52 Ancestors #27: Kent County (Ontario) Moynahan Ancestors

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.”

A really important part of my Moynahan family history takes place in Kent County, Ontario so I decided to add the Kent County branch of the OGS to my Ontario Genealogical Society membership today.

Kent County, Ontario 1885

I know so very little about Denis Moynahan's sons Matthew, Timothy and Patrick who moved from Essex County to Kent County in the 1860s. I have always believed that these brothers could be in one of the family photographs that I have never been able to identify.

Photo: Tilbury Main St 1887
Tilbury Moynahan ancestors: Matthew, Timothy and Patrick

In 1981, when I was just beginning my genealogical research (and long before the internet), I wrote letters to all the "Moynahans" in the Tilbury phone book in the hope that I could learn more about this branch of my family tree.

Bernice (Neveux) Moynahan (wife of Alfred) responded (Feb. 16, 1988) and Jerry Moynahan responded (Feb. 15, 1988)

Jerry Moynahan's letter of Feb 15, 1988

I feel so grateful for this lucky connection. One of the true gifts of doing family research is meeting branches of your family tree that you never knew about. Jerry and Aldeen were that kind of gift! Such a joy to have met them both.

We shared family history information (his grandfather was Timothy Moynahan - 1847-1929). Jerry and his beloved life partner Aldeen attended one of our Moynahan family reunions in Tecumseh, Ontario. 

Jerry and Aldeen are pictured below at the Moynahan reunion in Tecumseh, Ontario (with my two children circa 1996)

Jerrry and Aldeen Moynahan
attending the Moynahan Annual Reunion Tecumseh, Ontario

Sadly Aldeen and Jerry have both passed now. I am eternally grateful for having met them and their friendship.

Maple Leaf Cemetery, Tilbury

I visited the home of Jerry and Aldeen in Tilbury where Jerry gifted me with a birdhouse made by his own hands (pictured below). 

Birdhouse made by Jerry Moynahan

With Jerry's passing and other life events, my research on the Tilbury Moynahan's waned. I managed to connect again through ancestry.ca with relatives. Here is what I know and have learned so far.

The two Moynahan brothers (Matthew and Timothy) married two sisters (Catherine and Julie Ann Carr). 

Patrick never married and he was living with his father Denis (who died in 1885) according to the 1881 census for Tilbury East. Poor Patrick died as a result of being hit by a train in 1909 while working for the Windsor Gas Co.

The Comber Herald Oct 7 1909

!881 Census: Tilbury East