The Susan Hamill &
Charles McCanna Line
From Donaghmoyne to Joliet — Sixty Years of Family
County Monaghan, Ireland → Joliet, Illinois | 1857–1917
A six-episode documentary biography tracing the family of Susan Hamill and Charles McCanna from their 1857 marriage in Donaghmoyne parish through their settlement in Joliet, Illinois, where they raised ten children over six decades. DNA evidence connects their descendants to the broader Donaghmoyne Network — four Irish couples whose families remain genetically linked across generations.
The Founders
Among the Irish immigrants who settled in Joliet, Illinois, Charles McCanna and Susan Hamill built a life spanning six decades and ten children. Their story emerges through census records, a ship manifest, and—most significantly—Susan's 1917 death certificate, which preserved the names of her Irish-born parents: James Hamill and Catherine Dougherty.
This single document opens a research pathway back to County Monaghan, where the McCannas are one of four couples whose descendants share DNA matches—the Donaghmoyne Network. Through three of their ten children, DNA testing has confirmed genetic connections to other documented families from the same Irish parish.
| Marriage | 1857 · Donaghmoyne Parish, County Monaghan, Ireland |
| Husband | Charles McCanna (McKenna) · c. 1816–1898 |
| Wife | Susan Hamill · c. 1835–1917 |
| Susan's Parents | James Hamill & Catherine Dougherty (Ireland) |
| Immigration | c. 1859–1860 to Joliet, Illinois |
| Children | 10 children (1 born Ireland, 9 born Illinois) |
| DNA Lines | 3 children with tested descendants |
The Episodes
Six documentary biographies exploring the McCanna family across three generations
Susan Hamill & Charles McCanna
The Founders
c. 1816–1898 (Charles) · c. 1835–1917 (Susan)
Married in Donaghmoyne parish in 1857, Charles and Susan built a life in Joliet spanning six decades and ten children. Susan's 1917 death certificate preserved her parents' names—opening a research pathway back to County Monaghan.
Mary Ann McCanna Kelly
The First American-Born Daughter
1861–1920 · Joliet, Illinois
The first of Charles and Susan's children born in America, Mary Ann spent her entire life in Joliet. Through her son John Joseph Kelly (1898–1943), DNA matches link this branch to the broader Donaghmoyne Network.
Ellen B. "Nellie" McCanna Sheridan
The Hotel Manager — A Life of Independence
1868–1937 · Joliet, Illinois
After her 1897 divorce, Nellie built a remarkable career as manager of the National Hotel in Joliet—raising two sons as a single mother. Her descendants provide the strongest DNA evidence linking the McCanna family to the Network.
Charles Francis "Frank" McCanna
The Molder on Cora Street
1869–1957 · Joliet, Illinois
Baptized as Charles Francis but called Frank all his life, he lived at 829 Cora Street for over sixty years. At 87, Frank became the longest-lived of all Susan's children. DNA through his son William R. connects to the Network.
DNA Analysis & Conclusions
Genetic Evidence Across Three Lines
Comprehensive Analysis
DNA testing across 9 descendants from three children's lines confirms shared ancestry. Match patterns with other Donaghmoyne families reveal the McCanna family's place within the broader genetic network from County Monaghan.
James Hamill of St. Louis
Susan's Brother — A Key to the Hamill Origins
c. 1834–1910 · St. Louis, Missouri
A 1908 news clipping confirms James visited "his sister, Mrs. Susan McCanna" in Joliet. His 1910 obituary requested copies in Buffalo and Tarrytown—clues to unknown Hamill relatives waiting to be discovered.
The Ten Children of Charles & Susan McCanna
DNA Evidence Summary
Genetic connections across three children's lines
DNA testing has confirmed biological connections between descendants of the McCanna family and other documented Donaghmoyne families. Through Mary Ann McCanna Kelly, Ellen "Nellie" McCanna Sheridan, and Charles Francis "Frank" McCanna, genetic matches link this family to the broader network of four Irish couples married in Donaghmoyne parish between 1841 and 1858.