Hi Beth! Great to see you!

I was just in a chatroom. Jim Avery mentioned that you do Irish>Canada research. This is one of my areas to research - on 6 lines. I see by your surnames that they are not the same as mine though: ABERNETHY, FERGUSON, STRONG, RAMSAY, BELL and unknown maiden name to date. They all came in the mid 1800's to Ontario/Quebec and settled in the Kingston area.
I just joined the Ireland and Irish ancestry goup attached here.
Perhaps we can help each other.
Ellen Conrad
Alberta, Canada

Hi Ellen,
Yes, my HOWLANDs and MURPHYs came from Wexford. They were married in 1857 in St Mary's Cathedral in Kingston, Ontario. When I wrote to the church for their marriage record, the secretary also included the names of their parents! I love Canadian records! I have SMITH from Co Meath & CAVANAGH from Co Westmeath who were married about 1842 in Brockville, Ontario. I've done research in both Canada and Ireland. Helping each other sounds fine to me. I have many reference books on Ireland and one on Canada.

Hey Beth - I received a comment or question generated by your chat. So I am refering it on to you. Here goes.

Hi Jim - not sure that this is the right place for me to post this message - apologies if it's not!
My great-grandparents Arthur and Anne O'Connor (ne McCrossan) emigrated from Newtownstewart, Co. Tyrone, Ireland in 1886 with their infant son, leaving their daughter Cassie (my grandmother) behind to be brought up with her maternal grandparents. Their son and three other children died in infancy - 3 were buried in St. Denis' Cemetery ,Havertown, Delaware County; the other in Cathedral Cemetery. They had two daughters who survived into adulthood - Mary J. O'Connor (born sometime between 1886-1888) and Anna (born sometime between 1890-1896). Arthur was a carpenter - the family first lived in 859 Brooklyn Ave., Philadelphia and later in 4249 Westminster Avenue. Arthur died in march 1925 and was buried at St. Denis. The last mention I can find of his daughter Anna was in his Naturalisation papers from 1916. She may have left home and got married - there is an Anna Ford of the correct age buried in St. Denis - could be her? Anne & Mary J. lost their home (Westminster Ave) in the Depression in 1937 and may have moved out of the city. I would love to know more if anyone can help!

Hey Beth - I see a Jen McBride just joined GenWise. She popped into chat just before I logged on this morning. She one of yours?

Hey again - I see the fellow's name who left the comment on your chat didn't show up. He is a member here and his name is Gerry Kirk.