Essex County Midwife - Mary (Brennan) Moynahan

My 2nd great-grandmother Mary (Brennan) Moynahan (1841-1926) was a midwife in Essex county, Ontario according to the oral history passed down to me by my first cousins (twice removed) Bernard Broderick (1916-1992), Evelyn (Lennon) Janice (1916-2009) and Genevieve (Broderick) Wheeler (1908-2003).

Mary (Brennan) Moynahan (on the right) with unidentified woman

In a letter dated the 23rd of April 1985 to her cousin Joe Finn, Evelyn (Lennon) Janice said that she had heard from her other cousin Genevieve (Broderick) Wheeler (in California) who had lived with Jeremiah and Mary (Brennan) Moynahan (and Aunt Nellie Moynahan) for four years (likely following the death of her mother in 1919). Genvieve told Evelyn that, "grandma acted as the local midwife".

Source: Letter from Evelyn (Lennon) Janice to Joseph Finn dated 1985

This blog post describes my search for proof that the stories handed down were true and that 2nd GG Mary (Brennan) Moynahan was an Essex county midwife in the 1800s

52 Ancestors No. 36: “Working for a Living.”

This week's theme for Amy Crow's 52 Ancestors is "Working For A Living" and I thought that I would do a review of various occupations in my family tree.

Our ancestor's "Working For A Living"

Most of the information on our ancestor's occupations can be found through reading census reports (1825-1921) or by looking at voters lists (1935-1980).

The last Canadian census report that has been published was 1921 (and is available on ancestry.ca) (Note that all Canadian census reports prior to 1921 are available for free on the Library and Archives Canada website)

Below is a list of links to pages where I have previously spoken about our ancestor's occupation:

Auctioneer

• William Moynahan (1878-1980)

Autoworker

• Ernest Joseph Moynahan Sr (1900-1974)

Carpenter

• John Annal (1875-1960) 
• Ole O. Hegna (1855-1935)

Parke Davis Clerical

• Rhea (Coughlin) Moynahan (1902-1992)
• Gretta Marie (Coughlin) Langlois (1911-)

Detective

• Leo William Broderick (1879-1920)

Dressmaker

• Hannah (Hegna) Foreman (1885-1965)
• Clara (Moynahan) Broderick (1882-1919)

Expressman

• Jeremiah Moynahan (1849-1905)

Farmer

• Martin Broderick (1839-1915)
• Jeremiah Moynahan (1841-1992)
• Matthew Moynahan (1770-1860)
• Timothy Moynahan (1813-1902)

Feather Renovators

• JamesAnnal and Joseph Hess (1906)

Fire Chief

• James Annal Jr (1873-1921)

Glassblower

• William Henry Coughlin (1872-1952)

Ice Dealer

• James Annal Jr (1873-1921)

Ironworker

• Frederick Douglas Creighton (1907-1976)

Labourer 

• Patrick Moynahan (1853-1909) (Windsor Gas Co.)

Lawyer

• Joseph Foreman (1933-1999)

Midwife

• Mary (Brennan) Moynahan (1841-1926)

Miner

• James Moynahan (1842-1919)

Nun

• Sister Madeline Demarse (G.S.I.C) (1928-2010)
• Sister Marie Clarice Lennon (1904-1999)
• Sister Marie Gertrude Lennon (1901-1995)

Nurse

• Dorothy (Moreland) Creighton (1909-2000)

Olympian

• Joseph Foreman (1933-1999)

Politician

• James Moynahan (1842-1919)
• John Moynahan (1866-1933)
• John J. Plaus (1912-1966)

Priest

• Reverend Raymond Moynahan (1904-1980)
• Brother Berchmans (Bernard Broderick) (1916-1992)

Railway Worker

• The Chapleau Donivans
• Thomas Conlon (1870-1928)

Sailor

• James Henry Allan Annal (1849-1930)
• John Annal (1875-1960) 
• Martin Broderick (1839-1915)

Soldier

• Leo Joseph Martin Broderick (1919-1943)
• Martin Broderick (1839-1915)
• John Miller Moreland (1882-1940)
• Dawn Maureen (Creighton) Moynahan (1936-1981). 
• Thomas Bernard Moynahan (1909-1974)
• Gerald John Moynahan (1908-1961)
• James Moynahan (1842-1919)

Teacher

• Ellen "Nellie" Moynahan (1865-1940)
• John Moynahan (1866-1933)

Union Leader

• John Moynahan (1934-1987)

Other

• Donald Jennings Foreman (-1967) Hydro Superintendent

52 Ancestors #38: Mary Brennan: Maidstone Midwife

Until well into this century, most Canadians were born at home and the only professional hand guiding their arrival into the world was the midwife's. This blog post is about my Great Great Grandmother Mary (Brennan) Moynahan who was a midwife in Essex county, Ontario.

Mary was born in Ireland in 1841. When she was twelve years old (1853) she came with her parents John Brennan (1819-1881) and Catherine (Bowler) Brennan (1819-1891) to Canada and they settled in Sandwich South.

L to R: Jeremiah, John, Ellen (Nellie) and Mary (Brennan) Moynahan

Mary Brennan
b: 1841 Ireland
d:21 June 1926
Essex, Ontario

In November 1863, Mary married Jeremiah ("Jerry") Moynahan.

• In the 1871 census, the family (John, Mary and children Ellen and John) lived in Sandwich East
• In the 1881 census the family (John, Mary and children Ellen, John, Margaret and Mary) lived in Sandwich East. (John and Catherine Brennan are in the index as well)

Mary and Jerry had nine children.

Jerry and Mary resided on their farm on Talbot Street ("a mile west of the Cross") from 1863 to 1921 when "with their daughter Nellie they moved to Windsor". 

When Mary lived in Maidstone she was a midwife to many women according to family oral history.

Here is an interesting video link o midwives: Midwife | Historica Canada

In November 1913, Mary and Jerry celebrated their golden wedding anniversary and the family reunion was recorded in the Essex Free Press.

Essex Free Press
Nov 21, 1913

Copy of undated photo of Mary and Jerry Moynahan on their Maidstone farm

On June 21 , 1926 Mary passed away in the morning at her home at 432 Hall Ave. Windsor

St Mary's cemetry
Maidstone, Ontario

Obituary: Mary Moynahan