The Family Tree

I must stop a minute to give an Academy Award thank you to a few key family members who inspired and support this quest to document the Horan Family project.   The idea to begin this journey actually started with my father in law,  James Horan of Dartmouth, MA but at that time, Irving, Texas. Back around 1997, I was asking Dad Horan about his family roots.  I had already begun this same exercise on my own family in California.  When I asked Dad Horan where his family originated, he and my husband, Peter, quickly responded “Plymouth Rock!”.   Hmm, not quite what I meant.  How about further back?  Ireland, perhaps?  We all laughed together because he and Peter said they didn’t know much beyond The Rock.  It also occurred to me years later that Plymouth connection had become confused with all sides of my husband's family. Fast forward a decade later.  With the Internet holding much more information than we could imagine in just those ten years, I stumbled upon a family tree posted on an obscure web site that held the very detailed specifics of almost everyone in our Horan family.  This genealogically-correct tree was from the Doran Family which many of you might know we joined with a few decades back.   Five years later and a major relocation for our own little family back to Massachusetts, I found the web master hosting this valuable document and the opportunity to visit first hand the places of our children’s ancestors . Thank you, Billy McCarthy for putting us in touch with your father, Jim McCarthy,  author of this family tree and who generously gave his time and knowledge clarifying his research to me.  With his extensive work and documentation of the Doran-Horan tree, I am able to launch this Horan investigation with more focus on the Horan branch.   Thank you to Uncle Bill Horan because he really is our family historian and most important, storyteller-extraordinaire, keeper of pictures and gifted with good ole Irish wit.  Aunt Jackie and Aunt Mary, thanks for giving us memories from the strength of the Horan-Donaghy women perspective.  And Cousin John Horan from Virginia, meeting you recently is a blessing to us.  Using your recollections of Fall River and Rhode Island have resulted in many day trips seeking out family places. There is still much more to uncover, places to photograph and people to interview, but we are so grateful to you all not only for your support in helping us document our family history, but embracing us into the Horan Clan as we bring our own children back to New England.  This project is dedicated to my husband, Peter, for encouraging me to find his family story, and for driving the car around in circles while I relentlessly searched for buildings with wrong addresses or jumped out in moving traffic to get just the right photo.  To all the Horan children, descendants of your first Irish American grandparents, John and Catherine Horan.  This project is to help you understand, respect and embrace the courage of your ancestors. Their journey to America began over one hundred sixty five years ago and starting today, their story is about to unfold.   

Irish Proverb

Tús maith, leath na hoibre.
Meaning: A good start is half the work.