The Kerry Folk of Maidstone, Essex County, Ont.

I am gathering stories about the Kerry folk of Maidstone, Essex, Ontario in the hope that by locating their stories I will move closer to locating the stories of my own Kerry ancestors the Moynahans and Brennans.

There were the Brennans, the Downings, the Mahoneys, the Moynahans, the O'Connells, the O'Connors, the O'Falveys, the O'Sullivans and the Shuells to name a few of the Kerry Irish families who ALL chose Maidstone (aka "The Irish Settlement") for their new home in the early 1800s.

Source: The Windsor Star; July 10, 1982

"In 1823, the settlers cleared an area, 

built a log church and called it St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church"

(Source: The Windsor Star; July 10, 1982)

A Kerry Woman 

Welcomes Weary Travelers To Essex County

I love the story of the Kerry woman (born O'Sullivan "at the "Cross Roads " in County Kerry") who lived with her second husband Dr. John O'Falvey at Lot 5 on the Middle Road in Maidstone next to my 3rd great-grandfather Denis Moynahan who lived on Lot 6.

She died in 1884 and here is her obituary:

The Amherstburg Echo; 12 Dec 1884

"Maidstone: The wife of Dr. John P. O'Falvey of Maidstone departed this life on Wednesday morning 3rd inst. after a residence in Maidstone of fifty-nine years.

She was born at Cross Roads, County Kerry, Ireland on the 3rd day of March 1808 and was eighty-nine years and nine months old.

She was the sister of Captain Eugene O'Sullivan who was lost in the ill-fated ship Maria Joseph in 1844 while conveying colonists from St. Malo, France to the Pacific coast whose estate deceased has been claiming and to which she is legal heiress.

She was also first cousin to the Hon. Judge John O'Connor and was a descendant of a very highly respected family in Kerry.

She was universally respected by all her friends and neighbours and many weary travelers hungry and footsore she relieved in those days when Maidstone was nothing but a wild forest when she settled there with her first husband in 1825. Her house was always open to the wayfarer and the traveler. She leaves a large family to mourn her loss."

The Amherstburg Echo obituary (above) does not indicate her name but we know she was born Sullivan because she was "sister of Captain Eugene O'Sullivan". 

I did a quick search of ancestry.ca for O'Falvey 1884 and found a photograph of her beautiful headstone at St. Mary's cemetery (Maidstone, Ontario) where I learned that her name was Margret.

Photo taken by J.Meloche for CanadaGenWeb; St. Mary's Cemetery, Maidstone, Ontario

Source Citation: Diocese of London (Ontario); London, Ontario; Ancestry.com. Ontario, Canada, Roman Catholic Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1760-1923 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017.

The last census that she would have appeared on (1881) confirms that her name was Margaret and that her husband Dr. John O'Falvey who was the coroner and 25 years her junior!. There is also a Lawrence Costigan (born 1846) living with them.

Source: Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1881 Census of Canada [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009.; 1881; Census Place: Maidstone, Essex, Ontario; Roll: C_13281; Page: 85; Family No: 391

Margaret lived in Maidstone, Ontario for fifty-nine years (1825-1884)

There are so many other details contained in this one obituary that would be wonderful to research in more detail. For now, I picture a smiling Kerry woman, welcoming weary travelers with a warm cup of tea and a soft seat near a warm fire.

It seems almost poetic that Margaret left the Cross Roads in Kerry to live her life at Maidstone Cross in Essex county, Ontario.

  From the Cross Road Village of Kerry Ireland 

to the 

Maidstone Cross, Ontario

I was delighted to locate an historic photo of  Margaret's "Cross Road Village, Kenmare, Kerry" that is part of the Lawrence Collection, which holds 40,000 glass-plate negatives taken between 1870 and 1910.

Source: Ancestry.com. Ireland, Lawrence Collection of photographs, 1870 - 1910 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

You can zoom in on the image (see below) by following this link: http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000322734

Source: http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000322734

Source: "The History of Maidstone Cross" (page 5/26); author unknown

Maidstone Cross

Source: SC Rewind 

Source: SC Rewind: ​An artist's rendering of the old Maidstone General Store and Post Office by Harold Burton 

If you have any connection to the Sullivans or O'Falveys of Maidstone, Ontario or any of the Kerry folk of Maidstone, please leave your remarks in the space provided below.

In my next post on "The Kerry Folk of Maidstone" I hope to learn more about Mararet's husband Dr. J.P.W, O'Falvey 

His name is mentioned as coroner on some interesting cases in Essex county and, based on the Detroit Free Press article below, he may have a little of the Kerryman sense of humour that would make for some interesting stories.

Stay Tuned.

Source: The Detroit Free Press; 19 Oct 1858; Page 1

And a shanty fire that he attended as coroner

Source: The Detroit Free Press; 3 Dec 1882; Page6

52 Ancestors No. 26: Is Johanna a Missing Moynahan Daughter?

Week (June 25-July 1) marks the halfway point in the year (2015) - and the halfway point in the  52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge!

Amy Crow poses the question, "What ancestor do you have that you feel like you’ve only researched halfway?" and I would have to say Matthew Moynahan (1770-1860). I feel like there is still so much more to know about him.

Matthew and Honora Moynahan had nine children and I only know the names of  five:

1. Jeremiah
2. Mary 
3. Denis
4. James 
5. Timothy

I know of Jeremiah only because of a legal action that his father Matthew took against him for an unknown event that resulted in property damages. I have still not located Jeremiah in Detroit.

And Mary is known only because Matthew bequeathed all of his "real and personal property" to his son Timothy  "except one bed and bed clothes which I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Moynahan." I know her name but I have found no records of her whatsoever.

There are two sons and two daughters of Matthew and Honora Moynahan who remain nameless this far.

This post is about a death certificate that may have provided clues to one of the nameless daughters: Johanna.

I was excited and curious about a death register that I located at Family Search for a Joanna (Moynahan) Sullivan (1806 - 1891) daughter of Matthew and Honora Moynahan.

Return of Deaths for Washtenaw County, Michigan (1891)
CLDS 004209084

Ann Arbor Argus: Feb 10, 1891

Could Joanna Sullivan be one of the "unknown" daughters of  Matthew and Honora Moynahan of Maidstone, Ontario?

I decided to try and locate more information about Joanna (Moynahan) Sullivan starting with Michigan Census records for Washtenaw County Michigan where she died.

Panoramic view of the city of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Co., Michigan 1880.
Source: Libraray of Congress

1884

1884 | Washtenaw, Webster | 2596
Source: Seeking Michigan

On the 1884 census I found husband Patrick (76 years) (b. 1808 in Ireland), wife Johanna M. (78 years)(b. 1806 in Ireland) and daughter Hanna C. (52 years)(b.1832 in Michigan).

According to the census, Patrick had one eye and Johanna was both blind and deaf at the time.

We also learn that Patrick was a farmer and Hanna (single) was "at home" likely as the sole caregiver for her parents.

Only Hanna and Patrick can read and write (despite not having attended school?) and Patrick and Johanna have resided in the state of Michigan for 54 years (and Hanna for 52 years).

This means that Patrick and Johanna arrived in the state of Michigan approximately in the year 1830

Then I located a history book that had more details on the Sullivan family:

• University of Michigan: History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan.

Source: History of Wastenaw County Michigan

1880 census (showing Eugene - 35 Years old)

Eugene died in the 31st of October 1881 of typhoid fever thus explaining why on the 1884 record Eugene does not appear and daughter Hanna C. Sullivan is with Patrick and Joanna instead.

So far, I have learned a great deal about this Sullivan family of Washtenaw County, Michigan but I have no information that Joanna is the daughter of MY Matthew and Honora Moynahan!

Perhaps the way to resolve this would be to locate the 1830 marriage record in New York? I have placed a request to the angels at RAOGK: Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness. 

Source Links

• Internet Archive: History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan.
•  Internet Archive: Past and present of Washtenaw County, Michigan
• Michigan GENDIS (death records 1867-1882)

52 Ancestors #10: "Nellie" Moynahan: Teacher

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.”

And over at Olive Tree Geneaology, there is another enticing challenge: "In honour of Women's History Month (March 2014) I want to issue a challenge to all geneabloggers to write a  minimum of 10 blog posts this month about women who have made a difference."

So I am dedicating today's blog post to Ellen "Nellie" Moynahan. She was the first born child of Jeremiah and Mary (Brennan) Moynahan (born March 31, 1865). 

Nellie pictured with parents Jeremiah and Mary (Brennan) Moynahan
and her younger brother John

Nellie Moynahan

Nellie had five sisters and two brothers. 

Moynahan Family Tree

Nellie's own education through the 1880s indicates a high achiever finishing at the top of her class. She was also awarded "premiums of politeness and of good conduct." ! A smart young woman indeed!

4 March 1880 Essex Free Press

14 April 1881 Essex Free Press

23 June 1881 Essex Free Press

 There were perils to teaching at a one-room schoolhouse, like being thrown from your carriage on your way there in 1892!

The Amherstburg Echo: 30 December, 1892

Nellie taught school in Essex county for forty-five years 1887-1932, teaching the longest according to Thomas McCloskey, of all the Essex county teachers in the late 1880s. She taught at schools in Maidstone, Rochester and Windsor:

• In Byrnedale (in Woodslee parish)
• a school on north rear road near McGuire's
• SS. No. 7
• SS. No. 5 & 8

On the first of April 1910, The Essex Free press wrote that "Miss Nellie Moynahan deserves much credit for the careful training of her pupils taking part in the program" a play that packed the town hall to capacity and many could not get in!

1 April 1910, Essex Free Press

Nellie was living at home ("Talbot St. a mile west of the Cross") in 1913 when Jeremiah and Mary celebrated their golden anniversary.

Jeremiah (who died in 1922) and Mary (who died in 1926) sold their Maidstone farm (298 South Talbot Rd) in 1921 and moved with daughter Nellie to 432 Hall Avenue, Windsor. 

Nellie died the 20th of November 1940. Here is her obituary:

One of my goals is to research Nellie's retirement trip to England, Ireland and Italy in 1908 if possible. My father once told me a story that she had lost her purse filled with her money on board the ship.

Source: The Essex Free Press: 28 July 1978 "Seventy Years Ago"

Links

• History of Seperate Schools in Canada
• A Virtual Schoolhouse
• Report of Schools Ontario: 1875-77
• Report of Schools Ontario 1891
• Teacher's Work: School Systems of the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century
• An Historical Understanding of Key Issues Related to Catholic Education 
• Progressive Education March In Windsor - 25 Years: 1892-1910
• Early Struggles for Bilingual Schools and the French Language in the Windsor Border Region, 1851–1910

 

Source: Essex Free Press