McFeely History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

During the 19th century thousands of impoverished Irish families made the long journey to British North America and the United States. These people were leaving a land that had become beset with poverty, lack of opportunity, and hunger. In North America, they hoped to find land, work, and political and religious freedoms. Although the majority of the immigrants that survived the long sea passage did make these discoveries, it was not without much perseverance and hard work: by the mid-19th century land suitable for agriculture was short supply, especially in British North America, in the east; the work available was generally low paying and physically taxing construction or factory work; and the English stereotypes concerning the Irish, although less frequent and vehement, were, nevertheless, present in the land of freedom, liberty, and equality for all men. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the McFeely family in North America:

McFeely Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Cathy McFeely, aged 20, who landed in America from Donegal, in 1893

McFeely Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• Charles McFeely, aged 24, who settled in America from Donegal, in 1902
• John McFeely, aged 22, who landed in America from Donegal, in 1902
• Sarah McFeely, aged 24, who settled in America from Donegal, in 1905
• Loughlin McFeely, aged 28, who immigrated to America from Donegal, in 1906
• C. A. McFeely, aged 56, who immigrated to the United States, in 1906
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McFeely Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• John McFeely, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Madawaska" in 1833
• Edward McFeely, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Bartley" in 1833
• James McFeely, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Bartley" in 1833

• William S. McFeely (1930-2019), American Pulitzer Prize winning professor of history, recipient of the Lincoln Prize in 1991 and Avery O. Craven Award in 1992
• Stephen McFeely, American Primetime Emmy Award winning, two-time Hugo nominated screenwriter, best known for his work on Captain America: The First Avenger(2011) and The Chronicles of Narnia films (2005), (2008) and (2010)
• Willis McFeely, American politician, Village President of Oak Park, Illinois, 1925 1
• Donald D. McFeely, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for U.S. Representative from Illinois 6th District, 1938 1
• Bernard N. McFeely, American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey, 1930-47; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Jersey, 1940, 1944 1