Genealogy
Note: You will need Acrobat Reader to view the trees - it is available for free from www.adobe.com
Lufft - Jakob Friedrich Luft came from Gernsbach, Germany to the U.S. in 1861- Lufft Family Tree
Nestor - My father, James Patrick Nestor, came from Sinolane, in County Mayo, Ireland and entered the U.S. in 1927 - Nestor Family Tree
Drach - My mother, Beatrice's maiden name, they lived in Hudson County, NJ, but we know little of them, other than that they came from Germany, them moved to Indianapolis. There were some in Ossining & Greenport, NY - Drach Family Tree
Busch - My mom claimed that we were related to the Anheuser Busch family and to Admiral Byrd through this link. They lived where the Drachs lived - Busch Family Tree
Ritzel - My wife's mother's family came from Germany in the 19th century, and settled in New York City, but we don't know much about the origins of the family - Ritzel Family Tree
Flood - The Floods came from Ballynalty, Co. Mayo, Ireland in the 19th century - Flood Family Tree
HISTORY
OF THE NESTORS
Mac
Nestor, from Mac an Aghastair (MOK A NOI' STER), formerly Mac Girranadhastair (MOK
GIRR A NOI' STER), from the Irish, "Son of a Short Man of the Halter";
the name of an old Thomand family who followed the O'Loughlins of the Burren; a
sept attached to the O'Loughlins. {1}
Co.
Clare, along with part of the neighboring district, was anciently called Thomond,
that is, North Munster. Thomond (Tomond),
or Tuaidh-Muin, was one of the
three principalities of Munster, forming the northern part of the province,
which is now Co. Clare. Its earls
were descended from Turlough O'Brien (c. 1009-1086), king of Munster, and
through him from the clebrated king of Ireland, Brian Boroimhe,
who held his court at Kincora near Killaloe, where his palace was
situated on the banks of the Shannon. The
site is still distinguished by extensive earthen ramparts.
Turlough's
descendants, Conchobhar O' Brien (d. 1267), and Brian Ruadh O'Brien (d. 1276),
kings of Thomond, were both typical Irish chieftans. Conchobhar's tomb and effigy with a crown are still to be
seen in the ruined abbey of Corcomroe, Co. Clare.
His descendant Conor O'Brien (d. 1539), prince of Thomond, took part in
the feud between the great families of Fitzgerald and Butler and was the last
independent prince of Thomond. {1}
Settlements
were effected by the Danes, and in the 13th century by the Anglo-Normans,
but without permanently affecting the possession of the district by its native
proprietors. In 1543 Murrogh
O'Brien, after dispossessing his nephew and vainly attempting a rebellion
against the English rule, proceeded to England and submitted to Henry Vii,
resigning his name and possessions. He
soon received them back by an English tenure, together with the title of earl of
Thomond, on condtion of adopting the English dress, manners and customs.
The
O'Loughlin (O' Loughnan) sept were the chief landowners in the area.
O'Loughlin is by origin a Clare name and in Co. Clare it is chiefly found
today. A Dalcassian (area north of
the Shannon-Clare/Limerick; Dalgash in Irish) sept, the O'Loughlins were the
most powerful of those in the northwestern part of the county on the shores of
the Atlantic and Galway Bay. Their Chief was Lord of Corcomroe in early times, but later
their territory was restricted to the present barony of Burren.
As late as the turn of the last century, the head of the O'Loughlins was
known locally as "The King of Burren."
Corcomroe is so called because the clan name of the O'Loughlins and
O'Connors was Corca Modhruaidh; when the division came the latter took Corcomroe
and the former Burren. In 1585 the
chief of the name was seated at Craggans, Co. Clare.
Ballyvaughan and Kilfenora are still the heart of the O'Loughlin country.
The O'Loughnan name ( Lachtnain in Irish) is normally anglicized
O'Laughnan and Loughnane, and even corrupted to Loftus in Connacht and Lawton in
Co. Cork. {3}
A
sept is described as follows: suppose
that in the original O'Neill family were 2 brothers; Brian and Patrick ‑
their sons would be known as MacBrian and MacPatrick; over the ensuing
generations, the MacBrian and MacPatrick families would be known as septs of the
O'Neills.
As
barren as the Burren was, "it was always land".
Its valleys are sheltered and good for grazing. English soldiers lent
money to the Crown to fight the Irish wars, and were repaid with land.
Also see the Nestor Gen Forum - http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/latest.cgi?nestor
bibliography
{1} Surnames of Irish and Farmer - Woulfe
{2}
Encyclopedia Britannica, 13th ed.
{3}
Unknown publication in Dublin, 1979