Our Connection to Ireland

  For St. Patrick's Day I decided to write about one of our lesser known connections to the Emerald Isle. While most of our heritage is Swedish, German and English, we do have a bit of Irish in us. Our Irish heritage goes all the way back to my 4th great grandmother, Lavina Sadler. Lavina was born June 22, 1823 in New York to Mary McElroy and John Sadler. John Sadler was born in Northern Ireland and came to America sometime before 1820. Although John was born in Northern Ireland, he did not consider himself Irish. His family had originally come to Northern Ireland from Scotland. He and many other Scot-Irish considered themselves to still be Scottish. It was only when they came to America that they were referred to as Irish, which they took great offense to.  John is listed as a shoemaker in the 1850 census. He is living in Allegan, Michigan. In the 1860 census he's listed as a farmer.  

Mary McElroy, John's wife, is listed as being born in Dublin, Ireland. I haven't been able to go any further back than that. Mary came to New York sometime before 1820, when she met and married John. All of Mary and John's children are born in New York before they move to Michigan, sometime between 1840 and 1850.

Lavina marries John William Brownell in November 1839.  She is 16 years old and John is 27. They live in Ogden, Monroe County, New York. Their first son is born in February of 1840 in Allegan, Michigan. So, apparently they traveled from New York to Michigan in the winter. And while Lavina was pregnant. I need to research this some more. Especially their marriage date. 5 more children are born, including their youngest child Eva Brownell, my great, great, great grandmother. Mother to Mary Pulsipher, and grandmother to Carl Strandt. 

Lavina dies on September 10, 1873 of "brain congestion." She was 50 years old. I've looked up "brain congestion" and it means swelling of the brain. In Lavina's case it could mean she had some kind of stroke. It could also mean that she suffered some type of trauma or injury to her head. Without more information it's impossible to say. 

Here is a picture of Lavina. 

Here is the relationship:

John Sadler and Mary McElroy marry

(daughter) Lavina Sadler marries John Brownell

(their daughter) Eva Brownell marries Albert Pulsipher

(their daughter) Mary Pulsipher marries William Strandt

(their son) Carl Strand marries Mildred Bellinger

(their daughter) Viola Strand marries Ray Henrickson