Editing Edward Hand (section)

==Early life and career==
Hand was born in Clyduff, King's County (now [[County Offaly]]), [[Kingdom of Ireland]], on 31 December 1744, and was baptised in [[Shinrone]]. His father was John Hand. Among his immediate neighbours were the Kearney family, ancestors of U.S. President [[Barack Obama]].<ref>[http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/shinrone-birthplace-and-resting-place-of-obamas-irish-ancestors/ Shinrone: birthplace and resting place of Obama’s Irish ancestors]</ref> He was a descendant of either the families of [[Mag Fhlaithimh]] (of south [[Ulaid]]h and [[Kingdom of Meath|Mide]]) or [[Ó Flaithimhín]] (of the [[Síol Muireadaigh]]) who, through mistranslation (''Flaithimh''/''Flaithimhín'' into ''Láimhín''; ''laimh'' = ''hand''), became [[Lavin]] or Hand.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/index.cfm?fuseaction=Go.&UserID= Irish Ancestors/Surnames] (search "Lavin")</ref>

Hand earned a medical certificate from [[Trinity College Dublin|Trinity College, Dublin]]. In 1767, Hand enlisted as a Surgeon's Mate in the [[Royal Irish Regiment (1684–1922)|18th (Royal Irish) Regiment of Foot]]. On 20 May 1767, he sailed with the regiment from Cobh, Cork, Ireland, arriving at [[Philadelphia]] on 11 July 1767. In 1772, he was commissioned an ensign. He marched with the regiment to [[Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)|Fort Pitt]], on the forks of the [[Ohio River]], returning to Philadelphia in 1774, where he resigned his commission.

In 1774, Hand moved to [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania]], where he practiced medicine. On 13 March 1775, he married Katherine Ewing (born 25 March 1751 in [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]]). Lancaster was the region of some of the earliest [[Ireland|Irish]] and [[Scotch-Irish Americans|Scots-Irish]] settlements in Pennsylvania. Hand was active in forming the Lancaster County [[Associators]], a colonial [[militia]].

Hand was a 32nd degree [[Freemasonry|Freemason]], belonging to the Montgomery Military Lodge number 14.