Stephen Durnan (1833-1888)

(1833-1888) Stephen Durnan was an Irish immigrant that came to the United States during the middle of the 19th century. He is an ancestor to many Durnans alive today.

Known History
Very little is actually known about Stephen Durnan because there may have been changes to the spelling of the surname, and very little historical record exists to this day of him. What is known is that Stephen was born in Ireland, sometime in the first half of 1833. This is known because Stephen died on July 15, 1888, aged 55 years. Stephen married Bridget McGuire on May 25th, 1865, in Kane County, Illinois. It is assumed that Stephen and Bridget farmed and lived in Illinois for some time as their first four children were born in Illinois. Sometime between the birth of John and James, known as "Jimmy" as evidenced by the Census record from 1900, Stephen and Bridget moved to Iowa, probably around their home near Dayton, Iowa. Nine more children are confirmed to have been born to Stephen and Bridget while in Iowa. Census records indicate the these latter children were all born in Bremer county.

Known Family

 * Bridget McGuire, spouse, born Aug. 1847

Stephen and Bridget's confirmed children are:


 * Kate Durnan born approx. 1867
 * Maggie and her twin sister Mary Durnan born approx. 1868
 * Thomas Durnan born approx. 1870
 * John Durnan born approx. 1871
 * James (Jimmy) born Feb. 1873
 * Charles born Dec. 11th, 1876
 * Bridget born approx. 1879
 * Elizabeth born approx. 1881
 * Martha born Feb. 1882
 * Stephen born approx 1884
 * Edward (Eddie) born Jun. 1886
 * William (Willie) born Feb. 1888

Unconfirmed History
The story handed down is that Steven and a brother came over to America during the potato famine. They most likely entered the United States through Boston as no known record of their arrival exists and most records from Boston were destroyed in a fire during the late 19th century. Historical records do show that the Durnan family was well represented in the United States in the early part of the 19th century. For that reason, there is reason to believe that Stephen and his brother would have stayed with relatives for some time after arriving here. It has been said that Stephen and his brother each took a different vowel in their surname. Historical record and indeed burial record as evidenced by headstones in the Immaculate Conception cemetery in Fairbank, Iowa prove that the Durnan and Durnin families were related as one headstone is shared and has both Durnan and Durnin family members buried together. One reason that finding direct historical record may be so difficult is that Stephen, and his wife Bridget who too immigrated to America in 1857, most likely had a thick Irish accent and those recording their name probably spelled it wrong. On the 1885 Census, indeed Durnan is spelled both Durnan and Durnen both within the same family. Other references to known Durnans are spelled an invariably number of ways from Durman to Durning. Verbal history says that Stephen spent some time in New York and Ohio before settling in Illinois. It is here that he married and started a family before moving to Dayton, Iowa. Dayton most likely refers to a township. Stephen and his wife most certainly bought their farm there as the 1900 census shows that Bridget owned her own farm free and clear. It is said that Stephen suffered a bad hernia during a barn raising and that he wore a truss and had difficulty getting around. Stephen died July 15, 1888 when he was 55 years old, and it is said that the reason was from an injury sustained from a barn raising accident. It's not sure if he died from the injuries that he received when he had to start wearing a truss, or from a different barn raising incident. Stephen is buried along side his wife, and several of his children and grandchildren in the Durnan family plot in Fairbank, Iowa at the Immaculate Conception cemetery north of town.