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Note: NI20739 Listed: Tithe Applotment Books, 1823-1838
Patrick Drugan (listed in 1827)
Parish: Carnteel
County: Tyrone
Town: Legaroe (443 acres)
NOTE:
Town of Moy (County Tyrone) is in Parish of Clonfeacle, Dungannon Middle Barony, Province of Ulster
Consists of 237 acres
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[Brøderbund Family Archive #188, Ed. 1, Index to Griffith's Valuation of Ireland, 1848-1864]
Individual: Drugan, Patrick
County: Tyrone
Parish: Carnteel
Location: Derrycush. Town of Aughnacloy
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The Drugans left County Tyrone, Ireland in 1849 and emigrated via New York. They likely lived for a short time in Sullivan, Pennsylvania with James Drugan and family, and then moved to Kane, Illinois. They then moved to the village of Norway in Caledonia Township, Racine County, Wisconsin in 1854, and then to the village of Trempealeau in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin around 1855. They first lived on the lands near what is now the Old Catholic Cemetery in Trempealeau.
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As published in "Commemorative Biographical Record of Racine and Kenosha Counties" (Chicago: 1906), pages 498-499
<i>
The first settler in the town of Norway (Racine County, Wisconsin) was Thomas Drought, who came from Lower Canada, with oxen and wagon, and in September, 1838, made a claim of 160 acres in Section No. 12, in the northeast part of the town, where he has ever since resided. He was accompanied in his settlement by a sister, and was afterward followed by other members of the family, and the section of the town where he located has ever since been known as the "Drought Settlement." James Ash came into Norway in the autumn of '38, and Alfred Thompson and George Drought in '39.
In the summer of 1839, a vessel arrived at Milwaukee laden with a party of sturdy emigrants, about forty in number, fresh from their homes among the Norway mountains. They were destined for Illinois, but were prevailed upon to delay their journey. Mr. George Walker, whom good health had made ruddy and corpulent, urging them to settle in Wisconsin, and another person, from Illinois, whose countenance fever and ague had sadly blighted, urging them to carry out their original intention. The healthfulness of climate, as then judged of by the appearance of the representatives of the two states, decided the question with the rugged Norwegian pioneers, and they chose Wisconsin as their future home. -- They had listened with wonder to descriptions of the great land beyond the ocean, the strong attachments that bind dwellers among beautiful mountain scenes to their native huts and lost their power of restraint, and now with brave hearts and determined purpose, they were ready for hardship, adventure and work. A few days after landing at Milwaukee they lost their faithful interpreter, who was accidentally drowned in the river, but furnished with guides, a party of emigrants set out upon explorations, and soon found themselves within the vicinity of Muskego Lake. It was a dry season, and the marshes resembled prairies in their appearance surrounded by forests. Cabins soon sprung up on the hillsides around the marshes, but the bright hopes of the settlers were quenched when the spring floods came and converted the promising prairie land into lake and morasses. This caused a removal of the colony further south and west. Mr. Halver Thompson settled on the banks of Wind Lake; John Nelson, another of the party, settled on an adjoining claim, which he improved considerably, and from which he subsequently removed to Kos Kenong prairie. An American by the name of Flether also located in the vicinity of these settlements.
In the spring of 1840 Soren Backe and Johannes Johansen, men of intelligence and means, who had come from Norway the preceding fall, and spent the winter in Illinois, visited the region. They were looking for a place to establish a colony. The cluster of beautiful lakes, the clear streams of living water swarming with fish, and the forests abounding with game, which they found in the town of Norway, satisfied their desires. A cabin was built on the bank of one of the lakes; reports of the country were sent to their friends across the sea, and in the fall of 1840 Evan Hansen, known also as Evan Hansen Heg, arrived with a large company of emigrants and settled around the lakes. Backe having considerable capital, which he invested in a large tract of land, sold parcels to the poorer colonists upon favorable terms. In a short time the colony increased in numbers and became the center of Scandinavian emigration to the state, and Johannes Johansen, Soren Backe and Evan Hansen were regarded the founders of the first permanent Scandinavian colony in Wisconsin. Among the other colonists were Sivert Ingerbretsen, Knud Arslarksen, Johannes Evensen, Ole Hogensen, Gurder Gurtesen, Niels H. Narum, John Larsen, Hans Jacobsen, Peter Jacobsen and Ole Andersen.
A trading point was established on Mr. Heg's farm. An excavation was made in a large Indian mound and roofed over and fitted up into commodious apartments for families. Johannes Johansen received the appellation of "King" and here the colonists received their supplies and mail, and the first Scandinavian newspaper in the country was published, called the Nord Lyset (Northern Light), and edited by J. D. Raymert. This was also the birthplace of John P. Jacobsen, to whom I am indebted for information concerning the establishment of the first Scandinavian settlement in Norway.
Evan Hansen was the father of Hans C. and Ole Heg. His name, as inscribed on his gravestone, is Evan Hansen Heg, and I am told that the name Heg was derived from the place where the family lived in Norway, of the farm which they possessed, and which was known as "Headquarters."
A log church was built at the central point of the settlement, by the colonists, in 1845. The settlers were a religious people, and of the Lutheran belief. In the church yard, where the log church was built, many of the original founders of the colony were buried, and here rest the remains of Hans C. Heg, a gallant soldier, who fell fighting the battles of his adopted country.
The town of Norway was created by an act of the Territorial legislature on the 11th of February, 1847, and the people who gave to the town its name, and who have so successfully built up the colony originally projected by those I have named, have distinguished themselves as among the most prudent, industrious, and thrifty citizens of the county.
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From: <i>The History of Trempealeau County</i> by, E. D. Pierce,
from page 143:
<i>"Thomas Drugan was perhaps the first Irish settler in Trempealeau County. He came to Trempealeau in 1853 and settled on a farm in the town of Trempealeau. At that time Trempealeau was part of La Crosse County. Patrick Lowery and Patrick Drugan, the latter a brother of Thomas Drugan, came to Trempealeau in 1855. ...Patrick Drugan settled in the town of Trempealeau on the place now owned by Patrick Lowery. The Drugan's came from the county of Tyrone in the North of Ireland and lived some five years in Illinois before coming to Trempealeau."
</i>
from page 75:
"...Among the arrivals of these years [1853, 1854, and 1855] were J. D. Olds, who had selected a claim in 1851; A. P. Webb, Patrick Drugan, Thomas Drugan" *Source: John L. and LaVonne (Shipe) Drugan Family
History, 1979
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From the Newspaper Article, "Irish Roots Go Deep in Trempealeau County":
(Source: <i>Republican-Herald</i>, Winona, Minnesota, March 17, 1953)
<i>History indicates that an Irishman made the first permanent settlement in this, even before the county was formed. It is said that one Thomas Drugan, straight from the "owld sod," took up residence in what is now the village of Trempealeau in 1853, when straggling hunters and trappers made up the scant population. At that time, the area was a part of La Crosse, for that was before Judge George Gale succeeded in forming the present Trempealeau County from parts of La Crosse and Buffalo counties.
Typical Irish, coming from County Tyrone in North Ireland, were the Drugan's, for Thomas was joined by his brother Patrick, and by Patrick Lowery. To this day, the name Drugan is familiar in Trempealeau village. 1855 saw the arrival of Frank Feeney, Dan Galligan, and James Brady. The Sullivan's and the McCarthys within a few years were added to the growing population of Trempealeau.
Among the early Irish in Trempealeau was one Barney McGraw, credited with the quick wit and ready humor of his country. He lived in a small cottage probably of the kind which inspired the song "Tumble-Down Shack in Athlone" and other Irish songs. One of the jokes relished by his friends, and to this day vouched for by one who heard it, is quoted from Barney McGraw. He was one of several men repairing an old house, and was at work in the basement. Needing assistance, he called to the men above, "How many of yez are up there?" "Three," came the answer. "Then the half o' yez come down here," Barney called. It was said that McGraw often voiced his regret that, though he was of pure Irish stock, he had been born in the state of New York instead of in Ireland.
Throughout Trempealeau, the Irish were sprinkled "like leavening in a pan of dough." Scarcely a nook or a corner of the county but had it's Irish settlers, descendants of whom have been a bulwark to on-coming generations.
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Note: NF7528 The Drugan's left County Tyrone, Ireland and arrived at the port of New York, NY in May 1848 (per Patrick Drugan, Sr. naturalization documents) Whether they emigrated as a family or individually is not known. Patrick Drugan, Jr. naturalization papers indicate he arrived in New York from Ireland in 1849.
Upon arrival, they may have lived for a short time with the James Drugan family in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania.
They settled in Kane County, Illinois near the town of Elgin, remaining there until around 1854 when they moved to Caledonia Township, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin.
Of the 5 sons born to Patrick Drugan, Sr., all except one were born in Ireland. Only the son Charles Drugan was an American-born son of Patrick, born in Illinois in 1852. He was not the first American-born Drugan. That distinction goes to Thomas, son of Francis Drugan and Mary Malanaphy, born in 1848 in Illinois.
Their original homestead was near the Old Catholic Cemetery in Trempealeau.
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All of the Drugans arriving in the US were eventually naturalized. There is some debate as to whether or not Peter Drugan was born in Ireland or in Kane County, IL. Census records indicate Ireland, while his death record indicates Elgin, Kane County, Illinois. Furthermore, no naturalization records have yet been found for Peter Drugan, while other members in his family are listed as follows:
INDEX OF NATURALIZATIONS
Document No. 141
Frances Drugan----Filed: 29 Mar 1856--Born in Ireland
Patrick Drugan----Filed: 29 Oct 1858--Born in Ireland,1803
Andrew Drugan----Filed: 30 Oct 1858--Born in Ireland, 1835
Francis Drugan----Filed: 6 Apr 1868--Born in Ireland, 1845
Patrick Drugan----Filed: 6 Apr 1868--Born in Ireland, 1847
Source: University of Wisconsin, Murphy Library, La Crosse, WI
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This census entry from 1850 is probably the wrong family but the similarities are striking. The Drugans were supposed to be living in Racine County, Wisconsin around that time, and Patrick wife's name was Anne. Some of the children's names aren't the same but some of the ages come very close.
1850 US Census
Page 145, District 1, Dwelling 1764, Family 1848
Norway, Racine County, Wisconsin
19 Sep 1850
Patrick Dugan...40..Male..IRE
Ann Dugan...40..Female..IRE
Ann Dugan...14..Female..IRE
M. Dugan...10..Male..IRE
Margaritt Dugan...9..Female..IRE
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In 1880, the census shows that married sons Peter and Andrew both lived on each side of their parents, Patrick and Anne.
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Patrick and Anne's graves are unmarked with the location being "Near Town". The land for this cemetery is part of the farm that they owned, land donated by Patrick Lowery. That statement of "near town" is confusing considering that the cemetery was probably established in 1880 and Patrick did not die until 1882. It is not known for certain if Patrick and Anne are actually buried within the Old Catholic Cemetery and there are no markers to indicate that they were. Patrick owned 120 acres of land in Section 24 which is just on the NW side of the existing Old Catholic Cemetery. He sold all or part of his farm to Patrick Lowery who in 1880 donated some of land to the Catholic diocese for use as a cemetery. They may have been buried on a part of their farm that was not donated to the Catholic diocese. If so, those grave sites on the farm may have long since been obliterated by the current owner of the farmland. The only clue to the location of their graves comes from the description of "close to town".
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There have been many discussions concerning the cemetery land and the Drugan farm land. Researcher Robert Westphal, Jr. remarks, "Wow. I recall uncle Eli (Motschenbacher) telling me that the cemetery was surrounded by land that used to belong to the Drugans. I was never quite clear about which cemetery he was always talking about, since we'd hit all of them each summer. I guess that means that the Drugan's sold out to Patrick Lowery at some point. Another mystery is that uncle Eli said that the Drugan's (don't know which one) owned a small house and some land out on the road going to Perrot Park, near where Carl Keefe lived. I've never been able to substantiate this... got any info?
Apparently the answer to the two statements about the Drugan land are this. The Patrick Drugan land was 120 acres in Section 24 while the cemetery is on Patrick Lowery land just to the southwest in Section 23. Therefore the cemetery was never "surrounded by land that used to belong to the Drugans." The second statement about Drugan land on the road going to Perrot Park most likely was for another Drugan probably after Patrick Drugan had died. Researcher Dale Ebersold replied on 7 Feb 2013, Eli Motschenbacher (my dad's coon hunting buddy) told you right about land belonging to the Drugans on the way out to Perrot Park. It's the west prairie road, not the river road just before leaving the Trempealeau village limits. It's now called Pine Street till 10th Street, then becomes Park Road. I believe the house is still standing. As you leave Trempealeau on Pine Street, take a left on 10th. There's a new home on the corner facing 10th Street but the next one is a small white home also facing 10th Street. I had that Drugan house as part of my paper route in the late 40's before I began high school. I think it belonged to the "old" Hubie (Hubert) Drugan. I believe the old Shrake house was where the new corner house is standing.<i>
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The actual land transfers for the Old Catholic Cemetery went like this. Patrick Lowery, on 17 Apr 1880, for "a dollar in hand," had "given granted bargained sold" three acres of his farm to the La Crosse Diocese. Then on 9 Aug 2007, the La Crosse Catholic Diocese did a "quit claim deed" assigning the land to the local St. Bartholomew parish in Trempealeau.
(Source: Dale Ebersold, 7 Feb 2013)
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