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 have just started genealogical research on my husband's family.
This weeks blog post is dedicated my husband's matrilineal ancestors starting with his grandmother Bernadette Zeta (Donivan) Plaus. Bernadette's father Patrick Donivan (1853-1934) was a blacksmith in Osgoode Station (1887-1889).
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| 1887 Gazeteer: Osgoode Station P.A. Donivan was the blacksmith |
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| 1889 Gazeteer: Osgoode Station P.A. Donivan was the blacksmith |
Earlier Patrick Donivan had married Mary McGalvey with whom he had three children. Mary (McGalvey) Donivan later died in childbirth and Patrick then married Mary Elizabeth O'Leary. The couple had fourteen children living in various locations throughout Quebec and Ontario: in Gatineau Qc (1893), McFarlane Qc (1896), Madawaska (1898), Nipissing, Ontario (1900) and finally settling in Chapleau, Ontario in 1904 where Patrick worked on the railway (C.P.R.).
Mary Elizabeth (O'Leary) Donivan also lovingly raised Patrick's children from his previous marriage.
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| Patrick and Mary Elizabeth (O'Leary) Donivan (possibly on their wedding day photo credit: E. Quigg) |
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| Screen capture of extensive Donivan research compiled by E.Quigg |
Mary Elizabeth (O'Leary) Donivan
with her
sons and grandsons
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| Mary Elizabeth Donivan pictured in the centre (photo credit: E. Quigg) |
Obituary
Patrick Donivan (1853-1954)
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| Ray Donivan, Lena Donivan, Theresa Jane Donivan, and Mary Elizabeth (O'Leary) Donivan (photo credit: E. Quigg) |
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| Bernadette Zeta (Donivan) Plaus (3rd from left) (photo credit: E. Quigg) |
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| Bernadette Zeta (Donivan) Plaus headstone (1994) |
Osgoode Links
Chapleau Links
Thanks for posting. I just finished reading about the sad story of Ray Donivan. My grandmother was Lena Donivan. I remember Aunt Bernadette, Aunt Maggie and Aunt Jen coming to visit Gramma. She was always so happy to see them! I look forward to following you postings.
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