Welcome to Gavigan.org

This site was created to facilitate the exchange of information and to help people with the last name Gavigan, and other names, learn more about their history, their roots, & who they are related to

The surname Gavigan”and its more common phonetic variant, Gavigan” is an Anglicized form of the ancient Gaelic name Mag Eachagain, meaning “son of Eachagan.” Originating in Ireland, particularly associated with counties like Roscommon and Westmeath, bearers of this historic name eventually crossed the Atlantic during the waves of Irish emigration in the 19th century, seeking new opportunities in the burgeoning American Midwest.

Our Journey begins with the John Gavigan family. The family supposedly immigrated from Ireland Around 1848. The spent some time in New York then by 1850 they were living in New Jersey. John Sr (age 60) sons Timothy H, John, Patrick, and William, and Daughters Mary Catherine, Marcella, Margaret, Jane were ALL born in Ireland. John Gavigan’s wife Margaret O’Brien died BEFORE they immigrated. By 1855 the Gavigans were in Wisconsin.

Anyone listed in the Genealogy pages NOT named Gavigan or McGilligan are related to a Gavigan or a McGilligan by a marriage or an adoption It’s a very Small World!

There are most likely many errors on this site. If you have corrections or additions use the contact form to let us know

The Democratic Handbook 1898

Published during one of the most racially and politically volatile periods in American history, the Democratic Handbook for 1898 served as a masterclass in propaganda, racial demagoguery, and political strategy.

Higbee Hotel Dodgeville WI – John Starry – 1905

This three-story hotel, which has conducted business as such since 1849, features a rectangular-shaped plan configuration, a cut stone foundation, a combination brick and concrete block exterior and a flat roof. In the early twentieth century the hotel was owned by John Starry, charus phillips (1909-1916)

Murder in the Hay-field

Mt. Horeb, Wis. –(AP) — Victor R McKay, 38, of Madison, shot and killed Mrs. Ruby Lund Heydon, 25, of Mt. Horeb, and then fatally wounded himself while they sat in a car in a hay-field near here August 17, 1942, a coroner’s jury decided after an inquest yesterday.

Suicide By Taking Rat Poison

Monday afternoon about 4 o’clock Mrs. Annie Schwartz, wife of John Schwartz, a farmer residing 4 miles west of this city (darlington), while in an insaine condition. took “Rough on Rats”, from the effects of which she died at 2 o’clock Tuesday Morning.

Distressing Suicide: A Woman Drowns Herself in a Well

Yesterday afternoon Mrs. Johanna Janeck, a German woman some 85 years old, wife of Mr. Gustav Janeck, for more than a dozen years employed in Mr. Darwin Clark’s Cabinet and Furniture establishment, and for some time foreman of the shop, went to visit Mrs. Lang, who lives in the first ward, about a block south of Nolden’s Hall, near the edge of the flat north of the depot.

2 Are Dead, One Missing In Canyon

GRAND CANYON, ARIZ, July 27 AP: The body of a Roman Catholic priest missing in the Grand Canyon since Saturday was found Monday at the base of a 200-foot cliff.

Where did the original Statue of Liberty on Lake Mendota end up?

Where did the original Statue of Liberty on Lake Mendota end up? Answer: The Statue of Liberty ended up at the farm of ……..

St. Michael’s Orphanage, La Crosse WI

John (Jack), Beverly, Roy, and Bob all spent time at St Micheals. Bob spent 13 yrs total. He went in at two yrs. Roy told Tim Gavigan in 2024 that John “Jack” Gavigan ran away from the Orphanage. Roy remembers riding in a car with officials to La Crosse.

Hospitality

Gavigan Hotel (Blanchardville WI), John Starry (Higbee Hotel 102 S Iowa St Dodgeville), Edward McGilligan (512 Oak St Arena WI), Doran (512 Oak St), Crowley (512 Oak St), Rupp (Vilas House, Park Hotel), Murphy (Vilas House), John R McGilligan (Lake City Hotel, Lake View Hotel), Trotter, and Williams owned or worked at lodging and/or Dining establishments (Hotels, Resorts, Pool Halls, and Taverns)

Tragedy On Lake Monona

On July 26, 1900, Ellen Jane Rupp “Jennie”, Fannie Dunn, and Nellie Dunn were being rowed back to Madison by Alexius Baas at 11 p.m. when their rowboat was struck by one of the lake steamers, the Tonyawatha, and the four were thrown into the water. Ellen Jane “Jennie” Rupp drowned. “Lex,” the oarsman, saved both of the Dunn sisters.

5 Mabbott’s Fight in the Civil War

Five Mabbott Cousins fought in the Civil War. Two Died and one was dishonorably discharged

Alcohol Issues

We are Irish, what else can we say? Over the years many have fallen into the Alcohol pit. Some crawled their way out, some did not.

Found Frozen Stiff in a Field

William Gavigan of the township of Adams perished with Monday night’s storm. He was found yesterday afternoon frozen stiff in a field with nothing but his boots protruding from the snow.

Lake City House / Lake View Hotel / John R McGilligan

John R McGilligan 510 E Wilson Street – Lake City Hotel – Lake View Hotel (Germania House Hotel)

The Railroad

Dodgeville, Wisconsin had multiple railroad lines, including the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, the Illinois Central Railroad, and the Freeport, Dodgeville & Northern Railroad.

California 1982

Spring of 1982 a plan was hatched at Rusty’s Bar in Middleton WI over 20 cent taps by Tim Gavigan and Rick Smith. They decided to drive to California in a van to Visit a hockey mate, Chris Eddy.

Timeline

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Census Records

Today in History

JANE SANDUSKY FLANDERS - First Flanders Woman in America

WAS JANE FLANDERS SANDUSKY AN INDIAN PRINCESS?

There are many mysteries to be solved in the Flanders family history line, and JANE FLANDERS is one of them!

Steven Flanders is the first Flanders listed in America. It is said that the ship that he sailed on towards America sunk before reaching land, and that his wealth and possessions were lost. However, due to him having “spektacles” (eyeglasses), he was known to be of European higher-class and educated. He married a woman named Jane, listed as ‘Sandusky Indian’, and family stories state that she was an Indian princess.

As early as the late 1500’s, the Sandusky tribe lived on the banks of the Sandusky River in Ohio. For some reason the tribe …. Read More here

LCprl Jean Pierre Dowling, KIA in Vietnam - USMC

The team moved to 598379 and was going to await the helicopters or until darkness and then move out.

After waiting an hour. the VC opened up on the team again from about 10 feet away. This broke up the team. The initial burst killed LCpl DOWLING. LCpl SOLOVSKOY returned fire and killed two VC
…. Read More here

Merrill McGilligan

Merle [Merrill] McGilligan, 25, son of Mr. and Mrs. T.H. [Thomas & Zula Hall] McGilligan, of Algona, former residents of this city, died yesterday at 6:30 p.m. at the Mercy hospital in Mason City. The young man had been operating a gravel truck near Lake lake, and Saturday evening with a group of friends had gone to Bayside park to swim. He dove into a shallow part of the lake and broke his neck. He was taken to the hospital in Mason City for medical attention.

Farm Tragedy

A tragic moment in Time regarding the Stevens family happened in 1936 on the farm of Harry and Jennie Stevens in the Skelton Township of Carlton County MN when Harry Eugene (Gene) Stevens accidentally drove over his brother James Eugene Stevens (age 2) with a tractor.

Wagon Accident

Another tragedy for the Stevens happened on a steep grade in Colorado where Ida May Slawson Stevens died at age 49 when a wagon she was riding in overturned and she was killed.

1983: Madison West Goes 18-2 to Win the State Hockey Championship

Dan Gavigan grandson of Thomas Leo Gavigan was a member of this Team

The only State Hockey Championship in School History!

Grandchildren of Maggie McCue and John Lunda

Kay and Karen Lunda

(Kay) 1972 Winter Olympics – 500 metres in Sapporo, Japan
(Karen) Alternate for the 1976 U.S. team in Innsbruck, Austria

Royal Lineage

Q: Where did the original Statue of Liberty on Lake Mendota end up?

Answer: The Bill Weege farm near Barneveld Wisconsin

Rev. Edward L. Buckner Dies After Being Shot Near His Home

Rev. Edward L. Buckner, of Zalma, died last Friday morning at the Cape hospital where he had been taken for an operation after being shot by an unknown person near his home Thanksgiving morning.
He was but a short distance from his home when the shots were fired at him with a shot gun.

Those That served

Upcoming Birthdays

Alice Bell TROTTER	23 AUG
Robert Paul SCHAUB	23 AUG
Robert Patrick HARRISON	23 AUG
Hannah HARRISON	23 AUG
Haley Ann	23 AUG
James CLEARY	24 AUG
Ella ETHRIDGE	25 AUG
Charles ESSER	25 AUG
Harley V. OLESON	25 AUG
Clarence Hilmer ZURBUCHEN	25 AUG
Charles Edward DODGE	26 AUG
James Eugene STEVENS	26 AUG

Upcoming Anniversaries

John R MCGILLIGAN and Matilda RANNENBERG	23 AUG
John William CROWLEY and Elizabeth Cecilia MCGILLIGAN	24 AUG
John CROWLEY and Helen C MCGILLIGAN	24 AUG
Edward Preston JACKSON and June Marian DORAN	24 AUG
Arthur William JANECK and Valeria A O'BRIEN	31 AUG
Gustave Victor FELDT and Geraldine Margaret JANECK	1 SEP
John Daniel RUPP and Mary S QUINN	10 SEP

In Memoriam

Sylvester Christopher Columbus STARRY	23 AUG 1937
Mary Anne RYAN	23 AUG 1954
Lois Ruth SPEICH	23 AUG 2012
John DE WELLES	24 AUG 1421
Alanson PARTRIDGE	24 AUG 1925
Daniel FLANIGAN	25 AUG 1876
Robert M DOWLING	25 AUG 1993
Lucy June ESCH	25 AUG 2006
Seba HODGE	26 AUG 1872
Mabel Wilhelminia ALLEN	26 AUG 1986
Albert Martin LUND	27 AUG 1951
Anna Marie PFEIFFER	28 AUG 1938
Merle Gordon HEYDON	28 AUG 1971
Thomas Samuel Rolf GAROFOLO	28 AUG 1996
Joseph H BANGLE	29 AUG 1896

Sylvester Christopher Columbus STARRY

Birth: 29 SEP 1893
Death: 23 AUG 1937

Mary Anne RYAN

Birth: 1869
Death: 23 AUG 1954

Lois Ruth SPEICH

Birth: 08 OCT 1929
Death: 23 AUG 2012

John DE WELLES

Birth: 20 APR 1352
Death: 24 AUG 1421

Alanson PARTRIDGE

Birth: 31 MAR 1831
Death: 24 AUG 1925

Daniel FLANIGAN

Birth: 28 FEB 1875
Death: 25 AUG 1876

Robert M DOWLING

Birth: 12 FEB 1952
Death: 25 AUG 1993

Lucy June ESCH

Birth: 31 AUG 1916
Death: 25 AUG 2006

Seba HODGE

Birth: 31 JUL 1796
Death: 26 AUG 1872

Mabel Wilhelminia ALLEN

Birth: 17 MAR 1896
Death: 26 AUG 1986

Information about the name Gavigan (Mostly Wisconsin)