The Origin of OMcHodoy

No, this isn't going to be a lengthy post about my family's origins. The entire blog put together may add up to that eventually, but this post is simply an introduction to how I came up with the name OMcHodoy. When I began my genealogy research I decided I wanted to create a name that represented the four grandparents and their families. Taking letters from each surname, I came up with OMcHodoy. Here's the breakdown.

The "O" stands for O'Rourke, my mother's maiden name. Pictured at left are my great grandparents James and Mary (KEARNS) O'ROURKE & their daughters Margaret/Nelly, Betty, & Mary/Mae. They lived in Pittston, Luzerne County, PA and are buried in St. Mary's Help of Christians Cemetery. My grandfather James O'Rourke and his wife Regina moved to Niagara Falls, NY in 1934 with their son, Jimmie.

The "Mc" is for McHugh, my dad's surname. Pictured at right are my grandparents, Joseph Dennis and Mary (HODICK) McHUGH. They hailed from Nanticoke, Luzerne County, PA prior to moving to Niagara Falls, NY in the early 1940's.

The "Hod" is for HODICK, my dad's mother's family. Pictured in here, among others yet identified, are my great grandparents Edward and Justina (NAHADIL sp?) (in the center standing up) along with an assortment of their children William, Joseph, Anthony, Thomas, John, Susan, Mary, Edward, and Sylvestina, along with spouses. According to census records, Edward was born in Bohemia, immigrating in 1885-ish (I'm looking into a ship manifest with a Hodick line, including an Edward whose listed age is consistent with my gr-gfathers). Justina was listed on Census records as being born in Czechoslavakia. Family lore has her birthplace as Fuenfkirchen, Austria (now known as Pecs, Hungary). With territorial changes of the region, anything's possible.

The "Doy" represents the Doyle family. My maternal grandmother was Regina Doyle O'Rourke. Pictured here are a number of Doyle family members along with their collaterals, the Tighe family. In the second seated row are my great grandparents John J. and Jennie/Jane (McCUE) DOYLE. John and Jane's daughter Blanche married William B. TIGHE. This picture was taken in front of the Doyle family home in Pittston, PA in 1934.

So there you have the origins of my online personna. The entries that follow will either highlight one of my ancestors and the information I have on them, or on my progress in my research.