| Abstract: | Gary O'Meara (b. 1952) was born in Berea, Ohio, of Irish descent. He is one of eleven siblings. He married Mary Ann Emery (b. 1955) in 1975 at St. Augustine's Church in Cleveland, and together they have three children. O'Meara has traced his genealogy back to 1762, tracing nine generations, starting with his paternal great-great-grandparents, Matthew Pigman (1763-1803) and Ann Gilmore (b. 1762). Gary's maternal great-grandmother, Catherine Laughlin O'Meara (1852-1945) was born in Galway, Ireland, and immigrated to the United States, as a young girl with her family. Catherine's father died en route, leaving her mother with six children. They traveled to Harvard, Illinois, to Catherine's uncle, John Laughlin, who had a home there. This family worked primarily as farmers, and lived in Minnesota and other states in the United States as well as in Canada. Catherine's husband, James O'Meara (1848-1919) was born in Canada. His parents were born in Ireland and immigrated during the Penal Law era, escaping religious persecution. The collection consists of birthday data of the Hankins family 1874-1935, the O'Meara family history, a family records, birth, genealogy, a journal article regarding the Hankins in Franklin township, Ohio, a memorial card, a photograph, a poem, a song, and one handwritten short story. | |