Fergus(s)on DNA Project

Ancestry of David Alan Fairall

My earliest known relative is Brian (Bryane) O'Farrell, b. about 1625 in Ireland, d. about 1662, came with his wife Margarett (married about 1643) and two sons from Ireland to James Town, Virginia Colony. It is estimated his wife Margarett was born about 1625. The records in Virginia show he shortened the family name to Farrell when he bought land patents along the James River. After he died his wife remarried and I am descended from Brian's younger son John, who later grew up to be an adult in Virginia and was a tobacco farmer. John Farrell, along with his older brother Hubbard, fought FOR the English Crown forces against Nathaniel Bacon and his forces in 1676 in what became known as Bacon' Rebellion. Hubbard I believe was an officer in the militia and may have been a lawyer as well as a land owner. Hubbard was killed in Bacon's Rebellion and is mentioned in Bacon's famous letter to the King to complain about conditions in Virginia, but my direct ancestor John lived.

Either John himself or his descendants later moved to Maryland (why I do not know or exactly when) and were living as farmers near the Hyattsville area in Maryland (one of my Farrell ancestors married a Hyatt woman) when the Revolutionary War broke out. The men all served in the Maryland Artillery, later known as the 1st Continental Artillery and served under Gen. George Washington. After the war they left Maryland to claim land in Ohio. There is still a Fairall Ridge in Ohio today where my ancestors settled, oh, around the 1790's or 1800 if I remember correctly.

My family changed the spelling to Fairall when they moved to Ohio from Maryland to claim land according I believe to their service in the the War. Why they changed it to Fairall I do not know. I know Farrell is more a Roman Catholic spelling and Fairall is more a Protestant spelling.

From Irish history I have read, the O'Farrell family were landed people with a small castle (I emphasis small) and they lived in the Midland area of Ireland. Why they came to Virginia Colony I have an idea but do not know for sure. It seems Oliver Cromwell had invaded Ireland, won the battles and took Irish land and gave it to Englishmen, finishing this process in 1659. Irish records show that in 1659 there were only about three O'Farrell families left in the area. So, putting two and two together, I supect they lost almost everything and got out because of Mr. Cromwell. I do not know any of Brian's family in Ireland and would very much like to know. I was told the O'Farrell name, under various spellings, was tracked back to about 1072 or so in Irish records.

[ Home ] [ yDNA Participants ]