Fulton Township in Whiteside County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Ronald Reagan's Ancestral Family Plots

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 8, 2023

1. Ronald Reagan's Ancestral Family Plots Marker

Inscription. Buried in this cemetery are President Ronald Reagan's paternal Irish ancestors. His great-grandparents, Michael and Catherine Mulcahey Reagan, emigrated in 1856 and after Michael's 1884 burial in Calvary Hill Cemetery (now part of Fulton Township Cemetery), Catherine and three children moved to Fulton. One son, John, married Jennie Cusick. Both died in their thirties and left four orphans, one of whom was Jack, the future president's father. A total of 16 Reagan relatives are buried here.

In 1904, Jack married Nelle Wilson whose mother, Mary Anne Wilson, and two aunts are buried in the Fulton Township Cemetery near Third Avenue & Ninth Street.

Erected 2011 by Fulton Chamber of Commerce • Illinois State Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Cemeteries & Burial Sites. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #40 Ronald Reagan, and the Illinois State Historical Society series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1856.

Location. 41° 52.571′ N, 90° 9.801′ W. Marker is in Fulton, Illinois, in Whiteside County. It is in Fulton Township. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Fowler Road and 7th Street. Marker is in Calvary Cemetery. Directions:

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Proceed north From the intersection of Fowler and 7th and follow the road to the second bend. The marker will be to your right. It is on a moderately steep hill. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 701 Fowler Rd, Fulton IL 61252, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Modern Woodmen (approx. half a mile away); The Market Place (approx. half a mile away); Martin House (approx. 0.6 miles away); Dement House (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Lincoln Highway – The nation's first coast-to-coast highway! (approx. 0.7 miles away); Lincoln Highway (approx. 0.7 miles away); Illinois Lincoln Highway (approx. 0.7 miles away); a different marker also named Illinois Lincoln Highway (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fulton.

Also see . . . Ronald Reagan Genealogy. Ronald Reagan's family tree can be traced back to County Tipperary, Ireland, where Michael O'Regan, Ronald's great-grandfather, toiled as a tenant farmer early in life before moving to London in 1852. (Archives.com) (Submitted on August 10, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 8, 2023

2. Ronald Reagan's Ancestral Family Plots Marker

Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) image. Click for full size.

Katrina Cravy via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), 1991

3. Ronald Reagan (1911-2004)

While Reagan publicly downplayed his Irish roots in his political campaigns (he was concerned it would turn off conservative Republicans), he privately was proud of it. Once in the White House, he openly embraced his ancestry, even visiting his great-grandfather's hometown in Ireland as president.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 10, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 86 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 10, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.