These three families all came from Ireland during the Famine years.

The Ruddy's: James, Michael, Thomas and (probably) Nicholas came from, maybe, Oughaval Roman Catholic parish in Co. Mayo during the 1840's. Recent research unearthed a document saying that Michael and Catherine were born in Clifton, Ireland [perhaps this meant Clifden, County Galway about 35 miles southwest of Westport where Michael and Catherine were married]. To this point I am sceptical that the family originated in Clifden, County Galway based on previous research. Another enclave of Ruddy's existed about 30 miles North and a bit West in Kilfian Parish ** where an instance of the rare name Nicholas Ruddy is also found Although the pronunciation of Clifton and Kilfian are far apart, one should not discount family lore*. Michael and Catherine went on to Liverpool and then on to New York City then to Syracuse, NY and, finally, they migrated to Iowa to join James Ruddy in Fairview Township. James Ruddy showed up in Iowa at the death of Thomas and married Ellen Murphy in Prairie de Chein. James Ruddy and his family moved by covered wagon in 1871-1872 to Wellington township in Renville County, Minnesota near the town of Fairfax.

The Murphy's emigrated from Co Limerick about 1850, stopped in Boston and then also migrated to Iowa. 

The Garrahy's were some of the first arrivals in Wellington Township migrating there in 1868 from Co Clare, Ireland by way of England and Massachusetts.

These families intermarried in Iowa and Minnesota.

The genealogy can be seen by clicking the links below:
 

*The document was the death certificate of Daniel Ruddy [born in Syracuse in 1856, died in Chicago 1n 1935]  son of Michael & Catherine, the document indicates the informant for this information was Daniel's son in law Joseph Klinger and I remain sceptical with other research showing Westport for the marriage of Michael & Catherine and a document that shows Catherine's brother Thomas Gibbons was born in Westport supports this scepticism. Without any further information Westport is pretty certain to be the area they lived before emigrating to Liverpool and Kilmeena is a possible area from which the Ruddy family originated based on other research explained elsewhere. [note: Oct 22, 2011]

**A Note for RUDDY name researchers:
There are a significant number of Ruddy entries 
contained in the 1830s records from Kilfian Parish in North West County Mayo. There was a website
once maintained by Vincent Ruddy which no longer responds to the URL I have, but may be out there
somewhere under a different URL or webpage.