Ancestry.com has a database called, Selected U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1966. A couple of years ago I was fortunate enough to find an entry in Vol. 3-468, Worcester Superior Court, for James Dillon of West Brookfield. The index card gave Nov. 2, 1807 as his date of birth, and Ireland as his place of birth or allegiance. His naturalization date was January 1, 1860. This source is the only one I have found which gives a date of birth. James' death record , [Massachusetts, Worcester, West Brookfield Deaths, 1860, Vol. 140: Pg. 258,] does not give his age at death, nor does it name his parents. It does say that he was born in Ireland. Census records seem to indicate that 1807 certainly could be the correct birth year for James.
I know that James came from Ireland sometime between 1846 when his son, John was born or baptized in County Galway, Ireland, and 1849, when a daughter Honora, was born in West Brookfield. James and his wife Honora (Liddy) had a least four children when they came to the United States from Ireland. The first known child, was a daughter Sarah, born or baptized in Galway in 1839. Sons Patrick, John, and James, also were born or baptized in County Galway. West Brookfield vital records reveal five children born to this couple in that town.
James worked as a laborer in town, possibly on the railroad. The 1850 census indicates that he was unable to read or write. He died on April 16, 1860 of Dropsey, according to West Brookfield records. He was a storekeeper at the time of his death. The 1860 Federal Mortality Schedule has an entry for James Deland, of West Brookfield who died of "Consumption Blood." This James Deland's age was noted as 56, and birth place was given as Ireland. He was a day laborer who had been ill for 11 months. Burial was in St. William's Cemetery in Ware.
Three sons of James and Honora Dillon, Patrick, John, and James, fought in the Civil War.
More about the family of James and Honora (Liddy) Dillon may be found on the West Brookfield Genealogy Website http://westbrookfieldgenealogy.org/genealogy/ This is a free site, and no log in is needed in order to search the site.
The County Galway birth/baptismal records may be purchased from http://www.rootsireland.ie/ Three of them are from the civil parish of Oranmore in County Galway. The fourth says, " St. Nicholas Combined N&E," on the Parish/District Line. Witnesses are noted on all four records.
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