William James Major (1836-1905) and Mary Ann O'Neill (1845-1936) were married in 1865 in St. Mary's Church, Bellaghy, Magherafelt, County Derry, Ireland, connecting the Majors and the famous O'Neill clan and The Legend of the Red Hand.

Soon after their marriage William and Mary Ann Major emigrated to the United States and settled in Skaneateles Falls, NY, with William's younger brother, Charles.

William and Mary Ann (left) had 10 children. For most of the following information, I thank Charles Thomas Major Jr., better known as Charlie Major, of Skaneateles, a great-grandson of Charles and Margaret Major.

What follows below is what we have on the descendants of William James and Mary Ann Major, going one child at a time. Please e-mail additions and corrections to jmajor9863@aol.com.

Mary Ann O'Neill Major had to be in her 80s when this photo was taken (we're guessing 1928 or 1929). That's Lola Major Kane Cullen and John Major holding Lola's daughter Loretta. There is no consistency on the spelling of Mary Ann O'Neill. We've seen Ann and Anne; O'Neill and O'Neil.

The descendants of William and Mary Ann Major:

• John W. Major (1869-1940) m. Rose McLaughlin (1872-1943)

xxx• Emmet Leo Major (1894-1906)

xxx• Margaret "Maggie" Major (1896-1987) m. Ray Nicholson
xxxxxxx• Kathleen Nicholson (1926-2001) m. Robert Mullally (1925-1984)
xxxxx xxxxx• Michael P. Mullally (1949- ) resides in Wilton Manors, FL)
xxxxx xxxxx• Karen Mullally (1951- ) m. Lloyd Smith. They live in Duncannon, PA
xxxxx xxxxx• Patricia A. Mullally Knopp (1954- ) Now living in Lafayette, NY
xxxxx xxxxx• Kathleen Mullally 1956-) Now living in Etters, PA
xxxxx xxxxx• Eileen Mullally (1956-1997)
xxxxxxxx xx• Maureen Mullally (1962- ) m. Louis V. Fekete, Aug. 24, 2001. They live in Tully, NY
xxxxx xxx--- Kathleen's 2nd husband: Donald Johnson

xxx• Viola (Lola) Major (1898-197?) m. Tony Kane ( ??-193?) 2nd husband: Bud Cullen.
xxxxxxx• Loretta Kane (1922-2006) m. Francis Orlando ( ??-1954) 2nd husband: Edward Lindsay.
xxxxx xxxxx• Thomas Orlando of Lakeland, FL
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• Jesse Orlando
xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx • Jackson Orlando
xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx • Gianna Orlando
xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx • Adrianna Orlando
xxxxx xxxxx• Daniel Orlando
xxxxxxx• Robert "Bobby" Kane (1928-1966)

xxx• William Major (1900-1972) m. Elizabeth Radford (1901-1990)
xxxxxxx• William Major (1929-1986) m. Anne Kornutiak
xxxxx xxxxx• Patricia
xxxxx xxxxx• Kathleen
xxxxx xxxxx• William
xxxxxxxxxx • Lisa

xxx• Stanley Ernest "Buster" Major (1903-1985) m. Helen Smolinski (1908-1998)
xxxxxx • John Stanley "Jack" Major m. Carla Silberman (1941- )
xxxxx xxxxx• Jeffrey Stephen Major (1967- ) m. Elyse Press (1965- )
xxxxx xxxxx xxxx• Jonah Allan Major (2000- )
xxxxx xxxx xxxxx• Ethan Henry Major (2002- )
xxxxx xxxxx• Laura Suzanne Major (1969- )
xxxxxxxx---xJack Major's 2nd wife: Olinda Johnson (1947- )
xxxxx xxxxx• Meridith Johnson Major (1980- )
xxxxxxx• Mary Elizabeth (Maribeth) Major (1943- ) m. Frederick Chard
xxxxx xxxxx• Brian Chard (1969- )
xxxxx xxxxx• Danielle Chard (1974- )

xxx• Irene Major (1905-1962) m. Roy Rand
xxxxx xxx• Rose Anne Rand (1944-1978)

• Catherine (Kate) Major (1871-1934) m. William J. Dougherty (also spelled Doherty). The wedding took place Nov. 28, 1900. They lived in Hart Lot (which I believe is a section of the Town of Skaneateles). He was a press setter in the [McLaughlin?) woolen mill. Their children (according to 1910 census):

xxx• Vincent F. Dougherty (1901-1952) m. Elsa D. Scherer (1904-2000) They lived in Syracuse, had no children.

xxx• Catherine Cecilia Dougherty (1905- ) m. Herb Sutter. She was nicknamed Ceil. She and her husband moved to California in the late 1930s or early '40s. Both died in the 1980s. They had no children.

xxx• William N. Doherty (1906-1951) [Name spelled Doherty on gravestone] Known as Buster. He never married, moved to California and lived on a ranch with his sister Ceil and her husband Herb.

xxx• Mary A. Dougherty (1908-1973) m. George Dowling (19??-1969) They lived in Warrensburg, NY, a small town in the Adirondacks. They had one child:
xxxxxxx• Patricia (Pat) Dowling (1937- ) m. John Guernsey in 1958. Pat was a teacher and worked in social services. She and John moved to Florida in 1983. They are retired and living in Oldsmar, FL, between Tampa and Clearwater. They have two sons:
xxxxx xxxxx• Kevin Guernsey
xxxxx xxxxx• David Guernsey

xxx• Margaret F. Dougherty (1910- ) m. Gene Perrine. They moved to Arizona in the 1940s, later to California. Both died in the 1960s. They had one son, Gene, who died in the 1970s. He had one daughter, Kim, and three grandsons.

Thanks to Patricia Dowling Guernsey for furnishing most of the above information.

• Patrick Major (1878-1956) m. Mary Quigley (1890-1959)

xxx• Edward (Bob) Major (1912-1969) m. Frances McGuire (1922- )
xxxxxxx• Daniel Major
xxxxxxx• Katherine Major
xxxxxxx• Peter Major

xxx• Leo Vincent Major (1913-1929) died in an auto accident in Skaneateles

xxx• Hugh Thomas Major (1918- ) m. Patricia Robinson ( ??-1999)
xxxxxxx• William Major
xxxxxxx• Catherine Major
xxxxxxx• Robert Major lives in Orlando, FL
xxxxxxx• Michael Major
xxxxxxx• Martin Major

xxx• William D. "Bud" Major (1920-2006) m. Doris Guertin (1924- )
xxxxxxx• Patrick William Major m. Brenda Carden; they live in Waterloo, NY
xxxxx xxxxx• William Major m. Mae
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• Mason Major
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• Morgen Major
xxxxx xxxxx• Gloria Major m. Carmen Caratozzolo
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• Brendan Caratozzolo
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• Matthew Caratozzolo
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• Connor Caratozzolo
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• Vanessa Caratozzolo

xxxxxxx• John (Jack) Thomas Major m. Janice (Janie) Southwick (19??-2005). John T. Major lives
xxxxxxxx in Bradeton, FL. In 2006 he remarried to Gale Kinne.
xxxxx xxxxx• Greta Major m. Francisco Huerta; they live in Oakland Park, FL
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• Francisco Huerta Jr.
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• Joshua Huerta
xxxxx xxxxx• Rhonda Major lives in Bradenton, FL
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• Tyler Wegener
xxxxx xxxxx• Jay Major m. Stacey Davis; they live in Palmetto, FL
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• Robert Major

xxxxxxx• James Timothy (Tim) Major m. Kathy Leach; they live in Auburn
xxxxx xxxxx• Cassandra Major m. Michael ? ; remarried Chris ?; they live in Skaneateles Junction
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• Kaylee
xxxxx xxxxx• Colleen Major m. Sebastian ?; they live in New York City

xxxxxxx• Marie Elizabeth Major m. Fred Bruch; they live in Clifton Springs, NY
xxxxx xxxxx• Heather Bruch (1972- )

xxxxxxx• Linda Sue Major (1953-1960)

xxxxxxx• Susan Ann Major m.Eric Hansen??? Dana Howell???; they live in Cayuga, NY
xxxxx xxxxx• Miranda Major
xxxxx xxxxx• Kory Major
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx• William Major Howell (2005- )

xxxxxxx• Leo Major m. Cindy Summerville; they live in Auburn
xxxxx xxxxx• Maureen Major
xxxxx xxxxx• Ryan Major
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx

Sate and Liz Major in a photo taken in the 1950s at their home in Skaneateles Falls, NY. They were entertainingly eccentric and would have been at home performing Arsenic and Old Lace. Liz was a poet and would-be historian and corresponded with many relatives until she was well into her 80s.

My favorite Liz recollection is an incident from the years after Sate's death. True story, though the quote may not be exactly correct. Liz was alone in her backyard when she noticed a young man strolling toward her house. Suspicious, Liz went after the man and shooed him off her property, realizing too late he had been there to read her electric meter. Quick-witted, as always, Liz went to her phone and called Niagara-Mohawk Power Company. "I want to apologize for something that happened a few minutes ago. One of my cousins is visiting; she's old and a bit crazy. A nice young man stopped at my house to read the meter, but before I could stop her, my cousin chased him away."

Information from Bob Major, now a resident of Orlando, FL, lists two other children:

• Sarah Major

• Edward Major