James Potter is a friend and weekly walking companion. We often exchange anecdotes concerning our genealogy research and discoveries.  While the families involved in this post have no genetic relationship to any of the four Bernards, this is a great story of steady research, perseverance and a little luck of the Irish.  My Matthews cousins should take note that James’s descendants were married in St. Patrick’s church in west Troy, Edward Matthew’s home parish, the site of his labors of love in replacing the heating and plumbing systems in that church.

 The origins of the Furlong Family are from County Limerick, so in this entry we catch a glimpse of the work others are doing to document their Irish family genealogy. The two aspects of this story I find fascinating.  The first is the direction of each brother settling in two different continents across the world: North American and Australia. Then bridging that divide almost two centuries later using DNA and technology.

The second aspect is the “Furlong Family Wheel” itself.  I have not seen a genealogy line mapped out in a circular style before.  In addition, there is relevant family history adorning the sides of the circle.  I took extra care to show the whole, and then each important section of the document. Although I did not always achieve a high quality in each section, I believe the photos can be enlarged for that purpose.  I hope you enjoy the first guest entry!     

The Furlong brothers

Thomas was born in 1805, his younger brother Richard in 1806.  The brothers were born in Newcastle West, County Limerick, Ireland, the sons of Thomas and Catherine Standish Furlong. 

As a young man the older brother, Thomas, joined the British navy and “went to sea”.  Eventually he got married and settled in Australia. 

Richard, he initially remained in Ireland.  He got married and started a family.  He and his first wife, Johanna Cremins, had a daughter named Margaret.  After his wife died, he remarried a Johanna O’Connell and had several more children. 

In the Fall of 1851, Richard decided to immigrate with the second wife and their children to America.  They settled in West Troy, New York (now called Watervliet). 

On Feb. 26, 1854, his daughter Margaret married John Lynch.   The wedding took place in old St. Patrick’s Church in West Troy.  Margaret and John are my 2nd great-grandparents.  They settled in Stillwater, NY, bought a farm, and raised a family.  They are both buried in St. Peter’s cemetery.

Fast forward nearly 175 years to when I received an email from a descendent of Richard’s brother Thomas who lives in Australia.  He asked me if I was interested in receiving a copy of the “Furlong Wheel” —  basically, a genealogy fan chart.  It contains information on hundreds of Furlong descendants covering 7 generations.   The wheel was created sometime in the early to mid-1800’s by a cousin of the Furlong brothers and then later updated by another cousin around 1900. 

The information contained in the Furlong Wheel fits exactly into the research that I had previously acquired over the years.  I think it’s an incredible piece of family history! 

The Full Furlong Circle:

The upper left-hand corner

The upper center block

The upper right-hand corner block

The right mid-block

Lower right block

Direct Center 1

Direct Center 2

The following are additional Furlong family artifacts. These suggest publications that may house clues in your own family search. The Visitation documents were a form of censes and history.

A further publication of interest where information on the Furlong Family was found

Lastly from the Devonshire Correspondent, 24 November 1821, a report on the attack on the Ballydaniel estate, the ancestorial home of the Furlong family.