On the 9th of April 1896, John McGilligan arrived in Boston, Massachusetts onboard the S.S. Scandinavian. The Boston Passenger List states he was 21 years of age and accompanied by a friend/cousin named Thomas White. He was a farmer and able to read and write. Last place of residence in Ireland was Swatera (Swatragh, Co. Londonderry). His final destination in the United States was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Source: Boston Passenger Lists, 1891-1943 via Ancestry.com
Elder & McGilligan Genealogy 