HI CUZ 87

HICUZ 46 – (extracts)

Guardianships – In reviewing wills and land records one may encounter property or children controlled by guardians. From fourth cousins Tom Buckley and Clare Coulter of northern Virginia come reasons which may explain guardians being appointed: conflict of interest, as in where one child (out of several) might be designated to receive part of a house or item; inability to post bond (women used not to own property, could not typically post bond and would ask a male relative to do it for them); guardianship might apply to children rather than property -check the details; death of one (or both) of the parents; divorce; a parent declared incompetent. 

Preserving Photos – A reminder, for family photos, DO NOT write on them with anything other than pencil, or archival quality ink. India ink is fine to use. If you must write on them, come up with a code, document the code, and ensure you keep old photos out of direct sunlight, mounted (whenever possible) on non-acid, archival backing. If the chance presents itself, get a new negative made, and make copies for cousins.

McCarthy research - Way back when I noticed that one of the McCarthy families in Portneuf County, Quebec had a notation that he was from County Kerry, Ireland. I felt there is a fair chance that he was a close relative to my Great Great Gramma Catherine (McCarthy) Shanaghan. I reviewed the Kerry christening records of 1785-1839 (on a trip to Salt Lake City, UT in 1990s) and copied every listing of McCarthies. I hope to put together family group sheets for the McCarthies of Portneuf County, then compare those to McCarthy families in County Kerry. Wish me luck in finding a connection. RESEARCH NEVER DONE – Sorry!

PURE SHANAGHAN GOLD - The (Ste Basile Parish) church records reflecting my Grandmother [Catherine Ellen Shanahan]'s baptism was found. Also found and copied were parish burial records for Great Gramma Elizabeth Larkin, Great, Great Gramma Catherine (McCarthy) Shanahan, and Great Great Grampa Dennis Shanahan. Finding these records confirmed that my Great Great Gramma was Catherine McCarthy, and confirmed that John Shanahan [my great grampa] was a brother to William Shanahan (though there are two) and extends the cousin connection to many other families from Ste Basile.

                                    My Great Grandmother

            Elizabeth Larkin b abt 1786 Ireland, d Ste Basile 6 Jun 1863

                        page 92 of 1863 parish records

                                    My Great Great Grandparents:

            Catherine McCarthy b abt 1797 Ireland; d Ste Basile 13 Mar 1865

                        page 139 of 1865 parish records

            Dennis Shanahan b abt 1789 Ireland; d Ste Basile 15 July 1868

                        page 230 of 1868 parish records

Another observation of more tangible substance for further research in Canadian records; the parish records show that copies were sent and acknowledged by the civil government in Quebec starting about 1852. This gives me hope that, perhaps, those records might have additional information. What one really hopes to find are notations as to where families came from in Ireland. My first objective in that regard is for Thomas Miler/Mylar/Miller, born abt 1783 in Ireland. He was shown in the 1871 Canadian census at 87 years of age, and now his burial date may provide additional info from civil records, which started about 1880 in eastern Canada. As my second objective, the church burial dates for great, great grampa Dennis Shanahan and his wife Catherine McCarthy may help to obtain their civil death certificates.

SHANAGHAN RESEARCH – rehash - I came across a copy of the 1871 Canadian Dominion Directory for Quebec, microfiche #6046766, volume 7.

The last page was #1346, which listed the railways and steamship lines offering transport into, from, and around Quebec in the 1870s. The Allan Line of Steamships connected to Portland, Maine "during winter navigation" and the Grand Trunk Railway also connected to Portland, with The Richilieu Company's steamer running tri-weekly to Portneuf [perhaps Cap Sante]. I suspect that in 1875, when Gramma Catherine left for Portland, Maine, she probably took the steamer to Quebec, then the Grand Trunk RR to Portland.

American citizenship

I thought it might be interesting to find out the length of time that Alex's ancestors (and thus cousins) have been citizens, to dispel any idea that they've all been that since time immemorial.

Rowes - Grampa William Joseph Rowe became naturalized 22 January

1892, though he was born on an American ship and thus

should have been American at birth.

Shanaghans - Gramma Catherine Ellen Shanaghan Rowe became a

citizen when her husband became one, 22 January 1892.

Gerhard/ts - became citizens upon America's winning its

independence from England. They arrived here about 1635.

McDonalds - Nancy's mother became a citizen at birth 1925 in the

US. It appears that Nancy's Grandfather, John Angus

MacDonald, never became a citizen, though his Marine Corps

records show (incorrectly) he was born in Dorchester, Mass.

O'Connors - Gramma and Grampa O'Connor (and my mother) became

            citizens when Grampa became naturalized 1 October 1913.

Shanaghan name origins –

“The Book of Irish Families, great and small”, By Michael C. O'Laughlin

Page 238 – extracts “O’Seanachain; Mac Giolla t Seanain; Shanahan; Gilshenan; Shannon –

 “may stem from three origins … descend from O’Shanaghan, O’Seanain, or from MacGiolla Seanain …

O’Seanin family was of ancient origins in Carlow and Wexford …

in 1659 Shannon was found in Cork, and Shanahan under various spellings was principal name of Limerick, Waterford, and Tipperary…

These O’Shanaghans were chiefs of a territory known as the “woods of Ui Rongali” near Eibhline or Slav Felim, near Feakle. Their power was laid to ruin in the early 14^th Century by the MacNamaras.”

“A Genealogical History of the Milesian Families of Ireland”, by B. W. De Courcy …

entry 178 – O’Shanaghan … (from the ) ancient Sianianach  meaning “resounding”

Shanaghan research – old data

Knowing when a family was not in a particular place, and then was there, suggests an arrival date, for example the family of my great, great grandparents Denis and Catherine McCarthy Shanaghan in Portneuf County, Quebec. Knowing, or having an estimate of the total number of family members helps also, as with the son of Denis and Catherine Shanaghan. Michael Shanaghan was noted by number but “not enumerated with family” in a census. Putting these estimates together with related facts may give us a good working date or family structure; sometimes it raises more questions. Some families don’t talk about other family members with whom they’ve had a falling out; over time this leads to family losing members.

Ste Catherine parish, Portneuf County, Quebec records – The following microfilms are available through your local FHC for research: #1294635 – 1832 to 1858 with index; #1294636 – 1832 to 1877 the whole registres; 1819705 – 1877 to 1900. Good luck.

CORRECTION: In reviewing (third or fourth cousins) Yves and Gisele Marcotte’s book, Les recensements civils (1825 – 1901), I saw some of those devils in the details we’ve all heard about, some I’d missed the first time through. In particular, the book included information from the 1842 census of Cap Sante and surrounding districts of Portneuf County, Quebec. A column came freshly into view listing the number of years individuals had been in Portneuf County. All the newcomers, Scots and Irish and English were listed this way, while the French families had been there for much longer and weren’t similarly described.

Back in HI CUZ 27 I provided some incorrect Shanaghan family information. By way of introduction, it will be helpful to show which “Irlandais” emigrated to Portneuf County in Quebec together, and when they came, as of that 1842 census. That census information shows that I was wrong in saying the older William Shanaghan was the son of Denis and Catherine McCarthy Shanaghan; here’s how it looked across several closely spaced districts. Listed by number of years present in Canada, as of 1842:

                        Graves’ settlement, Seignory of Neuville, Concessions of St John, St

                                    Mary

            21 years – Robert Cameron, from Scotland, family of 9, 1 from Ireland, rest born

                                                Canada.

                           Roderick Mullins, gardener from Ireland

            16 years – Denis Shanaghan, 10 in fam, 6 Irish, 5 born Canada, 1 not enum w/

                                    family

                            Stephen Slattery, 8 in fam, 3 born Ireland, 5 born Canada

            15 years – John Lawless, 6 in fam, all born Ireland

                           John McCarthy, 6 in fam, 3 born Ireland, 3 born Canada

                           Michael McCarthy, 5 in fam, 2 born Ireland, 3 born Canada

 Michael Gaffney, 8 in fam, 2 born Ireland, 1 born Canada, 1 not enum w/ family

            12 years – Patrick Burns, 6 in fam, all born Ireland

                           John Rotchford, Ireland, mason

                           Mary Graves, Ireland 

            10 years – Owen Love, 2 in fam, both from Ireland

                           Roger McGahan, 2 in fam, both from Ireland

                           Patrick Slattery, 4 in fam, all from Ireland

                           Charles Cleary, 6 in fam, 3 from Ireland, 3 born Canada

                           Martin Lawlor, 5 in fam, all born Ireland

                           John Cleary, 5 in fam, 3 born Ireland, 2 born Canada

                           David Graham, 3 in fam, 2 born Ireland, 1 born Canada

            9 years – William Shanaghan, 5 in fam, 2 born Ireland, 3 born Canada.

                        Bourg Louis, First Range

            13 years – Cornelius Shanaghan, 9 in family, 3 Irish, 6 born Canada.

                        Graves’ Settlement, Seignory of Neuville, Concession of St Charles

            20 years – William Raisin, 3 in fam, 2 Irish, 1 born Canada

17 years – Denis Duggin, culler of timber, fam of 5, 5 from Ireland

                Thomas Corcoran, 8 in fam, 3 Irish, 5 born Canada

            16 years - Arthur McClintock, 8 in fam, 2 from Ireland, 6 born Canada

            15 years – Richard Driscoll, 7 in family, 3 from Ireland, 4 born Canada

                           James Corcoran, 3 in fam, 2 born Ireland, 2 born Canada, I not enum w/

                                    fam

                           Patrick Love, 10 in fam, 4 born Ireland, 6 born Canada

I started this particular review to find and list all the McCarthies in Portneuf County, so I could compare that listing to the McCarthy families listed in the Killarney, Kerry records I found at the Family History Library. (I never did – sorry)

These various settlements, while remote from Cap Sante, were probably within a day’s ride of each other. Incidentally, several cousins in Canada will notice Robert Cameron among the earliest of these settlers’ names. Robert, as assessor, took that 1842 census, signing it on 9 Jan 1843 at Cap Sante, with a notation: “Andrew Mooney of Bourg Louis refused to give any statement of his family.”

Notice that Denis and later William Shanaghan settled in the same area, along with two McCarthy families (John and Michael). The years present data suggests the Denis Shanaghan family emigrated to Canada in 1825/26, while Cornelius’ (I’m still looking for a family connection) emigrated in 1829, and William’s in 1833. I now believe that Denis, Cornelius and William may be siblings (note the caution in my statement). As Denis and Catherine left Ireland with four children born there, I doubt they would have left a teenage son (William) behind, then named a second son William while the first survived.  Does this fit together?  Cornelius and his wife had a child before emigrating from Ireland, so I feel they would want to settle near welcoming family. I don’t think I’m stretching things much. I’ll have to look at commonality of names for the children of these three.

In an e-mail from fourth cousin Olav Den Ouden of Ontario I found more data. I had asked about Gramma Rowe’s brother William John Shanaghan, whether he was in the records held by Olav of St Patrick’s church in Quebec. The response didn’t have data on William John, but on two of his aunts, Margaret And Catherine, who married at St Patrick’s in Quebec City:

            Margaret Shanaghan m Denis O’Neil 25 June 1844

            Catherine Shanaghan m James McManus 6 June 1848

This helps to fill out the line a bit and identifies two additional surnames with probable living descendants, most likely still living near Quebec City. I’ve sorted out the long files Kathy and Olav sent and put the names in a rather large Family Tree Maker file; hopefully I can tie it to my Shanaghan, McCarthy line. I’ll need to do more research in Ste Catherine parish, but for now will await the arrival of copies of their marriage records from Montreal.