52 Ancestors #23: Matthew Moynahan 1770-1860

No Story Too Small has issued a New Year's Challenge: "Have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.”

I am devoting this blog post to the oldest known ancestor in my Moynahan tree, Matthew Moynahan (born in 1770 in Kerry, Ireland and died in 1860 Maidstone, Ontario)

We have three sources of information for Matthew Moynahan for the years between 1830 (when he settled  in Ontario and 1860 when he died): His land records, the census records and his will.

Land Records:

As stated in an earlier blog post (Maidstone Ontario: Talbot Settlers), I learned a great deal about our Moynahan ancestors from doing research on early land records. With respect to Matthew, I learned that he was located on 100 acres by Col. Talbot in 1831 on 296 North Talbot Rd. (NTR) in Sandwich, Ontario.

Here is 296 NTR on the map in the early 1800s:

Remarkably, this is still fertile farm land as seen on Google maps (2014):

Most of this early information was found at the Archives of Ontario (AO) (not on any online indexes):

My handwritten notes from the AO

Matthew Moynahan: U.C. Land Petition/Grant dated 14 August 1846

The paperwork associated with land records is an incredible source for genealogical information. I also learned from the land records that Matthew had a son named Jeremiah from Detroit:

Original 1849 document evidence that mathew had a son named Jeremiah

My transcription of the original 1849 record

Census records:

This is the only census that I have been able to locate regarding Matthew. In the 1861 census Matthew has passed on and Honora (now "Ann") is with Timothy at 296 NTR.

1851 Census: Sandwich Ontario

From the 1851 where we learn:

• Matthew is living with (Honora his wife - 70 years old); John (born in US 10 years old); and there's a visitor Daniel Falvey (born in Ireland, lives in the US and is 45 years old)
• The family is living in a one story log home

Matthew's Will:

Burial record: St. Mary's RC Church, Maidstone, Ontario 1860

Here are some snippets of Matthew Moynahan's memorial will wherein we learn of his daughter Mary for whom he bequeathed "one bed and bed clothes".

Memorial Will mentions children Timothy and Mary, wife Honora
and "friends" Denis Moynahan and William Dupres Baby

Entered the 23rd of May 1860

Source: Archives of Ontario
G.S. 987; Deed Volume D; 1857-1860 (#581-993)