Francis Drugan ^{1 2 3 4 5 6}

   Another name for Francis was "Frank" Drugan.

  General Notes:

The Drugans left County Tyrone, Ireland in 1849 and immigrated to the US via New York. They likely lived for a short time in Sullivan, Pennsylvania with James Drugan and family, and then moved to Kane County, Illinois. They then moved to Caledonia Township, in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin in 1854, and then to the town of Trempealeau around 1855. They first lived near the Old Catholic Cemetery in Trempealeau.
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From: "The History of Trempealeau County" by E. D. Pierce

from page 143:
"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."

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: Winona Republican-Herald, Winona, Minnesota, 17 Mar 1953)

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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30 Aug 2003, from Rob Westphal:
Just received a tidbit from Ireland - parish register in Clogher shows Francis Drugan baptized 25 Nov 1821 - son of "A. Drugan" of Clogher Parish... (ordering FHC microfilm for Clogher)... should give us a BUNCH of dates for our Drugan clan.
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Letter to Robert Westphal:

Here's the picture of the gravestone (of Francis Frank Drugan). It is in Lot #3, Block 48. It is 6 rows in from the north entrance of Sacred Heart Cemetery, on the left side of the road, 1 row in from the road. The sexton's records gave us a few more bits of information. Mary paid $10 for a lot of 10 graves when Frances died, there are 4 graves there, the rest are empty. She paid $3 for perpetual care, and in 1914, J. H. McRush paid $3 more for perpetual care. That could be the 4th Mr. and Mrs. on the Card of thanks from the Newspaper. Its so blurred I can't be certain. The account for the continued perpetual care is marked over due in 1920, when the new books were started. The unused graves still belong to the family or descendants, and can be used for half the current lot costs. Also there is a note on the page with the name:
Mrs. M. E. A. Odell
502 Hogate
Lake Charles, LA

I'm going to look up that name in the marriage records and see if its there.

The only name on the stone is Francis Drugan died 30 Jan 1887 age 66 years 2 months, born Tyrone Co. Ireland. There is nothing to tell us who the 4th grave is.

Happy Hunting, Alice
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Francis Drugan of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Land Office: WINONA
Description:
The Northeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter in Section twelve of Township one hundred and six North of Range six West, in the district of formerly subject to sale at Winona now Saint Peter, Minnesota, containing forty acres.
Document Number: 2993
Total Acres: 40
Misc. Doc. Nr.: Signature: Yes
Canceled Document: No
Issue Date: June 01, 1859
President James Buchanan
Mineral Rights Reserved: No
Metes and Bounds: No
Survey Date: Statutory Reference: 3 Stat. 566
Multiple Warrantee Names: No
Act or Treaty: April 24, 1820
Multiple Patentee Names: No
Entry Classification: Sale-Cash Entries
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Letter to Robert Westphal:

Hi Rob,

I found just a little for you. The obit is really a Thank you from the family, not an obit. It is very blurred, and almost unreadable. It is signed by Mrs. F. Drugan, Miss H. Drugan and Mr. and Mrs (C. W. Kelly) I believe and another Mr. and Mrs., that I can't read at all. It seems to be a camera error, as the other pages are readable, it just must have wiggled the page a bit as this page was microfilmed.

I checked marriage records for the years 1856-1900 but did not find either of the girls marriages recorded, nor did I find Francis or Mary's death recorded. Do you have any idea where they lived? If their farm was just across the county line, they could have gone to church here, but deaths recorded in Dodge or Rice County. This seems to be at odds with the information from the census, I know, maybe they moved. I can check Rice County as I do research in that courthouse also.
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Steele County Death Records

Book B page 27 line 7
Helen Drugan died 2 April 1907
White / female / single / born 15 April 1853 / cause of death: Heart disease
53 years 11 months 18 days / Housekeeper / Born: Kane, Ill
Father: Francis Drugan, born: Ireland
Mother: Mary Malanaphy born: Austria
Buried: Catholic Cemetery, Owatonna
I also found in the Dalby Data Base:
Francis Drugan died Jan 1887
Mary Drugan died June 1910

I need to contact a Sexton to find where in Sacred Heart Cemetery they are buried, It is a rather large Cemetery, so I haven't gotten out to photograph the grave stone yet.

Happy Hunting,
Alice
anadeau@tm9.net
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CEDARVILLE, MN
Cedarville is one of the "deserted villages" of Martin county, Minn. Once a thriving trade center it has become a mere memory, all of its buildings having disappeared. There is nothing on its site today to suggest a village. The post office was discontinued in 1903. The name of the village is from Cedar lake. It was located at the extreme north shore of that body of water, in Sec. 24, Cedar township.

The post office was established in 1868 with Francis Drugan as postmaster. Phineas M. Dennis, one time postmaster, kept a store and took a great interest in public affairs and until his departure in 1877 was Cedarvilles' best boomer. He was at one time county commissioner and ran for the legislature the year before he left. Failing of election he decided to move. For thirty years Cedarville was on the map. It had two stores, hotel, blacksmith shop, wind grist mill and other enterprises. It was a place of great expectations, failing only because the railroads passed it by. The town was a strong contender for the "north route" of the Southern Minnesota when it built through Martin county in 1878. Had this route prevailed it is likely that Fairmont, and not Cedarville, would be the deserted village today.

When the Northwestern and St. Louis railroads built north and south across the county in 1899 Cedarville again had high hopes of becoming a railroad town. Failing, and the twin villages of Triumph and Monterey springing up nearby, decay was rapid after that time. Cedarville was regularly platted by R. T. Patrick in 1892. It comprised four blocks. The east and west thoroughfares were Patrick Street, Kennard Avenue and North Avenue. St. James Street ran north and south.

NOTE: Cedarville was a small village in Martin County, MN. Martin County is on the Iowa border in south central MN. County seat is Fairmont.

Source: Know Your Own County, by Major Arthur M. Nelson, page 17
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The body of an unknown man was found in the Minnesota River near Owatonna, on Monday. The left side of his head was broken in, his left eye knocked out and his nose broken, and around his neck was a rope, attached to which was a piece of iron. A letter was found in his pocket addressed to Jas. McMullen, Mendota, signed F. Drugan, Cedarville.

Source: The St. Cloud Journal, St. Cloud, MN, 11 Sep 1873
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  Burial Notes:

Minnesota Cemetery Inscription Index, Select Counties
Township: Owatonna
County: Steele
Name: Francis Drugan
Death Date: 30 Jan 1887
Cemetery: Sacred Heart
Age: 66 years, 2 months
Spouse: Mary
Other: Native of County Tyrone, Ireland
Section: A Lot 3, Block 48

NOTES
Per church sexton's records, Mary Drugan, wife of Francis, paid $10 for a lot of 10 graves when Frances died. Four graves are occupied, the rest are empty. Mary Drugan paid $3 for perpetual care, and in 1914, a J. H. McRush paid $ 3 more for perpetual care. Perpetual care is marked over due in 1920, when the new books were started. The unused graves still belong to the family or descendants , and can be used for half the current lot costs. Also there is a note on the page with the name, Mrs. M. E. A. Odell, 502 Hogate, Lake Charles, LA (Francis and Mary's daughter, Agnes).

The only name on the stone is Francis Drugan, died Jan 30, 1887, age 66 years 2 months, born Tyrone Co. Ireland. There is nothing to tell us who the 4th grave is. (Known burials are Francis, Mary, his wife, and Helen, their daughter.)

Source: Alice Nadeau, anadeau@tm9.net
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  Noted events in his life were:

• He has alternate birth date of November 1820 and a birth location of Ireland.

This birth date is referenced by his age at death of "66y, 2m".
. ⁶

• He has alternate birth date of 1823 and a birth location of Ireland.

• He has alternate birth date of 1825 and a birth location of Ireland.

^{2 3}

• He appeared on the 1855 Wisconsin State Census in Montoville Township, Trempealeau County, WI on 1 June 1855. ⁷

1855 Wisconsin State Census
Page 3
Montoville Township, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Francis Drugan..total of 1 male, 3 females, 1 foreign born

See the Marriage Notes about this census as it may not be for the correct person.
.

• He was naturalized on 29 March 1856 in Trempealeau, WI.

• He appeared on the 1860 US Census in Trempealeau, WI on 18 July 1860. ²

1860 US Census
Page 121, Family 1012, Roll 1434
Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Frances Drugan..35..IRE..Farmer

(Living with wife and 3 children.)

NOTE - If his birth date was in Nov 1821, then his age should have been 38 instead of 35.
.

• He appeared on the 1870 US Census in Elm Creek Township, Martin, MN on 4 June 1870. ³

1870 US Census
Page 4, Family 27
Elm Creek, Martin County, Minnesota
Frank Dugan..45..IRE..Farmer

(Living with wife and 3 daughters.)

NOTE - If his birth date was in Nov 1821, then his age should have been 48 instead of 45.
.

• He appeared on the 1875 Minnesota State Census in Cedar Township, Martin, MN on 1 May 1875.

1875 Minnesota State Census
Page 304, Family 2
Cedar Township, Martin County, Minnesota
Francis Drugan..53..IRE

(Living with wife and 2 oldest daughters.)
. ⁴

• He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Owatonna, MN on 5 June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 12D, District 245, Family 129, Roll 0635
Owatonna, Steele County, Minnesota
Francis Drugen..Head..57..IRE..Farmer

(Living with wife and 2 daughters.)

NOTE - If his birth date was in Nov 1821, then his age should have been 58 instead of 57.
.

• He appeared on the 1885 Minnesota State Census in Owatonna, MN in May 1885. ⁵

1885 Minnesota State Census
Page 14, Family 103
Owatonna, Steele County, Minnesota
Francis Drugan..65..IRE

(Living with wife and daughter.)

NOTE - If his birth date was in Nov 1821, then his age should have been 63 instead of 65.
.

• He was buried after 30 January 1887 in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Owatonna, MN.

"Aged 66 y, 2m"
Find A Grave Memorial #97268388
. ⁶

Francis married Mary Malanaphy about 1847.¹ (Mary Malanaphy was born on 16 April 1824 in Ireland,^{1 4 8 9} died on 9 January 1910 in Kansas City, MO ⁹ and was buried on 11 January 1910 in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Owatonna, MN ⁹.). The cause of her death was Lobar Pneumonia.

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1860 US Census in Trempealeau, WI on 18 July 1860. ²

1860 US Census
Page 121, Dwelling 1129, Family 1012, Roll 1434
Trempealeau, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Frances Drugan..35..IRE..Farmer
Mary Drugan..32..IRE
Thomas Drugan..12..IL
Caroline Drugan..9..WI
William Drugan..7..WI

NOTE - Three daughters, Helen, Loretta, and Theresea Drugan, were supposedly born before 1860 yet their names are not shown on this 1860 census.
.

• They appeared on the 1870 US Census in Elm Creek Township, Martin, MN on 4 June 1870. ³

1870 US Census
Page 4, Dwelling 27, Family 27
Elm Creek, Martin County, Minnesota
Frank Dugan..45..IRE..Farmer
Mary Dugan..45..IRE..Keeping House
Helena Dugan..19..IL..Going to School
Loretta Dugan..17..IL..At home
Agnes Dugan..8..WI..At home

NOTE - Missing from the children's names are Thomas, Caroline, William, and Theresa. Their mother indicated in the 1900 US Census that at least 2 of her children had died but even those numbers given are somewhat confusing in that she lists a total of only 4 children. I suspect either her or the enumerator wrote down the number of currently living children instead of the total number of children. It is therefore highly likely that both Thomas and William died between 1860 and 1870.
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.

• They appeared on the 1875 Minnesota State Census in Cedar Township, Martin, MN on 1 May 1875.

1875 Minnesota State Census
Page 304, Family 2
Cedar Township, Martin County, Minnesota
Francis Drugan..53..IRE
Mary M. Drugan..50..IRE
Theresa H. Drugan..23..IL
Agnes E. Drugan..13..WI
. ¹⁰

• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Owatonna, MN on 5 June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 12D, District 245, Family 129, Roll 0635
Owatonna, Steele County, Minnesota
Francis Drugen..Head..57..IRE..Farmer
Mary M. Drugen..Wife..55..IRE..Keeping House
Theresa E. Drugen..Daughter..25..IL..Home
Agnes Drugen..Daughter..16..WI..Milliner
.

• They appeared on the 1885 Minnesota State Census in Owatonna, MN in May 1885. ⁵

1885 Minnesota State Census
Page 14, Family 103
Owatonna, Steele County, Minnesota
Francis Drugan..65..IRE
Mary M. Drugan..63..IRE
Hellen Drugan..32..IL
.

  Marriage Notes:

There is a 1855 Wisconsin State Census record for a Francis Drugan residing at Montoville, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin. Montoville was the previous name of Trempealeau.

However, this Wisconsin record did not list ages and the household population was listed as an aggregate number of males and females. Thus it is assumed that this 1855 record shows Francis Drugan was the head of the household with 1 male (himself) and 3 other females (most likely his wife and 2 daughters.)

However that record does not closely fit what is vaguely known about Francis Drugan and his wife, Mary Malanaphy. It is believed that he had 2 sons both born shortly before 1855 yet neither are listed as additional males in the household. These 2 sons did appear in the 1860 US Census with the family.

Francis and Mary probably had at least 3 daughters born before 1855, perhaps as many as 4, yet this 1855 record only provides for 2 additional females assuming that the wife was still present in the household.

There was one other Francis Drugan thought to be present in Trempealeau County around 1855 but there is practically nothing known about him or the possibility of any family.
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