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On November 11, 1811, William Doran was born in the Isle of Man. His parents were Edward and Mary (Little) Doran. He lived in the Isle of Man at least until 1834. Between 1834 and 1840, he went to Dublin, Ireland, where he married Eleanor Connor, a native of Ireland. Also between those dates he immigrated to America. In 1843 he was in Boston, Mass. By 1845 he was a resident of Brookline, in the same state. He had several children, some of whom died in infancy. Of those who grew into adulthood, there were five. Listed in order of birth; Alfred, Levi, Emily, Susan, and Enoch.
For the most part of William's life in Brookline, he was living in the family homestead on Ackers Avenue. His daughter Emily lived the greater, if not whole, part of her life there as a dressmaker. His son Enoch lived on Ackers for a while, and farmed a small tract of land there, as did his father.
Alfred and Levi moved off eventually, Alfred to Newton and then Waltham, Levi to Lexington (all in Massachusetts). Alfred was noted as having the occupation of a machinist, and later of a mechanic. Levi stuck to the family tradition of farming and gardening. He went to East Street in Lexington, and there has been a Doran business on that street from the year he moved there and started to farm, in 1894, up until December 31, 2006, when the doors finally closed after 112 years and 4 generations. An article was written on this for the local newspaper; you can read the article Here.
Levi's descendants, some in Lexington, are the only known present day members of the Sept. However, research is in progress to find out if there are any descendants of Alfred (the only other son of William who had children).
Only recently, in 2006, was the system of having a Chieftain of the Sept started. The current Chieftain is Peter R. Doran. To read a note which was written when he became Chieftain, Click Here.