The Owen Hammel &
Ann King Line
A six-part documentary genealogy series tracing an Irish immigrant family from their 1846 marriage in Donaghmoyne parish through the Great Famine emigration, settlement on the Wisconsin frontier, and eventual migration to Nebraska. DNA evidence connects their descendants to the broader Donaghmoyne Network.
The Story
Owen Hammel and Ann King married in 1846 in Donaghmoyne parish, County Monaghan, Ireland—at the dawn of the Great Famine. Within two years, they had fled to America, arriving in Wisconsin by 1850. Owen died in 1858 at age 41, leaving his widow with four young children and an isolated farm with no road access. The guardianship records that followed his death would become the key to unlocking this family's history—and DNA testing would eventually connect their descendants to another Donaghmoyne family in Chicago, suggesting Owen had a brother named Henry who emigrated separately.
The Complete Series
Six episodes documenting three generations of the Owen Hammel family
The Family at a Glance
Three generations documented through census records, court documents, marriage certificates, and DNA evidence
* DNA-tested descendants
The Donaghmoyne Network
Multiple families from a single Irish parish, now reconnected through their American descendants and DNA evidence
Owen Hammel & Ann King
Married 1846, Donaghmoyne
Rock County, Wisconsin to Nebraska
Henry Hamall & Mary McMahon
Married 1841, Donaghmoyne
Montreal to Chicago, Illinois
Research Methodology
Documentary Research
Irish parish records, U.S. census data, guardianship court files, marriage certificates, newspaper obituaries, and city directories form the documentary foundation.
DNA Analysis
Multi-platform testing (23andMe and Ancestry) with triangulation across multiple descendants from different branches confirms biological relationships.
BCG Standards
Research follows Board for Certification of Genealogists standards, using evidence-based methodology and reasonably exhaustive searches.
Begin the Journey
Start with Episode 1 to follow the complete story of Owen Hammel and Ann King—from their marriage in famine-era Ireland to the DNA evidence that connects their descendants to a broader network of Irish immigrant families.
Start with Episode 1