Friday, August 19, 2016

Oops I Goofed With My Irish Ancestors!

In 2010 I posted about my Irish ancestors. I listed them as:

* William Massey from Delgany, Wicklow Ireland arrived Quebec before 1843. 3rd g grandpa.

* William Montgomery (4th g grpa) from Co Fermanagh left Ireland during War of 1812 with his parents Thomas Montgomery and Mary Johnson (5th g grandparents). They were captured by British off coast of Newfoundland and held prisoners until 1816 then sent to Quebec. Later Thomas and Mary left for Oneida Co. New York but William remained in Quebec and married Jane Graham from Ireland.

* Jane Graham 4th g grandma.

* Cornelius Kennedy born Killarney and his wife Elizabeth Clifford (4th greats) born Co. Derry came to Ontario circa 1847 during Irish Famine. Their daughter Catherine Kennedy (3rd great) also born Ireland.

* Mary Jackson nee McKanor (4th g gramma) and son William Jackson (3rd g grandpa) from Tipperary sailed on Sir Robert Peel to New York in Oct. 1857. Came on to Ontario a few years later.

* James Hogan and wife Ann Hayden came to Ontario from Ireland ca 1843 4th g grandparents.

* James Holden, wife Frances Hamilton (4th g grandparents), son Sinclair Holden (3rd g grandpa) came from Co. Tyrone, Ireland between 1822 and 1826 to Whitby Ontario.

But guess what? I was WRONG about a few of them!

* Cornelius Kennedy born Killarney and his wife Elizabeth Clifford (4th greats) born Co. Derry came to Ontario circa 1847 during Irish Famine. Their daughter Catherine Kennedy (3rd great) also born Ireland.

UPDATE: Wrong family! Further research revealed that their daughter Catherine Kennedy married John Kean, not my ancestor Thomas Walker Elgie. My Catherine Kennedy was the daughter of Peter and Mary Kennedy from Kerry, Ireland.

* Mary Jackson nee McKanor (4th g gramma) and son William Jackson (3rd g grandpa) from Tipperary sailed on Sir Robert Peel to New York in Oct. 1857. Came on to Ontario a few years later.

UPDATE:  Research has found her maiden name is Moynahan/Minahan. I've since found her marriage to my 4th great grandfather Michael Jackson and many other records for this family.

* James Holden, wife Frances Hamilton (4th g grandparents), son Sinclair Holden (3rd g grandpa) came from Co. Tyrone, Ireland between 1822 and 1826 to Whitby Ontario.

UPDATE:  Wrong family!  DNA testing proved that I am not a Holden. That's right. My great-grandfather Bristol Holden was not my biological great-grandfather. What a shock! See the article DNA Gave My Husband a Completely Different Great Grandfather
for the details on what DNA showed, and how we proved the connection to an entirely new great-grandfather, Gordon Alfred Cooper.

 If you haven't had your DNA test done yet, see  Ancestry DNA Kit for USA  or Ancestry DNA for Canada

For other ideas on reviewing past research, see

Everyone Makes Mistakes: Why You Should Review Your Research Notes