a Bit O' Erin in Almost Heaven
a bite-sized overview of the welsh of harpers ferry
P atrick knew it would be worth it. Honora wasn't so sure. Packing up her small family, sailing across the Atlantic, and making a new life far away from their beloved homeland seemed almost as daunting as their current situation. But, Patrick promised freedom, a better life, and an area reminiscent of Ireland. Harpers Ferry, and later Oak Grove [Bakerton], was that dream coming true.
The bustling industries of Harpers Ferry, bound on both sides with rivers from which mountains sprung was breathtaking. Emerging from the serene farmland of neighboring Oak Grove, limestone quarries, which were mining some of the most magnesium-rich limestone in the world, promised employment for the family's sons. The similarities to their beloved Kings [Offaly] County were eerily remarkable. It was almost like being home.
Patrick passed away soon after their arrival, leaving his family to create a new life in a new world. He had accomplished his goal of providing a better life for his family by guiding his family away from the difficulties of Catholic oppression and the extreme poverty of peasantry in their homeland.
Patrick and Honora's sons found work in the limestone industry as quarry laborers and boatmen, and occasionally could be found working for the railroad. The four sons were all known to have worked for William Flanangan, a fellow Irishman who was a highly respected Oak Grove farmer and limestone quarry proprietor. A loyal friendship flourished from their relationship, and the families soon became kin by marriage.
Through the years, the Welsh family of Harpers Ferry continued to prosper and multiply, with many becoming esteemed citizens of Bakerton -- the same Oak Grove which the immigrating family made home generations earlier. It was all because of them and their dream of a better life.
This website was created to share the contributions that the Welsh family made to their community. As descendants of this family, we hope that reading through these pages makes you feel as if you are sharing in their triumphs, heartaches, laughter, and dreams. While our main goal is to offer a glimpse into our ancestor's lives, we also enjoy telling the overlooked and often untold historical stories of the Harpers Ferry and Bakerton area and the Irish immigrants who built it. We humbly offer our resources and databases in belief that it may be helpful to other researchers or family historians.
A continually updated compilation of years worth of research, this is their story. The story of the Welsh of Harpers Ferry.
THE WELSH OF HARPERS FERRY
ESTABLISHED CIRCA 1830
RESEARCH NOTES
The Welsh family immigrated from the area surrounding the Shannon riverbank in Kings County and County Galway, Ireland to the Harpers Ferry area sometime during the early 1830's. It is possible that one son, Martin Walsh, arrived separate from his family as early as the mid-1820's.
In Ireland, the surname appears to have originally been Walsh. The spelling changed consistently to Welsh during the early 1900's, although a few family members never adopted the new spelling variation.
The Welsh family had strong ties with Washington County, Maryland as well with other locations along the river in Eastern Jefferson County, West Virginia. The family also appears to be well connected within the Georgetown community, likely due to the time spent in the limestone industry and consequently, the C&O Canal.
