Felan family genealogy

Lords of North Decies, in Munster

Arms: Ar. four lozenges in bend conjoined az. betw. two cotises of the last, on a chief gu. three fleurs-de-lis of the first.

FIACHA SUIDHE, a younger brother of Conn of the Hundred Battles who is No. 80 on the "O'Hart" pedigree, was the ancestor of O'Fealain; anglicised O'Faelan, O'Felan, Felan, Phelan,[1] Whelan, Whelen, Helan, and Heylin.

80. Fiacha Suidhe: son of Felim Rachtmar.

81. Æneas: his son.

82. Artcorb: his son.

83. Eochaidh (also called Eoghan Breac): his son.

84. Bran: his son.

85. Niadbhran: his son.

86. Earcbhran: his son.

87. Cainneach: his son.

88. Maclasre: his son.

89. Fiontann: his son.

90. Aodh (or Hugh): his son.

91. Cumuscach ("cumus:" Irish, power, ability; "cach," all): his son; a quo O'Cumuscaigh, anglicised Cumisky, and Waters.[2] This Cumuscach had two sons, one of whom was Doilbh ("doilbh:" Irish, dark, gloomy), a quo O'Doilbhe, anglicised Doyle; and another Breodoilbh (a quo Broe), who was ancestor of O'Bricé, anglicised O'Brick, and Brick.

92. Doilbh: son of Cumuscach.

93. Eoghan: his son.

94. Donoch: his son.

95. Donal: his son.

96. Rorcach: his son.

97. Melaghlin; his son.

98. Cormac: his son.

99. Faelan ("faelan:" Irish, a little wolf): his son; a quo O'Faealin.

100. Donal: his son.

101. Artcorb: his son.

102. Moroch: his son.

103. Donal O'Felan: his son; first assumed this sirname.

104. Eochaidh: his son.

105. Faelan: his son.

106. Melachlin: his son; living A.D. 1170.

107. Cumuscach: his son.

108. Congal: his son.

109. Donoch: his son.

110. Dungal: his son.

111. Cormac: his son.

112. Giollapadraic: his son.

113. Eoghan (or Owen): his son; living in 1450.

114. Teige: his son.

115. Brian: his son.

116. Donal: his son.

117. Shane: his son.

118. Edmond: his son.

119. Malachi: his son; living in 1657.

120. James Stephenson Whelen: his son; first assumed this sirname. Settled in England, and afterwards migrated to America; m. Sarah Elizabeth Dennis, in New York, on 29th May, 1694.

121. Dennis Whelen, of Chester county, Pennsylvania: his son. Was twice married: first, to Anne Townsend, by whom we cannot find that he had any issue; his second wife was Sarah Thompson, of Virginia, to whom he was married on the 8th Nov., 1749, and by whom he had seven children, namely—1. Ann, 2. Israel, 3. Isaac, 4. Edward, 5 and 6 Townsend and Dennis (twins).

122. Israel: son of Dennis; m. to Mary Downing, on the 13th May, 1772, and by her had eleven children: 1. Elizabeth, m. to Joseph J. Miller; 2. Sarah; 3. Anne; 4. Jane; 5. Mary; 6. Israel; 7. Thomasine; 8. Townsend; 9. John; 10. Susan; 11. Maria.

123. Israel: son of Israel; m. on 26th Nov., 1810, to Mary, dau. of Edward and Amy Siddons, of Salem, New Jersey, and by her had seven children—1. Israel, b. 10th October, 1811; 2. Edward Siddons Whelen, b. 22nd Aug., 1813; 3. Mary, b. 3rd Dec., 1815; 4. Henry, b. 13th Feb., 1818; 5. Elizabeth, b. 25th Dec., 1819; 6. Townsend, b. 3rd April, 1822; 7. Robert; b. 7th July, 1824.

124. Edward-Siddons Whelen; son of Israel; living in Philadelphia, in 1879. Married on 26th April, 1838, to Isabella Nevins, dau. of James and Aesah Willis, by whom he had eight children—1. Edward-Siddons Whelen, b. 23rd Dec., 1839; 2. Isabella-Nevins Whelen, b. 20th Dec., 1840; 3. Mary-Siddons Whelen, b. 17th April, 1843; 4. James-Nevins Whelen, b. 28th May, 1845; 5. William-Nevins, Whelen, b. 11th April, 1847; 6. Russell-Nevins Whelen, b. 21st January, 1850; 7. Bertha Whelen, b. 2nd April, 1851; 8. Emily Whelan, b. 7th July, 1853.

125. Edward-Siddons Whelen;[3] of Philadelphia, United States, America: his son; b. 23rd Dec. 1839, and living in 1879.

Notes

[1] Phelan: William Phelan, D.D., a distinguished clergyman of the late Established Church, was born at Clonmel, on the 29th of April, 1789. His parents were Catholics, and he was educated as one; but he entered Trinity College as a Protestant in June, 1806. He soon became distinguished by his literary attainments, and was befriended by William Conyngham Plunket and Dr. Magee. In 1814 he was appointed second master in the Endowed School of Londonderry; the same year he took Orders in the Church, and was appointed to a chaplaincy by the Bishop of Derry. In 1817 he gained a Fellowship in Trinity College, and in 1818 was elected Donnellan Lecturer; in 1823 he resigned his Fellowship, and accepted the curacy of Keady, in the diocese of Armagh, which next year he gave up for the rectory of Killyman in the same diocese. In October, 1825, he succeeded to the college rectory of Ardtrea, and next year took the degree of D.D. He died on the 20th June, 1830.

[2] Waters; The "isky" in the Irish sirname Cumisky, sounds so like the Irish "uisge" (water, a river), that the name "Cumisky" has been anglicised Waters.

[3] Whelen: It may be well to observe that O'Faelain of North Decies, in the county Waterford, is a distinct family from the O'Faoilain, of Ossory; although the roots of the two sirnames, namely "faelan," a little wolf, and "faoil," wild, untameable, are so much alike in meaning.