So glad this site is back up and running.

I am the great, great granddaughter of Michael Dwyer and Anne Elliott; great granddaughter of their oldest daughter Mary Agnes Dwyer (later Wallace). They went from St. Columban to Montreal and then to Chicago where they arrived around 1865. Michael & Anne later went to Hobart, IN. Also, some of the family ended up in the Denver, CO area.

I would love to find out why they picked Chicago, as none of their immediate family seemed to be there. I'm also trying to figure out how people would have traveled from St. Columban to Chicago in those days.

I have been researching these families for a while now. Happy to share/recieve information about this family and their offspring.

Great new forum update - easier to use. Yes

[size=10pt][size=10pt]Hi,  I am desperately trying to find my trace my ancestors. My g g grandfather was a farmer, resident Durham. He married in 1842, Sherbrooke, St. Michel.  Two of his children were baptized at St. Columban,1846 and 1849.  I  went through the 1851 census,  but I could not find them.   Would there be an 1851 census for Durham and Tingwick?  (He father lived in Tingwick)  My gold is to find something that would show were in Ireland they came from and when they came to Canada. Would you have any suggestions?  Anything information you could provide would be very much appreciated.
Many thanks,
Margaret Wheeler

magwheeler@verizon.net

PS:  Your web site is very nice![/size][/size]

[size=10pt][size=10pt][size=10pt]E-Mail Received....from Ray Cowan

the_cowans@optusnet.com.au

Reference: 1851 Census

Hi guys.

I may have already sent this information, but thought that I would do so, just in case.

On page 3,:-


Numbers 5, 6, 7 and 8 are the Scheffer family (two children born in St Colomban and in Church records and originally from the German Schaeffer with no ?e?, just an ?a umlaut?).  Number 5 is Eusebe (or Seb for short) with his wife Christian Miller (daughter of John Miller and Elizabeth Miller (nee Cowan ? my g.g.g aunt - of Lachute) and two children.  You will find the Scheffer family (and particularly son, Peter, who was also baptised in St Colomban) among the pioneers of Montana, to where they travelled from St Colomban ? Frenchtown, Missoula.



Numbers 38, 39 and 40 are the McDonald family.  Husband Duncan, son John, and Duncan?s wife Christian McDonald (nee Cowan ? Elizabeth Miller?s sister).


The reason I contacted you earlier, was to track down the latter family, but I have not had much luck ? given the common surname.  I think I may have the death details of Duncan (and maybe his son Duncan), but I am not positive.  I have found nothing on Christian McDonald, another g.g.g. aunt).

I hope this is of help, and if you can help me in return, I would be grateful.

Ray Cowan
Sydney, Australia [/size] [/size] [/size]

Hi my great great grandmother Mary Ryan married a Micheal McGuirk around 1851.  Mary was the daughter of Ellen Dorney and Thomas Ryan of Tipperary, Ireland.

I know she came with her mother to the Shefford area not sure abouts siblings but there is a rumor that Mary may have had a sister that had gone to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, USA.  My McGuirk family came this way.  Anything you could add to this information would be helpful.  

LAURA HOGAN

HOGANL@MIDDLESEX.MASS.EDU

Just found this, another page from Cecilia McDonald's notes!

Attached Files

  scan0009.jpg (Size: 224.86 KB / Downloads: 166)

My great grandfather Andrew Keyes had three sisters ? Mary; Elizabeth (sometimes called Betty); and Judith (some records note her as Julia).

All were born in Ireland and were the children of Patrick Keyes & Honora Phelan

Mary married James Madden, on June 1st 1835, in St. Scholastique. They left St. Columban around June of 1848, when James and Mary moved to Dubuque, Iowa.

It seems that perhaps both her sisters - Elizabeth who married Matthew Power; and Judith who married who married Patrick Ryan - may have also moved to Dubuque

There are a number of people researching this part of my family and one, Pat Geiser, (Patriciamarx1@aol.com ) just sent me some great photos of James Madden and Mary Key(e)s, which I am attaching.Pat is also looking for any information about her own great grandmother Honora Madden who was born in 1840.

I have other records of children born to Mary Keyes and James Madden ? but not one for Honora ? Not sure if anyone on the list has any information about Honora Madden?

In the meantime, here are the photos

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  James Madden & Mary Keyes3.jpg (Size: 166.48 KB / Downloads: 119)
  James Madden 4.jpg (Size: 242.85 KB / Downloads: 119)
  James Madden 5.jpg (Size: 317.06 KB / Downloads: 133)

I am searching for information on Michael Grace married to Mary Gavin.  Any information on his death location and burial is appreciated.  Also any and all facts are welcome!

(A number of St. Columban settlers or their descendats eventually lived in the Point St. Charles (or Griffentown) districts in Montreal.)

A GREAT ARTICLE, WRITTEN BY SHELAGH PLUNKETT, ABOUT KNOX STREET IN THE POINT IN TODAY?S MONTREAL GAZETTE (April 2nd 2011) ? FULL PAGE B 3 ARTICLE?..

YOU CAN ALSO SEE IT ON LINE AT:

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/todays-paper/name+posterity/4547640/story.html

This was in today's Ottawa Citizen, interesting local story about an abandoned cemetery:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa/graves+%c3%89p%c3%a9e/4540049/story.html

This is the approximate area featured in the story

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Rue+de+l'%C3%89p%C3%A9e,+Gatineau,+Qu%C3%A9bec&aq=0&sll=45.415804,-75.698547&sspn=1.145222,2.106628&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Rue+de+l'%C3%89p%C3%A9e,+Gatineau,+Communaut%C3%A9-Urbaine-de-l'Outaouais,+Qu%C3%A9bec&t=h&z=16

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