Our Museum: Bernard Moynahan's Wallet

During the period of COVID-19 in 2020 when all of the archives and museums around the world were forced to close, many museums and individuals started posting photos with the hashtag #MyMuseum on twitter .

"As we grow older 
many of us create 
our own museum of things..."

The idea of sharing photos of of treasures and trinkets from "our own museum of things" inspired me to create this series called  #OurMuseum. Here is my great uncle Thomas Moynahan's leather wallet.

Thos. Bernard Moynahan's Wallet 

The Story of Rose LaCroix (1909-2002)

"Family is more than blood" as the saying goes. Families can include those who you welcome in and who share the highs and lows of life with you, and those who you love with all your heart. 

I have always been curious about a woman named Rose LaCroix (1909-2002) who is buried in the Moynahan family plot. She is not related to the Moynahan family (genealogically) and family lore recalls her as a very special friend of my great uncle Gerald Moynahan (1908-1961). Gerald served as a medic in the Second World War after which the story about Rose and Gerald becomes less clear.

Gerald Moynahan (1908-1961) and Rose LaCroix (1909-2002)
(Photo credit: Jerome Boyle)

Assumption Cemetery - Windsor, Ontario

In the 1956 aerial view of the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario below, the Assumption Cemetery can be seen in the bottom right. This blog post pays homage to the cemetery, its history and to the countless people who, even this year and THIS month (during COVID-19 restrictions and challenges), are working toward preserving this special place for future generations.

Aerial View Of The Ambassador Bridge Showing The Heavy Traffic,
(Assumption Cemetery is on the southeast
corner of Wyandotte Street West and Huron Church Road;
Assumption University is visible north of Wyandotte Street West;)
Source: Southwestern Ontario Digital Archive

Established in 1748, Assumption cemetery is the oldest European (Roman Catholic) cemetery in Ontario. It was relocated to its third and present site in 1859, from what was the Cemetery’s second home, the area now known as Assumption Park.

NB: In an ongoing effort to decolonize my settler ancestor story-telling, I have included information at the end of this post on "The Non-Protection Of Canadian Aboriginal Heritage (Burial Sites And Artifacts)" with additional details on The Sandwich Burial site (AbHs-24, formerly AbHs-2.) which "consists of two documented Native burials... many burials ... under Sandwich Street near the Ambassador Bridge." (Douglas 1964)

Our Museum: James Annal's Model Ship

During the period of COVID-19 in 2020 when all of the archives and museums around the world closed, many museums an individuals started posting on twitter with the hashtag #MyMuseum.

In particular, I was inspired by the tweets being posted by @farmersfriend who shared a photo and story of an item from his personal museum every day on twitter. He wrote, 

"As we grow older many of us create our own 
museum of things..."

I loved it! The idea of sharing photos from our personal museums inspired me to create this new genealogy series entitled  "Our Museum". 

This model ship is a treasure in #OurMuseum because it was made by the hands of our 2nd great-grandfather James Henry Allen Annal (1849-1930) who was a sailor and built model ships as a hobby.

My brother has been the caretaker of this most valuable family heirloom passed down to him through the generations.

Malachi D. Moynihan - Escaped The Noose Twice!

Through the years of researching Moynahans from Kerry, Ireland, I have come across so many different surname spellings: Moynihan, Moynahan, Moynehan, etc.

I feel compelled to collect them all even if there is no paper or DNA trail to connect them to my ancestors. I collect their stories and whatever facts I can gather about their lives and share them online in my "Moynahan Scrapbook". In the story that follows, misspelling of a surname saved Malachi's life!

Malachi D. Moynihan Escapes the Noose Twice!

Source: Screenshot: https://museum.canoncity.org/

Malachi's story takes place in Canon City, Fremont, Colorado and involves a mule, a murder and a mean-spirited railway section boss named Fitzpatrick.

Windsor's Whale of A Tale

I have been fascinated with the subject of whaling ever since I learned that my 2nd great-grandfather  James Henry Allan Annal (1849-1930) was a sailor and "as a boy was on a whaling expedition for three years in the Arctic" and "sailed every windjammer on the Great Lakes a hardy and fearless sailor," until his retirement at 73 years of age!

Naturally, when I heard the story about a 68-ton black finback whale named "Colossus" who visited Windsor, Essex co., Ontario in 1936, I had to investigate!

The Windsor Star: 12 Apr 1978