Nyhan Main

Nyhan Main

NYHAN
(NYHAN - NIHAN - NIHANE)

The Nyhan name traces its roots to County Cork, mostly in the southwest region. It is also found in the Clonakilty area as well as the area around Mallow. Other variations of this name still in use are Nihan and Nihane, Nahane and Neehane. The spelling of the name most popular today - “Nyhan” was due to the influence of the anglicized spelling, and this has resulted in it being today generally pronounced “Nye-han”, but only a generation ago it was always “Nee-haan” (Neehane). The Irish form of this name is Ó Niatháin. This name is found in County Cork as early as 1295 when it occurred twice in the Justiciary Rolls when Neivin O'Nyhyn was charged with "harboring felons". Soon after a William O'Nyhyn appeared in another law case.

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The first of our NYHAN’s that has been traced is JAMES NYHAN. James was born in the early 1800's in IRELAND, and died there. He married ELLEN O'BRIEN, November 27, 1840 in Mourneabbey, County Cork, Ireland. Their marriage was witnessed by Patrick Foley and Elizabeth Foley.

Ellen was reported to be from Irontown, somewhere above Mallow, Cork. She and James were both born, lived and died in Ireland. Old family stories say that James may have been from Skibbereen and was sent by Lord Bandon to Island Burnfort. He was a school teacher and may have lived in the schoolhouse. This schoolhouse was located in an area known as Nyhan's Hill.

JAMES and ELLEN had six children:

	WILLIAM NYHAN, b. December 28, 1841, Mourneabbey, County Cork, Ireland; d. Unknown, Ireland.
	JAMES NYHAN, b. May 13, 1846, Mourneabbey, County Cork, Ireland. This James died before November 02, 1857 when the second James was born. This James' godparents were John Riordan & Julia Lombard.
	THOMAS NYHAN, b. January 15, 1848, Mourneabbey, County Cork, Ireland. Thomas' godparents were Patrick Healy and Julia Riordan.
	JOHN NYHAN, b. August 19, 1850, Mourneabbey, County Cork, Ireland. John's godparents were John Foley & Bridget Creane.
	JAMES NYHAN, b. February 11, 1857, Mourneabbey, County Cork, Ireland. James' godparents were Thomas Lynch and Julia Murphy. (This is the second child to be named James.)
	MARGARET NYHAN, b. August 12, 1862, Mourneabbey, County Cork, Ireland.

James and Ellen's eldest son WILLIAM NYHAN was born in County Cork, Ireland. WILLIAM was a farmer and may have run a public house. This house, described below in the 1901 Census of Ireland, may have also been the schoolhouse that James taught in. This place may have been located at Nyhan's Hill. He married CATHERINE SULLIVAN, daughter of DARBY SULLIVAN. She was born in Karrinavar, or White Church, County Cork, Ireland and died there.

THE 1901 CENSUS OF IRELAND

According to the 1901 Census of Ireland, taken on the night of April 4, 1901, William Nyhan and his wife Catherine were residing in the Parish of Rahan near Mallow, within the Barony of Fermoy. The house that the family was living in, in 1901 was described as a private dwelling which had six out houses which comprised of a Stable, a Cow House, a Calf House, a Piggery, a Fowl House, and a shed. The house was built of stone with a Thatch roof, the house had four rooms with three windows in the front of the house. The house was classified as a 2nd Class House. William owned this house - he was not renting from a landlord.

On the night of the census, April 4, there were six members of the family living in the house. William is listed as being the head of the household. He is registered as a Roman Catholic who can read and write, and his age is stated as being 58 yrs of age, and his occupation is listed as farmer. Catherine is listed as a Roman Catholic who can read but cannot write and she was 52 yrs of age. Their eldest son James is listed as a Roman Catholic who can read and write, was 32 years of age and his occupation is listed as farmer's son. At the time of the 1901 Census he was not married. Patrick was also listed as being a Roman Catholic who could read and write, was 22 yrs of age and his occupation was also listed as being a farmer's son. He was also not married at this time. John was also listed as a 19 yr old farmer's son who was a Roman Catholic who could read and write and again was not married. Finally there was William who was again Roman Catholic who could read and write and at 13 yrs of age was registered as a Scholar, which meant he was attending school. None of the family could speak Irish.

WILLIAM and CATHERINE had :

	JOHN 'JACK' NYHAN, b. October 09, 1881
	JAMES NYHAN, b. 1869.
	MARY MINNIE NYHAN, b. March 23, 1871; d. Unknown.
	PATRICK PATSY NYHAN, b. 1879; d. Unknown
	WILLIAM NYHAN, b. March 18, 1888; d. Unknown.
	PETER NYHAN, b. January 19, 1874; d. Unknown,Easton, Mass.
	THOMAS NYHAN b. July 15, 1877

Now, of these 7 children two came to America, and the rest stayed in Ireland. JACK immigrated to Boston and Peter came to the United States but was killed in some sort of railway accident. PATSY and WILLIAM never married. Nothing is known about Thomas.