James Funston (abt. 1834)

Born about 1834 in Ohio, United States

Descendants

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Biography

James Funston has Irish ancestors.

James Funston was born in Ohio about 1834 to Joseph Funston and Hannora McGuire, both Irish immigrants through New York that stayed some time in Ohio before eventually settling in Ontario, Canada. James relocated to the Turner Junction/West Chicago area of Winfield Township in DuPage County, Illinois. He married Ellen McKinney, an immigrant from Northern Ireland, circa 1863. They had ten (needs more research) children together: Margaret, Anna, Walter J., Hannah (died young?), Cora Elizabeth, Rosella, Theresa, Maude, Joseph J., and Kate. He worked as a sailor and on the railroad as a carpenter and wrecker. James passed away sometime after the 1880 Census.

1870 Census ^[1]

1880 Census ^[2]

Research Notes

James was born in Ohio, according to most of his documents, while his older sister was born in New York, and their later siblings were born in Ontario, Canada, so it seems he was raised in Canada. It's unknown at what time he ended up in Illinois as his parents never left Ontario, though some of his siblings relocated to Michigan. His father was born in County Donegal, Ireland, and was likely related to the Funstons of Irish Hollow, Jo Daviess, Illinois, as well as those descended from Paul Calvin Funston in Ohio, as they were all emigrants or the children of emigrants from Donegal (these connections are supported by various shared distant cousin DNA matches that are beyond the range for proper DNA confirmation). Looking for any information that could connect these Funston branches before they left Donegal.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M67R-9VS : 19 March 2020), James Frunston, 1870.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXJ8-KDC : 22 August 2017), James Frenston, Turner Junction, DuPage, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district ED 248, sheet 244C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,204.