This page lists the top generation of the identified Colgan and McColgan families in the Greater Philadelphia area. It is a highlyโdynamic list, undergoing major research and revisions. In some cases (especially where Irish records have not survived), the parents are not known or proven to the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS), so many lines might be listed separately as a “family,” as if they were unrelated, because the top generation is not proven. Records in Ireland have been subjected to a number of catastrophic incidents that destroyed many original documents, so some may not be able to be proven โ or may take considerable effort to work around.
The Irish flag next to names denotes individuals who were born anywhere on the island of Ireland (both the current Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland). As Northern Ireland has no official flag, grouping all births in Ireland together also reduces confusion.
โ ๏ธ THIS LIST IS STILL VERY MUCH UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND REVISION.
๐ถ Patrick Colgan (Born Abt. 1810) ๐ฎ๐ช and Mary Colgan (Abt. 1820 โ 1863) ๐ฎ๐ช โ (The current primary focus of this website: my straight paternal line, and Phase 1 of this site’s construction.)
This family also includes:
- Patrick Colgan (Abt. 1840 โ 1898) ๐ฎ๐ช
- Matthew Colgan (Abt. 1830 โ 1870) ๐ฎ๐ช, husband of Margaret (nรฉe Connelly) Colgan McKegney (Abt. 1837 โ 1913) ๐ฎ๐ช
- James Colgan (1841 โ 1912) ๐ฎ๐ช, husband of Emma Marie (nรฉe Lowe) Colgan (1851 โ 1919) ๐บ๐ธ
- Mary Ann Colgan Pidgeon (Abt. 1838 โ 1879) ๐ฎ๐ช, wife of John Christopher Pidgeon (Abt. 1831 โ 1902) ๐บ๐ธ
- Elizabeth Colgan Murphy (Abt. 1838 โ 1876) ๐ฎ๐ช, wife of Richard Murphy (Abt. 1830 โ 1896) ๐ฎ๐ช
- Alicia “Alice” Colgan Wolfinger Hynes (Abt. 1842 โ 1915), wife of Franklin C. Wolfinger (unknown โ unknown) and Patrick Edward Hynes (Abt. 1847 โ 1911)
- Teresa Colgan Gordon (Abt. 1850 โ Probably Died 1889), wife of John Gordon (Abt. 1840 โ Probably Died 1888)
๐ถ Charles Colgan (Abt. 1830 โ 1903) ๐ฎ๐ช and his wives Deborah (Rex) Colgan (Abt. 1833 โ 1868) and Ellen (Magee) Colgan (Abt. 1856 โ 1898) โ (The underโconstruction, secondโphase focus of this site; a line of Colgans on my maternal branch)
The FindAGrave Virtual Cemetery for these branches can be found at: https://www.findagrave.com/virtualโcemetery/1099612
Parents of:
- Deborah (nรฉe Colgan) Barnes (1851 โ 1898) ๐บ๐ธ, wife of John Barnes (Abt. 1844 โ 1915) ๐บ๐ธ
- Ellen Catherine Colgan (1872 โ 1874) ๐บ๐ธ
- Margaret “Maggie” (nรฉe Colgan) Kelly Berthy (1874 โ 1953) ๐บ๐ธ, wife of John J. Kelley (Abt. 1870 โ 1915) and Nicholas Berthy (Abt. 1879 โ 1957)
- Charles Colgan (Abt. 1854 โ 1872) ๐บ๐ธ
- Catherine Colgan (Abt. 1872 โ 1874) ๐บ๐ธ
- Charles Biddle Colgan (Abt. 1876 โ 1928) ๐บ๐ธ
- William John Colgan (Abt. 1853 โ 1900) ๐บ๐ธ, husband of Letitia โNettieโ (nรฉe Elliott) Colgan (Abt. 1853 โ 1932)
๐ถ CPT Alfred Emmet Colgan (1839 โ 1906) and Mary Elizabeth (nรฉe Roach) Colgan
๐ถ Andrew Colgan (Abt. 1823 โ 1895) ๐ฎ๐ช and Ann (nรฉe McCormick) Colgan (Abt. 1830 โ 1889)
Also in this family:
๐นJulia Colgan (Abt. 1831 โ 1863) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Anna Colgan (identity unknown)
Mother of:
- Katherine Colgan (1920 โ 1920) ๐บ๐ธ, born at St. Vincent’s Home for Unwed Mothers
๐ถ Anna (nรฉe Colgan) Kelly (Abt. 1885 โ 1924) ๐ฎ๐ช wife of Patrick J. Kelly (Abt. 1888 โ 1947) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Anna M. (nรฉe Colgan) Lambert (Abt. 1848 โ 1923) ๐บ๐ธ wife of Oliver E. Lambert (Abt. 1839 โ 1904) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Anne (nรฉe Colgan) Torchiana (Abt. 1864 โ 1925) ๐บ๐ธ wife of Francis Torchiana
๐ถ Annie (nรฉe Colgan) Gormley (Abt. 1876 โ 1903) ๐ฎ๐ช and Terence Gormley (Abt. 1866 โ 1931) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น A Mary Colgan was a witness at her marriage
๐น Terence and Annie were parents of:
- John Patrick Gormley (1902 โ 1978) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Arthur Varion Colgan (Abt. 1917 โ 1989) ๐บ๐ธ and Theresa (nรฉe Connolly) Colgan (Abt. 1925 โ 1998) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น Parents of:
- Arthur V. Colgan, Jr. (Abt. 1942 โ 1998) ๐บ๐ธ and Rose Marie (nรฉe Pastor) Colgan (Abt. 1942 โ 1998) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Arthur McColgan (Abt. 1840 โ1889) ๐ฎ๐ช and Elizabeth (nรฉe Breen) Colgan (unknown โ unknown)
๐ถ Bartholomew โBartleyโ Colgan (Abt. 1831 โ 1888) ๐ฎ๐ช and Nancy Hannah Colgan (Abt. 1832 โ 1903) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Bernard Colgan (unknown โ unknown) and Ann Nancy (nรฉe O’Brien) Colgan (unknown โ 1898)
๐ถ Bernard Colgan (Abt. 1786 โ 1876) ๐ฎ๐ช
may be the father of:
- Sarah (nรฉe Colgan) Newland (Abt. 1811 โ 1878) ๐ฎ๐ช, wife of William Augustine Newland (1813 โ 1901) ๐ฌ๐ง
- a Catharine Colgan is also associated with Sarah and William Newland, a witness in their 1834 marriage record
๐ถ Bernard Colgan (Abt. 1835 โ 1903) ๐ฎ๐ช and Margaret Ann (nรฉe Curran) Colgan (Abt. 1857 โ 1922) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Bernard Colgan (unknown โ unknown) and Margaret (maiden name under research) Colgan (unknown โ unknown)
๐น Parents of:
- James Colgan (1869 โ unknown) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Bernard McColgan (Abt. 1801 โ 1855) ๐ฎ๐ช and Eliza (nรฉe Andre) McColgan (Abt. 1808 โ 1885) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น Including their son, the wellโknown Alderman James McColgan (Abt. 1834 โ 1885)
๐ถ Bridget (nรฉe Colgan) Smith (Abt. 1876 โ 1933) ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ and James Smith (Abt. 1876 โ 1959) ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ
๐น Bridget was recorded as being born in Scotland, to Michael Colgan ๐ฎ๐ช and Mary (nรฉe McNulty) Colgan ๐ฎ๐ช of Ireland
๐ถ Charles Colgan (unknown โ unknown) and Johanna (nรฉe Doran) Colgan (Abt. 1836 โ 1916) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Charles Colgan (Abt. 1782 โ 1854) ๐ฎ๐ช and Lucinda Colgan (Abt. 1777 โ 1875) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น Also in this family (relationships under documentation):
- Henry Colgan (Abt. 1817 โ 1879) ๐ฎ๐ช
- Eliza Colgan (unknown โ 1845)
- William Colgan (Abt. 1831 โ 1846) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Charles McCullum Colgan (1889 โ 1957) and Maureen Felicia (nรฉe Hogan) Colgan (1889 โ 1993)
๐ถ Charles V. Colgan (Abt. 1806 โ 1880) and Elizabeth S. Colgan (Abt. 1818 โ 1900)
๐ถ Clement Riley Colgan (Abt. 1845 โ 1888) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Daniel Colgan (1925 โ 1988) ๐บ๐ธ and Cecelia (nรฉe Misciagna) Colgan (1919 โ 1986) ๐ฎ๐น
๐น Parents of:
๐ถ Daniel J. Colgan (Abt. 1842 โ 1926) and Jane (nรฉe Davison) Colgan (Abt. 1842 โ 1917)
๐น Ervin D. Colgan (Abt. 1878 โ 1934) (adopted son of Daniel J., according to 1910 census) and Frances โFannieโ (nรฉe Ellsworth) Colgan (Abt. 1880 โ 1940)
๐ถ Daniel McColgan (Abt. 1812 โ 1860) ๐ฎ๐ช and Cecilia (nรฉe McLaughlin) McColgan (Abt. 1821 โ 1877) ๐ฎ๐ช
- Bernard McColgan (1841 โ 1884) ๐ฎ๐ช
- Catherine “Kate” McColgan Bueler (1845 โ 1912) ๐ฎ๐ช
- James McColgan (1851 โ 1907) ๐ฎ๐ช
- Ellen McColgan Kirkpatrick (1854 โ 1931) ๐ฎ๐ช
- Daniel McColgan (1854 โ 1931) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ David Colgan (Abt. 1832 โ 1897) and Hannah (nรฉe Dunlap) Colgan (Abt. 1827 โ 1909)
๐ถ Dennis Colgan (Abt. 1876 โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช and Rose (nรฉe Heaney) Colgan Grugan (Abt. 1869 โ 1941) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น Parents of:
- Dennis Joseph Colgan (1907 โ 1988) ๐บ๐ธ husband of Mary Anastasia (nรฉe Gabrick) Colgan (Abt. 1912 โ 1987)
๐น Other members of this family include:
- Mary Colgan (Abt. 1869 โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช wife of John Donaghy (Abt. 1865 โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช
- Henry Colgan (Abt. 1864 โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช
- Bernard Colgan (listed at the family address, 1893 โ 1895)
๐ถ Dora (nรฉe Colgan) Yorston (Abt. 1867 โ 1933) ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ and William Yorston (Abt. 1869 โ 1941) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Edward William Colgan (1937 โ 2001) and Ann K Colgan (1929 โ 1997)
๐ถ Elizabeth (nรฉe Colgan) Burns (unknown โ 1972) ๐ฎ๐ช and Roger Burns, Sr. (Abt. 1895 โ 1960) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Elizabeth (nรฉe Colgan) McHenry (Abt. 1887 โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช and William McHenry (Abt. 1884 โ 1925) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น Parents of:
- John Thomas McHenry (1914 โ 1996) ๐บ๐ธ
- William James McHenry (1915 โ 1916) ๐บ๐ธ
- William James McHenry (1917 โ 2004) ๐บ๐ธ
- Mary Elizabeth “Betty” McHenry (1918 โ 1996) ๐บ๐ธ
- Katherine Rosalind “Kay” (nรฉe McHenry) DeLorenzo (1920 โ 1986) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Ella (nรฉe Colgan) Gray (Abt. 1851 โ 1929) ๐บ๐ธ and Harry Clay Gray (Abt. 1851 โ 1924) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น Reported as daughter of William Colgan and Catherine L. Eckhardt
๐ถ Ellen Colgan (Abt. 1800 โ 1866)
๐ถ Francis Colligan and Jane Colligan (Abt. 1838 โ 1904)
๐น Parents of:
- James Colligan (1870 โ 1871) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ George Colgan (Abt. 1832 โ unknown) ๐บ๐ธ and Mary Ann Mullen (Abt. 1838 โ unknown) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น Parents of:
- Mary Elizabeth Colgan (1858 โ unknown) ๐บ๐ธ
- Robert Colgan (1860 โ unknown) ๐บ๐ธ
- Mallia Colgan (1868 โ unknown) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ George (Ralph?) Colgan (Abt. 1855 โ unknown) and Ella Rebecca (nรฉe Geist) Colgan (Abt. 1871 โ 1904) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น Parents of:
- Ralph Geist Colgan (1896 โ 1959) ๐บ๐ธ, husband of Lillian (nรฉe Marquette) Colgan (Abt. 1899 โ 1978) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ George R. Colgan (1911 โ 1990) ๐บ๐ธ and Evelyn A. (nรฉe Woodruff) Colgan (1914 โ 2010) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ George W. Colgan (Abt. 1819 โ 1894) ๐บ๐ธ and Susan (nรฉe Booth) Colgan (Abt. 1823 โ 1902) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น Parents of: Morris P. Colgan (Abt. 1851 โ 1894) ๐บ๐ธ husband of Mary (nรฉe Randall) Colgan ๐บ๐ธ
๐น Grandparents of:
- Willard Allen Colgan (Abt. 1874 โ 1936) ๐บ๐ธ
- Clarence Hobart Colgan (Abt. 1876 โ 1950) ๐บ๐ธ husband of Laura Nuttall (nรฉe Simpson) Colgan (Abt. 1877 โ 1956) ๐บ๐ธ
- Elmer Colgan (Abt. 1886 โ 1965) ๐บ๐ธ husband of Sadie (nรฉe Ackerman) Colgan (Abt. 1886 โ 1956) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น Also likely a member of this family (under research):
- Susan Colgan (unknown โ 1902) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Grace Ann Colgan (1909 โ 1917) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น Daughter of Maurice Colgan and Ellen Hagerty
๐ถ Hugh Colgan (Abt. 1832 โ 1907) ๐ฎ๐ช and his wives Mary Jane (nรฉe Lowery) Colgan (Abt. 1832 โ 1866) ๐ฎ๐ช and Mary (nรฉe Thompson) Colgan (Abt. 1846 โ 1906) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น Parents of:
- Hugh Colgan (1856 โ 1926) ๐บ๐ธ
- Infant Child Colgan (unknown โ 1864) ๐บ๐ธ
- Susanna “Susie” (nรฉe Colgan) Bilson (1868 โ 1946) ๐บ๐ธ
- Rachel T “Ray” (nรฉe Colgan) Bilson (1869 โ 1951) ๐บ๐ธ
- Charles Colgan (1871 โ 1872) ๐บ๐ธ
- Charles Colgan (1873 โ 1951) ๐บ๐ธ
- William Colgan (1875 โ 1953) ๐บ๐ธ
- Robert Colgan, Sr. (1876 โ 1958) ๐บ๐ธ
- John Colgan (1878 โ 1919) ๐บ๐ธ
- Sarah Colgan (1880 โ 1884) ๐บ๐ธ
- Wesley Hutchinson Colgan, Sr. (1887 โ 1973) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ James Colgan (Abt. 1835 โ 1908) and Catherine (nรฉe Kieran) Colgan (Abt. 1837 โ 1912) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น James was the son of Patrick & Susan Colgan of Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland
๐น James and Catherine were the parents of:
- Dr. James Francis Edward Colgan (1859โ1938) ๐บ๐ธ
- Elizabeth Bolton Colgan (1862โ1936) ๐บ๐ธ
- Kieran I. Colgan (1865โ1920) ๐บ๐ธ
- Edward Joseph “Eddy” Colgan (1867โ1869) ๐บ๐ธ
- Mary Regina Colgan (1868โ1907) ๐บ๐ธ
- Katherine A. R. Colgan (1869โ1912) ๐บ๐ธ
- Joseph Colgan (1870โ1881) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ James Colgan (Abt. 1814 โ 1849) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น may be the father of James Colgan (1849 โ 1849) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ James Colgan (Abt. 1840 โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช and Julia (nรฉe Dougherty) Colgan (Abt. 1844 โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น Julia McColgan, mother of the above family members, probably died in May 1885 (confirmation and documentation work underway). James McColgan’s records are also being sought.
๐น This family first used “McColgan,” dropping “Mc” in the records, and using only “Colgan,” by the end of the 1800s
๐น Parents of:
- James Colgan (Abt. 1871 โ 1927) ๐บ๐ธ
- John Thomas Colgan (Abt. 1873 โ 1938) ๐บ๐ธ husband of Eliza D. (nรฉe Walls) Colgan (Abt. 1880 โ 1959) ๐บ๐ธ
- Michael [Mc]Colgan (Abt. 1875 โ 1882) ๐บ๐ธ
- Cecilia (nรฉe Colgan) Scannell (Abt. 1879 โ 1919) ๐บ๐ธ wife of John Scannell (unknown โ unknown)
๐ถ James Colgan (unknown โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช and Nancy (nรฉe Curran) Colgan (unknown โ unknown)
๐น Parents of:
๐ถ James Colgan and Mary (maiden name under research) Colgan
๐น Parents of:
- Alfred Thomas Colgan (1883โ1883) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ James Colgan (1930 โ 1930) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ James F. Colgan (Abt. 1849 โ 1884) ๐ฎ๐ช and Bridget (Donahue) Colgan (Abt. 1855โ1910) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ James Patrick Colgan (Abt. 1938 โ 2018) ๐บ๐ธ and Suzanne Elizabeth (nรฉe Mills) Colgan (Abt. 1940 โ 2011) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น James was probably the son of William A. Colgan (Abt. 1896 โ 1947) and his second wife, Alberta (nรฉe Gillingham) Colgan
๐ถ John Colgan (Abt. 1780 โ 1851) and Mary (nรฉe McDowell) Colgan (Abt. 1795 โ 1869)
๐น Parents of:
- James Colgan (Abt. 1817 โ 1851) ๐บ๐ธ
- Ann Jane (nรฉe Colgan) Strode (Abt. 1818 โ 1863) ๐บ๐ธ, wife of William T. Strode (Abt. 1815 โ 1903) ๐บ๐ธ
- William Colgan (Abt. 1821 โ 1860) ๐บ๐ธ
- Robert Colgan (Abt. 1824 โ 1906) ๐บ๐ธ
- Martha (nรฉe Colgan) Oppenheimer (Abt. 1818 โ 1880) ๐บ๐ธ, wife of Abraham Oppenheimer (1821 โ 1922) ๐บ๐ธ
- John Colgan (Abt. 1830 โ 1898) ๐บ๐ธ
- Joseph Colgan (Abt. 1833 โ 1892) ๐บ๐ธ
- George Colgan (Abt. 1837 โ 1892) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ John Colgan (Abt. 1782 โ 1872) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ John Colgan (Abt. 1818 โ 1869) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ John Colgan (Abt. 1833 โ 1854) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ John Colgan (Abt. 1859 โ 1880) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ John Colgan (unknown โ Bef. Abt. 1875) ๐ฎ๐ช and Elizabeth Colgan (Abt. 1792 โ 1875) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น Other members of this family include (may all be children of John):
- Peter Thomas Colgan (Abt. 1838 โ 1914) ๐ฎ๐ช, husband of Deborah A. (nรฉe O’Keefe) Colgan (Abt. 1840 โ 1917) ๐ฎ๐ช
- John Colgan (Abt. 1836 โ 1881) ๐ฎ๐ช, husband of Margaret (nรฉe Kane) Colgan (Abt. 1840 โ 1908) ๐ฎ๐ช
- Bridget Colgan (Abt. 1840 โ 1896) ๐ฎ๐ช
- Elizabeth (nรฉe Colgan) Hanlon Williams (Abt. 1841 โ 1914) ๐ฎ๐ช, wife of Thomas Hanlon (unknown โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ John Colgan (Abt. 1841 โ 1869) and Pauline (maiden name under research) Colgan (Abt. 1843 โ 1900)
๐นThis family also used “McColgan”
๐นParents of:
- John Colgan, Jr. (Abt. 1869 โ 1871) ๐บ๐ธ
- Mary “Mamie” (nรฉe Colgan) Stinson (Abt. 1868 โ 1907) ๐บ๐ธ, wife of Samuel H. Stinson (Abt. 1849 โ 1899) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Several family members of Dr John Gilbert Colgan (1900 โ 1954) and Julia Frances (nรฉe Real) Colgan (1903 โ 1960)
๐ถ John F. Colgan (Abt. 1894 โ 1971) ๐บ๐ธ and Gertrude M. (nรฉe Lacy) Colgan (1905 โ 1992)
๐ถ John G. Colgan (Abt. 1841 โ Abt. 1887) ๐บ๐ธ
๐นPossible transcription error or headstone error โ under research and confirmation
๐ถ John Joseph Colgan (Abt. 1887 โ 1931) ๐บ๐ธ and Emma (nรฉe Christe) Colgan (Abt. 1886 โ 1974) ๐ซ๐ท
๐นReported to be the son of Bernard Colgan and Margaret Kane โ under research and confirmation
๐นParents of:
- Bernard Peter Colgan, Sr. (1915 โ 2003) ๐บ๐ธ
- Emelie Emma (nรฉe Colgan) Shackleton (1918 โ 2006) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ John T. Colgan (1924 โ 1955) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ John McColgan (Abt. 1844 โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช and Bridget (nรฉe Kelly) McColgan (Abt. 1845 โ unknown), parents of:
- Mary Virginia McColgan (b. 1866) ๐บ๐ธ
- Martha Josephine McColgan (b. 1868) ๐บ๐ธ
- Catharine McColgan (1874 โ 1874) ๐บ๐ธ
- Ellen (Nellie) McColgan (b. 1877) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Joseph Patrick Colgan Sr. (Abt. 1810 โ 1867) ๐ฎ๐ช and Mary Agnes Colgan (unknown โ unknown)
๐นAlso had siblings
๐นParents of:
- Terence H. Colgan (1832 โ 1854) ๐บ๐ธ
- Joseph Patrick Colgan, Jr. (1834 โ 1884) ๐บ๐ธ husband of Sarah Matilda (nรฉe Fitz Randolph) Colgan (1844 โ 1920) ๐บ๐ธ
- James A. Colgan (1852 โ 1916) ๐บ๐ธ husband of Ella Jane (nรฉe Camp) Colgan (Abt. 1859 โ 1930) ๐บ๐ธ
- Richard Andrew Patrick Colgan (1854 โ 1933) ๐บ๐ธ husband of Eleanor A. โMinnieโ (nรฉe Graham) Colgan (1856 โ 1934) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น Also a member of this family (under research):
- Mary Ellen Colgan (1887 โ 1896) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Julia Colgan (Abt. 1855 โ 1874)
๐น”Removed to Pottsville, PA” (Cemetery Records of Cathedral Cemetery – UNDER RESEARCH for exact cemetery)
๐ถ Louise (nรฉe Colgan) Allen (1926 โ 2009), daughter of Colgans from Western Pennsylvania
๐ถ Margaret Colgan (Abt. 1806 โ 1882) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Margaret Cecile (nรฉe Lang) Colgan Aliano (Abt. 1896 โ 1961) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น Used Colgan as a trade name for her dance studio
๐ถ Margaret (nรฉe Colgan) Bennett (Abt. 1858 โ 1937) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Margaret (nรฉe Colgan) Boyle (Abt. 1874 โ 1967) ๐ฎ๐ช and James A. Boyle
๐ถ Martin Colgan (Abt. 1815 โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช and Ellen (nรฉe O’Brien) Colgan (Abt. 1818 โ 1889) ๐ฎ๐ช
This family probably lived mostly in Schuylkill County, in the early couple decades after immigration in particular
๐ถ Mary Colgan (Abt. 1836 โ 1857)
๐นDied at the Philadelphia Blockley Almshouse of Phthisis Pulmonalis (pulmonary tuberculosis with progressive wasting) (A.K.A. “Consumption”)
๐นEXACT LOCATION OF REMAINS UNOBTAINABLE. Current status unknown; possibly destroyed. Burials within this cemetery were disturbed by construction for the Keystone Battery Armory in 1889โ1890, and again during the construction of Franklin Field, in the early 1920s.
๐นIt may be very difficult to confirm her exact identity, due to lack of detailed records. She was probably born in Ireland, and immigrated to the U.S. during, or shortly after, an Gorta Mรณr (the Great Famine).
๐ถ Mary Colgan (unknown โ 1861) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐นCemetery records and city death record disagree widely on birth year estimate, recording age 23 years and 40 years, respectively
๐ถ Mary Colgan (Abt. 1864 โ 1865) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Mary Colgan (1865 โ 1865) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Mary Colgan (Abt. 1870 โ 1960) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐นDaughter of Thomas Colgan and Ella Fitzmaurice
๐ถ Mary McColgan (Abt. 1799 โ 1862) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Mary Moore (nรฉe Colgan) Watt (1873 โ 1955) ๐ฎ๐ช and Andrew Watt (Abt. 1862 โ 1923) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Mary T. (nรฉe Colgan) Cantz (Abt. 1863 โ 1946) and Leonard F. Cantz (Abt. 1862 โ 1896) ๐ฉ๐ช
๐ถ Mary (nรฉe McColgan) Mullen (Abt. 1847 โ 1935) ๐ฎ๐ช and John Mullen (Abt. 1852 โ 1917)
๐ถ Michael Colgan (unknown โ unknown) and Helen (nรฉe Hagerty) ColganโLondon (Abt. 1881 โ 1967) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Michael Joseph Colgan (Abt. 1887 โ 1889) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น May be the son of a Michael Colgan & Mary Kenny (both unidentified; under research)
๐ถ Michael Colgan (1910 โ 1984) and Winifred C. (nรฉe Kelleher) Colgan (Abt. 1913 โ 1999)
๐น and sister Mary H. Colgan (Abt. 1917 โ 1982)
๐ถ Michael Joseph Colgan Sr. (1926 โ 1988) ๐ฎ๐ช and Mary P. (nรฉe Smyth) Colgan (Abt. 1928 โ 2013) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Michael P. Colgan (Abt. 1814 โ 1881) ๐ฎ๐ช and Marcella M. (nรฉe Moore) Colgan (Abt. 1824 โ 1884) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น Parents of:
- Mary Elizabeth Colgan (Abt. 1850 โ 1931) ๐บ๐ธ
- John Joseph Colgan (1851 โ 1920) ๐บ๐ธ
- Ann Colgan (1853 โ unknown) ๐บ๐ธ
- Thomas Colgan (1855 โ unknown) ๐บ๐ธ
- William J. Colgan (Abt. 1862 โ 1940) ๐บ๐ธ husband of Anna (nรฉe Johnston) Colgan (Abt. 1867 โ 1945) ๐บ๐ธ
- Robert Colgan (Abt. 1866 โ unknown) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Patrick Colgan (Abt. 1806 โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช and Margaret (nรฉe Conway) Colgan (Abt. 1830 โ 1871) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น Parents of:
- John Colgan (1851 โ 1910) ๐บ๐ธ
- Rosanna Colgan (1853 โ 1859) ๐บ๐ธ
- James Joseph Colgan (1857 โ 1930) ๐บ๐ธ
- Sarah Colgan (1866 โ 1868) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ PVT Patrick Colgan (Abt. 1837 โ 1890) ๐ฎ๐ช and Sarah (nรฉe Mulholland) Colgan (Abt. 1823 โ 1893) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น Other known members of this family (may be siblings of Patrick):
- Jane “Jennie” Colgan (Abt. 1840 โ 1902)
- Catherine Colgan (Abt. 1865 โ 1910) ๐ฎ๐ช
- Rose (nรฉe Colgan) McKenna (Abt. 1840 โ 1892) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Patrick Colgan (Abt. 1873 โ 1918)
๐ถ Patrick Colgan (Abt. 1873 โ 1934) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Patrick Colgan (Abt. 1864 โ 1945) ๐ฎ๐ช and Anna M. (nรฉe Hyland) Colgan (Abt. 1863 โ 1933) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Patrick Colgan (Abt. 1882 โ 1938) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Peter B. Colgan (Abt. 1868 โ 1949) ๐บ๐ธ and Ella (nรฉe Stewart) Colgan (Abt. 1872 โ 1944) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น Family based out of New York state
๐น Also in this family:
- Della P. (nรฉe Colgan) Joslin (Abt. 1903 โ 1973) ๐บ๐ธ
- Ella (nรฉe Colgan) Peake (Abt. 1906 โ 1997) ๐บ๐ธ wife of Douglas C. Peake (Abt. 1918 โ 1981) ๐จ๐ฆ
๐ถ Peter Joseph Colgan (Abt. 1885 โ 1964) ๐บ๐ธ and Ella (nรฉe Clark) Colgan (Abt. 1896 โ 1943)
๐น Parents of:
- Dorothy Jane Colgan Winters (1920 โ 2004) ๐บ๐ธ
- Peter Joseph Colgan, Jr. (1921 โ 1973) ๐บ๐ธ
- Bernard William Colgan (1922 โ 1990) ๐บ๐ธ
- Mary Margaret (nรฉe Colgan) Green (1924 โ 1979) ๐บ๐ธ
- Robert Thomas Colgan (1926 โ 1944) ๐บ๐ธ
- Ruth Anne (nรฉe Colgan) Abel (1930 โ 2001) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Robert Colgan (Abt. 1806 โ 1871) ๐ฎ๐ช and Elizabeth Colgan (Abt. 1808 โ 1874)
Also in this family:
๐น Anne (nรฉe Colgan) Culbertson (Abt. 1824 โ 1903) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น John Colgan (Abt. 1843 โ 1854) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Robert Colgan (Abt. 1830 โ 1865)
๐ถ Sarah Ann (nรฉe Colgan) Barr (Abt. 1871 โ 1966) ๐ฎ๐ช and Joseph B. Barr (Abt. 1867 โ 1950) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Sarah (nรฉe Colgan) Black (Abt. 1828 โ 1880) ๐ฎ๐ช and James Black (Abt. 1830 โ 1863) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Shirley Jean (nรฉe Jenkins) Colgan (1934 โ 1980) ๐บ๐ธ wife of (Unknown) Colgan
๐ถ Susan (nรฉe Colgan) McFaull (Abt. 1886 โ 1957) ๐ฎ๐ช and James McFaull (Abt. 1884 โ 1971) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น No known Colgan family members came with Susan to the U.S. from Ulster
๐น Parents of:
- Thomas Donald McFaull (1921 โ 1959) ๐บ๐ธ
- Albert James McFaull (1928โ2020) ๐บ๐ธ husband of Catherine A. (nรฉe Offenbacker) McFaull (1931โ2017) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Thomas Colgan (unknown โ unknown) and Mary Colgan (unknown โ Bef. 1894)
๐น Parents of:
- Frank Colgan (Abt. 1859 โ 1894)
- Peter Colgan (Abt. 1868 โ unknown)
๐ถ Thomas Colgan (unknown โ unknown)
๐น Father of: Joseph J. Colgan (1865 โ 1920) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Thomas Colgan and Margaret “Maggie” Coligan
๐น Parents of:
- Thomas Coligan (1897 โ 1897) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ Thomas P. Colgan (Abt. 1814 โ 1875) ๐ฎ๐ช and Mary (nรฉe Lappin) Colgan (Abt. 1821 โ 1879) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐นbrother: Terrence Jerome Colgan (Abt. 1815 โ 1866) ๐ฎ๐ช, husband of Hannah (nรฉe Bayley) Colgan (Abt. 1811 โ 1891) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ Walter Colgan (1864 โ 1864) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ William Colgan (Abt. 1818 โ 1841)
๐ถ William Colgan (Abt. 1843 โ 1897) and Esther (nรฉe Summers) Colgan (1846 โ 1938)
๐นParents of:
- Anna Colgan (1868 โ 1868) ๐บ๐ธ
- Laura (nรฉe Colgan) Billington (1869 โ 1918) ๐บ๐ธ
- Samuel Colgan (1870 โ 1912) ๐บ๐ธ
- Anna (nรฉe Colgan) Walters (1876 โ 1956) ๐บ๐ธ
- Mary V. (nรฉe Colgan) Boothman (1876 โ 1962) ๐บ๐ธ
- Hayes Colgan (Abt. 1877 โ 1965) ๐บ๐ธ
- Esther (nรฉe Colgan) Birkenstock (1881 โ 1945) ๐บ๐ธ
- Emma Colgan (1882 โ 1882) ๐บ๐ธ
- Charles Colgan (1885 โ 1887) ๐บ๐ธ
- Agnes Colgan (1891 โ 1893) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ William A. Colgan (Abt. 1896 โ 1947) ๐บ๐ธ and his wives, Sarah (nรฉe Cannon) Colgan (1897 โ 1938) ๐บ๐ธ and Alberta (nรฉe Gillingham) Colgan (Abt. 1908 โ unknown) ๐บ๐ธ
๐นWilliam’s Irish-born father, John, lived in NYC
๐ถ William Henry Colgan (Abt. 1851 โ 1903) and Margaret (nรฉe O’Keefe) Colgan (Abt. 1856 โ unknown)
๐นParents of:
- William H. Colgan (Abt. 1877 โ 1886) ๐บ๐ธ
- Catherine G. (nรฉe Colgan) McCaffery (1884 โ 1964) ๐บ๐ธ
- Josephine Colgan (1886 โ 1909) ๐บ๐ธ
- PVT Frank Aloysius Colgan (1889 โ 1944) ๐บ๐ธ
- John J. Colgan (1892 โ 1970) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ William John Colgan (Abt. 1833 โ 1874) ๐ฎ๐ช and Matilda (nรฉe Smith) Colgan Blackburn (unknown โ unknown)
๐นParents of:
- Robert J. Colgan (1869 โ 1920) ๐บ๐ธ
- William John Colgan (1872 โ 1941) ๐บ๐ธ
- Esther Matilda Colgan (unknown โ unknown) ๐บ๐ธ
๐น Also a member of this family (under research):
- Mary Virginia Colgan (1901 โ 1902) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ William M. Colgan Sr. (Abt. 1896 โ 1972) ๐ฎ๐ช and Lillian (nรฉe Hens) Colgan (Abt. 1902 โ 1981)
๐นParents of:
- Kathleen Monteith Colgan (b. 1932) ๐บ๐ธ
- William Monteith Colgan (1936 โ 2000) ๐บ๐ธ
- Lillian (nรฉe Colgan) Shields (unknown โ 1987) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ William McColgan (Abt. 1823 โ 1858) ๐ฎ๐ช and Ann (nรฉe McIlhenney) McColgan (Abt. 1830 โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐น and Michael McColgan (Abt. 1830 โ unknown) ๐ฎ๐ช and Sarah “Sallie” (nรฉe McIlhenney) McColgan (Abt. 1834 โ 1870) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ถ William Colgan (Abt. 1830 โ unknown) and Grace (nรฉe McBride) Colgan (Abt. 1830 โ 1919) ๐ฎ๐ช
๐นThis family also used “McColgan” for some time
๐นParents of:
- William Joseph Colgan (1866 โ 1943) ๐บ๐ธ husband of Roseanne M. (nรฉe Tierney) Colgan (1872 โ 1957) ๐บ๐ธ
๐ถ William McColgan (Abt. โ ) ๐ฎ๐ช and Eleanor “Ellen” (nรฉe Butler) McColgan (Abt. 1832 โ 1916) ๐ฎ๐ช
and their children, including:
- James McColgan (Abt. 1864 โ 1899) ๐ฎ๐ช and his wife, Mary (nรฉe Schmitt) McColgan Holly (Abt. 1870 โ 1952)
๐ง …MORE COMING SOON
Spreadsheets & Collections
To View or Download Our Collection of Colgan/McColgan Listings from the
Philadelphia City Directories, organized by year, visit the links below:
There are many advantages to having this information in these formats. Hundreds of these listings do not appear in search results on the sites that index this data (like Ancestry, MyHeritage, Archive.org, etc.) โ primarily due to poor Optical Character Recognition (OCR) of these old publications that were printed on cheap paper.
- Each entry has been manually checked, and any OCR errors fixed, so they have a far better, humanโverified level of accuracy.
- The directory and phone book clipping sets allow quick yearโbyโyear browsing and sideโbyโside comparison, so it’s easy to view all Colgan or McColgan listings for the respective year, compare to find changes, and see exactly how each entry was published.
- The spreadsheet allows search, as well as the ability to sort by: Surname Name spelling, First Name, Address, Occupation, Year of Publication, Raw Listing (unedited), Notes, Family ID Number (for confirmed family groups; a project still underway), and Year of Death. The Year of Death option is new, so it still requires a lot of work, but this column helps make sure you’re looking at the intended individual.
- The occupation column is an option that isn’t consistently available in most online collections, and this data can be very helpful. The occupation listings have been cleaned up and standardized, so the wide variations in abbreviations used over the about 150 years of listings are easy to work with. The standardized occupations make it easy to understand entries (particularly spelling or abbreviation) that many modern researchers may not recognize โ like “sgrmkr,” “alderm,” “clk,” “brkmn,” “carder,” “cutler,” or “burler.
- Many errors in the printed directories and phone books have been identified and cleaned up or flagged in the notes, which makes the spreadsheet far superior to the search results in Ancestry and other sites. The primary error cleanโups are: name misspellings, address errors, and incorrect information (such as when the directory workers recorded a wrong first name).
๐ด Excel Spreadsheet of Individual Colgan & McColgan Listings in Philadelphia City Directories from 1830 to 1925 (Plus 1930, 1935, 1940, 1947, 1950, 1953, and 1957)
Last Updated: 15 Oct 2024 (Still Undergoing Extensive Revisions)
COMING SOON: Addition of 1923, 1924, 1925, 1930, 1935, 1950 City Directory and Phone Book listings for Colgan & McColgan
๐ด Colgan Philadelphia City Directory Listings โ Cropped by Year (Google Drive Folder)
๐ด McColgan Philadelphia City Directory Listings โ Cropped by Year (Google Drive Folder)
๐ด Colgan Camden, NJ City Directory Listings โ Cropped by Year (Google Drive Folder) (Currently Available for 1900โ1943. ๐ง More years coming soon.)
๐ด McColgan Camden, NJ City Directory Listings โ Cropped by Year (Google Drive Folder) (Currently Available for 1900โ1943. ๐ง More years coming soon.)
๐ง COMING SOON:
โด๏ธ Interactive maps: local interactive maps of the Colgan families arriving in the greater Philadelphia area โ from immigration to family growth and spread over two centuries
โด๏ธ Interactive timelines: contextualizing and detailing the lives of the Colgan / McColgan around Philadelphia โ from immigration through the mid-20th century.
โด๏ธ Detailed individual profiles: covering the lives of key Colgans / McColgans in the area, particularly those with deep and interesting life stories.
โด๏ธ Tool-tips and glossary: coming feature of this website, allowing a quick mouse-over of key terms, abbreviations, etc., to help readers quickly learn or refresh their knowledge on those items; and optionally click through for detailed information.
โด๏ธ “F.A.N. Club” analysis: A genealogical research approach; stands for: Friends, Associates, and Neighbors. This method expands the search for information beyond an individual ancestor to include their broader social network. By examining the connections and interactions with those in an ancestor’s community or social sphere, we uncover details that may not be available in direct records about the ancestor themselves.
Using the F.A.N. method offers a richer, more contextual understanding of an ancestorโs life, including:
- Geographical Origins: Tracking individuals who migrated together can help pinpoint an ancestorโs place of origin.
- Family Connections: Sometimes friends, associates, or neighbors were actually family members. Identifying these links can uncover extended family networks.
- Historical and Social Context: Studying the F.A.N. Club helps place ancestors within a broader societal framework, revealing their social class, economic status, and cultural background. This can also include affiliations with organizations, such as religious groups, fraternal orders, or political affiliations.
- Hints and Clues to Build Evidence for Difficult Cases: Due to several catastrophic losses of many important Irish records over the past 200 years, this technique helps rebuild context and reveal clues.
โด๏ธ Compiled spreadsheet of all known Colgan / McColgan street addresses from the region, beyond those in city directories. This includes addresses extracted from newspapers, legal documents (birth, marriage, death, last wills, estate documents, etc.), military files, papers such as letters stored in archives, and papers from private collections. They are flagged with ID numbers to identify the individual and their immediate family.
โด๏ธ Patients, Indigents, Orphans and Inmates spreadsheet: All known Colgans / McColgans in institutions for the ill, disabled, poor, and orphaned โ from almshouses to maternity hospitals and asylums. Government and private (charity) institutions.
โด๏ธ Poor aid records: All known Colgans / McColgans who received aid for the poor, such as coal, food, and other assistance.
โด๏ธ Criminal Inmates spreadsheet: All known Colgans / McColgans in correctional institutions, either for criminal convictions or “voluntary” confinement for vagrancy.
โด๏ธ Veterans spreadsheet: All known Colgans / McColgans who had documented military service.
โด๏ธ Immigrant arrivals: All known Colgans / McColgans who immigrated to the area
โด๏ธ Naturalizations spreadsheet: All known Colgan / McColgan immigrants who naturalized as US citizens
โด๏ธ Archdiocese of Philadelphia baptisms spreadsheet (ALL Known Colgan / McColgan baptisms), including with mothers whose maiden name was Colgan / McColgan
โด๏ธ Archdiocese of Philadelphia marriages spreadsheet (ALL Known Colgan / McColgan marriages)
โด๏ธ Philadelphia City Birth Records Spreadsheet (Abt. 1860โ1906) (ALL Known Colgan / McColgan births)*
โด๏ธ Philadelphia City Death Records Spreadsheet (1803โ1915) (ALL Known Colgan / McColgan deaths)*
โด๏ธ Greater Philadelphia Area Birth Records Spreadsheet (1906โ1915) from Pennsylvania state birth certificates (ALL Known Colgan / McColgan births)*
โด๏ธ Pennsylvania birth index entries (Colgan / McColgan) for the years for which full birth records are not yet available (1916-1918).
โด๏ธ Greater Philadelphia Area Marriage Records Spreadsheet (ALL Known Colgan / McColgan marriages)
โด๏ธ Greater Philadelphia Area Death Records Spreadsheet (1803โ1915) from Pennsylvania state death certificates (ALL Known Colgan / McColgan deaths)*
โด๏ธ Greater Philadelphia Area Burials Spreadsheet (ALL Known Colgan / McColgan deaths)*
โด๏ธ City Directory and Phone Book clippings collections:
- Bucks County, PA City Directory and Phone Book Listings**
- Chester County, PA City Directory and Phone Book Listings**
- Delaware County, PA City Directory and Phone Book Listings**
- Montgomery County, PA City Directory and Phone Book Listings**
- Trenton, NJ City Directory and Phone Book Listings**
- Wilmington, DE City Directory and Phone Book Listings**
โด๏ธ Likely expansion: City Directory / Phone Book clippings, and other Colgan / McColgan records of those families who spread into areas along the Reading Railroad (such as Reading, Berks County and Pottsville, Schuylkill County at the end of the railroad line)
โด๏ธ Compiled list of known holdings in archives (particularly small or local archives) related to, or mentioning, local Colgans and McColgans
โด๏ธ Greater Philadelphia Area Real Estate Spreadsheet (ALL Known Colgan / McColgan real estate ownership)
โด๏ธ News clippings collections
โด๏ธ Ad clippings from Colgan/McColgan-owned businesses
* Including all known Colgan / McColgan maiden name individuals, who died under a married name
** Those who marry into another name will be added, when possible