New Haven, Connecticut about 1860, according to the 1900 census. His purported brothers John and James Earley were definitely in New Haven by 1855. The documentary evidence for this is civil war pension records for John Earley and birth records for James Earley. At the same time other Earley families had moved to New Haven between 1848 and 1854. The purpose of these pages is to try to determine the relationship between these families so that we may place them in there native home of County Leitrim. We will get little help from documentary evidence in Ireland as it is fragmentary at best. In the case of my great-great grandfather, Daniel, his parents were Francis Earley and Mary Gurkin. Looking at Griffith's valuation and the Gurkin surname the FHC in County Leitrim suggests a Francis Earley who lived in Ballinaglera Parish near Lough Allen, but who knows.
The first record of an Earley in New Haven is a death record of a Catharine Earley, age 3, who died November 8, 1847 of ship fever. I have not found any earlier listing. There are civil records for Leary's going back to 1840 and there are listings of a few Larey's, Egan's, Coyles and the like in the city directory before 1846. The order below will be somewhat chronological as best as i can determine it.
The first Earley family who appeared in the city directories of New Haven is one Patrick Earle, later spelled Earley. He first appears in the 1846-47 directory living at 74 state street. This may or may not be the same Patrick Earley who lived at 43 congress avenue in the 1851-52 directory whom we can then trace. His wifes name is Ellen, her surname is unknown. By 1870, he is living at 105 lafayette street. So he is living next to the next Patrick Earley in this list. His death and those of his wife and eldest son between 1875 and 1878 lead to the dispersal of this family. Not exactly sure where any of the siblings are after 1880. Felix Earley listed below, resided at 43 congress avenue in the 1856-57 city directory, so perhaps he is a brother.
A number of Earley families first appear in the city directory of 1854-55. Patrick Earley resided at 25 lafayette street from 1854-1858, later moving to 99 lafayette street, and then 9 dow steet. This is there residence at the time of the 1880 census. Patrick Earley was a hostler, a caretaker of horses.
Michael Earley first appears in the city directory of 1854-55, although he had married Mrs. Jane Moran two years before. Her address is the corner of union and fair in 1851-52, the same as Michael's in 54-55. They later move to Morroco street where other Earleys reside in the 1850's, as well as some durkins. In the 1860 census he is residing within the household of two women whose surname i cant makeout. This is possibly his wife's mother and sister, not sure. He eventually moves to 142 lafayette where he dies in 1869. His occupation is a stove cleaner, according to the city directory. The family lives there until about 1886, when she moves in with her daughters family.
I suspect that John and Hugh Earley were brothers as they lived together at 26 Gill street from 1865 till their marriages in the late 1870's.
James, John and Daniel Earley are sons of Francis Earley. Daniel is my great- great grandfather. John is his presumed brother of whom my great grandmother and her sisters remembered. We possess his civil war rifle. He was a volunteer in company F of the 12th regiment of the Connecticut Volunteer Army. John must have been the brother of James. John lived in James's house throughout his life, according to the city directories. John dies in the house of James's daughter Ellen in West Haven Connecticut. He lives there in the 1900 census and Ellen and her husband frank are witnesses in his pension application. Family lore tells us that John was involved in the fenian movement and its attempts to invade Canada after the Civil War. Beginning in 1890, he is in and out Noroton Heights soldiers home. We are looking for the descendants of James.
There are many other Earley families who resided in New Haven in the 1850's and 1860's and have left a trace. Many of these people moved to other parts of New Haven County, like Hamden where there are a number of Earlys. There are also a number of female Earlys who were already married and had there husbands surname. It is only upon stumbling over their death dertificate do we sometimes learn their, maiden name. Until one takes a look at the parish records of St. Mary's, St Patrick's, St John's and Sacred Heart Church in New Haven, most of these relationships will remain unresolved.
The 1854-55 city directory list four Earley families, three which have been previously elided. The fourth consisted of Mrs. Margaret Earley, John Earley and Owen Earley, who lived at 41 Morroco street. Margaret Earley died August 4,1857 at the age of 35. She was a widow and might have been the wife of a Patrick Earley who died May 12, 1853. John Earley maybe the brother of James and Daniel. In 1857-58, they resided at 18 lafayette, the following year he lives with James Earley and Owen is gone (to Hamden?). Owen reappears occasionally in the city directory, for instance 1865-73 and 1882. His occupation is a molder. He is not enumerated in the 1860 or 1870 census. Amazingly, the 1920 census has an Owen Earley age 76, who emmigrated in 1856 living with his sister Ellen Martin. This Owen Earley reappeared in the city directory for New Haven in 1911. I think this is the same Owen Earley. His occupation is listed as molder throughout.An Owen Earley appears in the 1900 census in Hamden, probably the right one.
Felix Earley appeared first in the 1856-57 directory living at 43 congress avenue boarding with Patrick Earley. He moves to Dixwell and Charles the next year and then 95 putnam from 1865 till his disappearance in 1895. He married Ellen Keegan February 12, 1866 at St. Mary's church in New Haven. The 1880 census is very interesting. A niece, Catharine Earley lives with them (age 19), as well as a James Flynn and his wife Catharine. James Flynn married Catharine Earley February 24, 1857 at St. Mary's in New Haven. Checking the city directories and the 1870 census again shows them living in the same household. Ellen Keegan Earley died September 20, 1890. Felix last appearance is the 1895 city directory. The civil records do not record his death as occurring in New Haven. Catharine Earley Flynn died March 27, 1901 at Springside Home. The death certificate records her father's name as Patrick and her age as 72.
There is another Michael Earley who married Catharine Murray October 23, 1863 at St. John's Church in New Haven. His residence is listed as Hamden. He died June 8, 1874 of heart disease at the age of 48. The death certificate states that he lived in Hamden but was buried in New Haven. Catharine Earley was enumerated in the 1900 census, living at 524 east street. It states that she had 4 children, one living. She was born in January 1833 and that she emmigrated in 1860. She moved back to New Haven about 1880. Don't know who her children were.
I have recorded all the births, death's and marriages of Earley's in New Haven from 1850 through 1900. Two such marriages i will relate. Connor Gill married Mary Earley January 30, 1853 at St. Mary's in New Haven. Phillip Brady married Ellen Earley September 23, 1860 also at St. Mary's. They both moved to Hamden and can be found there in the 1870 census. They have a number of children each. For this and other sundry information please email me.
Another wave of Early's came to New Haven in the 1880's. There is supposedly some connection between New Haven and County Leitrim which drew Leitrim emmigrants to New Haven. I have gathered information on one such family. Michael Patrick Earley came to New Haven from Mohill, County Leitrim in 1881.
That is about it. I have a lot more information on sundry pieces of paper that probably will never be transcribed to this web site. Please email me if you have questions or information about 19th century emmigrants to New Haven from County Leitrim, in particular those of the Earley clan.