Orr, Campbell, Mitchell, and Shirley Families in Ireland, America and More: Descendants of Paul Orr and Isabella Boyd

Elaine L. Orr

Sep 2020 · Elaine Orr

About this ebook

The third edition of the history of the Orr, Campbell, Mitchell, and Shirley families (which in its title now recognizes that Paul Orr and Isabella Boyd's descendants went to places beyond the U.S.) is updated as of 2020. The more than 4,000 known descendants (counting spouses) of Paul Orr and Isabella Boyd went largely to the U.S., but also to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, and Scotland. Some McMurtry, Mitchell, McQuigg and Forsythe families stayed in Ireland.

In the U.S., they have lived in, died in, or been married in 49 of the 50 states. Vermont must be too far north. They do tend to cluster, though, with Oklahoma being the state that drew a bunch from the Midwestern families. That makes sense, since it was opened for land sales at a time when the Orr family was on the move. Of course, California beckoned to some in each family.

As they settled in, the Orrs married into families of all the other immigrants -- and of the Native American residents who were there long before Europeans. They have also married into families of other races. Truly melding into the melting pot.

About the author

Elaine L. Orr writes family and local histories, but is largely known as the author of three mystery series: the Jolie Gentil series at the Jersey shore, the River's Edge series along Iowa's Des Moines River, and the Logland series in small-town Illinois. She also writes plays and novellas, including her favorite, Falling Into Place. Behind the Walls (a Jolie Gentil mystery) was a 2014 Chanticleer Mystery and Mayhem Award finalist, and Demise of a Devious Neighbor (a River's Edge mystery) a 2017 finalist. Elaine conducts workshops on writing and publishing. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the Indiana Writer's Center.