Mahedy Family newsletter - 1991-96
1991-96
3M
MAHEDY-MCKAY
MULLARCKY
VOLUME VI
MARCH 1991
DAN TOUSE
RD1, BOX 1269
MARYLAND, NY 12116
MARCH 1991
3M VI
TOP 'O THE DAY TO YA! WELL ANOTHER YEAR HAS PASSED US BY AND
THE SHAMROCKS WILL SOON BE SPROUTING IN EVERY STORE WINDOW, CITIES
WILL BE ANNOUNCING THE PARADES, AND O'TOUSE'S MULLARKEY WILL BE
CLUTTERING YOUR MAILBOXES. SPRING IS AROUND THE CORNER BRINGING A
PROMISE OF BETTER TIMES TO COME.
IT HAS NOT BEEN THE BEST OF YEARS FOR THE FAMILY, YOUR
WRITER, OR INDEED, FOR THE WORLD. IT IS SAD TO REALIZE IN THIS DAY
AND AGE CIVILIZED SOCIETY STILL FINDS IT NECESSARY TO GO TO WAR TO
SOLVE ITS PROBLEMS. WE CAN ONLY HOPE AND PRAY FOR A RAPID END TO
THE WAR WITH A MINIMAL LOSS OF LIFE ON ALL SIDES. CLOSER TO HOME
THE FAMILY HAS SUFFERRED THE LOSS OF JOE BUTLER, OF WHOM I HAVE
WRITTEN SO MUCH; EDITH MCKAY ZINZAC; AND MARY MCKAY DECKER, MY
BELOVED AUNT AND GODMOTHER. IN ADDITION, MY GREAT UNCLE, ERNIE
NEWCOMB, BROTHER OF MY GRANDMOTHER MARGARET NEWCOMB MCKAY,
ALSO
DIED LAST SUMMER. YOURS TRULY WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FROM SEPTEMBER
25 - JANUARY 10. (DON'T ASK)
RESEARCH HAS BEEN A VIRTUAL BUST! I DID MANAGE TO COMPUTERIZE
A GOOD PORTION OF MY GENEALOGICAL RECORDS. I COULD NOT VENTURE A
GUESS AS TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RECORDS ON FILE. ONE FILE ON ONE
BRANCH OF MY FATHER'S SIDE HAS @800 NAMES! MY FILE OF DIRECT
ANCESTORS HAS 330+ RECORDS SPANNING SOME 16 GENERATIONS! IF ALL
THE UNKNOWNS WERE FILLED IN THE NUMBER WOULD BE OVER 100,000! THE
MAHEDY-MCKAY DISK IS FULL WITH OVER 600 RECORDS, THOUGH FAR FROM
COMPLETE. UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS A "BUG" IN THE PROGRAM WHICH
PREVENTS ME FROM EXTRACTING THE DATA! I ALSO HAVE THE LAST FEW
3M'S ON FILE AND SHOULD HAVE ALL PREVIOUS EDITIONS ON FILE BEFORE
SUMMER. SON MICHAEL PATRICK SERVES AS MY TECHNICAL CONSULTANT. WE
STILL HAVE NOT PUT TOGETHER A POLISHED PROGRAM TO MAKE 3M APPEAR A
MORE PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION. HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR'S EDITION WILL
BE MORE REFINED.
IN ANY EVENT, I HAVE THROWN TOGETHER ANOTHER HODGE-PODGE OF
GENEALOGICAL AND IRISH TRIVIA WHICH I HOPE YOU WILL FIND INTER-ESTING
AND/OR INFORMATIVE. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADIEU I'LL CLOSE
BIDDING YOU AND YOURS ALL A VERY
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY
ERIN GO BRAGH!!!
DAN
DEDICATION
THE EARLIEST MEMORIES OF MY LIFE BEGIN AS A TODDLER IN A HOUSE
ON 94 FULTON ST., AUBURN, THAT HAD ONCE BELONGED TO MY GRANDFATHER,
JOHN D. MCKAY, BUT THEN BELONGED TO MY AUNT MARY AND UNCLE JACK.
I CAN SEE THEM AS CLEARLY AS IF IT WAS YESTERDAY. MY OLDER SISTER,
"MIDGE" TO THE AUBURNIANS, WAS IN THE ROOM WITH ME. I COULD NOT
HAVE BEEN MORE THAN TWO OR THREE, IF THAT. WE OFTEN VISITED THERE
AND OCCASIONALLY STAYED OVER. I REMEMBER THE BIRTH OF MY COUSINS
KATHY AND JOHNNY AND THE FAMILY'S MOVE TO 2 STANDART AVE, ON THE
CORNER OF NORTH ST., JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM THE NEWCOMBS AND
MALONEYS. IT SEEMS I SPENT PART OF ALMOST EVERY SUMMER IN AUBURN
WITH EITHER AUNT MARY OR HER SISTER, AUNT JEAN. THEY WERE VERY
HAPPY TIMES WHICH I SHALL ALWAYS CHERISH. I REMEMBER TOO WHEN MY
YOUNGER COUSINS MARGARET AND MAUREEN WERE BORN. AUNT MARY
HELPED
A GOOD DEAL IN THE EARLY YEARS OF MY FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH AND
WAS PARTICULARLY HELPFUL TO ME AFTER AUNT MAY DIED. SHE ALWAYS
HAD
A SMILE AND A WONDERFUL SENSE OF HUMOR. ABOVE ALL, SHE HAD A
DEEP LOVE OF FAMILY AND WE SHALL MISS HER VERY MUCH. I WOULD LIKE
TO DEDICATE THIS EDITION OF "3M" TO THE MEMORY OF MY DEAR AUNT,
MARY MCKAY DECKER.
***
IN MEMORIUM
JOSEPH MILTON BUTLER - 99 - LOWVILLE, NY., 8 SEPT 90
JOSEPH WAS BORN IN ROME, NY, 1 JUNE 1891, SON OF SOLOMON AND
ESTHER ANN MAHEDY BUTLER. THE FAMILY SOON MOVED TO AVA AND IN 1895
MOVED WITH THE POHL MFG. CO. TO VERONA ST., VERNON, NY. ON 10 APR
1926 HE MARRIED BERNICE SENECAL AND HAD TWO DAUGHTERS: BARBARA
(MARTIN) OF LOWVILLE, AND SHIRLEY (GASSNER) OF NEW HARTFORD, NY.
BY TRADE HE WAS A DRAFTSMAN AND MACHINIST. HE WAS ALSO A HUNTING
ENTHUSIAST. AT AGE 95 HE WAS STILL ABLE TO GO OUT TO A HUNTING
CAMP WITH A GROUP OF COMRADES WITH WHOM HE HAD HUNTED FOR 40+
YEARS
AND JOKINGLY REFERRED TO HIMSELF AS "THE MIGHTY DEERSLAYER"!
BESIDES HIS DAUGHTERS HE IS SURVIVED BY NINE GRANDCHILDREN AND 11
GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.
JOE IS NO STRANGER TO "3M" READERS. HIS INFLUENCE AND
ASSISTANCE TO THIS WRITER HAVE BEEN PROFOUND, AS WILL BE HIS
MEMORY. HE WAS THE LAST OF HIS GENERATION OF THE MAHEDY CLAN AND
WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM.
EDITH MCKAY ZINZAC - 82 - HAMBURG, NY MAY 1990
EDITH WAS BORN IN VERNON, NY, @1908, DAUGHTER OF FRANK
AND CLARA MYERS MCKAY. SHE WAS THE LAST SURVIVING MEMBER OF THE
FRANK MCKAY FAMILY. EDITH IS SURVIVED BY A DAUGHTER, MARYLOU BEERS
OF HAMBURG; A GRANDSON; AND SEVERAL NEICES, NEPHEWS, AND COUSINS IN
THE SHERILL-ONEIDA VICINITY.
MARY MCKAY DECKER -69- AUBURN, NY; WEDNESDAY, 24 OCT 1990;
MARY WAS BORN IN AUBURN, NY, 05 SEPT 1921, DAUGHTER OF
JOHN D. AND MARY NEWCOMB MCKAY. AFTER THE DEATH OF HER MOTHER IN
1924 SHE WAS RAISED IN THE MCKAY HOMESTEAD IN VERNON, NY. SHE
MARRIED JOHN DECKER ON 22 FEB 1941 IN VERNON AND MOVED TO AUBURN
SHORTLY THEREAFTER. SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND; THREE
DAUGHTERS, KATHLEEN JUPIN, MARGARET DECKER, AND MAUREEN SIMPSON,
AND SON JOHN D., ALL OF AUBURN; TWO SISTERS, JEAN COSTELLO OF
AUBURN AND KATHLEEN TOUSE OF ONEIDA, NY; THREE AUNTS, ELLEN
NEWCOMB, BERNICE NEWCOMB CASPER, AND JOAN NEWCOMB LIVINGSTON,
ALL
OF AUBURN; THREE UNCLES, REV. BERNARD NEWCOMB OF ROCHESTER, FRANK
NEWCOMB OF AUBURN, AND FIDELIS NEWCOMB OF ALBANY, NY; AND TWO
GRANDCHILDREN. SHE WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED BY ALL WHO KNEW
HER.
***
DONAHUE
I HAVE BEGUN A RANDOM SEARCH OF THE 1842 CENSUS OF QUEBEC
PROVINCE FOR OUR 3M ANCESTORS. SINCE THE RETURNS FOR MANY OF THE
TOWNS ARE MISSING THIS EFFORT IS LITTLE BETTER THAN A SHOT IN THE
DARK, BUT UNTIL I CAN FIND A MORE EFFICIENT (CHEAP) APPROACH IT IS
BETTER THAN NOTHING. I HAVE FOUND A COUPLE OF DONAHUES IN THE
MONTREAL VICINITY WHO MIGHT BE CONNECTED BUT SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE
SUFFICIENT DATA TO REACH ANY CONCLUSIONS.
IN THE PREVIOUS ISSUE I MENTIONED THAT COUSIN J.P.DONAHUE
(ALFRED MAHEDY LINE) INDICATED THAT THE DONAHUES DESCEND FROM
BRIAN
BORU, IRELAND'S GREATEST KING, BUT I HAD NO DOCUMENTATION. I STILL
DO NOT HAVE THE SPECIFIC DOCUMENTATION I HAD HOPED TO PRESENT BUT
JIM RECENTLY SENT SOME INFORMATION WHICH MAY BE OF INTEREST.
BRIAN BORU
HIGH KING OF IRELAND, 1002-1014
TEIGE (d. 1023) DONNCHAD, KING OF
MUNSTER, 1023-64
DEARBFORGAIL, m.
DERMOT, KING OF
LEINSTER & HIGH
KING (d.1072)
TURLOUGH, KING OF MURCHAD, KING OF
MUNSTER 1064-86; HIGH LEINSTER,(d.1090)
KING; 1072-86
DERMOT, KING OF MUNSTER DONCHAD, KING OF
1116-20 LEINSTER (d.1115)
ENNA, KING OF
LEINSTER (d.1126)
TURLOUGH, KING OF THOMOND, DERMOT MACMURROUGH
1142-1167 KING OF LEINSTER
(d.1171)
DONNELL MOR m. URLACHAN, (dau of AOIFE m. RICHARD
DERMOT MACMURROUGH) KING OF STRONGBOW, EARL
THOMOND, (d. 1194) OF PEMBROKE
DONOUGH CAIRBREACH, KING OF THO- ISABEL m. Wm. MAR-
MOND 1239-42 SHALL, EARL OF
PEMBROKE
CONOR NA SUIDANE, KING OF THO- EVA m. Wm. DE
MOND 1242-58 BRAOSE
TEIGE CAELUISCE, KING OF MAUD m. ROGER MOR-
THOMOND 1258-59 TIMER
TURLOUGH, KING OF THOMOND EDMUND MORTIMER,
(d. 1306) 1st LORD MORTIMER
ROGER MORTIMER,
1st EARL OF MARCH
MORTOGH, KING OF THOMOND
1307-43 SIR EDMOND MORTI-
MER
MAHON MOIMOY, KING OF THO-
MOND 1343-69 ROGER MORTIMER,
2nd EARL OF MARCH
BRIAN CATHA AN EANAIGH
KING OF THOMOND 1370-99 EDMUND MORTIMER,
3rd EARL OF MARCH
TURLOUGH BOG, KING OF THO- (d. 1382)
MOND 1446-59
ROGER MORTIMER,
4th EARL (d.1398)
TEIGE AN CHOMARD, KING OF
THOMOND 1461-66 LADY ANNE MORTIMER
m. RICHARD, EARL
TURLOUGH DON, KING OF THO- OF CAMBRIDGE
MOND 1499-1528
RICHARD, DUKE OF
MACMURROUGH, LAST KING OF YORK
THOMOND 1540-43; 1st EARL
OF THOMOND & LORD INCHIQUIN EDWARD IV
(d. 1551)
ELIZABETH OF YORK
DERMOD O'BRIEN, 2nd LORD INCH- m. HENRY VII
IQUIN (d. 1557)
MARGARET m. JAMES
MURROUGH O'BRIEN, 3rd LORD IV, KING OF SCOTS
INCHIQUIN (d. 1573)
JAMES V
MURROUGH O'BRIEN, 4th LORD
INCHIQUIN (d. 1597) MARY, QUEEN OF
SCOTS m. HENRY,
DERMOT O'BRIEN, 5th LORD LORD DARLEY
INCHIQUIN (d. 1624)
JAMES VI & I
MARY (SISTER OF 1st EARL OF
INCHIQUIN) m. DR. MICHAEL ELIZABETH m. FRED-
BOYLE, ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH ERICK, KING OF
BOHEMIA
ELEANOR BOYLE m. WILLIAM HILL
SOPHIA m. ERNEST
MICHAEL HILL OF HILLSBOROUGH AUGUSTUS, ELECTOR
OF HANOVER;
ARTHUR HILL, 1st VISCOUNT
DUNGANNON GEORGE I
GEORGE II
HON. ANNE HILL (d. 1831) m.
GARRET WELLESLEY, 1st EARL FREDERICK, PRINCE
OF MORNINGTON
GEORGE III
RICHARD WELLESLEY, MARQUES
WELLESLEY; (BRO. OF ARTHUR, EDWARD, DUKE OF
1st DUKE OF WELLINGTON & P.M.) KENT
ANNE WELLESLEY m. LORD WILLIAM QUEEN VICTORIA m.
CHARLES AUGUSTUS CAVENDISH- ALBERT OF SAXE-
BENTINCK (d. 1826) COBURG & GOTHA,
PRINCE CONSORT
REV. CHARLES WM. FREDERICK CAV-
ENDISH-BENTINCK (d. 1865) EDWARD VII
NINA CECILIA CAVENDISH-BENTINCK GEORGE V
m. CLAUDE GEORGE BOWES-LYON,
14th EARL OF STATHMORE & KING-
HORNE;
LADY ELIZABETH BOWES-LYON m. KING GEORGE VI
QUEEN ELIZABETH II
OBVIOUSLY THERE IS ENOUGH HISTORY IN THE ABOVE PEDIGREE TO
FILL A LIBRARY. A FEW YEARS AGO I WAS OVERWHELMED TO DISCOVER MY
GRANDMOTHER, MADGE BLISS TOUSE, ALSO DESCENDED FROM BRIAN BORU
AND
SHARES AT LEAST THE FIRST TWELVE GENERATIONS ON DONNCHAD'S LINE!
DONNCHAD HAD ANOTHER SON, DOMNAHL (DONALD), WHO TOOK THE
SURNAME
DONNCHADHA O'DONNCHADHA, WHICH BECAME O'DONOGHUE AFTER THE NOR-
MAN INVASIONS. DONNCHAD, SON OF BRIAN, HAD HIS CROWN USURPED BY
HIS NEPHEW, TURLOUGH, WHO BECAME HIGH KING OF IRELAND. THE
O'DONAHUES CONTROLLED PORTIONS OF DESMOND, OR SOUTH MUNSTER, IN
PRESENT DAY CORK AND KERRY. AT THE TIME OF THE NORMAN INVASION
THEY ALSO SHARED CONTROL OF CASHEL IN TIPPERARY WITH THE
MACCARTHY'S AND O'SULLIVANS. THEY ALL WERE LATER (1168) FORCED
SOUTH TO CORK AND KERRY BY THE O'BRIENS. THIS KINGDOM EXTENDED
FROM LISMORE IN CO. WATERFORD TO BRANDON HEAD IN CO. KERRY. FOR
SOME TIME THE O'DONOGHUES AND MACCARTHYS LIVED AT BLARNEY UNTIL A
DISPUTE FORCED THE O'DONOGHUES TO MOVE TO GLENFLISK! IT SHOULD BE
REMEMBERED THAT IT IS STILL UNCERTAIN IF OUR ANCESTOR PATRICK
DONAHUE BELONGED TO THIS SAME O'DONOGHUE CLAN. HOWEVER, SINCE
THERE WERE ONLY TWO MAJOR CLANS THE ODDS WOULD SEEM TO BE ABOUT
FIFTY-FIFTY.
MURCHAD, SON OF DEARBFORGAIL, IS ANCESTOR OF ONE OF THE MAJOR
MURPHY CLANS. UNLIKE THE DONAHUES, THERE ARE MANY DISTINCT MURPHY
SEPTS. THE HUSBAND OF MURCHAD'S GR.,GR.,GRANDAUGHTER, AOIFE (EVA),
IS NOT A CHERISHED NAME IN IRISH HISTORY. RICHARD STRONGBOW WAS A
PRINCIPLE FIGURE IN THE NORMAN INVASION AND LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE DEFEAT OF THE IRISH. WHETHER THE MARRIAGE WAS POLITICAL OR
GENUINE ROMANCE IS UNKNOWN. NEVERTHELESS IT SEEMS SOMEWHAT
IRONIC
THAT BRIAN BORU, WHO SPENT HIS LIFE TRYING TO DRIVE OUT FOREIGN
INVADERS, SHOULD END UP ANCESTOR OF SO MANY OF THOSE WHO TRIED FOR
CENTURIES TO DESTROY THE IRISH RACE. INCIDENTALLY THE BRITISH
ROYAL FAMILY ALSO DESCENDS FROM CONN OF THE ONE HUNDRED BATTLES
MENTIONED IN A PREVIOUS ISSUE.
(N.B. - THE ABOVE PEDIGREE, VIS A VIS THE O'DONOHUES, DOES
NOT AGREE WITH THAT PUBLISHED IN VOL. V OF "3M". I HAVE CHECKED
OTHER SOURCES WHICH LIST DONAHUE AS A EUGENIAN OR OWENACHT CLAN
AND
SUPPORT THE "3M" PEDIGREE. BRIAN BORU AND HIS DESCENDANTS WOULD BE
DAL CASSIAN CLANS! THE ABOVE PEDIGREE IS ACCURATE AS PRESENTED.
I'LL CHECK FURTHER.)
MCKAY
RESEARCH ON THE MCKAYS WAS NO MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN IT WAS ON
THE DONAHUES. THERE WERE A FEW MCKAYS IN MONTREAL WHO MIGHT BE
RELATED, BUT AGAIN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH DATA TO DRAW ANY
CONCLU-SIONS. THERE WAS A DAVID MCKAY WHO WAS OLD ENOUGH TO BE
THE FATHER
OF OUR THOMAS BUT THE TEN FAMILY MEMBERS ALL BELONGED TO EITHER
THE
CHURCH OF SCOTLAND OR THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, SO IT IS DOUBTFUL.
THERE WAS ALSO A WM. MCKAY FAMILY WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED.
FORTUNATELY SISTER "JUG" (KATHY) GAVE MY MOTHER A BIOGRAPHY OF
IRVING BERLIN - AS THOUSANDS CHEER - FOR CHRISTMAS WHICH MY MOTHER
LOANED TO ME. CHAPTER 10 IS ENTITLED "MACKAY'S MILLIONS" AND WAS
QUITE FASCINATING.
READERS MAY RECALL THAT IT IS BELIEVED THAT OUR MCKAYS ARE
SAID TO HAVE BEEN COUSINS OF IRVING'S WIFE, ELLIN MACKAY. MY BEST
GUESS IS THAT ELLIN'S GRANDFATHER, JOHN MACKAY, AND OUR THOMAS
MCKAY WERE FIRST OR SECOND COUSINS. JOHN WAS BORN IN DUBLIN IN
1831 AND CAME WITH HIS FAMILY TO NYC IN 1840. I HAVE NOT YET
LEARNED HIS PARENTS' NAMES BUT HIS FATHER DIED IN NYC IN 1842
CAUSING JOHN TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL TO HELP SUPPORT HIS MOTHER. AS
MENTIONED IN AN EARLIER ISSUE JOHN EVENTUALLY WORKED HIS WAY TO
CALIFORNIA AND THEN TO NEVADA. HE STRUGGLED THERE FOR SEVERAL
YEARS BEFORE HE BECAME ONE OF FOUR INVESTORS IN THE FAMED COM-
STOCK LODE SILVER MINES; AN ORIGINAL "BONANZA BARON". HE BECAME
GOOD FRIENDS WITH A YOUNG REPORTER BY THE NAME OF SAMUEL CLEMENS
(MARK TWAIN)! HE ALSO FELL IN LOVE AND MARRIED.
AT THE AGE OF SIXTEEN MARIE LOUISE HUNGERFFORD HAD MARRIED A
COUNTRY DOCTOR NAMED EDMUND BRYANT, COUSIN OF THE POET WM.
CULLEN
BRYANT. EDMUND WAS AN OPPORTUNIST WHO MOVED HIS FAMILY TO NEVADA
BUT BECAME INVOLVED WITH DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, WANDERED OFF AND
DIED,
LEAVING MARIE IMPOVERISHED WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN. SHE MANAGED
TO
SUBSIST BY TEACHING FRENCH. ONE CHILD DIED AND THE SURVIVING
DAUGHTER WAS AN INVALID. AT THE AGE OF NINTEEN SHE MET AND MARRIED
JOHN MACKAY WHO WAS THEN THIRTY-SIX. FOR SEVERAL YEARS THEY LIVED
IN A PRIMITIVE MOUNTAINSIDE CABIN JUST OUTSIDE VIRGINIA CITY.
THEIR FIRST SON, WILLIE, WAS ACTUALLY BORN IN A VIRGINIA CITY MINE
WHEN MARIE UNEXPECTEDLY WENT INTO LABOR. NOT LONG AFTER WILLIE'S
BIRTH MARIE FELT THEY WERE ENTITLED TO MORE IN LIFE AND SO THE THE
FAMILY WENT ON A GRAND TOUR OF EUROPE. UPON RETURNING MARIE
DECIDED SHE WANTED TO LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO. JOHN CONTINUED TO
LIVE MODESTLY AND WORK NEAR THE MINES, THOUGH HE INDULGED MARIE'S
EVERY WHIM. THEIR SECOND SON, CLARENCE H. MACKAY, ("CLARIE") WAS
BORN IN SAN FRANCISCO 17 APRIL 1874.
MARIE TIRED OF 'FRISCO AND SET UP ELABORATE QUARTERS IN PARIS
WHERE SHE WAS PROMINENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS. HOWEVER, SHE BECAME
ANGRY WITH THE FRENCH BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW HER TO
CONVERT
THE ARC DE TRIOMPHE INTO A MEMORIAL TO PRESIDENT GRANT. MARIE
THREATENED TO BUY IT! WHEN GRANT CAME TO PARIS SHE HOSTED A BALL
IN HIS HONOR LASTING UNTIL FOUR IN THE MORNING. AFTER ANOTHER
CONTRAVERSARY SHE MOVED TO LONDON. WHILE MARIE SURROUNDED
HERSELF
IN LUXURY AND HIGH SOCIETY - INCLUDING ROYALTY, JOHN CONTINUED LIVE
AND WORK IN NEVADA. JOHN WAS BASICALLY A SHY MAN WHO CARED LITTLE
FOR EXTRAVAGANCE AND "HIGH SOCIETY". WHILE HE SEEMED TO INDULGE
MARIE'S EVERY WHIM, HE DID NOT EVEN REBUILD HIS HOME AFTER IT
BURNED DOWN; HE SLEPT IN AN OFFICE OF A BUSINESS ASSOCIATE! FOR
RECREATION HE BOXED A FEW ROUNDS THREE TIMES A WEEK. HE WAS
GENUINELY LIKED AND RESPECTED BY HIS MEN. JOHN WOULD VISIT MARIE
IN LONDON ONCE A YEAR. HE DETESTED ENGLAND NOT ONLY BECAUSE HE
HAD
LITTLE TOLERANCE FOR THE SUPERFICIALITY OF HIS WIFE'S SOCIAL
CIRCLE, BUT HE CARRIED THE AGE OLD HATRED THE IRISH BORE FOR THE
ENGLISH. BEFORE LEAVING FOR LONDON JOHN WOULD PREARRANGE WITH HIS
BUSINESS MANAGER TO HAVE A CABLE SENT CALLING HIM HOME ON URGENT
BUSINESS.
IN 1893 JOHN WAS THE VICTIM OF AN ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION BY
A MAN ENRAGED BECAUSE THE MONEY SPENT ON MARIE'S LATEST NECKLACE
COULD FEED HUNDREDS OF HUNGARY FAMILIES. MARIE AND THE CHILDREN
RUSHED HOME FROM EUROPE TO BE WITH HIM. JOHN SURVIVED. IT WAS
ABOUT THIS TIME THAT THE SILVER MINES WERE BECOMING DEPLETED SO
JOHN BEGAN TO BRANCH OUT. WITH A MAN NAMED J. BENNETT, OWNER OF
THE NEW YORK HERALD, HE FORMED THE COMMERCIAL CABLE COMPANY.
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE COMPANY STEAMER, THE MACKAY-BENNETT,
BEGAN
LAYING CABLE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC. THE VENTURE WAS GIVEN LITTLE
CHANCE FOR SUCCESS BECAUSE IT WOULD BE COMPETING AGAINST JAY
GOULD'S WESTERN UNION. BUT SUCCEED IT DID, THUS BREAKING THE GOULD
MONOPOLY.
UNFORTUNATELY, WILLIE AND CLARIE WERE RAISED ALMOST ENTIRELY
BY THEIR MOTHER AND ACQUIRED HER SENSE OF VALUES. ENGULFED IN
WEALTH THEY HAD PRIVATE TUTORS AND WERE SAID TO LIVE BETTER THAN
THE CHILDREN OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. THE SNOBBISH ELITISM AND BIGOTRY
OF MARIE'S SUPERFICIAL SOCIETY BECAME THEIR REALITY. THE BOYS
NEVER LEARNED THE NECESSITY OR VALUE OF HONEST LABOR AS THEIR
FATHER HAD HAD TO. IN OCTOBER 1895 JOHN RECEIVED A CABLE THROUGH
HIS OWN COMPANY INFORMING HIM OF THE DEATH OF HIS SON WILLIE. HE
LATER LEARNED WILLIE HAD DIED AS THE RESULT OF A POLO ACCIDENT.
CLARIE WAS BROUGHT HOME TO BEGIN TO LEARN THE FAMILY BUSINESS.
THERE WAS UNDOUBTEDLY A DEGREE OF CULTURE SHOCK FOR CLARIE IN THIS
TRANSITION, BUT SINCE BOTH PARENTS WERE INTERNATIONALLY PROMINENT,
HE MANAGED. BY 1898 HE MARRIED TO "KITTY" DUER, A FLIGHTY
SOCIALITE FROM A FAIRLY DISTINGUISHED NYC FAMILY. FOR A WEDDING
PRESENT JOHN GAVE THEM A MANSION ON THE CREST OF WHEATLEY HILLS IN
ROSLYN, LONG ISLAND. THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR, SQUARE MILE ESTATE
CONSISTED OF AN INDOOR TENNIS COURT, SWIMMING POOL, AND SQUASH
COURT. BECAUSE OF THE SPECTACULAR VIEW OVERLOOKING THE BAY, IT WAS
DUBBED "HARBOR HILL". CLARENCE ACQUIRED OTHER PROPERTIES AS WELL
BUT HARBOR HILL BECAME THE SEAT OF THE MACKAY FAMILY. HE WAS
SUCCESSFUL IN RECREATING THE SUPERFICIAL WORLD AND LIFE IN WHICH HE
WAS RAISED AND SEEMED TO PREFER PLAYING POLO TO WORK. THEIR FIRST
CHILD, "K" (CATHERINE), WAS BORN IN 1900. TWO YEARS LATER, ON 20
JUL 1902, JOHN MACKAY DIED OF PNEUMONIA IN LONDON LEAVING AN ESTATE
OF 30-60 MILLION, AS WELL AS HIS COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY NOW KNOWN
AS THE POSTAL TELAGRAPH AND CABLE COMPANY. WHILE CLARIE WORKED TO
COMPLETE PLANS AND PROJECTS HIS FATHER HAD IN PROGRESS IT WAS
EVIDENT HE HAD LITTLE HEAD FOR BUSINESS. HE REFUSED DAVID
SARNOFF'S REQUEST FOR A MEAGER TEN THOUSAND DOLLAR INVESTMENT.
SARNOFF FELT THAT HOME RADIO MIGHT BECOME THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE.
MACKAY THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST THE SCHEME OF ANOTHER UPSTART JEW.
SARNOFF EVENTUALLY CONVINCED RCA TO INVEST IN RADIOS AND LATER
ROSE
TO HEAD THE COMPANY. MARCONI ALSO APPROACHED MACKAY FOR BACKING
IN
WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS BUT MACKAY THOUGHT EVEN LESS OF ITALIANS
THAN HE DID OF JEWS. YEARS BEFORE HIS HALF-SISTER HAD MARRIED AN
ITALIAN COUNT WHO PROVED TO BE A WORTHLESS OPPORTUNIST AND CLARIE
CONCLUDED ALL ITALIANS WERE ALIKE. THUS CLARIE LOST OUT ON TWO
MAJOR INVESTMENTS TO ENHANCE HIS PERSONAL AND BUSINESS POSITION.
ELLIN MACKAY WAS BORN AT HARBOR HILL ON 22 MAR 1903. SHE WAS
RAISED IN THIS SUPERFICIAL ENVIRONMENT, GIVEN EVERY ADVANTAGE AND
THE BEST OF EVERTHING, INCLUDING PRIVATE TUTORS AND SCHOOLS. WHILE
SHE CHERISHED HER FATHER AND COULD NOT HELP BEING OVERWHELMED BY
THE BEAUTY AND MAJESTY OF HARBOR HILL, THIS YOUNG LADY WHO DINED
WITH THE PRINCE OF WALES (EDWARD VI) IN HER OWN HOME WAS KEENLY
AWARE OF THE SHALLOWNESS OF "HIGH SOCIETY" AND FREQUENTLY WROTE
ABOUT IT IN HER EARLY BOOKS AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES. ELLIN WAS
FIERCELY INDEPENDENT. SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE INTELLECTUALLY ELITE
OF NEW YORK AND BECAME A WRITER FOR THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE. HER
FATHER WAS APPAULED WHEN HE LEARNED THEIR MIGHT BE A ROMANCE
BREWING WITH THAT NO ACCOUNT SONGWRITER IRVING BERLIN. THAT
JAZZMAN!
A JEW!!! HE DID EVERYTHING HE COULD TO BREAK UP THE RELATIONSHIP,
INCLUDING TAKING HER ON A YEAR LONG TRIP AROUND THE WORLD. BUT
TIME AND DISTANCE DID NOT DO THE TRICK. THE DECISION TO MARRY CAME
ABOUT QUICKLY. ON MONDAY MORNING 4 JAN 1926 IRVING CALLED ELLIN
AND ASKED HER TO MARRY HIM THAT DAY. MAYOR "JIMMY" WALKER WAS
BEGINNING HIS FIRST TERM THANKS, PERHAPS, TO A BERLIN TUNE. THEY
TRIED TO MARRY IN SECRET AT CITY HALL. THE MARRIAGE CLERK DID NOT
WANT TO DELAY HIS LUNCH BREAK BUT THEY DID FINALLY GET MARRIED.
THE PRESS HAD A FIELD DAY. WHEN WORD REACHED CLARIE HE VIRTUALLY
DISOWNED HER. ELLIN WAS WRITTEN OUT OF HIS WILL; HER ALLOWANCE WAS
TERMINATED. THIS CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND WAS QUITE PAINFUL
FOR ELLIN.
CLARIE WAS NOT WITHOUT PROBLEMS OF HIS OWN. "KITTY" HAD RUN
OFF WITH A PROMINENT, MARRIED, NEW YORK DOCTOR. THEY EVENTUALLY
MARRIED. CLARIE REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE DIVORCE ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS
EVEN THOUGH HE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN AFFAIR FOR SOME TIME. KITTY
DIED YOUNG OF CANCER. CLARIE SEEMED GENUINELY MOVED. HE ALSO
ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS IN BUSINESS AND FINANCE. EVENTUALLY HE
MERGED
POSTAL CABLE WITH IT&T, SETTLING FOR STOCK INSTEAD OF CASH. HE
ALSO BECAME PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF IT&T. THEN CAME
THE STOCK MARKET CRASH. CLARENCE MACKAY HAD THE DISTINCTION OF
BEING THE HEAVIEST LOSER OF ANY INDIVIDUAL IN THE MARKET. HARBOR
HILL BECAME POPULARLY KNOWN AS "HEARTBREAK HOTEL"! CLARIE HAD TO
SELL OR AUCTION VIRTUALLY ALL THE CONTENTS, CLOSE IT DOWN, AND MOVE
INTO THE SERVANTS "COTTAGE" - A MANSION BY NORMAL STANDARDS.
IRVING GAVE HIM A MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP PRESERVE HIS STANDARD OF
LIVING. THE RIFT BETWEEN ELLIN AND HER FATHER ENDED BUT IT CAN NOT
REALLY BE SAID THAT CLARIE EVER TRUELY ACCEPTED IRVING.
THERE WAS SOME INDICATION THAT BOTH CLARENCE AND JOHN HAD SOME
KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR IRISH ANCESTRY THOUGH THIS KNOWLEDGE DID NOT
APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWN TO ELLIN, BASED ON HER 1980 LETTER
TO ME. I WILL TRY TO CONTINUE PURSUING THIS LINE AS TIME PERMITS.
**********************************************************
MAHEDY-MORAN
THERE WAS NO SUCCESS IN THE 1842 CENSUS SEARCH. I DID FIND
THE CENSUS RETURNS FOR HEMINGSFORD BUT FOUND NO TRACE OF EITHER
FAMILY. THIS WOULD PROBABLY TEND TO CONFIRM THAT BOTH JOHN MAHEDY
AND CHARLES MORAN HAD SETTLED IN SHERRINGTON DIRECTLY UPON THEIR
ARRIVAL IN QUEBEC. MICHAEL AND PATRICK WERE PROBABLY STILL WORKING
ON THE BLACK RIVER CANAL IN 1842.
I ALSO FOUND SOME INFORMATION PERTAINING TO GEN. PHILIP
SHERIDAN IN A LETTER FROM ZORA TO WILLIAM P. MAHEDY DATED 5 MAR
1973. THOUGH IT SHEDS NO LIGHT ON ANY CONNECTION TO THE MAHEDY -
MORANS, IT MAY BE OF INTEREST. THE MATERIAL IS TAKEN FROM
SHERIDAN'S MEMOIRS WRITTEN IN 1888. IN THE PREFACE HE STATES:
"RESPECTFULLY DEDICATING THIS WORK TO MY COMRADES IN ARMS DURING
THE WAR OF REBELLION, I LEAVE IT AS A HERITAGE TO MY CHILDREN, AND
AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR THE FUTURE HISTORIAN." P.H.
SHERIDAN, AUG.2, 1888, MONQUITT, MASS.
"MY PARENTS, JOHN AND MARY SHERIDAN, CAME TO AMERICA IN 1830,
HAVING BEEN INDUCED BY REPRESENTATIONS OF MY FATHER'S UNCLE,
THOMAS GAINOR, THEN LIVING IN ALBANY, N.Y. THEY WERE BORN AND
REARED IN THE COUNTY CAVAN, IRELAND, WHERE FROM EARLY MANHOOD MY
FATHER HAD TILLED A LEASEHOLD ON THE ESTATE OF THE CHERRYMOUNT;
AND THE SALE OF THIS LEASEHOLD PROVIDED HIM WITH THE MEANS TO SEEK
A NEW HOME ACROSS THE SEA.
MY PARENTS WERE BLOOD RELATIONS - COUSINS IN THE 2ND DEGREE -
MY MOTHER WHOSE MAIDEN NAME WAS MINOR, HAVING DESCENDED FROM A
COLLATERAL BRANCH OF MY FATHER'S FAMILY. BEFORE LEAVING IRELAND
THEY HAD TWO CHILDREN, AND ON THE 6TH OF MARCH 1831, THE YEAR OF
THEIR ARRIVAL IN THIS COUNTRY, I WAS BORN IN ALBANY, N.Y., THE
THIRD CHILD IN A FAMILY WHICH EVENTUALLY INCREASED TO SIX - FOUR
BOYS AND TWO GIRLS."
"THE PROSPECTS IN ALBANY DID NOT MEET THEIR EXPECTATION, SO IN
1832 THEY MOVED TO THE VILLAGE OF SOMERSET, PERRY CO., OHIO, WHICH
SECTION IN THE EARLIEST DAYS OF THE STATE WERE COLONIZED FROM
PENNSYLVANIA AND MARYLAND. AT THIS TIME GREAT PUBLIC WORKS -
CANALS AND MACADAMIZED ROADS, WERE IN THE COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION.
MY FATHER TURNED HIS ATTENTION TO THEM. AFTER SOME EXPERIMENTING,
FATHER TOOK UP CONTRACTING AS A BUSINESS, WITH SOME GOOD FORTUNE
FOR A WHILE, BUT IN 1853, HIS SMALL SAVINGS WERE SWALLOWED UP IN
BANKRUPTCY CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE CIOTA AND HACKING VALLEY
R.R. CO., FOR WHICH HE WAS FULFILLING A CONTRACT. THIS DISASTER
LEFT HIM ONLY A SMALL FARM JUST OUTSIDE SOMERSET, WHERE HE DWELT
UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1875."
"MY FATHER'S OCCUPATION KEPT HIM FROM HOME MUCH OF THE TIME
DURING MY BOYHOOD, AS A CONSEQUENCE I GREW UP UNDER THE SOLE
GUIDANCE AND TRAINING OF MY MOTHER, WHOSE EXCELLENT COMMON SENSE
AND CLEAR DISCERNMENT IN EVERY WAY FITTED HER FOR HER MATERNAL
DUTIES."
("MY MOTHER HAS DIED SINCE THE ABOVE WAS WRITTEN.")
P.H.S.
SHERIDAN HAD LITTLE FORMAL EDUCATION PRIOR TO ENTERING
WEST POINT. WHEN HE BECAME OLD ENOUGH HE ATTENDED THE "VILLAGE
SCHOOL WHICH WAS TAUGHT BY AN OLD TIME IRISH MASTER." HE ACQUIRED
"A SMATTERING OF GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY, EXPLORED THE MYSTERIES OF
PIKE'S ARITHMETIC, AND BULLION'S ENGLISH GRAMMAR. WHILE HE
CONTINUED VOLUNTARY STUDY OF THESE SUBJECTS, HE LEFT SCHOOL AT AGE
FOURTEEN TO WORK IN THE VILLAGE STORE FOR $24.00 PER YEAR. ABOUT
A YEAR LATER HE ACCEPTED ANOTHER POSITION AT $60.00 PER YEAR.
BEFORE THAT YEAR ENDED ANOTHER POSITION WAS OFFERED IN A DRY-GOODS
STORE FOR $120.00 PER YEAR. THERE HE WAS ENGAGED PRIMARILY
IN BOOKKEEPING THOUGH HE HAD ONLY BASIC ARITHMETIC SKILLS. HIS
PERSONAL READING IN HISTORY LED HIM TO BE CONSIDERED AS SOMEWHAT OF
AN AUTHORITY LOCALLY. THE LOCAL CONGRESSMAN IN SHERIDAN'S DISTRICT
ENGINEERED HIS APPOINTMENT TO WEST POINT. EN ROUTE TO WEST POINT
HE STOPPED IN ALBANY TO VISIT HIS FATHER'S UNCLE, THEN JOURNEYED
"DOWN THE RIVER" TO WEST POINT.
"COUSIN" PHIL DOES NOT SHED MUCH LIGHT ON HIS ANCESTRY, CER-TAINLY
NOTHING THAT MIGHT INDICATE HOW THE SHERIDAN CLAN MIGHT BE
CONNECTED TO THE MAHEDY-MORAN FAMILY. THE FACT THAT HIS PARENTS
WERE SECOND COUSINS WOULD MEAN THEY HAD THE SAME
GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
AND PROBABLY DATE BACK PRIOR TO 1700. SINCE HIS PARENTS BOTH DIED
RELATIVELY LATE IN THE 1800'S IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO LEARN THEIR
MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAMES OR OTHER DATA THAT MIGHT HELP TIE OUR LINES
TOGETHER. HIS MOTHER'S MAIDEN IS GIVEN AS "MEENAGH" BY HIS
BIGRAPHER AND DESCRIBED AS A "BEAUTIFUL AND CAPABLE IRISH GIRL."
MINOR IS AN ANGLISIZED VARIANT OF MINOR. SHERIDAN FURTHER STATED
HIS FATHER'S UNCLE WAS THOMAS GAINOR. I AM ASSUMING FROM THE WAY
IT WAS WORDED THAT THOMAS IS JOHN'S MOTHER'S BROTHER AND THUS HER
MAIDEN NAME WOULD HAVE BEEN GAINOR.
IN AN EARLIER ISSUE I MENTIONED THE MAHEDY-MORANS AND THE
SHERIDAN FAMILY WERE SAID TO HAVE COME FROM IRELAND ON THE SAME
SHIP. IF THIS IS TRUE WE NOW KNOW FROM SHERIDAN HIMSELF THAT THEY
ARRIVED IN 1831, PRIOR TO MARCH. INCIDENTLY, I BELIEVE ELIZABETH
MAHEDY WAS ALSO BORN IN 1831 AT SHERRINGTON, QUEBEC. HER BROTHER
MICHAEL (1815-1895) SAID HE HAD TO GO "UP THE HUDSON" TO BE GOD-FATHER
TO THE SHERIDAN CHILD". I WILL TRY TO CHECK THE PASSENGER
ARRIVAL LISTS FOR 1831 TO CONFIRM THE ABOVE.
WELL, I'VE GIVEN YOU A BIT MORE TRIVIA BUT STILL HAVE
NOT PROVEN ANYTHING! MORE LATER ...
***
GILLETT-KEECH:
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING NEW HAS BEEN FOUND ON THE GILLETT LINE AND
NOT MUCH MORE THAN THAT ON THE KEECH LINE. I CONFESS TO BEING
SOMEWHAT NEGLIGENT IT THIS BRANCH OF RESEARCH, BUT WILL TRY TO "GET
IT TOGETHER" THIS YEAR!
THE WINTER ISSUE OF THE KEECH NEWSLETTER DID REFER TO THE
KEECHES IN THE TOWN OF WESTERN. ONE OF THE RESEARCHERS SUBMITTED
INFORMATION STATING THAT GEORGE KEECH OF WESTERN, PROBABLE
BROTHER
OF ELIZABETH KEECH GILLETT, WAS THE SAME KEECH LISTED IN THE DAR
PATRIOT INDEX WHO DIED IN 1830. I HAVE NOT HAD TIME YET TO SUBMIT
A CORRECTION, BUT THEY ARE NOT THE SAME. "OUR" GEORGE WAS BORN
1794 AND THUS TOO YOUNG TO HAVE SERVED IN THE REVOLUTION. THE
PATRIOT GEORGE IS BURIED WITH HIS WIFE AND AT LEAST ONE DAUGHTER IN
THE KNOXBORO-AUGUSTA CEMETERY. I HAVE BEEN TO THAT CEMETERY AND
HAVE PICTURES (SOMEWHERE!). HE ALSO CLAIMED THAT ONE ISRAEL KEECH
RESIDED IN THE TOWN OF WESTERN "FOR SOME YEARS". IT IS POSSIBLE
THAT HE HAS INFORMATION WHICH I HAVE NOT YET DISCOVERED, BUT MY
INFORMATION INDICATES ISRAEL CAME FROM CANADA TO THE VILLAGE OF
UNADILLA, ABOUT TWENTY MILES FROM ME. I HAVE BEEN TO UNADILLA AND
FOUND SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE ISRAEL KEECH FAMILY BURIED IN THE
VILLAGE CEMETERY. I SUSPECT THERE MAY BE A CONNECTION BETWEEN
THESE THREE KEECH FAMILIES BUT NOT AS CLOSE AS WAS IMPLIED IN THE
KEECH NEWSLETTER.
THE ARTICLE ALSO MENTIONED SIX KEECHES WHO SERVED IN THE
REVOLUTION. OF THOSE SIX THERE WERE TWO WHO SERVED IN TRYON CO.
TROOPS: JOHN, IN THE TRYON CO. MILITIA RANGERS; AND JAMES IN THE
TRYON CO. 3RD REGIMENT. TRYON CO. LATER BECAME MONTGOMERY CO. I
BELIEVE JAMES AND JOHN MAY BE BROTHERS, AND MAYBE THE SAME JAMES
(SR.) AND JOHN IN THE 1825 CENSUS FOR THE TOWN OF WESTERN.
THE KEECH NAME DATES BACK AS EARLY AS 1206. IT IS MENTIONED
IN HENRY IV AND HENRY VIII. THERE WAS ALSO A RICHARD KEECH, DUKE
OF MONMOUTH, WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE MONMOUTH REBELLION OF 1685.
"THIS DUKE OF MONMOUTH WAS NOT A LEGITIMATE SON OF THE LATE KING
AND WAS BADLY DEFEATED IN THE WEST (WALES?) BY THE CATHOLIC
MAJORITY." HE WAS TRIED FOR TREASON AND SENTENCED TO SLAVERY IN
BARBADOS. I CAN NOT TELL IF THE ABOVE QUOTE IMPLIES RICHARD WAS
THE ILLIGITIMATE SON OF THE "LATE KING"!
TAIN BO CUAILNGE
WHEN WE LEFT CU CHULAINN HE HAD JUST MARRIED EMER AND BROUGHT
HER TO KING CONCHOBAR IN THE HOUSE OF THE RED BRANCH. NOW IT IS
TIME TO DISCUSS THE CURSE OF MACHA.
FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES THE KINGDOM OF ULSTER AND THE KINGDOM
OF CONNACHT WERE BITTER ENEMIES. PERHAPS IT DATED BACK TO WHEN THE
FIR BOLG DIVIDED IRELAND AMONGST IT TRIBES; OR WHEN THE TUATHA DE
DROVE THE FIR BOLG INTO CONNACHT. AT ANY RATE, THE RIVALRY STILL
RAGED ON IN THE TIME OF CU CHULAINN. BORDER SKIRMISHES AND CATTLE
RAIDS WERE COMMONPLACE. SOMETIMES THE ULSTER MEN WON; SOMETIMES
THE MEN FROM CONNACHT. TWO FACTORS NOW SEEMED TO GIVE CONNACHT
THE EDGE. ONE OF ULSTER'S GREATEST WARRIORS (AND REPORTED ANCESTOR
OF THE MAHEDY CLAN), FERGUS MAC RIOCH, DEFECTED FROM ULSTER TO
CONNACHT BECAUSE HE FELT KING CONCHOBAR HAD TREATED HIM
DISHONOR-ABLY. SECONDLY, WHENEVER ULSTER WAS SERIOUSLY
THREATENED A STRANGE
DEBILITY SEEMED TO IMPEDE THE MIGHTY WARRIORS OF THE RED BRANCH.
OUT IN THE LONELY HILLS OF ULSTER THERE LIVED A HANDSOME AND
WEALTHY NOBLEMAN NAMED CRUNNCHU MAC AGNOMAN AND HIS FOUR SONS.
ONE
DAY A BEAUTIFUL LADY ENTERED HIS HOME AND SILENTLY BEGAN TO
UNDER-TAKE HOUSEKEEPING CHORES. GRADUALLY SHE ASSUMED INCREASING
RESPON-SIBILITY AND SOON BECAME HIS WIFE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
TIMES.
BUT SHE WAS NO ORDINARY WOMAN! THIS WAS MACHA; A GODDESS ON A PAR
WITH RIANNON, "GREAT QUEEN" OF THE WELSH. WITH MACHA'S INFLUENCE
CRUNNCHU GREW INCREASINGLY PROSPEROUS. THEY WERE TRUELY HAPPY
AND
IN DUE TIME MACHA BECAME PREGNANT. LIKE MANY CULTURES, THERE WERE
CERTAIN DAYS IN THE YEAR WHEN THOUSANDS THROUGHOUT ULSTER WOULD
GATHER FOR MAJOR ASSEMBLIES AND FESTIVITES. CRUNNCHU PLANNED TO
ATTEND THE NEXT ASSEMBLY BUT WAS IMPLORED BY MACHA NOT TO GO LEST
HE SAY SOMETHING THAT MIGHT ENDANGER THEM. CRUNNCHU PROMISED HE
WOULD USE DISCRETION. AMIDST ALL THE EXCITEMENT OF GAMES, SALES,
AND CONTESTS, HE OVERHEARD SOME MEN PRAISING THE BEAUTY AND SPEED
OF THE KING'S HORSES. "MY WIFE RUNS MORE SWIFTLY THAN THEY".
KING CONCHOBAR WAS ENRAGED! HE ORDERED HIS GUARDS TO BRING
CRUNNCHU BEFORE HIM AND DEMANDED THAT HE BRING HIS WIFE TO THE
RACE
COURSE. CRUNNCHU WAS BOUND WHILE MESSENGERS WENT FOR MACHA.
WHEN
THEY EXPLAINED THE SITUATION SHE BEGGED TO BE LEFT ALONE FOR SHE
WAS IN AN OBVIOUS STATE OF ADVANCED PREGNANCY. THE KING'S MEN TOLD
HER HER HUSBAND WOULD PROBABLY BE EXECUTED IF SHE FAILED TO RETURN
WITH THEM. WHEN SHE ARRIVED, THE CROWDS GATHERED ABOUT HER. SHE
YELLED OUT FOR THEM TO BACK OFF; IT WAS INDECENT TO STARE AT HER IN
HER CONDITION. MACHA DEMANDED TO KNOW WHY SHE WAS THERE. WHEN
SHE
WAS TOLD SHE WAS TO RACE THE KING'S HORSES SHE COMPLAINED SHE WAS
DUE TO DELIVER AT ANY MOMENT. CONCHOBAR GAVE THE ORDER TO SLICE
CRUNNCHU TO PIECES WITH THEIR SWORDS. MACHA CRIED OUT TO THE
PEOPLE FOR HELP. SURELY THEY COULD UNDERSTAND A MOTHER'S PLIGHT.
BUT THEY IGNORED HER. SHE AGAIN BEGGED CONCHOBAR TO RESCIND HIS
ORDER, AT LEAST UNTIL SHE DELIVERED. HE REFUSED. IT WAS THEN THAT
MACHA PLACED A CURSE ON ALL THOSE WHO FAILED TO TAKE PITY ON HER.
THEY, AND THEIR DESCENDANTS, WOULD ENDURE EVEN GREATER SHAME
THAN
SHE WAS FORCED TO ENDURE. THE SITE OF HER DEBASEMENT WOULD
FOREVER BEAR HER NAME. WITH THAT SHE COMMENCED THE RACE. MACHA
OUT-PACED THE KING'S BEST HORSES WITH EASE, EVEN IN HER BAREFOOT
AND PREGNANT STATE, AND WITH AN AGONIZING SCREAM GAVE BIRTH TO
TWINS BEFORE THE HORSE COULD REACH THE FINISH LINE. HEARING THE
SCREAM, THE CROWD TRIED TO MOVE BUT FOUND THEY WERE AS WEAK AS A
WOMAN IN LABOR. MACHA VOWED THAT FOR NINE GENERATIONS WHEN EVER
ULSTER FACED SERIOUS THREAT HER MEN WOULD EXPERIENCE THE SAME
HELPLESSNESS AS A WOMAN IN CHILDBIRTH. AND FROM THAT DAY ON, THE
SITE OF THE INFAMOUS RACE AT CONCHOBAR'S PALACE BECAME KNOWN AS
EMAIN MACHA - MACHA'S TWINS! WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE FREE OF THE
CURSE AS WAS CU CHULAINN WHO CAME FROM A DIFFERENT PLACE.
IN THAT DAY AND TIME THE PIG WAS THE MOST HIGHLY PREFERRED
ANIMAL FOR FEASTS SO IT SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISING THAT THE SWINE-
HERD WAS WELL RESPECTED BY THE ANCIENT CELTS. OCHALL, THE
OTHERWORLD GOD WHO RULED THE SIDH OF CONNACHT, HAD A DRUIDIC
SWINE-HERD NAMED RUCHT (GRUNT) WHO WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF FRIUCH
(BRISTLE), THE DRUIDIC SWINE-HERD OF BODB, THE OTHERWORLD GOD WHO
RULED THE SIDH OF MUNSTER. ONE AUTUMN THERE WAS A LARGE HARVEST OF
FRUITS AND ACORNS IN MUNSTER SO RUCHT TOOK HIS PIGS SOUTH TO GRAZE
IN HIS FRIEND'S WOODS. THERE WAS A DISPUTE GROWING ABOUT WHO
HAD THE STRONGER DRUID ARTS AND THE SWINE-HERDERS WERE FEELING THE
PRESSURE. THEY DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM AND DECIDED UPON A FRIENDLY
TEST. FRIUCH WOULD PUT A SPELL ON RUCHT'S PIGS SO THAT NO MATTER
HOW MUCH THEY ATE, THEY WOULD NOT GROW FAT, BUT FRIUCH'S PIGS
WOULD. IT WORKED. RUCHT'S PIGS WERE SKIN AND BONES, CAUSING HIM
TO BE THE LAUGHING STOCK OF CONNACHT.
THE NEXT YEAR RUCHT DID THE SAME THING TO FRIUCH WITH EQUAL
SUCCESS. THE ARGUMENT WAS SETTLED; CLEARLY THEY HAD EQUAL POWER.
HOWEVER, BOTH HERDS WERE NOW SO PATHETIC THAT BODB AND OCHALL
WERE
ANGERED AT THEIR CONDITION SO THEY FIRED THE SWINE-HERDS. THIS
ENDED THE FRIENDSHIP OF RUCHT AND FRIUCH. THEY CHANGED THEMSELVES
TO HAWKS AND FOUGHT OVER THE SIDHS OF BODB AND OCHALL FOR TWO
YEARS. THEY THEN BECAME WATER CREATURES AND FOUGHT FOR A YEAR ON
THE SHANNON AND ANOTHER YEAR ON THE RIVER SUIR. NEXT THEY FOUGHT
AS STAGS, GNAWING ON EACH OTHER'S HIND. THEY ALSO FOUGHT AS
SPIRITS, WARRIORS, DRAGONS, AND FINALLY EELS. BUT THEY WERE SO
EQUAL NEITHER COULD EVER WIN. THEY WERE ULTIMATELY SEPARATED
WHEN
ONE WAS SWALLOWED BY A COW DRINKING IN THE RIVER CUAILGNE IN
ULSTER. THE OTHER SLITHERED INTO A WELL IN CONNACHT AND WAS
SWALLOWED BY A COW BELONGING TO QUEEN MEDB. EACH COW LATER
PRODUCED BULL CALVES WHICH GREW INTO MAGICAL BULLS: DONN (THE
LORDLY ONE) OF CUAILGNE; AND FINDBENNACH (THE WHITE-HORNED ONE) IN
CONNACHT.
QUEEN MEDB, MENTIONED ABOVE, HELD HER COURT AT CRUA-CHAN IN
CONNACHT WITH HER CONSORT AILILL. DURING THE CELEBRATION OF
SAMAIN, A DANGEROUS FEAST FROM WHENCE WE GET OUR HALLOWEEN, A
LARGE
FESTIVAL WAS BEING PREPARED. TWO PRISONERS HAD BEEN HUNG THE
PRE-VIOUS DAY AND REMAINED THERE SWAYING IN THE WILD WIND. IT WAS
THE
CUSTOM OF THE TIME TO TIE THE FEET WITH SACRED WILLOW TWIGS IN
ORDER TO REST THEIR GHOSTS. AILILL PROMISED ANYONE BRAVE ENOUGH TO
GO OUT IN THE DARK AND TIE THE FEET OF THE PRISONERS WOULD BE
GRANTED THEIR WISH. THIS REQUIRED GREAT COURAGE. ON SAMAIN THE
OTHERWORLD WAS ACCESSIBLE TO MORTAL MAN - AT THEIR OWN RISK - AND
THE OTHERWORLD GODS OFTEN PLAYED TRICKS TO LURE MEN IN. ONE BY ONE
THEY TRIED BUT EACH IN TURNED WAS SCARED OFF BY WIND AND RAIN AND
DARKNESS OF NIGHT AND MIND.
ONE OF AILILL'S MEN BY THE NAME OF NERA WAS CONFIDENT HE WOULD
SUCCEED SO AILILL PROMISED TO GIVE NERA HIS GOLDHILTED SWORD AS A
REWARD. HE TRIED THREE TIMES TO TIE THE TWIGS AROUND THE FEET OF
ONE PRISONER BUT EACH TIME THEY SPRANG OFF. FINALLY THE CORPSE
TOLD NERA IF HE WANTED THE TWIGS TO STAY THEY MUST BE PROPERLY
FASTENED WITH A PEG. AFTER HE SUCCEEDED THE CORPSE THEN TOLD NERA
TO TAKE HIM FOR A DRINK, AS HE HAD BEEN THIRSTY AT THE TIME OF HIS
HANGING, SO NERA CARRIED THE PRISONER ON HIS BACK. WHEN THEY
APPROACHED THE FIRST HOUSE IT SUDDENLY BECAME SURROUNDED BY A SEA
OF FIRE. THE CORPSE SAID TO MOVE ON BECAUSE THAT FAMILY HAD PUT
ITS FIRE OUT. THE NEXT HOUSE THEY APPROACHED BECAME ENCIRCLED WITH
A SEA OF WATER WHICH THE DEAD MAN SAID MEANT THEY HAD PUT THEIR
WATER POTS OUT. NOTHING HAPPENED AT THE THIRD HOUSE SO THEY DRANK
THEIR FILL WHILE THE INHABITANTS WATCHED IN TERROR UNTIL THE CORPSE
SPAT IN THEIR FACES AND THEY ALL DROPPED DEAD. THEN NERA CARRIED
THE QUIET CORPSE BACK TO THE GALLOWS. WHEN NERA RETURNED TO
AILILL'S FORTRESS AT CRUACHAN HE WAS TERRORIZED. THE FORTRESS HAD
BEEN BURNED DOWN AND ALL THE INHABITANTS BEHEADED BY OTHERWORLD
WARRIORS. HE RUSHED TO CRUACHANN CAVE, THE ENTRANCE TO THE
OTHER-WORLD. THERE HE WAS CONFRONTED BY THE WARRIORS CARRYING
THE HEADS
TO THEIR KING. NERA WAS ALSO TAKEN BEFORE THE KING WHERE HE WAS
ORDERED TO BRING THE KING A BUNDLE OF FIREWOOD EACH DAY AND LIVE IN
THE HOME OF A SINGLE WOMAN. THEY FELL IN LOVE AND WERE SECRETLY
MARRIED. WHEN NERA TOLD HIS WIFE OF THE HORRORS HE HAD WITNESSED
IN THE FORTRESS AT CRUACHAN SHE TOLD HIM THEY WERE ONLY ILLUSIONS,
BUT IF HE DID NOT WARN HIS PEOPLE, THEY WOULD BECOME REALITY.
NERA DID NOT SEE HOW HE COULD POSSIBLY DO THIS SINCE HE HAD ALREADY
BEEN GONE THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS. SHE EXPLAINED THAT LITTLE
TIME HAD PASSED IN THE MORTAL WORLD AND THE FEAST HE LEFT WAS STILL
IN PROGRESS. HE SHOULD GO QUICKLY AND TELL AILILL AND MEDB TO
DESTROY THE SIDH MOUND AT CRUACHAN BEFORE TWO SAMAINS PASSED AND
TAKE THE KING'S PRECIOUS CROWN. IN THE MEANTIME SHE WOULD BEAR HIM
A SON BEFORE THE NEXT SAMAIN. FINALLY HIS WIFE TOLD HIM TO WARN
HER BEFORE ANY RAIDS SO THAT SHE COULD PROTECT HIS SON, HIS CATTLE,
AND ALL HIS OTHERWORLD POSSESSIONS. NERA RETURNED TO CRUACHAN
AND
SAW EVERTHING WAS AS HIS WIFE SAID. HE RECEIVED THE GILT-EDGED
SWORD AILILL HAD PROMISED AS WELL AS THE GRATITUDE OF MEDB AND
AILILL FOR SAVING THEM FROM THE OTHERWORLD SLAUGHTER.
THE FOLLOWING YEAR WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR SAMAIN NERA LEFT THE
COURT OF AILILL AND MEDB TO RETURN TO HIS WIFE. AS SHE HAD
PROMISED, SHE HAD BORE HIM A SON. SHE ALSO EXPLAINED THAT SHE HAD
DELIVERED THE FIREWOOD IN HIS ABSENCE SO THAT THE KING WOULD NOT
BECOME SUSPICIOUS. ONE OF NERA'S COWS HAD BEEN GIVEN TO HIS INFANT
SON. THEN NERA WAS ASKED TO GUARD THE CATTLE WHILE HIS WIFE
ATTENDED TO OTHER MATTERS. AFTER SOME TIME NERA FELL ASLEEP AND
HIS SON'S COW WAS STOLEN. BY THE TIME NERA CAUGHT UP WITH THE
THIEF, HIS SON'S COW HAD BEEN MATED WITH A BULL. IT JUST SO
HAPPENED THAT THIS BULL WAS THE DONN OF CUAILGNE. SOON IT WAS TIME
FOR NERA TO RETURN TO CRUACHAN. WHEN ANOTHER YEAR HAD PASSED AND
SAMAIN APPROACHED, AILILL WENT TO NERA AND INSTRUCTED HIM TO
RETURN
TO THE OTHERWORLD TO WARN HIS WIFE AND SAVE HIS SON AND CATTLE FOR
THEY WERE READY TO ATTACK THE SIDH. THIS NERA DID.
AS HE SNUCK HIS CATTLE FROM THE CAVE, A YOUNG BULL CALF PRO-DUCED
FROM THE STOLEN COW AND DONN OF CUAILGNE BELLOWED THREE TIMES
WITH THE FULL POWER OF HIS LUNGS. THE NOISE WAS HEARD BY
FINDBENNACH, THE WHITE-HORNE BULL OF CONNACHT. TO PROTECT HIS TURF
FROM THE INTRUSION OF A YOUNG CALF FINNBENNACH CHARGED WITH FULL
FORCE. THE BULLS FOUGHT ALL DAY AND FINALLY THE YOUNG CALF LAID ON
THE FIELD DYING, BELLOWING DEFIANTLY. QUEEN MEDB BEGGED HER DRUIDS
TO INTERPRET THE ANIMAL'S LANGUAGE. THEY TOLD HER IT SAID IF HIS
FATHER, THE GREAT BULL OF ULSTER WOULD HAVE WIPED THE PLAIN OF
CRUACHAN WITH THE CARCASS OF FINNBENNACH! THE QUEEN THEN VOWED
SHE
WOULD NOT REST UNTIL SHE WAS ABLE TO SEE THOSE TWO GREAT BULLS DO
BATTLE. THEN THE WARRIORS OF CONNACHT TOGETHER WITH FERGUS AND
HIS
BAND OF EXILES ATTACKED THE OTHERWORLD CAVE OF CRUACHAN,
DESTROYING
IT AND MADE OFF WITH THE KING'S ROYAL CROWN. NERA REMAINED WITH
HIS WIFE AND SON, NEVER AGAIN TO RETURN TO THE WORLD OF MORTALS.
ONE NIGHT AS MEDB AND AILILL LIE IN BED HE REMARKED THAT THE
OLD SAYING IS TRUE: "THE WIFE OF A WEALTHY MAN IS INDEED LUCKY."
HE WENT ON TO SAY HOW MUCH BETTER OFF SHE WAS NOW THAN WHEN SHE
WAS
SINGLE. MEDB REMINDED HIM THAT HER FATHER, THE HIGH KING OF IRE-LAND
GAVE HER THE WHOLE PROVINCE OF CONNACT TO RULE; SHE HAD BEEN
WEALTHY IN HER OWN RIGHT AND COULD HAVE HAD ANY MAN IN IRELAND.
SHE FOUND A MAN WHO WAS KIND, COURAGEOUS, AND FREE FROM JEALOUSY,
AND WAS HAPPY. BUT SHE HAD ALSO BROUGHT A GREAT DOWRY AND HE WAS
IN FACT A KEPT MAN. THE DISCUSSION ESCALATED INTO AN ARGUMENT.
AILILL HAD TWO BROTHERS WHO WERE KINGS AND WOULD HAVE BEEN A KING
HIMSELF EXCEPT HE WAS TOO YOUNG. AND WHOEVER HEARD OF A WOMAN
RULER. THE NEXT DAY THEY COMPARED ALL THEIR ASSETTS AND APPEARED
TO BE EQUAL EXCEPT THAT AILILL ONWED THE MAGNIFICENT BULL,
FINNBENNACH, AND MEDB HAD NO BULL TO MATCH. SHE BECAME OBSESSED
WITH ACQUIRING A SUPERIOR BULL OF HER OWN. FINALLY MAC ROTH, HER
MESSENGER, TOLD HER OF THE DONN OF CUAILGNE, THE GREAT BULL IN
ULSTER NOW POSSESSED BY DAIRE MAC FIACHNA. IMMEDIATELY MEDB RE-
CALLED THE "WORDS" OF THE DYING CALF AND SENT MAC ROTH TO DAIRE TO
TRY AND BORROW THE BULL FOR ONE YEAR TO BREED WITH HER COWS. DAIRE
READILY AGREED, THEN PROVIDED A BOUNTY OF MEAT AND ALE TO MAC ROTH
AND HIS PARTY. THE MEN BECAME INCREASINGLY INTOXICATED AND BEGAN
TO BOAST AMOUNGST THEMSELVES THAT THEY WOULD HAVE STOLLEN THE
BULL
IF DAIRE HAD NOT AGREED. ONE OF THE SERVANTS OVERHEARD THIS AND
REPORTED IT TO HIS LORD. DAIRE WAS FURIOUS AND THE NEXT MORNING
REFUSED TO ALLOW THE BULL TO LEAVE. MAC ROTH REPORTED BACK TO
MEDB
WHO SAID INDEED THE BULL WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN BY FORCE. SHE AND
AILILL GATHERED SOLDIERS FROM THROUGHOUT IRELAND'S FOUR PROVINCES.
THEY WAITED FOR TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE DRUIDS ANNOUNCED GOOD OMENS
AND THEN MOVED TOWARD ULSTER WITH QUEEN MEDB LEADING THE MARCH
IN
HER CHARIOT. THEY HAD NOT GONE FAR WHEN THEY BEHELD A GOLDEN
HAIRED BEAUTY IN A GRAND CHARIOT HOLDING A GOLD DRUIDIC WAND. MEDB
ASKED HER NAME AND SHE REPLIED SHE WAS THE DRUIDESS FEDELM FROM
SCOTLAND. FEDELM SAID SHE HAD BEEN STUDYING THE DRUIDIC ARTS AND
POETRY, AND IN RESPONSE TO FUTHER INQUIRY FROM MEDB, COULD SEE INTO
THE FURURE. MEDB NATURALLY ASKED HOW HER ARMY WOULD DO. "I SEE
CRIMSOM; I SEE RED." MEDB THEN TOLD FEDELM OF THE CURSE THAT MADE
THE MEN OF ULSTER WEAK IN TIMES OF DANGER AND ASKED AGAIN OF THE
FATE OF HER ARMY. "I SEE CRIMSOM; I SEE RED." MEDB NEXT TOLD HER
THAT MANY OF ULSTER'S WARRIORS WERE ELSEWHERE IN IRELAND AND
FERGUS
AND HIS THREE THOUSAND TROOPS WERE NOW WITH HER, THEN REPEATED THE
QUESTION. THE ANSWER WAS THE SAME. MEDB RATIONALIZED ANY BATTLE
RESULTS IN CUTS AND WOUNDS AND ASKED YET AGAIN HOPING FOR SOME
POSITIVE WORD. "I SEE CRIMSOM; I SEE RED." FEDELM CONTINUED WITH
A PROPHETIC LYRIC TELLING HOW THE ARMIES OF THE QUEEN WOULD BE
DEFEATED BY THE HOUND, CU CHULAINN. THE PROPHECY COULD NOT SWAY
MEDB. SHE GAVE THE ORDER TO ADVANCE.
MEDB WAS UNAWARE THAT CU CHULAINN WAS UNAFFECTED BY THE CURSE
OF MACHA AND WOULD BE DETERMINED TO DEFEND ULSTER AGAINST ANY
ODDS
UNTIL HIS FELLOW WARRIORS RECOVERED. AS MEDB'S FORCES ADVANCED CU
CHULAINN HOUNDED (PARDON THE EXPRESSION!) THEM CONSTANTLY,
AMBUSH-ING THEM AND KILLING AT LEAST A HUNDRED TROOPS EACH DAY.
FINALLY
MEDB CAPITULATED. SHE AGREED TO END HER MARCH AND SEND ONE
WARRIOR
EACH DAY TO DO SINGLE COMBAT WITH CU CHULAINN. AND DAY AFTER DAY
THE QUEEN'S BEST WERE DEFEATED. EVEN FERGUS WAS SENT TO FACE HIM.
CU CHULAINN AND FERGUS WERE LIFE-LONG FRIENDS AND THE BOND BETWEEN
THEM WAS TOO STRONG TO ALLOW EITHER TO BRING HARM TO THE OTHER.
THEY DECIDED TO STAGE A SHAM BATTLE: THE FIRST DAY CU CHULAINN
WOULD APPEAR TO RUN AWAY; THEN FERGUS DID THE SAME THING. FINALLY
MEDB SENT CU CHULAINN'S FOSTER-BROTHER FERDIAD AGAINST HIM.
FERDIAD WAS RELUCTANT BECAUSE HE HAD GROWN UP WITH CU CHULAINN
AND
THE BOND BETWEEN THEM WAS EVEN STRONGER THAN THAT BETWEEN
BROTHERS.
MEDB CONVINCED FERDIAD THAT CU CHULAINN SPOKE OF HIM WITH
CONTEMPT.
WHEN THEY FIRST MET ON THE FIELD EVERYTHING SEEMED QUITE
CORDIAL. THEN INSULTS BEGAN TO FUEL THEIR ANGER AND THEY AGREED TO
DO BATTLE THE FOLLOWING DAY. THEY FOUGHT FIERCELY AND MUCH BLOOD
WAS SHED. NO ONE WAS VICTORIOUS. AT DAY'S END THEY EMBRACED AND
KISSED EACH OTHER THREE TIMES. THEY SLEPT IN THE SAME FIELD THAT
NIGHT AND CU CHULAINN'S PHYSICIANS TREATED BOTH THEIR WOUNDS WITH
MAGIC HERBS AND POTIENTS. THEY FOUGHT HAND TO HAND FOR TWO MORE
DAYS, EACH RECEIVING SEVERE WOUNDS, AND EACH BEING HEALED AT NIGHT
BY MAGIC HERBS AS WELL AS THE BEST FOOD AND WINE. ON THE FOURTH
DAY THEY FOUGHT BY HORSE AND CHARIOT. THOUGH BOTH HORSES AND
WARRIORS WERE NEAR DEATH THERE WAS NO CLEAR VICTOR. THEY EACH
KNEW
THE DAY OF RECKONING WAS AT HAND. AS CU CHULAINN APPROACHED THE
FORD WHERE THEY WERE TO MEET THE FOLLOWING DAY HE OBSERVED
FERDIAD
PRACTICING HIS TRICKS OF SWORDSMANSHIP. CU CHULAINN TOLD LAEG, HIS
CHARIOTEER, THAT IF HE APPEARED TO BE LOSING LAEG SHOULD MOCK HIM
TO AROUSE HIS ANGER AND CAUSE HIM TO FIGHT HARDER; IF HE WAS
WIN-NING, LAEG MUST CHEER HIM ON. CU CHULAINN DONNED HIS ARMOUR
AND
ENGAGED FERDIAD IN YET ANOTHER ROUND OF BATTLE MORE FIERCE THAN
ANY
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTER. NEXT THEY ENTERED THE WATER IN THE FORD.
FERDIAD KNEW NO ONE HAD DEFEATED CU CHULAINN IN WATER AND WAS
NEAR
PANIC. THE BATTLE RAGED ON. THE COMBATANTS WERE IN A NEAR BATTLE
FRENZY. NEVER HAD SUCH A BATTLE BEEN WITNESSED. CU CHULAINN
JUMPED AT FERDIAD BUT WAS CAUGHT ON THE LATTER'S SHIELD AND FLUNG
ONTO THE BANK. LAEG MOCKED HIM. FERDIAD PIERCED CU CHULAINN'S
CHEST. CU CHULAINN YELLED TO LAEG TO THROW HIM HIS GREAT PRONGED
SPEAR. HE CAUGHT IT IN THE RIVER WITH HIS FOOT AND HURLED IT AT
FERDIAD. FERDIAD MOVED HIS SHIELD TO PROTECT THE LOWER PART OF HIS
BODY BUT THE BARBED SPEAR TORE THROUGH HIS CHEST, KILLING HIM. CU
CHULAINN RAN TO HIM AND CARRIED HIM UP ONTO THE BANK. DESPITE HIS
WOUNDS CU CHULAINN WAS GRIEF-STRICKEN AND SANG A LAMENT FOR HIS
BELOVED FOSTER-BROTHER AND COMPANION.
CU CHULAINN HAD SUFFERED CRITICAL WOUNDS IN THAT LAST BATTLE.
BY NIGHTFALL HE WAS NEAR TO DEATH AS LAEG FRETFULLY WATCHED OVER
HIM. A TALL HANDSOME STRANGER APPROACHED THEM AND CU CHULAINN
ASKED LAEG TOO DESCRIBE HIM AS CU CHULAINN COULD NOT EVEN RAISE HIS
HEAD TO SEE THE STRANGER. THE MAN HAD FINE CLOTHES OF SILK AND
SILVER, AND MAGNIFICENT WEAPONS OF SILVERED BRONZE. YET AS
IMPRES-SIVE A SIGHT AS THE STRANGER MADE HE SEEMED TO PASS THROUGH
THE
PEOPLE WITHOUT NOTICE. CU CHULAINN SPECULATED THAT IT MIGHT BE
SOME OTHERWORLD PERSON TAKING PITY ON HIM FOR FIGHTING
SINGLE-HANDED AGAINST THE FOUR PROVINCES OF IRELAND. INDEED, THE
STRANGER
SAID IT WAS SAD TO SEE ONE SO YOUNG (CU CHULAINN WAS ONLY
SEVEN-TEEN!) ASSUME SO GREAT A BURDEN, GOING WITHOUT SLEEP, AND
ENDURING
SUCH SEVERE WOUNDS. HE PROMISED TO HELP. IN RESPONSE TO HIS
INQUIRY THE STRANGER TOLD CU CHULAINN HE WAS LUGH LONG ARM - CU
CHULAINN'S FATHER FROM THE OTHERWORLD. LUGH TOLD HIS SON TO SLEEP
AND PROMISED TO FIGHT IN HIS PLACE. HE SANG CU CHULAINN TO SLEEP
AND THAT DRESSED EVERY WOUND WITH SPECIAL HERBS FROM THE
OTHER-WORLD. FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS, AS CU CHULAINN SLEPT, THE GOD
LUGH
ASSUMED HIS SON'S LIKENESS AND FOUGHT IN HIS PLACE. FINALLY CU
CHULAINN WAS RESTORED TO FULL HEALTH.
FROM THE FEAST OF SAMAIN (NOV. 1ST) UNTIL THE FEAST OF
IMBOLC (FEB. 1ST) CU CHULAINN CONTINUED TO WAGE HIS WAR AGAINST THE
INVADERS. THEN, AFTER IMBOLC, THE MEN OF ULSTER FINALLY SEEMED TO
RECOVER FROM MACHA'S CURSE. THE GREAT KING CONCHOBAR MAC NESSA
LED
HIS MASSIVE ARMIES AGAINST THOSE OF QUEEN MEDB TO HELP RELIEVE HIS
POOR NEPHEW. AS FOR CU CHULAINN, HE WAS SUFFERING FROM STILL MORE
WOUNDS AND LAY RESTRAINED WITH ROPES IN A NEARBY FORT TO PREVENT
HIM FROM GETTING HURT IN THE COMING BATTLE. AT DAWN THE ULSTER
WARRIORS, NAKED EXCEPT FOR THEIR WEAPONS AND SHIELDS, AS WAS THE
CUSTOM AMOUNG ANCIENT CELTS, BEGAN THEIR BATTLE CRIES WHICH RANG
OUT OVER THE HILLS AND PLAINS OF ULSTER.
MEANWHILE, MEDB HAD PERSUADED FERGUS TO HELP LEAD HER TROOPS.
WHEN CONCHOBAR SAW THIS TRAITOR HE CONFRONTED FERGUS DIRECTLY ON
THE BATTLEFIELD AND VOWED TO CUT HIM DOWN BEFORE ALL THE MEN OF
IRELAND. FERGUS WENT FOR CONCHOBAR WITH HIS SWORD RAISED BUT HIS
ARM WAS CAUGHT BY CORMAC, SON OF CONCHOBAR, WHO WARNED FERGUS
THAT
TO FIGHT AGAINST HIS NATIVE ULSTER WOULD COST HIM HIS HONOR. IN A
FRENZY, FERGUS SWORE HE WOULD STRIKE THREE MIGHTY BLOWS AGAINST
THE
MEN OF ULSTER. CORMAC TOLD HIM TO CUT OFF THE HILLTOPS INSTEAD AND
PRESERVE HIS HONOR. WITH THAT FERGUS TOOK HIS MIGHTY SWORD AND CUT
THE TOPS OFF THE THREE HILLS OVERLOOKING THE PLAIN WITH SUCH FORCE
THAT THEY LANDED WITH A THUNDERING CRASH INTO THE MARSHY
LOWLANDS
OF MEATH WHERE THEY STILL REMAIN. WHEN LAEG EXPLAINED THE NOISE TO
CU CHULAINN HE BURST FREE OF THE ROPES THAT BOUND HIM. NOW HE WAS
CONSUMED WITH AN INTENSE BATTLE RAGE. SINCE HIS WEAPONS HAD BEEN
CONFISCATED, CU CHULAINN PLACED A CHARIOT ON HIS BACK AND CHARGED
INTO BATTLE USING IT AS A BATTERING RAM TO PLOUGH HIS WAY TO
FERGUS. HE THREATENED TO GRIND UP FERGUS LIKE A GRIST MILL GRINDS
GRAIN IF FERGUS DID NOT LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. OBSCURED BY THE
CHARIOT, FERGUS DEMANDED HIS IDENTITY. "...THE HOUND OF ULSTER,
YOUR FOSTER-SON AND CONCHOBAR MAC NESSA'S FOSTER-SON..." HE
REMINDED FERGUS OF HIS PROMISE TO FLEE THE NEXT TIME THEY MET IN
BATTLE. WITH THAT, FERGUS LEFT THE BATTLEFIELD TAKING WITH HIM HIS
THREE THOUSAND MEN AS WELL AS THE MEN FROM ALL THE OTHER
PROVINCES
EXCEPT CONNACHT. BY DAY'S END CU CHULAINN HAD DEFEATED THE LAST OF
THE CONNACHTMEN AND CAPTURED THE QUEEN HERSELF. MEDB BEGGED CU
CHULAINN TO GRANT A FAVOR: PLACE HER ARMY UNDER HIS PROTECTION
UNTIL THEY HAVE WITHDRAWN BEYOND THE BORDER BACK INTO CONNACT.
THIS HE WAS GLAD TO DO.
ALTHOUGH HE HAD OVERWHELMINGLY DEFEATED QUEEN MEDB AND HER
ARMY, CU CHULAINN WAS NOT AWARE THAT SHE HAD SNUCK A SMALL FORCE
BEHIND THE ULSTER LINES AND CAPTURED THE DONN OF CUAILNGE, FIFTY
HEIFERS, AND EIGHT CATTLEMAN, AND SENT THEM BACK TO CRUACHAN BY A
DIFFERENT ROUTE. THUS MEDB HAD ACHIEVED HER ORIGINAL OBJECTIVE;
STEALING THE BULL.
WHEN THE DONN ARRIVED AT CRUACHAN, HE LET OUT THREE MIGHTY
BELLOWS AS HIS SON HAD ONCE DONE. WHEN THE WHITE-HORNED
FINDBENNACH AGAIN CHARGED TO ASSERT HIS SUPREMACY. EVERYONE CAME
TO WITNESS THIS BATTLE OF MIGHTY BULLS. AND A GORY BATTLE IT WAS
-LITERALLY. THE DONN, TIRED FROM HIS LONG JOURNEY SEEMED TO BE
LOSING WHEN FINDBENNACH PIERCED HIS SIDE WITH HIS WHITE HORN,
THROWING HIM INTO THE JUDGE'S BOX WHERE THE DONN CRUSHED BRICRIU
MAC GARBADA, THE JUDGE. CORMAC, CONCHOBAR'S SON, WENT UP TO THE
DONN AND WHACKED HIM THREE TIMES BETWEEN HIS EAR AND TAIL. HE
MOCKED THE DONN, SAYING THE DONN WAS NOT WORTH FIGHTING FOR AND
WAS
NOT EVEN A MATCH FOR A CALF. THIS ENRAGED THE BULL AND HE CAME
BACK WITH A NEW FURY. THEY FOUGHT FEROCIOUSLY ALL DAY AND AT NIGHT
THEY CIRCLED THE WHOLE OF IRELAND IN THEIR BATTLE. AT DAWN THE
DONN OF CUAILNGE RETURNED WITH WHAT REMAINED OF FINDBENNACH
DANG-LING FROM HIS HORNS. FOR SOME TIME THEREAFTER, THE DONN
RAMPAGED
THROUGHOUT IRELAND AND NO ONE DARED GO NEAR HIM. FINALLY HE
RETURNED TO HIS NATIVE CUAILGNE. HIS HEART GAVE OUT FROM THE
TERRIBLE FIGHTING AND THE AFTERMATH. HE LAID DOWN AND DIED. EVER
SINCE THAT DAY THE RIDGE WHERE HE DIED HAS BEEN KNOWN AS DRUIM
TAIRB - THE RIDGE OF THE BULLS!
(BOY, THAT WAS A LONG ONE. I'LL TRY TO FIND SHORTER LEGENDS WITH
A LITTLE LESS BULL!)
*****************************************************************
BITS AND PIECES - (I'VE FORGOTTEN AND/OR MISPLACED MOST OF
WHAT I HAD FOR THIS SEGMENT!!)
TIMOTHY HAYS - GRADUATED MAY '90 FROM SUNY PLATTSBURGH;
CONGRATULATIONS TIM!!!
JACKIE PARKER IS EXPECTED TO COMPLETE HER MASTER'S PROGRAM
IN SPECIAL ED AT I.U.P. IN AUGUST. CONGRATULATIONS!
SISTER JEN RECENTLY ACCEPTED A NEW POSITION AS
PROGRAMMER FOR A CONSULTANT FIRM IN MD.
BRIAN SHAWN TOUSE (#1 SON) WILL RECEIVE A BS IN MANAGEMENT
SCIENCE FROM SUNY-PLATTSBURGH IN MAY.
CONGRATULATIONS!
O'TOUSE'S 11TH ANNUAL UNATTENDED ST. PATTY'S DAY FESTIVAL
WILL BE HELD MAR 16-17 AT DANNY'S SHANTY, GOODYEAR LAKE.
---------------
RECIPES
PORTER CAKE -
1 CUP - PORTER 4 CUPS - PLAIN FLOUR
1 CUP - BUTTER 1/2 t - BAKING SODA
1 CUP - BROWN SUGAR 1 t - MIXED SPICE
6 CUPS- MIXED DRIED FRUIT GRATED LEMON RIND
(CURRANTS, RAISINS, 3 MEDIUM EGGS
SULTANAS, PEEL)
MELT BUTTER AND SUGAR IN PORTER IN SAUCEPAN. ADD
FRUIT, SIMMER 10 MIN. COOL. ADD SIEVED FLOUR, BAKING SODA,
SPICES, LEMON RIND. BEAT EGGS AND MIX IN WITH WOODEN
SPOON. POUR INTO GREASED 9" CAKE PAN; BAKE AT 325 FOR 1 3/4 HRS.
ALLOW TO COOL IN TIN.
PORTER IS A DARK IRISH BEER WHICH IS HARD TO FIND. USE
GUINNESS STOUT MIXING IT FIFTY-FIFTY WITH WATER. WHILE
THIS CAKE IS GOOD FRESH FROM THE OVEN, IT IS BEST KEPT FOR
ABOUT A WEEK IN AN AIRTIGHT TIN.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AN IRISH BLESSING
WISHING YOU ALWAYS -
WALLS FOR THE WIND
AND A ROOF FOR THE RAIN
AND TEA BESIDE THE FIRE.
LAUGHTER TO CHEER YOU
AND THOSE YOU LOVE NEAR YOU,
AND ALL THAT YOUR HEART MIGHT DESIRE!!
ERIN GO BRAGH!
DAN
MAHEDY - MCKAY
3M
MULLARKY
1992
VOL. 7
MAR '92
GREETINGS!
AN' TOP O'THE DAY TO YA' ALL. I'M CHEATING. IT'S JANUARY. IF I
START NOW, AND RUN FAST, MAYBE I'LL GET THIS OUT TO YOU ON TIME THIS
YEAR. STARTING EARLY HAS ITS DRAWBACKS. I AM STILL EXPECTING MORE
MATERIAL WHICH I HOPE WILL BREAK NEW GROUND IN RESEARCH, AS WELL AS
HELP FILL THESE PAGES. ALSO, I HAVE YET TO DECIDE WHAT TO INCLUDE IN
THIS EDITION.
WHAT AN AMAZING YEAR WE HAVE WITNESSED! THE "MOTHER OF ALL
BAT-TLES" PROVED TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A FARSE. A WAR WAS FOUGHT
BRILLIANTLY,
THOUGH FEW REALLY KNOW WHY, AND NOTHING REALLY CHANGED. THE
SOVIET
EMPIRE - THAT "EVIL EMPIRE" - DISSOLVED BEFORE OUR VERY EYES,
HOPE-FULLY TO BE REPLACED BY MORE OPEN AND FREE SOCIETIES. WHETHER
THE U.S.
"DEFEATED" "COMMUNISM", OR "GORBY" SIMPLY UPROOTED A CORRUPT
TOTALI-TARIAN STATE IS PROBABLY SUBJECT TO DEBATE. BUT, WHO'D A
THUNK IT? I
WOULD HAVE EXPECTED PEACE IN A FREE, UNITED IRELAND BEFORE SEEING
SUCH
A MASSIVE POWER PEACEFULLY CEASE TO EXIST. HERE AT HOME, IN THE
GLIM-MER OF A THOUSAND POINTS OF LIGHT, THE NATIONAL ECONOMY HAS
BEEN IN
RECESSION FOR ALMOST TWENTY MONTHS. MORE THAN REFLECTING "TOUGH
ECONOMIC TIMES" TYPICAL OF THE POST WAR RECESSIONS, MANY BELIEVE
THERE
IS A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMY
TAK-ING PLACE. JOB SECURITY AND BENEFITS PACKAGES PROVIDING
INSURANCE AND
RETIREMENT PROGRAMS MAY BECOME RELICS OF THE PAST. PERHAPS WE HAVE
BEEN "TRICKLED DOWN" UPON ENOUGH! AND NOW WE FACE ANOTHER
ELECTION
YEAR. WHATEVER YOUR BELIEFS OR PREFERENCES, LISTEN TO ALL THE
CANDIDATES. BETTER YET, TELL THEM WHAT YOU DEMAND. IN ANY CASE,
VOTE!
IN LAST YEAR'S EDITION I NEGLECTED TO MENTION THAT 1990
MARKED THE 300TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNE. MUCH OF
THE CRUCIAL ACTION TOOK PLACE IN CO. LOUTH, IN THE LAND OF EMAIN
MACHA AND CU CHULAINN DISCUSSED IN PREVIOUS ISSUES. LOUTH WAS
ALSO THE HOME OF THE ONCE POWERFUL O'CARROLL CLAN OF ORIEL,
ANCESTORS OF MARGARET NEWCOMB MCKAY. THE TOWN OF DROGHEDA WAS
SAVAGELY DEVASTATED BY GOOD KING WILLIAM OF ORANGE'S NOBLE
TROOPS. THE BATTLE MARKED ONE OF THE MANY TRAGIC TURNING POINTS
IN IRISH HISTORY.
AS FOR THE "3M" FAMILY HISTORIES, I REGRET TO ACKNOWLEDGE
ONCE AGAIN THAT I HAVE FAILED TO PENETRATE ANY OF THOSE BRICK
WALLS OBSCURING EARLIER GENERATIONS OF OUR ANCESTORS. STILL, IT
HAS NOT BEEN ALL TOGETHER A FRUITLESS YEAR. I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL
TIDBITS WHICH I HOPE WILL INTEREST SOME. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED A
BIT MORE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO SOME OF THE MORAN DESCENDANTS.
HOPEFULLY I WILL HAVE LEARNED MORE BEFORE THIS EDITION "GOES TO
PRESS". BUT, I SEE I AM ALSO RAMBLING EVEN MORE THAN USUAL, SO
I'LL SHUT UP AND GET BUSY, AND WISH YOU ALL A
HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY
ERIN GO BRAGH! DAN
SOLID GOLD
ON 7 DEC 1991, BESIDES JENNY PARKER'S BIRTHDAY, AMERICA
COMMEMORATED THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOMBING OF PEARL
HARBOR: THE DAY
THAT WILL LAST IN INFAMY. IT WAS A DAY THAT WOULD FOREVER CHANGE
THE
WORLD AND ALL THOSE THEN LIVING IN IT, AS WELL AS THOSE TO COME
AFTER.
THE FOLLOWING SPRING, IN THE LITTLE VILLAGE OF VERNON, NY, ROD DENT,
COACH AT VERNON HIGH SCHOOL, THROUGH A PARTY AT HIS HOUSE ON N.
SCONONDOA ST. FOR SOME OF THE ATHLETES AND/OR THOSE BOYS WHO WERE
ENLISTING IN THE WAR. IF I RECALL THE STORY CORRECTLY, MARY MCKAY
PLANNED TO ATTEND BUT WANTED SOMEONE TO GO WITH HER. VERNON WAS
NOT
THE HUB OF SOCIAL OR CULTURAL ACTIVITY, SO MARY HAD LITTLE TROUBLE
TALKING HER YOUNGER SISTER KATHLEEN TO JOIN HER. AMOUNST THE "BOYS"
ATTENDING WAS REX TOUSE FROM VERNON CENTER, "SUBURB" OF VERNON.
REX
AND KATHY MET THERE, AND SHORTLY BEGAN TO DATE. THEN CAME BASIC
TRAINING. THEY WROTE AND CONTINUED TO DATE WHEN MILITARY LEAVES
PERMITTED. ON 22 DEC 1942 THE YOUNG COUPLE WERE MARRIED AT ST.
CATHERINE'S R.C. CHURCH IN VERNON. THE RECEPTION WAS HELD AT THE
HOTEL
ONEIDA, ONEIDA, NY. THE NEWLY WEDS SET UP HOUSEKEEPING ON AN AIR
FORCE
BASE IN ALBANY, GA. ON 2 NOV 1943 THEIR ELDEST DAUGHTER, MARGARET
ELVA, WAS BORN. BY 1945 THE TOUSE FAMILY WAS STATIONED NEAR DENVER,
CO. ON THE 8TH OF MAY THAT YEAR, KATHLEEN HAD A RATHER SPECIAL GIFT:
VE DAY WAS PROCLAIMED. BUT THE WAR WAS NOT OVER. THE PACIFIC
THEATRE
WAS STILL IN FULL FORCE, AND REX COULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE PACIFIC
AT ANY TIME. KATHLEEN FLEW HOME TO THE MCKAY HOMESTEAD AND ON 28
JUN
1945 THEIR SECOND DAUGHTER, MARY ANN, WAS BORN AT ST. ELIZABETH'S
HOSPITAL, UTICA, NY. WITHIN TWO MONTHS, AND TWO ATOMIC BOMBS, VJ DAY
WAS PROCLAIMED. THE WAR WAS OVER.
WITH THE MASS OF SOLDIERS BEING DISCHARCHED AFTER THE WAR, THERE
WAS A NATIONWIDE HOUSING SHORTAGE, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG FAMILIES
WITH
CHILDREN. VERNON WAS NO EXCEPTION. JOBS WERE EQUALLY SCARCE. AND
THERE
WAS THE POST-WAR BABY BOOM. FOUR MORE TOUSES WERE ADDED TO THAT
EFFORT
IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS! REX AND A PARTNER, BOB BROWN, RAN THE VERNON
CONFECTIONERY STORE. (I STILL REMEMBER THE MILKSHAKES AND SODAS!)
THEY
STAYED AT THE MCKAYS BRIEFLY, THEN COUSIN ESTHER CONIFF RENTED THEM
HER HOUSE ON VAN EPPS ST. BY 1950, THEY WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE A HOUSE
AT 27 FRONT ST., TWO DOORS UP FROM THE MCKAY HOME. THAT REMAINED
THE
TOUSE HOUSE UNTIL 1985, WHEN THEY MOVED TO ONEIDA, NY. IN ADDITION TO
THE SIX CHILDREN, THEY HAVE THIRTEEN GRANDCHILDEN AND ONE GREAT-
GRANDCHILD, KATELYN GORDON MANNIX OF PLATTSBURGH,NY. THERE IS NO
ATTEMPT HERE TO CANONIZE THIS COUPLE; THEY WOULD BE THE FIRST TO
DECLINE. AS WITH ANY MARRIAGE, ANY FAMILY, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY UPS
AND DOWNS, HARD TIMES AND GOOD TIMES, CHALLENGES AND REWARDS. IN
AN
ERA WHERE IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY ACCEPTABLE TO WALK AWAY
FROM
PROBLEMS, THEY HAVE ENDURED FOR A HALF CENTURY. TRUELY, THEY HAVE
LOVED EACH OTHER:
"FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE,
FOR RICHER, OR FOR POORER,
IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH..."
IT IS DIFFICULT FOR THIS SON TO REMAIN OBJECTIVE...BUT I WOULD
LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS 1982 VOLUME OF "3M" TO MY PARENTS -
REXFORD BLISS & KATHLEEN MCKAY TOUSE
AND ASK THE READERS TO JOIN IN CONGRATULATING THEM ON THEIR 50TH
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 22 DEC 1992. YOUR WARM WISHES AND PRAYERS
WILL HELP SUSTAIN THEM FOR YEARS TO COME.
CONGRATULATIONS
&
BEST WISHES !!!
MCKAY - DONAHUE
THIS SEGMENT IS BEGINNING TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD: I
STILL HAVE FOUND NOTHING SPECIFIC ON EARLIER GENERATIONS FOR
EITHER FAMILY. ONE OF THE MAJOR GOALS HAS BEEN TO TRY TO FIND
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION THAT THOMAS MCKAY'S PARENTS WERE DAVID
AND BRIDGET MCKAY, AS WAS INDICATED ON THOMAS' MARRIAGE LISCENSE.
SINCE THOMAS WAS NOT BORN UNTIL 1822, AND PROBABLY CAME TO CANADA
WITH HIS FAMILY BETWEEN 1830-40, IT SEEMS HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT
ONE OR BOTH PARENTS WERE STILL ALIVE IN THE 1850'S AND SHOULD
THEREFORE APPEAR IN THE CENSUS. IN ADDITION TO SEARCHING FOR
DAVID AND BRIDGET, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO IDENTIFY AND LOCATE
POSSIBLE SIBLINGS OF THOMAS - AND MARGARET DONAHUE AS WELL. AT
LEAST THREE OTHER MCKAY/MACKAYS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS PROBABLE
RELATIVES OF THOMAS. ON A PROPERTY OR SURVEY MAP SHOWING
THOMAS' FARM, THE ADJOINING FARM WAS LISTED AS BELONGING TO H.C.
MACKAY. (THOMAS' NAME WAS ALSO SPELLED MACKAY ON THAT RECORD.)
H.C. DOES NOT APPEAR IN ANY OF THE SHEFFORD CO. CENSUSES.
BESIDES H.C., THERE WAS A ROGER AND PHILOMENA MCKAY WHO SERVED AS
GODPARENTS TO ONE OF THOMAS' DAUGHTERS. FINALLY, THERE WAS A
TIMOTHY MCKAY WHOSE SON WILLIAM DIED AT THE AGE OF TEN AND WAS
BURIED IN THE MCKAY PLOT IN GRANBY. NONE OF THESE OTHER MCKAYS
APPEAR IN ANY OF THE SHEFFORD CO. CENSUSES BETWEEN 1851 - 1891.
IT SEEMS REASONABLE TO CONCLUDE THAT THE MCKAYS SETTLED ELSEWHERE
IN CANADA UPON THEIR ARRIVAL FROM IRELAND. FROM WHEREVER THEY
SETTLED, THOMAS MIGRATED TO MASSACHUSSETTS - PERHAPS WITH
MARGARET
DONAHUE - AND WORKED IN THE GENERAL VICINITY OF GLOUCESTER.
ACCORDING
TO THEIR MARRIAGE LISCENSE, BOTH THOMAS AND MARGARET STATED THEY
WERE
FROM "CASSIAR", CANADA, WHICH I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE.
SOME-TIME BETWEEN THE BIRTH OF THEIR SECOND SON JOHN PATRICK ON 10
MAR
1851, AND THEIR DAUGHTER CATHERINE IN NOV 1852, THOMAS MOVED HIS
FAMILY TO GRANBY TOWNSHIP, SHEFFORD CO., QUEBEC. HE ACQUIRED HIS 100+
ACRE FARM THROUGH A GOVERNMENT SPONSORED HOMESTEAD PROGRAM. IT
ALSO
APPEARS THAT MARGARET'S MOTHER, ANN MAXWELL DONAHUE, MAY HAVE
RESIDED ON THE FARM UNTIL HER DEATH IN 1857. THIS HAS LED TO THE
SPECULATION THAT MARGARET'S FATHER, PATRICK DONAHUE, PERHAPS DIED
IN THE EARLY 1850'S.
TO CONTINUE THE SEARCH FOR THE MCKAY AND DONAHUE SIBLINGS, I
HAVE BEEN REVIEWING OLD (1855-1901) SHEFFORD CO. NEWSPAPERS. THE
HOPE HAS BEEN THAT THERE WOULD BE AN OBITUARY WHICH WOULD LIST
PARENTS, SIBLINGS, THEIR RESIDENCES, AND IDEALLY, THEIR HOMETOWN
IN IRELAND. ANYTHING ELSE WOULD BE GRAVY. THERE WAS NO OBITUARY
FOR THOMAS MCKAY IN EITHER THE WATERLOO OR GRANBY PAPER, THOUGH
THEY DID CARRY MARGARET'S, AS WELL AS EDITH MCKAY'S, WHO DIED A
YEAR AFTER THOMAS. THERE WAS ALSO NO OBITUARY FOR ANN MAXWELL
DONAHUE. IN FACT, THERE SEEMED TO BE A DEARTH OF DEATHS REPORTED
OVER THE YEARS. TO MY SURPRISE, I FOUND IN ONE OF THE EARLY
NEWSPAPERS THAT DEATHS WERE NOT ROUTINELY REPORTED AS NEWS; YOU
HAD TO PAY TO HAVE DEATH NOTICES PUBLISHED.
THE EFFORT HAS NOT BEEN TOTALLY WITHOUT MERIT, AS WILL BE
SEEN LATER. IT DOES PROVIDE A FLAVOR OF THE TIMES. THE PAPERS
WERE WEEKLIES. TYPICALLY THE FRONT PAGE FEATURED A SERIAL STORY
AND MISCELLANY. THE SECOND PAGE CONTAINED INTERNATIONAL, NATION-
AL, PROVINCIAL, AND SOME LOCAL NEWS - PRIMARILY POLITICAL. HOW-
EVER, THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION PAID TO THE LOCAL TEMPER-
ANCE AND MASONIC NEWS. OBVIOUSLY THE MAHEDY-MCKAYS WOULD NOT BE
INCLUDED IN THOSE AREAS. THE THIRD PAGE CONTAINED LEGAL NOTICES,
ANNOUNCEMENTS, PROPERTIES, ADS, AND PERHAPS A FEW LOCAL ITEMS.
THE FOURTH PAGE MIGHT CONTAIN A HUMOR COLUMN TOGETHER WITH A
HOST
OF SNAKE OIL TYPE MEDICAL REMEDIES. IN SHORT, THERE WAS PRECIOUS
LITTLE LOCAL OR PERSONAL NEWS. STILL, IT WAS FASCINATING TO SEE
CONTEMPORANEOUS REPORTING OF THE CIVIL WAR, THE EUROPEAN WARS AND
MONARCHY, LINCOLN'S ASSASSINATION, AND THE DEATH OF QUEEN VIC-
TORIA.
IN ALL THE PAPERS REVIEWED TO DATE THERE HAS ONLY BEEN ONE
MENTION OF THOMAS MCKAY:
"PETITION TO COL. A.B. FOSTER TO REPRESENT
SHEFFORD CO. IN PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT ..."
THE PETITION WAS SIGNED BY: THOMAS MCKAY; PATRICK, PATRICK JR.,
JOHN, & MICHAEL KELPY; BOOTHS, GALBRAITHS, SAVAGES, COBURNS;
CHARLES MORAN; PETER, FRANCIS, JOHN 1 & 2 DUNN; JOHN DUNN; AND
APPEARED ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE EASTERN TOWNSHIPS GAZETTE OF 26
AUG 1858. THE PETITION REQUESTED A LOCAL POLITICIAN TO RUN FOR
PROVINCIAL OFFICE AGAINST A POWERFUL INCUMBENT WHO HAD RECENTLY
BEEN EMBROILED IN A POLITICAL SCANDLE. SURPRISINGLY, THERE WERE
NO MAHEDY SIGNATURES. PATRICK MAHEDY WAS GIVEN CREDIT/BLAME FOR
PLAYING A KEY ROLE IN THE DEFEAT OF THE INCUMBENT MR. DRUMMOND.
THERE WERE A FEW OTHER MCKAY/MACKAY/MCKIES IN THE PAPERS
WHICH I DO NOT RECALL IN THE CENSUSES. LT. MCKAY OF THE WATERLOO
MILITIA WAS MENTIONED. HE WAS INTRODUCED IN A PREVIOUS ISSUE OF
"3M" IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CONFRONTATION WITH COL. MAYNES OF
WATERLOO. THE EASTERN TOWNSHIP GAZETTE REPORTED IN NOV 1864:
"INSPECTION OF CO. 2, ARTILLERY, SHEFFORD CO.
VOLUNTEERS - CAPT. MAYNES AND ENSIGN MCKAY;"
A LATER LISTING OF MILITIA VOLUNTEERS SHOWED
"TOWNSHIP OF GRANBY: 13 JAN 1865; LIST "COMPRISING
IN PART THE FIRST BATTALION OF THE COUNTY OF SHEF-
FORD SERVICE MILITIA..." INCLUDED JOHN MACKEY ! (1 OF 116)
"OUR" JOHN PATRICK WAS ONLY FOURTEEN AT THAT TIME AND WOULD HAVE
BEEN TOO YOUNG TO BE IN THE MILITIA. PERHAPS THE ABOVE JOHN WAS
A NEPHEW OF THOMAS.
ANOTHER POTENTIAL MCKAY COUSIN WAS FOUND IN THE FOLLOWING
NOTICE OF 12 MAY 1865:
"LIST OF DIPLOMAS - GRANTED BY THE BOARD OF
EXAMINERS FOR SWEETSBURG AND WATERLOO (CATHOLIC
SECTION)...SECOND DAY OF MAY, 1865...DIPLOMAS FOR
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS...SECOND CLASS...MCKAY; (MARIE
G.) NATIVE OF GRANBY, AGED 23 YEARS, CATHOLIC."
SINCE MOST OF THE MCKAYS WERE OF SCOTTISH PRESBYTARIAN ORIGIN,
THE FACT THAT THIS MARIE IS CATHOLIC MIGHT LEND SUPPORT TO THE
CONTENTION THAT SHE WAS RELATED TO THOMAS.
THERE ARE STILL TWELVE ROLLS OF MICROFILM TO BE REVIEWED
COVERING THE 1870 - 1894 TIME SPAN. HOPEFULLY MORE SPECIFIC
CLUES WILL SURFACE.
AS I HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE, A FAMILY HISTORY SHOULD BE MORE
THAN A COLLECTION OF NAMES, DATES, AND PLACES. TO THE EXTENT
POSSIBLE IT SHOULD HELP US GET TO KNOW THESE ANCIENT ANCESTORS
AND HOW THEY LIVED. I HAVE OFTEN WONDERED HOW MUCH INTERACTION
THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AMOUNGST THE FAMILIES AS THEY BEGAN TO
SPREAD APART. THEY COULD NOT PICK UP THE PHONE AND CHAT OR HOP
IN A CAR AND GO VISIT. OF COURSE THERE WAS MAIL, BUT THAT WAS
SLOW. ZORA HAD SAID THAT WHEN ESTHER GILLETT MAHEDY BECAME LAID
UP WITH LIVER CANCER, SOLOMON AND ESTHER MAHEDY BUTLER TOOK ZORA
AND JOE TO THE MAHEDY-MCKAY FARM IN NORTH SHEFFORD. THE BUTLERS
REMAINED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS UNTIL ESTHER DIED ON 17 JAN 1793.
THEY THEN RETURNED TO THEIR HOME IN AVA, NY. MICHAEL MAHEDY LEFT
THE FARM AND STAYED WITH THE BUTLERS UNTIL HIS DEATH 14 MAY 1895.
THE FAMILIES REMAINED CLOSE. IN THE 17 AUGUST 1900 WATERLOO
ADVERTISER I FOUND "MR. AND MRS. SOLOMON BUTLER AND CHILDREN ARE
VISITING MR. AND MRS. JOHN P. MCKAY." THE FOLLOWING WEEK "MR.
AND MRS. SOLOMON BUTLER, WHO WERE GUESTS OF MR. AND MRS. JOHN P.
MCKAY, OF NORTH SHEFFORD, DURING JULY AND AUGUST, RETURNED LAST
WEEK TO THEIR HOME AT VERNON, NY. MR. MCKAY'S ELDEST DAUGHTER,
MISS ELIZABETH MCKAY, WENT BACK WITH THEM AND IF THE CLIMATE
AGREES WITH HER SHE WILL STAY TILL SPRING." (7 SEPT 1900) THIS
WAS PROBABLY THE SEED OF THE MCKAY MIGRATION TO VERNON! THE
FOLLOWING AUGUST:
"MCKAY - MISS MINA MCKAY HAS JUST RETURNED TO
LEOMINSTER, MASS., AFTER SPENDING HER VACATION
WITH HER FATHER AND MOTHER, MR. AND MRS. JOHN P.
MCKAY OF NORTH SHEFFORD. HER MANY YOUNG FRIENDS
CONTRIBUTED TO MAKE HER STAY PLEASANT."
(16 AUG 1901)
IN LEOMINSTER MINA PROBABLY STAYED WITH HER COUSIN JENNY MAHEDY
DOWNS AND HER FAMILY. MANY SHEFFORD COUNTY RESIDENTS HAD MOVED
TO THE LEOMINSTER AREA.
THE ANNUAL SHEFFORD COUNTY AGRICULTURAL FAIR WAS HELD EVERY
SEPTEMBER. IT WAS THE BIG EVENT IN THE COUNTY AND UNDOUBTEDLY
ATTRACTED THE MAHEDY-MORAN AND MCKAY FAMILES YEAR AFTER YEAR.
TWO WEEKS AFTER MINA RETURNED TO LEOMINSTER THE 20 SEPT 1901
ADVERTISER REPORTED J. MCKAY OF ST. JOACHIM WON SECOND PRIZE
FOR - WHAT ELSE? - POTATOES! P. DUNN AND SON WON FOURTH PRIZE
FOR PEAS AND OATES. IN THE 27 DEC ISSUE THE FOLLOWING ENTRY WAS
FOUND CONCERNING AREA FARMERS: "LAST SAT EVENING THE PATRONS OF
MR. JOSEPH HEBERT'S CHEESE FACTORY, N SHEFFORD, HELD AN INTEREST-
ING AND WELL ATTENDED MEETING IN THE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE. AMOUNG
THOSE PRESENT WERE MR. J.P. CLEARY,...MESSRS. P. MCQUIRK, THOS.
O'MALLEY, JAS. KENNEDY, ROBERT HANNA, PAUL DESMARAIS, ALFRED
MAHEDY, INGRAM, J.P. MCKAY, HIRAM SAVAGE, JOHN SAVAGE, JOS.
HEBERT, AND OTHERS." THE MEETING WAS BASICALLY TO DECIDE WHETHER
TO CONTINUE TO PRODUCE CHEESE OR CONVERT TO BUTTER. AFTER
CONSIDERABLE DEBATE THEY CHOSE BUTTER.
ST. PATTY'S DAY
EVERYONE IS PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH THE MANY PARADES, THE
LIVELY AND MELANCHOLY MUSIC, CORNED BEEF, AND ASSORTED IRISH
SPIRITS TYPICAL OF CONTEMPORARY CELEBRATIONS. ONE COULD ONLY
GUESS HOW OUR IRISH IMMIGRANT ANCESTORS MIGHT HAVE CELEBRATED
SO LONG AGO - OR COULD THEY? IMAGINE FINDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE
VERY FIRST PUBLIC CELEBRATION OF THIS GREATEST OF DAYS IN SHEF-
FORD COUNTY. IT TOOK PLACE 17 MARCH 1859 AS REPORTED BY THE WAT-
ERLOO ADVERTISER:
"ST. PATRICK'S DAY IN NORTH SHEFFORD
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "ADVERTISER"
DEAR SIR, - THINKING ANY LOCAL NEWS OF INTEREST
WOULD BE WELCOME TO MANY OF YOUR READERS, I BEG LEAVE
TO GIVE YOU AN ACCOUNT OF THE CELEBRATION OF ST. PAT-
RICK'S DAY IN NORTH SHEFFORD.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE BAD STATE OF THE ROADS, MANY
ASSENBLED FROM THIS AND THE ADJACENT TOWNSHIPS. AFTER
DIVINE SERVICE, THE REV. G.L. KERTSON, OF GRANBY, IN A
LENGTHY DISCOURSE, FLUENTLY AND ELABORATELY DEPICTED
THE LIFE AND LABORS OF THE APOSTLE OF IRELAND, AND
WITH WHAT TENACITY MANY OF THE IRISH, THROUGH EVERY
ORDEAL OF PERSECUTION, CLUNG TO THE FAITH PLANTED IN
THEIR ISLAND BY ST. PATRICK. HE CONCLUDED HIS ABLE
DISCOURSE BY EXHORTING HIS HEARERS TO TAKE EXAMPLE
FROM THE PRACTICE AND LESSONS OF TEMPORANCE AND LOVE
TAUGHT BY THAT SAINT, AND HOPED THAT ON THAT GREAT NA-
TIONAL DAY THERE WOULD BE NO INDULGENCE OF THE EVIL
PRACTICE OF INTEMPORANCE.
AT NOON ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED PERSONS FORMED IN PRO-
CESSION, AND MARCHED SOME DISTANCE WITH GREAT ORDER
AND DEECORUM, HEADED BY THE CLERGYMAN, SOME MUSIC, AND
A NUMBER OF APPROPRIATE FLAGS AND BANNERS. AT THE
TERMINUS OF THE PROCESSION, MR. P. MAHEDY BEING LOUDLY
CALLED FOR, CAME FORWARD, AND SPOKE FOR SOME TIME ON
THE LIFE AND PARENTAGE OF ST. PATRICK, HIS MISSION AND
LABORS, AS WELL AS THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY
INTO ENGLAND AND IRELAND. HE DENIED THE FALSE MIRA-
CLES ATTRIBUTED TO THE APOSTLE BY JOCELINE AND OTHER
DISHONEST HISTORIANS, AND IN SUPPORT OF HIS STATEMENTS
QUOTED SOLINUS, CAMBRENSIS, AND SEVERAL OTHER AUTHORS.
THAT THE APOSTLE OF IRELAND PERFORMED ONE GREAT MIRACLE
NO ONE CAN DENY - THAT WAS, CONVERTING A WHOLE NATION FROM
PAGANISM WITHOUT BEING INSTRUMENTAL, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY,
IN SHEDDING ONE DROP OF BLOOD. IN CONCLUDING, "HE HOPED
THERE WOULD BE NO FURTHER ARGUMENT OF RIVAL CREEDS, BUT THAT
OUR MIXED POPULATION WOULD UNITE IN ONE COMMON CAUSE FOR THE
FUTURE WELFARE OF CANADA - NOT BY AN OATH-BOUND TIE, BUT ONE
STRONGER, LOVE AND PATRIOTISM; UNITED, NOT FOR ONSLAUGHT ON
THOSE OF OTHER NATIONALITIES, BUT FOR THE SOCIAL AND MORAL
CULTURE OF OUR COUNTRYMEN." (7 APR 1859)
IT WOULD NOT SEEM UNREASONABLE TO SUGGEST THAT ALL THE MCKAYS,
MAHEDYS, AND MORANS PARTICIPATED IN THIS CELEBRATION.
LAST YEAR, BASED ON A RATHER SUPERFICIAL REVIEW OF 19TH
CENTURY NEWSPAPERS, I WAS TEMPTED TO COMMENT ON AN IMPRESSION I
HAD THAT THERE SEEMED TO BE A SUBTLE TENSION BETWEEN PROTESTANTS
AND CATHOLICS. WHILE THE REVIEW OF EVEN EARLIER PAPERS HAS
PROBABLY BEEN EQUALLY SUPERFICIAL, THE EVIDENCE OF TENSION WAS
QUITE CONSPICUOUS THROUGHOUT THE 1850'S AND '60'S. THIS WAS
APPARENT AT THE NATIONAL, PROVINCIAL, AND LOCAL LEVEL. FURTHER,
THERE WAS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN IRISH CATHOLICS AND FRENCH
CATHOLICS. AS THE 1860'S PROGRESSED THERE WERE INCREASING
REPORTS OF A "FENIAN MOVEMENT" TARGETED TO DISRUPT THE CANADIAN
SOCIETY AND FORCE A BREAK WITH ENGLAND. THERE WAS FEAR THE
FRENCH WOULD JOIN THE MOVEMENT. THE FENIAN MOVEMENT WAS ALSO
REPORTED IN IRELAND, ENGLAND, THE CONTINENT - EVEN RUSSIA - AS
WELL AS THE U.S. AND MEXICO. ULTIMATELY, THERE WERE REBELLIONS
THROUGHOUT CANADA IN 1866 AND AGAIN IN 1870. THESE "REBELLIONS"
SEEMED TO CONSIST MORE OF SPORADIC EPISODES THAN AN OUTRIGHT
MILITARY CONFRONTATION. THE SHEFFORD CO. MILITIA WERE CALLED OUT
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO ANSWER ALARMS IN NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.
THE IRISH RESIDENTS WERE PROBABLY AS SENSITIVE TO THE FENIAN
REBELLIONS AS THE GERMAN AND JAPANESE AMERICANS IN WW II.
EVERYONE WAS SUSPECT. THIS SUBJECT WILL BE REVISITED IN THE
MAHEDY SECTION. SUFFICE TO SAY HERE THAT IT IS A WONDER THAT
CANADA DID NOT EVOLVE INTO ANOTHER NORTHERN IRELAND. REASON
TRIUMPHED.
PROBABLY AS A RESULT OF THE FENIAN PROBLEM, THE ST.
PATRICK'S SOCIETY OF SHEFFORD COUNTY WAS FORMED IN 1865 OR EARLY
1866. WE ARE BLESSED AGAIN WITH THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT OF THEIR
ST. PATTY'S DAY CELEBRATION HELD 17 MAR 1866:
"ST. PATRICK'S SOCIETY OF THE COUNTY OF SHEFFORD
AT A MEETING OF THE ST. PATRICK'S SOCIETY OF THE
COUNTY OF SHEFFORD AND VICINITY, WAS HELD IN THE
VESTRY ROOM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OF WATERLOO,
ON THE 17TH INST., AFTER THE CELEBRATION OF THE
DAY BY THE SOCIETY, THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS WERE
MOVED AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED: -
MOVED BY P. MAHEDY ESQ., PRESIDENT OF THE SO-
CIETY, AND SECONDED BY WILLIAM HARRIS, ESQ., ONE OF
THE VICE PRESIDENTS,-
RESOLVED, THAT ALTHOUGH WE SYMPATHIZE WITH OUR
OPPRESSED COUNTRYMEN IN IRELAND, AND DEEPLY DEPLORE
THE GRIEVANCES THEY LABOUR UNDER, YET WE CONDEMN
EVERY MOVEMENT MADE BY THEM OR IN THEIR BEHALF TO
AMELIORATE THEIR CONDITION OR TO REMOVE THEIR GRIE-
VANCES THAT IS OPPOSED TO THE VOIVE OF GOD OR HIS
CHURCH.
MOVED BY JOHN CLARY, ESQ., MUNICIPAL COUNCILLOR
OF SHEFFORD, AND SECONDED BY MR. PATRICK O'CALLAGHAN
OF GRANBY,-
RESOLVED,- THAT WE CONDEMN THE FENIAN ORGANIZATION
WITH ALL ITS RAMIFICATIONS WHEREVER IT EXISTS,- WE
CONSIDER THESE MISGUIDED MEN, THE FENIANS, ENEMIES TO
OUR CREED AND COUNTRY; AND SHOULD OUR SERVICES BE RE-
QUIRED TO REPEL ANY LAWLESS BANDITTI OF FENIANS OR
OTHER INVASION, WE TENDER THESE SERVICES TO OUR GOV-
ERNMENT; FOR, LIVING AS WE DO UNDER A FREE AND HAPPY
GOVERNMENT, ITS OUR DUTY, IN COMMON WITH ALL OTHER
FAITHFUL SUBJECTS OF OUR BELOVED QUEEN, WITH THE
STRONG ARMS AND WARM HEARTS OF IRISHMEN TO SUPPORT
HER CROWN AND DIGNITY.
MOVED BY MR. ANDREW HALEY OF GRANBY, AND SECONDED
BY MR. WILLIAM CAREY, OF SOUTH ROXTON;-
RESOLVED,- THAT THE THANKS OF THE SOCIETY ARE DUE
AND TENDERED TO THE REV. MR. GENDRON FOR THE TASTEFUL
MANNER IN WHICH HE HAS DECORATED HIS CHURCH FOR OUR
RECEPTION, AS ALSO TO HIS CHARACTERS THAT SO WELL PER-
FORMED THEIR PART AT THE CELEBRATION.
MOVED BY THE PRESIDENT, AND SECONDED BY MR.
CHARLES MORAN, JR., OF SHEFFORD,-
RESOLVED, THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMPLIMENT PAID
TO THE SOCIETY IN THE LETTER JUST READ FROM CAPT. J.C.
AUGER, IN BEHALF OF HIMSELF AND COMPANY NOW STATIONED
HERE, AND WE PLEDGE OURSELVES, THAT AS LONG AS HIMSELF
AND MEN RESIDES AMOUNST US WE SHALL DO OUR BEST TO
MAKE THEIR SOJOURN PLEASANT AND AGREEABLE.
MOVED BY WM. FARLEY, ESQ., OF GRANBY, AND SECOND-
ED BY MR. PETER DUNN OF NORTH SHEFFORD:
RESOLVED,- THAT COPIES OF THESE RESOLUTIONS BE
FORWARDED FOR INSERTION TO THE WATERLOO ADVERTISER,
THE GRANBY GAZETTE, THE TRUE WITNESS, AND MONTREAL
WEEKLY HERALD.
P. O'CALLAGHAN,
SECRETARY,
WATERLOO, MARCH 17, 1866 " (23 MAR 1866)
OBVIOUSLY OUR ANCESTORS WERE DEDICATED TO THEIR ETHNIC HERITAGE
AS WELL TO THEIR ADOPTED HOMELAND. AGAIN, IT WOULD NOT BE
SURPRISING TO SUSPECT THAT THE MCKAYS PARTICIPATED IN THIS EVENT
TOO. KEEP THE TRADITION ALIVE!
ERIN GO BRAGH
***
MAHEDY
THE SEARCH FOR MAHEDY "NEWS" WAS AS FRUSTRATING AS THAT FOR
THE MCKAYS. THEN THE SKY OPENED AND NEWS POURED FORTH. PREVIOUS
PAGES HAVE ALREADY TOUCHED ON ALFRED AND HIS FATHER, PATRICK. WE
WILL KNOW PATRICK MUCH BETTER NOW THAN WE DID BEFORE. SOME ADDI-
TIONAL DATA HAS ALSO SURFACED ON OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CLAN.
BASED ON THE INFORMATION FROM ZORA AND AUNT MAY, TOGETHER
WITH CENSUS DATA, IT APPEARED THAT JOHN MAHEDY HAD MOVED WITH HIS
SONS PATRICK AND MICHAEL FROM SHERRINGTON TO SHEFFORD SHORTLY
AFTER 1851. HE DIED THERE IN 1858 AND WAS BURIED AT GRANBY.
SURPRISINGLY, THERE WAS AN OBITUARY FOR JOHN. ALTHOUGH IT DOES
NOT NAME HIS PARENTS, SIBLINGS, OR HOMETOWN IN IRELAND, IT DOES
SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE MAN. THE OBITUARY WAS CARRIED IN THE
EASTERN TOWNSHIPS GAZETTE OF 19 FEB 1858 AND READ AS FOLLOWS:
"OBITUARY, - DIED ON THE 16TH INST., MR. JOHN MAHEDY,
LATE OF THE TOWN OF SHERRINGTON, L.C. HE WAS ON A
VISIT TO HIS SON MR. MICHAEL MAHEDY, OF NORTH SHEF-
FORD. THE DECEASED REACHED THE VENERABLE OLD AGE
OF 76 YEARS, 8 MONTHS. HE WAS ONE OF THE EARLY
SETTLERS OF HIS ADOPTED TOWNSHIP, WHERE HE RESIDED
FOR NEARLY THIRTY YEARS, HIGHLY RESPECTED. HE WAS
A PRACTICAL SCHOLAR, OF A PROFOUND EDUCATION, WELL
VERSED IN THE HISTORIES OF ANCIENT AND MODERN TIMES,
AND FOR MANY YEARS A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE PUBLIC PRESS
OF HIS NATIVE AND ADOPTED COUNTRY. HE WAS A NATIVE
OF THE COUNTY OF LONGFORD, IRELAND, AND FATHER TO P.
MAHEDY, OF THIS TOWNSHIP. THE INTERNMENT WILL TAKE
PLACE AT THE CATHOLIC CEMETERY OF GRANBY, THIS DAY
(FRIDAY) AT 10 O'CLOCK A.M."
THIS PLACES JOHN'S BIRTH @ JUL 1781, AS OPPOSED TO 1782 GIVEN BY
ZORA, OR 1780 GIVEN BY THE 1851 CENSUS. IT IS ALSO CLEAR THAT
JOHN REMAINED IN SHERRINGTON AFTER HIS SONS HAD MOVED TO SHEFFORD
CO. I CAN NOT DETERMINE FROM THE ABOVE IF JOHN CONTINUED TO
WRITE TO THE PRESS IN IRELAND AFTER HE SETTLED IN CANADA, OR IF
HE WROTE TO THE IRISH PRESS UNTIL 1830 WHEN HE LEFT IRELAND AND
THEN WROTE TO THE CANADIAN PRESS AFTER SETTLING IN SHERRINGTON @
1831. IF ANY OF THOSE ANCIENT PAPERS EXIST IN IRELAND, PERHAPS
THERE IS A REMOTE CHANCE THAT THEY WOULD HELP TO SPECIFY HIS HOME
TOWN AND IDENTIFY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. I CAN NOT HELP BUT
WONDER HOW AND WHERE JOHN OBTAINED HIS "PROFOUND EDUCATION". A
FEW YEARS AGO WE PUBLISHED THE AMAZING LETTER OF 1864 BY HIS SON
JOHN. FASCINATING AS IT WAS, IT WAS REPLETE WITH ERRORS IN
SPELLING AND GRAMMAR. PAT ON THE OTHER HAND SEEMS TO ALSO
EXHIBIT A PROFOUND EDUCATION. DOES THIS IMPLY THE MAHEDYS MAY
HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT MORE PROMINENT IN LONGFORD THAN PREVIOUSLY
BELIEVED? FINALLY, I CAN NOT HELP BUT THINK OF ZORA BUTLER!
THOSE OF US WHO WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE KNOWN HER WILL
RECALL THAT SHE WAS AN AVID STUDENT OF HISTORY AND GOVERN-
MENT. SHE ALSO FREQUENTLY HAD LETTERS TO EDITORS PUBLISHED IN
WASHINGTON, D.C., AND LATER - EVEN AFTER PARTIAL PARALYSIS FROM A
STROKE - THROUGHOUT CENTRAL N.Y. I CAN IMAGINE HER REACTION TO
THIS NEWS OF HER GREAT-GRANDFATHER!
JOHN, JR.'S LETTER OF 1864 WAS WRITTEN FROM PLACER COUNTY,
CAL., WHERE HE SAID HE WAS A RAILROAD CONTRACTOR AND HAD PUR-
CHASED A HOUSE. HE DID NOT APPEAR IN THE 1870 PLACER CO. CENSUS.
THERE ARE NO RECORDS OF JOHN, JR. IN THE COUNTY RECORDS OR
HISTORICAL SOCIETY. HOWEVER, THEY DID FIND A JOHN MAHADY WHO
DIED IN SACRAMENTO SHORTLY AFTER 1870. I HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO
INVESTIGATE, BUT IT COULD WELL BE "OUR" JOHN, JR.. I AM ALSO
SEARCHING FOR RECORDS OF JOHN IN TEXAS AND CUBA.
PATRICK, SON OF JOHN AND BROTHER OF JOHN, JR., HAS LEFT A
WEALTH OF INFORMATION THAT, PERHAPS, PROVIDES A MIRROR TO HIS
SOUL. FROM THE "ST. PATTY'S DAY" SEGMENT IT IS CLEAR THAT PAT
WAS REGARDED AS A LEADER AMOUNG THE IRISH THROUGHOUT SHEFFORD CO.
PAT ALSO SERVED AS A SCHOOL COMMISIONER AT LEAST FROM 1856-59 AS
VERIFIED BY THE FOLLOWING NOTICE:
"A STATEMENT OF THE AFFAIRS OF THE SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS
OF THE SCHOOL MUNICIPALITY OF SHEFFORD, FROM THE FIRST DAY
OF JULY, 1857, TO THE FIRST DAY OF JULY, 1858. (ANNUAL
SCHOOL BUDGET) SUBMITTED BY P. MAHEDY, JONATHAN ALLARD,
GEO. C. ROBINSON; SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS WATERLOO, SEPT. 25,
1858;".
SIMILAR NOTICES WERE PUBLISHED AT THE END OF EACH YEAR. HE
FREQUENTLY WROTE TO THE PAPER ON MATTERS OF EDUCATION. IN SO
DOING, HE WAS OFTEN THE CENTER OF CONTROVERSY. THROUGOUT HIS
TENURE THERE WERE RUNNING ARGUMENTS IN THE PRESS. SOMETIMES PAT
SUBMITTED LETTERS UNDER HIS OWN NAME, AS "P. MAHEDY". SOMETIMES
IT WAS UNDER "P. M---Y". ONE OF HIS ADVERSARIES ALSO IMPLIED PAT
WAS THE WRITER WHO SIGNED AS "OBSERVER". BEFORE PROCEDING WITH
PAT'S CIVIC RECORD I WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO THE FENIAN MOVEMENT.
OBVIOUSLY THE FENIAN MOVEMENT WAS AN IRISH INITIATIVE. AS
IT GAINED MORE AND MORE ATTENTION, IT EXACERBATED THE TENSION
BETWEEN IRISH CATHOLICS AND THE PROTESTANTS. AS IN ANY ETHNIC OR
RELIGIOUS CONFLICT, RUMORS, DISTORTIONS, AND LIES BECOME FACT.
HYSTERIA ABOUNDS. BEING RECOGNIZED AS A LEADER AMOUNG THE IRISH,
AND KNOWN FOR HIS CONTROVERSIAL POSITIONS CONCERNING EDUCATION -
OFTEN REVOLVING AROUND RELIGIOUS ISSUES - PAT FOUND HIMSELF IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE FENIAN SCARE. HE SUBMITTED A LETTER TO THE
EDITOR WHO WAS UNABLE TO PUBLISH IT INITIALLY, AS HE INDICATED:
"WE HAVE RECEIVED A COMMUNICATION FROM OUR FRIEND P.
MAHEDY, ESQ., ON THE RECENT FENIAN "SCARE" IN THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD. IT CAME TOO LATE FOR PUBLICATION IN
THIS PAPER, BUT WILL APPEAR IN THE NEXT." 13 JAN '65
PAT'S LETTER SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, AND TELLS US MUCH ABOUT THE MAN.
"THE FENIANS IN THE EASTERN TOWNSHIPS. (TO THE EDITOR...)
DEAR SIR, --- THERE IS A STORY AFLOAT THROUGH
THIS AND THE ADJACENT TOWNSHIPS THAT HAS MY NAME AND
THE NAMES OF TWO WORTHY AND ESTEEMED REVEREND FRIENDS
OF MINE. THE ONE MY OWN PRIEST, A PIOUS YOUNG MAN -
COMPARATIVELY A STRANGER AMOUNG US, BEING BUT A FEW
WEEKS ON THIS MISSION; THE OTHER THE HIGHLY POPULAR
CATHOLIC INCUMBENT OF YOUR VILLAGE. WERE IT NOT FOR
THIS COINCIDENCE I WOULD CONSIDER THE STORY BENEATH
MY NOTICE TO MENTION OR TROUBLE YOU, SIR, FOR SPACE
IN RELATION TO IT. THIS SENSATION STORY, NO DOUBT,
SIR, BUT WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD ERE THIS, AS IT HAS
REACHED A MUCH FARTHER DISTANCE. IT IS, SIR, TO THE
EFFECT, THAT THERE IS AN ORGANIZED BODY OF THESE EX-
COMMUNICATED SCOUNDRELS, THEY CALL FENIANS, AMOUNG MY
COUNTYRMEN AND IN RELIGIONISTS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD,
WHOSE OBJECT IT IS TO TURN OUT SOME DAY OR NIGHT
BANDED AND COMMENCE AND CARRY ON AN INDISCRIMINATE
SLAUGHTER ON THEIR PROTESTANT NEIGHBORS; THAT YOUR
HUMBLE SERVANT IS CAPTAIN-GENERAL, MAGOR-GENERAL, OR
SOME OTHER KIND OF A GENERAL, THAT IS TO GIVE THE OR-
DER TO DO THE FOUL AND BLOODY WORK; THAT MY TWO REV-
EREND AND ESTEEMED FRIENDS ARE THE REPOSITORS OF THE
ARMS BY WHICH IT IS TO BE DONE; THAT OUR BURYING
GROUNDS CONSECRATED AND SANCTIFIED BY THE PRAYERS AND
BENEDICTIONS OF THE CHURCH FOR HIGHER AND HOLIER PUR-
POSES, ARE MADE ARMORIES AND REPOSITORIES FOR THEIR
CONCEALED WEAPONS.
TO SAY A WORD IN CONTRADICTION TO THIS ABSURD
SENSATION STORY, WOULD BE AN INSULT TO THE GOOD SENSE
AND INTELLIGENCE OF THE GREATEST PART OF MY PROTES-
TANT NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS; BUT AS THERE MAY BE SOME
WEAK-MINDED OLD WOMEN AND MAIDENS THAT MAY BELIEVE
THIS STORY AND BY IT IS PUT INTO GREAT BODILY FEAR,
AND WHOSE NOCTURNAL REST, SO NECESSARY TO STRENGTHEN
THE BODY AND INVIGORATE THE MIND, IS DISTURBED BY THE
DREAMS AND PHANTOMS OF BLOOD-SHED AND SLAUGHTER.
SIR, TO APPEASE THEIR MINDS AND ALLEVIATE THEIR MEN-
TAL SUFFERINGS, THAT THEY MAY ENJOY UNDISTURBED WITH-
OUT FEAR, "BALMY SLEEP, SWEET REPOSE," I AM WILLING
TO DO ALL THAT REASONABLE MORTAL CAN OR WOULD EXPECT
TO DO, TO REMOVE THESE FEARS. NOW, SIR, I OFFER THEM
AS MY SECURITY FOR MY GOOD BEHAVIOR, AND AS A GUARAN-
TEE THAT I WILL NEVER HURT A HAIR ON THEIR HEADS, OR
CAUSE OR PERMIT THEM TO BE INJURED TO MY KNOWING OR
KNOWLEDGE, BECAUSE THEY WORSHIP GOD ACCORDING TO
THE DICTATES OF THEIR OWN CONSCIENCES, EVERY PROTEST-
ANT GEMTLEMAN OF SOUND AND SANE MIND IN THE EASTERN
TOWNSHIPS. FURTHER, I OFFER THEM AS MY SECURITIES,
SEVERAL PROTESTANT CLERGYMEN THAT I HAVE THE HONOR OF
THEIR ACQUAINTANCE IN THE EASTERN TOWNSHIPS, AND MANY
OTHER PARTS OF CANADA.
ALTHOUGH MY ACQUAINTANCE WITH YOURSELF IS LIMIT-
ED, I THINK YOU WILL NOT REFUSE TO BECOME MY BONDS-
MAN, THAT I NEVER WILL MALICIOUSLY OR FELONIOUSLY
HURT OR CAUSE TO BE INJURED ANY OF THESE POOR OLD WO-
MEN OR MAIDENS ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR RELIGIOUS CONVIC-
TIONS.
TO THINK, SIR, OR FOR ONCE IMAGINE THAT THERE IS
AN ORGANIZATION OF FENIANS, OR OTHER SECRET ORGANI-
ZATION OF SCOUNDRELS, AMOUNGST US PLOTTING AGAINST
THE PEACE AND LIVES OF THEIR NEIGHBORS, IS ABSURD,
REDICULOUS, AND PREPOSTEROUS.
DID I KNOW OF ANY SUCH ORGANIZATION IN THIS PART
OF THE COUNTRY, I WOULD BE ONE OF THE FIRST TO USE
ALL THE POWER AND AUTHORITY THE LAW GIVES TO ME, AS A
SWORN CONSERVATOR OF THE PEACE, TO SUPPRESS IT WITH
THE STRONG ARM OF THE LAW.
THE CHURCH, SIR, IN WHICH I WAS BORN AND LIVED IN
UNDER THE STRONGEST CONVICTIONS OF HER DIVINE ORIGIN,
HER SANCTITY AND HOLINESS ABHORS, DETESTS, AND ANATH-
EMATIZES ALL OF HER REFRACTORY CHILDREN THAT BELONG
TO ANY SECRET ORGANIZATION, NO MATTER HOW GOOD OR HOW
NOBLE THE END BE ...(ILLEGIBLE)... SUCH AND KNOWN TO
US, WE LOOK AT THEM AS ANOTHER EDITION OF THAT
TRAITOR JUDAS CRUCIFYING THEIR LORD ANEW, BECAUSE
THEY ACT CONTRARY TO THE DICTATES OF THEIR OWN CON-
SCIENCES. THESE REFRACTORY CATHOLICS THEY DISOBEY
THE DIVINE INJUNCTIONS - "HEAR THE CHURCH." THEY
KNOW THAT WE ARE ALSO TAUGHT "THAT THEM THAT WILL NOT
HEAR THE CHURCH, LET HIM BE UNTO THEE AS A HEATHEN
AND A PUBLICAN." SUPPOSE, SIR, THAT THE STORY GOT
CIRCULATED THAT THE PROTESTANTS WERE GOING TO TURN
OUT SOME DAY OR NIGHT AND MURDER ALL THEIR CATHOLIC
NEIGHBORS (AND MIND YOU, SIR, THE STORY WOULD BE MORE
FEASIBLE THAN THE ONE NOW IN CIRCULATION, THEY BEING
MUCH MORE NUMEROUS IN THIS AND MANY OTHER TOWNSHIPS)
YOU COULD NOT FIND AN OLD CATHOLIC WOMEN, NO MATTER
HOW ECCENTRIC OR HOW WEAK-MINDED SHE WOULD, WOULD
NOT BELIEVE IT. IN REPLY, SHE WOULD SAY THESE WORDS,
OR WORDS BEARING THE SAME MEANING, - "I BELIEVE NO
SUCH TRASH; WE NEVER DID OUR PROYESTANT NEIGHBORS ANY
WRONG OR INJUSTICE; WE HAVE LIVED IN THE MOST PERFECT
UNITY AND FRIENDSHIP WITH THEM; THEY ARE OUR COUNTRY-
MEN, EVERY TIE OF PATRIOTISM, FRIENDSHIP, AND EVEN
CONSANGUINITY, BINDS US TOGETHER; THEN WHAT WOULD
THEY MURDER US FOR? THEY WORSHIP THE LIVING GOD AS
WELL AS WE DO. HE SENT HIS BELOVED SON TO REDEEM AND
SAVE THEM AS WELL AS US. HE LEFT THE DIVINE INJUNC-
TIONS TO THEM AS WELL AS TO US - "LOVE ONE ANOTHER."
HE SAID TO THEM AS WELL AS TO US - "IF ANY MAN SAY I
LOVE GOD AND HATETH HIS BROTHER HE IS A LIAR." HE
TAUGHT THEM TO PRAY AS WELL AS US, AND SAY - "FORGIVE
US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THEM THAT TRESPASS
AGAINST US." SUCH A STORY IS SHEER NONSENSE - NO ONE
WOULD CIRCULATE IT (SHE WOULD SAY) BUT AN ENEMY TO
GOD AND HIS COUNTRY." THEN, SIR, WHY IS IT THAT MANY
WEAK-MINDED PROTESTANTS ARE LESS CHARITABLE TO US
THAN WE ARE TO THEM, AND FEAR US WITHOUT CAUSE OR
PROVOCATION?
MR. EDITOR, I MAY HAVE INDULGED IN PART OF THIS
COMMUNICATION WITH TOO MUCH LEVITY, BUT NOW, SIR, I
AM GOING TO BE SERIOUS. -- THERE IS A DARK SPOT ON
THE POLITICAL HORIZON OF OUR COUNTRY -- IT NEEDS
NOT THE HELP OF A TELESCOPE TO SEE IT; IT IS VISIBLE
TO THE NAKED EYE, AND IT MAY BURST BEFORE MANY
MONTHS ARE OVER INTO A TORNADO THAT WILL SHAKE OUR
COUNTRY TO ITS CENTRE. SHOULD THAT DAY UNHAPPILY AR-
RIVE, OUR UNITED STRENGTH WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROTECT
OUR COUNTRY, OUR HOMES AND PROPERTIES, FROM THE HANDS
OF A RUTHLESS INVADER. SHOULD THAT DAY, SIR, ARRIVE,
AND IT MAY NOT BE FAR DISTANT, UNITED WE MAY BE ABLE
TO STAND AND REPEL THE INVADER, BUT DIVIDED WE ARE
SURE TO FALL AND LEAVE OUR PROPERTIES AND OURSELVES
AND FAMILIES AT THE MERCIES OF THE INVADERS. IT IS A
NOTORIOUS FACT THAT THERE ARE NOW IN THE NEIGHBORING
REPUBLIC AN ORGANIZED BAND OF SCOUNDRELS, - BEARING
THE VERY NAME THAT SO MANY OF THE POOR OLD WOMEN HERE
ARE SO ALARMED AT, - PART OF WHOSE DECLARED OBJECTS
ARE TO CRIPPLE THE HOME GOVERNMENT BY INVADING OUR
COUNTRY. SOME THINK AND SAY THE UNITED STATES GOV-
ERNMENT WOULD NOT PERMIT IT. WHO CAN SAY THIS KNOW-
ING THE HISTORY OF THE SEVERAL ORGANIZED BODIES OF
BANDITS THAT THE LAST THIRTY YEARS HAVE INVADED FROM
THE UNITED STATES NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES WITH WHOM SHE
HAD BEEN AT PEACE, AND THE AUTHORITIES OF THAT COUN-
TRY CONNEIVED AT THEIR TRANSACTIONS. -- AND, SIR,
THERE IS NO PERSON THAT HAS EVER LIVED ANY PART OF
THEIR LIVES IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT WHO KNOWS HER
PEOPLE HAVE AN INDELIBLE HATRED AGAINST ENGLAND AND
EVERY THING CONNECTED WITH HER. THEY ARE TAUGHT THIS
HATRED FROM THEIR INFANCY UP -- THEY ARE LEARNED TO
LISP IT AT THEIR MOTHER'S KNEES -- THEY ARE TAUGHT IT
AT THEIR SCHOOLS, AND THEY PRACTICE IT THROUGH LIFE
WHEREVER THEY ARE.
I AM, DEAR SIR, RESPECTFULLY YOURS, &C.,
P. MAHEDY
NORTH SHEFFORD, JANUARY 10, 1865." (20 JAN '65)
THIS LETTER WAS TYPICAL OF THE LETTERS WRITTEN BY PAT. LIKE ME,
HE MAY HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT LONG-WINDED. HE WAS NOT LACKING FOR
OPINION, BUT USUALLY HAD SOMETHING WORTHWHILE TO SUPPORT HIS
OPINIONS. (THOUGH I DOUBT THIS LETTER WOULD ENDEAR HIM TO
CONTEMPORARY FEMINIST ACTIVISTS!) HE EXHIBITED CONSIDERABLY MORE
POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE THAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPECTED
OF IRISH IMMIGRANTS. HE DID NOT CONDEMN ENGLAND, NOR DID HE
CONDEMN PROTESTANTISM. PAT EMPHASIZED BROTHERHOOD WITH MUTUAL
RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING. HE DETESTED WHAT WAS HAPPENNING TO
HIS NATIVE IRELAND BUT WAS FIERCELY LOYAL TO CANADA AND HENCE,
ULTIMATELY ACCEPTED THE QUEEN. HIS OPINION OF THE U.S. IS
INTERESTING. REMEMBER HE LIVED AND WORKED IN NEW YORK FOR
SEVERAL YEARS. HIS WIFE WAS A NATIVE NEW YORKER. THIS SENTIMENT
WAS ALSO REFLECTED IN AT LEAST ONE OF HIS "EDUCATION" LETTERS.
THE GOVERNMENT - AND PROTESTANT MAJORITY - WERE ADVOCATING USE OF
U.S. TEXTBOOKS. PAT FELT THEY WERE FILLED WITH DISTORTION AND
PROPAGANDA, AND OBVIOUSLY WOULD HOLD LITTLE RELEVENCE TO
CANADIAN
CULTURE AND HISTORY. IN COMBINATION WITH HIS OTHER WRITINGS AND
APPARENT SPEAKING SKILLS, IT IS CLEAR PAT WAS ALSO WELL EDUCATED.
AGAIN THIS RAISES THE QUESTION OF HOW AND WHERE?
RETURNING TO PAT'S PUBLIC SERVICE, HIS COMMITMENT TO
EDUCATION WAS AS STRONG AS IT WAS TO HIS RACE, RELIGION, AND
COUNTRY. HE FELT THERE SHOULD BE SEPARATE SCHOOLS FOR CATHOLICS,
AND THAT THEY SHOULD RECEIVE EQUAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT. IF I
FOLLOWED THE DISCUSSION CORRECTLY, THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT THAT
TIME WERE ESSENTIALLY PROTESTANT SCHOOLS. FREQUENTLY THE
PROTESTANT CLERGY SUPPLIED THE TEXTBOOKS AND HIRED THE TEACHERS.
PAT BELIEVED RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOL, BUT
CATHOLICS SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO LEARN, ACCEPT, PRACTICE, OR PAY
FOR PROTESTANT INDOCTRINATION ANY MORE THAN PROTESTANTS BE FORCED
TO LEARN CATHOLICISM. IT WAS MORE OR LESS A RELIGIOUS "SEPARATE
BUT EQUAL" PHILOSOPHY. AS COMMISSIONER, PAT WAS ALSO REQUIRED TO
INSURE TEACHERS WERE QUALIFIED. ULTIMATELY THIS MEANT A PRO-
SPECTIVE TEACHER HAD TO BE APPROVED BY A BOARD OF EXAMINERS -
REGARDLESS OF WHAT OTHER CREDENTIALS THEY HELD. SINCE THE BOARD
ONLY MET PERIODICALLY IN MONTREAL AND QUEBEC, THIS CAUSED
PROBLEMS FOR THE EASTERN TOWNSHIPS AS WELL AS FOR SOME PROSPEC-
TIVE TEACHERS. PAT WENT IN PERSON TO MONTREAL TO APPEAL DIRECTLY
TO THE PROVINCIAL CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER. AMOUNG HIS MAJOR
RECOMMENDATIONS WAS A SUGGESTION TO HAVE THE BOARDS MEET ON A
SCHEDULED BASIS. HIS MEETING HAD AT LEAST SOME IMPACT ACCORD-
ING TO THE LOCAL EDITOR:
"LOCAL BOARD OF EXAMINERS - WE HAVE GREAT PLEASURE
IN PUBLISHING HON. MR. CHAUVREAU'S LETTER. IT IS, AS
WE EXPECTED; THE FACTS OF THE CASE REQUIRED ONLY TO BE
PRESSED UPON THE ATTENTION OF THE EDUCATION OFFICE.
THE SUPERINTENDENT'S LETTER WILL BE READ WITH GREAT
SATISFACTION IN THIS SECTION OF THE COUNTRY, WHERE WE
ARE TOLD, THAT UNDER THE OPERATION OF THE PRESENT AB-
SURD SYSTEM, SEVERAL SCHOOLS HAVE CLOSED, AND MORE
HAVE DETERMINED, HENCEFORTH, TO DISREGARD THE STATUTE
AND PROCEED INDEPENDENTLY OF GOVERNMENT AID. FOR OUR-
SELVES WE HEARTILY THANK MR. MAHEDY FOR HAVING ASSIST-
ED TO ADVOCATE OUR CLAIMS, AND THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR
EVINCING, THUS EARLY, AN INCLINATION TO RECOGNIZE
THEM." (17 JUL 1857)
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO TRANSCRIBE MORE OF
PAT'S LETTERS. PERHAPS THERE WILL BE MORE NEWS IN THE NEAR
FUTURE.
PATRICK WAS INVOLVED IN OTHER CIVIC MATTERS AS WELL. IN
JULY OF 1860 A CONVENTION WAS HELD AT WATERLOO TO PRESS FOR
GREATER JUDICIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE AUTONOMY AND REFORM FOR THE
EASTERN TOWNSHIPS. "P. MAHEADY" WAS AMOUNG TWENTY LEADERS FROM
THE TOWNSHIPS. HE WAS INVITED TO ADDRESS THOSE ASSEMBLED BUT
DECLINED. THREE YEARS LATER THE FOLLOWING NOTICE APPEARED:
"APPOINTMENTS: PROVINCIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, QUEBEC,
1 AUG 1863; "HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR GENERAL HAS
BEEN PLEASED TO APPOINT THE FOLLOWING GENTLEMEN TO BE
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE... ST. JOACHIM DE SHEFFORD...
PATRICK MAHEDY ..." (14 AUG 1863)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HAS ALSO SURFACED ON A SOME OF PAT'S
CHILDREN. THANKS TO COUSIN JAMES O'DONAHUE OF MASS., I FOUND
PAT'S DAUGHTER, MARTHA MAHEDY MCNEIL GALLAGHER IN THE 1900 CENSUS
FOR BARRE, VT. IT WAS THE ONLY GALLAGHER FAMILY IN BARRE.
HOWEVER, THERE WERE SOME DISCREPANCIES. MARTHA'S AGE WAS ABOUT
TEN YEARS OFF, AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY CHILDREN BY A
PREVIOUS MARRIAGE. SHE DID INDICATE HER FATHER WAS BORN IN
IRELAND AND HER MOTHER IN NY. ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS, SHE MAR-
RIED MICHAEL GALLAGHER IN 1879 IN CANADA. MICHAEL WAS A STONE
POLISHER. THEY HAD SIX CHIILDREN: CHARLES, APR 1882; JAMES, MAR
1884; MARY, JAN 1887; JOHN, SEPT 1889; LUKE, JAN 1892; AND
WILLIAM IN MAR 1894. IN AN EARLIER ISSUE IT WAS MENTIONED THAT
MARTHA'S SON BY HER FIRST MARRIAGE, PETER MCNEIL, RESIDED IN
LEOMINSTER WITH MARTHA'S SISTER, JENNY MAHEDY DOWNS. ANNOUNCE-
MENT OF PETER'S MARRIAGE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE WATERLOO ADVERTISER
ON 5 MAY 1899:
"MCNEIL-DOUNS- AT TROY, NY, ON THE 12TH OF APRIL, 1899,
BY THE REV. FATHER BYRON, PETER MCNEIL, OF LEOMINSTER,
MASS., TO MISS MARY DOUNS, TROY, NY."
I SUSPECT THAT MARY'S NAMES IS MISSPELLED AND SHOULD BE DOWNS.
JENNY'S SISTER MARY ANN, AND THEIR BROTHER PHILIP, ALSO
RESIDED WITH THE DOWNS FAMILY AT LEOMINSTER. MANY SHEFFORD CO.
FOLK HAD MOVE TO LEOMINSTER TO WORK IN THE FACTORIES. THERE
OCCASIONALLY WERE REPORTS OF PARTIES HELD IN LEOMINSTER OR OTHER
NEARBY TOWNS TO BRING THEM TOGETHER. ONE FORMER RESIDENT DIED IN
EARLY 1899. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNERAL APPEARED IN THE
WATERLOO ADVERTISER ON 14 APR 1899:
"GALBRAITH - THE FUNERAL OF MRS ALONZO GALBRAITH
WAS HELD AT HER LATE RESIDENCE IN LEOMINSTER, MASS.
ON THE 30TH OF MARCH, REV. F.A. BROWN OF ST MARK'S
CHURCH OFFICATING. MRS GALBRAITH WAS A WOMAN WHOSE
BEAUTIFUL LIFE HAD ENDEARED HER TO ALL WHO KNEW HER,
AND HER LOSS WILL BE KEENLY FELT. AMOUNG THE BEAUT-
IFUL FLOWERS WAS A PILLOW FROM THE HUSBAND, CLUSTER OF
VIOLETS FROM MOTHER, ...SPRAY OF PINKS, MRS. M.S.
MOORE, MISS MARY MAHEDY, AND MISS ANNIE RUDY..."
PATRICK'S DAUGHTER ELIZA MAHEDY MCCAFFREY REMAINED IN SHEF-
FORD CO AT SAVAGE'S MILLS. ON 5 APR 1901 THE FOLLOWING DEATH NO-
TICE APPEARED:
"MCCAFFREY- AT SAVAGE'S MILLS, ON THE 28TH MAR
1901, MARGARET, ELDEST DAUGHTER OF HENRY MCCAF-
FREY, AGED 22 YEARS, 9 MONTHS;"
PAST ISSUES OF 3M HAVE MENTIONED PATRICK RAN A SAW MILL.
THE FOLLOWING EXCERPT FROM THE EASTERN TOWNSHIP GAZETTE, GRANBY,
PROVIDES FURTHER DOCUMENTATION:
"ACCIDENT - ON THURSDAY LAST A MAN, IN THE EM-
PLOY OF P. MAHEDY, ESQ., WHILE ENGAGED IN SAWING
SLABS WITH A CIRCULAR SAW AT THE MILLS OF MR. MA-
HEDY AT NORTH SHEFFORD, GOT HIS KNEE CARELESSLY
UNDER THE FRAME, AND IN PUSHING UP ON THE SLAB
BROUGHT HIS KNEE IN CONTACT WITH THE SAW. THE
CONSEQUENCE WAS THAT HIS KNEE WAS SPLIT OPEN IN A
DANGEROUS MANNER.
MORAL - SAWYERS SHOULD USE MORE CARE." (5 OCT 1866)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
MORAN
RESEARCH ON THE MORANS PROCEEDED MUCH THE SAME AS IT DID
WITH THE MCKAY AND MAHEDY LINES; THAT IS, VIRTUALLY NOTHING WAS
FOUND. THERE WAS ONE EXCEPTION: THE DUNN FAMILY. THERE WERE
TONS OF DUNNES, REMINDING ME OF A CUTE LITTLE IRISH DITTY SINGING
"WELL DONE MR. DUNN!" A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF DATA HAS BEEN
ACCUMULATED ON THE SHEFFORD CO. DUNNS, BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE
TO SORT IT ALL DOWN YET. HOPEFULLY I CAN GET TO THAT "SOON" AND
SHARE IT WITH COUSIN GERTIE (DUNN) CAMPBELL TO STRAIGHTEN ME OUT.
THERE WERE SOME OTHER MORAN FINDINGS WHICH MAY PROVE INTERESTING,
AND/OR LEAD TO SOME NEW LONG LOST RELATIVES.
THE ONLY MENTION OF CHARLES MORAN, BROTHER OF ELIZABETH
MORAN MAHEDY, WAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PETITION HE SIGNED
DISCUSSED EARLIER IN THE MCKAY SECTION. HIS SON CHARLES, JR.,
WAS ALSO MENTIONED ONLY ONCE WHEN HE SECONDED A MOTION OFFERRED
BY HIS FIRST COUSIN, PATRICK MAHEDY, AS PRESIDENT OF THE SHEFFORD
CO. ST. PATRICK'S SOCIETY IN 1866. IN A PREVIOUS EDITION OF 3M
THE 1861 CENSUS OF SHEFFORD CO. LISTED CHARLES' DAUGHTERS MARY
AND BRIDGET AS SCHOOL TEACHERS. THE MORANS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN
AS DEDICATED TO EDUCATION AS THEIR COUSIN PAT MAHEDY, AS
EVIDENCED BY THE FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE ADVERTISER OF 24
FEB 1865:
"BOARD OF EDUCATION - ... THE FOLLOWING LIST OF
DIPLOMAS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WHICH WERE GRANTED
BY THE PROTESTANT BOARD OF EXAMINERS OF WATERLOO...
TUESDAY THE 7TH.. FIRST CLASS - ...BRIDGET MORAN,
LUCY H. MORAN, NORTH SHEFFORD;"
IT WAS ORIGINALLY THROUGH ZORA THAT WE LEARNED OF MARY MORAN
AND HER FATHER. AMOUNGST HER PAPERS, ZORA HAD A PHOTO OF TWO
YOUNG CHILDREN SURNAMED KELPEY WITH A NOTE THAT THEY WERE THE
GRANDCHILDREN OF CHARLES MORAN. THE KELPEYS DID NOT APPEAR IN
ANY OF THE SHEFFORD CO. CENSUSES. HOWEVER, IN THE 18 OCT 1901
ADVERTISER THE FOLLOWING OBITUARY APPEARED:
"KELPYN - THE FOLLOWING OBITUARY TAKEN FROM THE
EVENING BULLETIN OF WINNIPEG, MAN., WAS RECEIVED
BY MR. P. DUNN, WARDEN: MICHAEL H. KELPYN DIED
YESTERDAY AT 9:30 AT THE RESIDENCE OF HIS SON, A.
M. KELPYN, 20 DERBY ST. DECEASED WAS IN HIS 67TH
YEAR. HE WAS FOR OVER 30 YEARS A PROMINENT RAIL-
ROAD CONTRACTOR AND BUILT MANY PORTIONS OF WHAT IS
NOW THE C.P.R. SYSTEM, AS WELL AS PARTS OF MANY
RAILROADS IN OTHER PARTS OF CANADA AND THE U.S.
HE WAS ACKNOWLEDGED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST PRACTICAL
ROCK-MEN IN AMERICA. PARALYSIS WAS THE DIRECT CAUSE
OF DEATH. BESIDES A WIDOW DECEASED LEAVES TWO SONS,
A.M. KELPYN, C. P. KELPYN, MANAGER OF THE CITY QUAR-
RIES; A BROTHER, MR. JOHN C. KELPIN OF WATERLOO, ONT.,
AND A SISTER, MRS. PETER MCGAUVRAN OF LOWELL, MA.
THE FUNERAL WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW FROM THE FAMILY
RESIDENCE, 20 DERBY ST. TO THE CHURCH OF THE IMMACU-
LATE CONCEPTION AND THENCE TO ST. MARY'S CEMETERY.
IN MARCH THAT SAME YEAR, A MICHAEL MCGAUVRAN OF WATERLOO BROUGHT
SUIT AGAINST JOHN KELPYN - "NOW OF LOWELL, MASS." - OVER THE
ESTATE OF MAGGIE KELPYN, DECEASED, OF WATERLOO.
FROM THE PHOTO IT IS KNOWN THAT MARY ALSO HAD A DAUGHTER WHO
EVIDENTLY DIED PRIOR TO 1901. I COULD NOT FIND THE KELPYNS IN
THE 1891 WINNIPEG CENSUS, BUT WILL TRY TO PURSUE THIS BRANCH.
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A SECOND MORAN FAMILY IN SHEFFORD CO.,
THOUGH I DO NOT RECALL FINDING ANY IN THE CENSUS REPORTS.
HOWEVER, THE FOLLOWING DEATH NOTICE APPEARED IN THE 1 DEC 1865
EASTERN TOWNSHIPS GAZETTE :
"DIED - AT WINGVILLE, GRANT CO., WISC., ON THE
31ST OCT, MARGARET, WIFE OF DANIEL R. BRIDGE, AND
ELDEST DAUGHTER OF ROBERT MORAN, FORMERLY OF GRAN-
BY, AGED 19 YR, 5 MONTHS."
WHETHER THIS ROBERT MORAN WAS ANY RELATION TO THE CHARLES MORAN
CLAN IS NOT KNOWN. IN THE 6 SEPT 1901 ADVERTISER I FOUND:
"MORAN - MR. M.S. MORAN OF EAGLE RIVER, WISC.,
AND WIFE AND DAUGHTER, ARE GUESTS OF MRS. J. O.
PAQUETTE. MR. MORAN IS AN OLD SHEFFORD BOY, WHO
WENT WEST OVER TWENTY YEARS AGO. HE IS AN ENTER-
PRISING AND SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MAN AND ONE OF
THE LEADING CITIZENS OF EAGLE RIVER."
INITIALLY I WAS CERTAIN THIS WAS MICHAEL, SON OF CHARLES MORAN.
SINCE HE ALSO WENT TO WISC., HE COULD BE RELATED TO THE ABOVE-
MENTIONED ROBERT. ACCORDING TO THE 1900 EAGLE RIVER CENSUS, THIS
MICHAEL WAS BORN IN VT. IN OCT 1859, SON OF IRISH IMMIGRANTS.
"OUR" WAS ABOUT TEN YEARS OLDER. STILL, CENSUS BIRTH DATA IS
OFTEN INACCURATE. MICHAEL OF EAGLE RIVER WAS A PAPER MAKER. HE
MARRIED HIS WIFE MARGARET @ 1891 AND HAD KATIE, BORN IN WISC. IN
MAR 1893.
CHARLES' DAUGHTER, JUDITH MORAN, MARRIED A MR. FARRELL.
THEY DID NOT APPEAR IN LATER CENSUSES. THE NOTICES BELOW TAKEN
FROM THE ADVERTISER MAY PERTAIN TO JUDITH'S FAMILY:
"FARRELL- THE REMAINS OF THE LATE ROBERT FARRELL
WERE RECENTLY BROUGHT FROM WORCESTER, MASS., AND
INTERRED IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CEMETERY AT W SHEF-
FORD. THE DECEASED WAS A FORMERLY A RESIDENT OF
BROME." (7 SEPT 1900)
"FARRELL - HART - MAE HART m. EDWARD H. FARRELL OF
SWANTON, VT. AT W. SHEFFORD; WILL SETTLE IN ENOSBURG
FALLS..."
WHILE THERE IS STILL MUCH TO LEARN ABOUT MOST OF THE MORAN
CHILDREN, THERE IS A GOOD DEAL OF INFORMATION ON THE DUNNS - IT'S
JUST A MATTER OF FITTING THE PIECES TOGETHER! PETER DUNN WAS
BORN IN IRELAND @ 1832. HE PROBABLY MARRIED ELIZABETH MORAN @
1855-56, AND HAD JOHN C., 1857; AND PETER F., 1859. IN THE 1861
CENSUS PETER LIVED NEXT TO JOHN DUNN, JR., WHO WAS ONLY ONE YEAR
YOUNGER THAN PETER. NOT FAR AWAY WAS A PATRICK DUNN WHO WAS
THREE YEARS OLDER. THEY WERE PROBABLY BROTHERS, OBVIOUSLY
CHILDREN OF JOHN DUNN, SR.. IN 1865 JOHN, JR. HAD A MISHAP WHICH
CAUSED HIM TO SEEK RETRIBUTION FROM THE GRANBY TOWN COUNCIL
ACCORDING TO THE EASTERN TOWNSHIPS GAZETTE OF 24 NOV 1865.
" TOWN COUNCIL, GRANBY, 17 NOV 1865; - A BILL
FOR $32 WAS PRESENTED FROM JOHN DUNN, 2ND, NORTH
SHEFFORD, FOR DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE UPSETTING OF
HIS WAGGON IN CROSSING A SHORT BRIDGE BETWEEN MAU-
KOOK AND MILTON. ON MOTION, THE SEC.-TREAS. WAS
ORDERED TO TENDER MR. DUNN THE SUM OF $15, AND
ALSO WRITE HIM STATING THAT THIS WAS ALL HE IS EN-
TITLED TO FROM THE FACTS OF THE CASE ... IF HE CAN
PRODUCE REASONABLE PROOF THAT HE IS ENTITLED TO A
LARGER SUM, THIS COUNCIL IS WILLING TO DO WHAT IS
JUST..."
JOHN DID PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND WAS GRANTED AN
ADDITIONAL FIVE DOLLARS!
JOHN JR.'S OLDEST SON, JOHN S. DUNN WAS BORN IN 1860. HE
HAD A HARD LIFE AND DIED ON 30 OCT 1901 AT THE AGE OF 40. HIS
FUNERAL WAS HELD 9:30 A.M. SATURDAY, 2 NOV 1901, AT ST. JOACHIM
DE SHEFFORD PARISH CHURCH. JUST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO HIS DEATH HE
HAD SOLD OFF HIS FARM AT AUCTION BECAUSE DUE TO POOR HEALTH. HIS
OBITUARY WAS CARRIED IN THE 1 NOV ADVERTISER:
" MR. JOHN S. DUNN OF ST JOACHIM...PASSED AWAY
WEDNESDAY MORNING...AFTER A LONG AND PAINFUL ILL-
NESS, WHICH HE BORE WITH CHRISTIAN PATIENCE AND
FORTITUDE. HE WAS FIRST TAKEN SICK TEN YEARS AGO
AND FROM THAT TIME TILL DEATH CAME AS A RELIEF TO
HIS SUFFERINGS HE SCARCELY SAW A WELL DAY...BUT HE
HAD THE GRIT TO KEEP ABOUT...HE WENT TO A MONTREAL
HOSPITAL...GIVEN ONE YEAR TO LIVE ... GAVE UP THEIR
MEDICINES AND LIVED TEN YEARS. THE DEECEASED WAS
FORTY...UNMARRIED...OLDEST OF THIRTEEN...HIS FATHER
DIED WHEN HE WAS 18...HE PROVIDED FOR HIS MOTHER AND
REARED AND EDUCATED THE CHILDREN..."
JOHN, JR. HAD A SON, PETER JOSEPH, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH
PETER F. DUNN, SON OF PETER.
"DUNN - AT CAMBRIDGE, MA, ON 6 JUL 1897, PETER J.
DUNN, SON OF THE LATE JOHN DUNN, OF ST JOACHIM DE
SHEFFORD, AGED 30."
ON A SEPARATE PAGE:
"MR PETER J. DUNN, SON OF THE LATE JOHN DUNN, ESQ.,
OF THIS PLACE, DIED AT CAMBRIDGE, MASS., ON THE 6TH
JULY INSTANT AFTER A FEW DAYS ILLNESS. THE DECEASED
WAS ABOUT 30 YEARS OLD AND UNMARRIED. HE WAS A STEADY,
EXEMPLARY YOUNG MAN AND HAD SAVED CONSIDERABLE MONEY
FROM HIS EARNINGS. THE REMAINS WERE BROUGHT HOME AND
INTERRED IN THE CATHOLIC CEMETERY HERE. THE BEREAVED
RELATIVES HAVE THE KEENEST SYMPATHY." (16 JUL 1897)
THE FOLLOWING WEEK A MORE ELABORATE OBITUARY APPEARED:
"SELDOM HAS A DEEPER GLOOM BEEN CAST OVER A COMMUNITY
THAN THAT OCCASIONED BY THE NEWS OF THE SUDDEN DEATH OF
MR. PETER JOSEPH DUNN, WHICH OCCURRED AT A PRIVATE HOS-
PITAL IN BRIGHTON, MASS. ON JULY 1ST, HE WAS STRICKEN
WITH APPENDICITIS WHICH COMBINED WITH THE INTENSE HEAT
BROUGHT ON PARALYSIS AND IN SPITE OF ALL THAT MEDICAL AID
COULD DO HE EXPIRED JULY 6TH. THE REMAINS WERE CONVEYED
TO ST JOACHIM FOR BURIAL BY HIS BROTHER. THE DECEASED,
WHO WAS THE THIRD SON OF THE LATE JOHN DUNN, WAS A YOUNG
MAN OF EXEMPLARY CONDUCT, HONEST AND UPRIGHT IN ALL HIS
DEALINGS, A KIND SON, A FAITHFUL AFFECTIONATE BROTHER AND
A FIRM FRIEND. HIS LOSS WILL LONG BE LAMENTED BY A HOST
OF RELATIVES AND FRIENDS. THE FUNERAL SERVICE, WHICH WAS
HELD IN THE CHURCH OF ST JOACHIM DE SHEFFORD ON FRIDAY WAS
LARGELY ATTENDED. SOLEMN REQUIEM MASS WAS CELEBRATED BY
REV. FATHER BEAUREGARD, CURE OF ST BERNADIN DE WATERLOO,
ASSISTED BY REV FATHER LEDUC, PARISH PRIEST OF THIS
PARISH. FOUR BROTHERS AND TWO COUSINS ACTED AS PALL-
BEARERS. THE BEREAVED FAMILY HAS THE SYMPATHY OF ALL."
JOHN S. DUNN WAS STILL LIVING AND MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE FOUR
BROTHERS. THE TWO COUSINS MAY HAVE BEEN JOHN C. AND PETER, SONS
OF PETER. THERE WERE ALSO AT LEAST TWO SISTERS, MARY AND
BRIDGET.
BEYOND JOHN C. AND PETER F., PETER AND ELIZABETH HAD JUDITH
E., 1864; LUCY A., 1866; PATRICK D., 1868; ANNIE E., 1871;
ELIZABETH A., 1873; AND MARY C.A. (ADDIE). JOHN C. DUNN PROBABLY
MARRIED IN THE EARLY 1890'S TO MARY C. CALLAGHAN. NOTICE OF AT
LEAST TWO OF THEIR THREE DAUGHTERS WAS PUBLISHED IN THE
ADVERTISER.
"DUNN - AT ST JOACHIM, QUE, ON THE 5TH APRIL
1896, THE WIFE OF J C DUNN, OF A DAUGHTER"
"DUNN - AT ST JOACHIM DE SHEFFORD, ON 25 MAR
1897, THE WIFE OF J.C. DUNN, OF A DAUGHTER."
SADLY, MARY DIED NINE MONTHS AFTER THE BIRTH OF THE ABOVE
DAUGHTER. THE NOTICE AND OBITUARY FROM THE ADVERTISER FOLLOW:
"DUNN - AT ST JOACHIM DE SHEFFORD, ON 10 DEC
1897, MARY C CALLAHAN, BELOVED WIFE OF JOHN C.
DUNN, AND ELDEST DAUGHTER OF PATRICK CALLAGHAN,
OF GRANBY, AGED 33 YEARS;"
"OBITUARY:
ONE OF THE SADDEST DEATHS IN ST JOACHIM DE
SHEFFORD FOR A LONG WHILE WAS THAT OF MRS. JOHN
C. DUNN, WHICH OCCURRED ON FRIDAY, 10TH DECEMBER
INSTANT AFTER A SHORT BUT PAINFUL ILLNESS. THE
DECEASED WAS THE ELDEST DAUGHTER OF THE LATE PAT-
RICK CALLAGHAN, ESQ., OF GRANBY, WAS ONLY 33 YEARS
OLD AND LEAVES A HUSBAND AND THREE YOUNG CHILDREN
TO MOURN THE IRREPARABLE LOSS OF WIFE AND MOTHER.
SHE WAS A WOMAN OF RARE INTELLIGENCE, NOBILITY OF
CHARACTER AND KINDNESS OF HEART AND WAS BELOVED BY
A VERY LARGE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, TO WHOM HER UN-
TIMELY DEMISE COMES WITH ALL FORMS OF PERSONAL
GRIEF. THE FUNERAL ON MONDAY AT THE PARISH CHURCH
WAS THE LARGEST EVER SEEN IN ST JOACHIM, THE PRO-
CESSION BEING A MILE AND A HALF LONG. MR PATRICK
MCGUIRK ACTED AS FUNERAL DIRECTOR AND THE PALL BEAR-
ERS WERE THE BROTHER AND THREE BROTHERS-IN-LAW OF
THE DECEASED. THE REQUIEM MASS WAS CELEBRATED BY
THE REV FATHER LEDUC IN THE PRESENCE OF A VERY
LARGE CONGREGATION OF MOURNERS AND SYMPATHIZING
FRIENDS. THE BEREAVED HUSBAND AND FAMILY HAVE THE
WARMEST SYMPATHY OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN THEIR
BEREAVEMENT." (PUB 17 DEC 1897)
TWO YEARS LATER JOHN'S BROTHER PETER MARRIED ELLA GILBERT.
THE WEDDING NOTICE AND FOLLOW-UP OF THE EVENT WERE BOTH CARRIED
IN THE ADVERTISER OF 10 NOV 1899.
"DUNN-GILBERT - AT WINDSOR'S MILLS, ON 23RD
OCT, 1899, BY REV. FATHER DUFRESNE, MR. P.J.
DUNN, YOUNGEST SON OF PETER DUNN, ESQ., OF WAR-
DEN, TO ELLA, ELDEST DAUGHTER OF P.J. GILBERT,
ESQ., OF WINDSOR'S MILLS;"
"DUNN-GILBERT - ...THE WEDDING BREAKFAST AT
THE HOME OF THE BRIDE'S FATHER...AFTER A SHORT
TRIP TO MONTREAL...THE YOUNG COUPLE RETURNED BY
WAY OF GRANBY TO STAY AT THE HOME OF FRANCIS
DUNN, COWIE ST., COUSIN OF THE GROOM...ON THURS-
EVENING A RECEPTION WAS GIVEN BY MR. P. DUNN OF
WARDEN FOR 40 RELATIVES AND FRIENDS...PETER HAS
WORKED AT THE CANADIAN PAPER CO. AT WINDSOR'S
MILLS SINCE 1891, WHERE HE HOLDS A GOOD POSITION;"
NOTE THAT HIS MIDDLE INITIAL HERE IS "J"., WHEREAS IT WAS "F" IN
THE 1861 CENSUS, FURTHER CONFUSING HIM WITH PETER J., SON OF
JOHN, JR.! (SEE WHY I'M GOING BATS!)
"NEWS" MAY HAVE BEEN A SCARCE COMMODITY IN THOSE YESTERDAY
YEARS, BUT PERHAPS STILL PROVIDES A FEW SNAPSHOTS IN THE LIVES OF
THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE. A FEW TIDBITS OF "OUR" DUNNS MAY
FURTHER ILLUSTRATE THIS POINT:
"MR PETER DUNN AND JOSEPH TOUCHETTE OF SHEF-
FORD WERE IN TOWN TODAY" (6 JUN 1896)
"MR PETER DUNN, JR, OF WINDSOR MILLS WHO IS ON
A VISIT TO HIS FATHER, PETER DUNN, ESQ. OF ST JOAC-
HIM DE SHEFFORD, WAS IN TOWN SAT LOOKING UP OLD
FRIENDS..." (FRI 18 SEPT 1896)
IN THE SAME EDITION P. DUNN AND SON WON AWARDS AT FAIR FOR BARLEY
AND MILCH COWS. THE AWARDS WERE FOR THEIR ENTRIES IN THE ANNUAL
COUNTY FAIR. THE NEXT WEEK THE FOLLOWING NOTICE APPEARED FOR
COMPETION AT THE MONTREAL EXHIBITION:
"MR JOHN C DUNN OF SHEFFORD CAPTURED THE FIRST
PRIZE FOR TWO FIRKINS OF DAIRY MADE BUTTER IN SPITE
OF THE KEENEST COMPETITION FROM ALL OVER THE PRO-
VINCE;" (26 SEPT 1896)
THREE OF THE DUNN SISTERS WERE PERIODICALLY IN THE NEWS.
LIKE THEIR MORAN AUNTS, THEY HAD BECOME TEACHERS, AS IS EVIDENT
FROM THE FOLLOWING EXCERPTS FROM THE ADVERTISER:.
"DUNN - MISS ADDIE C DUNN OF WARDEN, QUEBEC,
WHO HAS HAD THE CHARGE OF BRILL SCHOOL, WEST
BOLTON, IN THE INSPECTORACE OF REV. E. M. TAY-
LOR, M.A., HAS AGAIN RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL
CHEQUE FROM THE SUPERINTENDANT OF PUBLIC IN-
STRUCTION AS A BONUS FOR SUCCESSFUL TEACHING."
(14 APR 1899)
"THE MISSES ANNIE, LIZZIE, AND ADDIE DUNN
HAVE EACH RECEIVED THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFI-
CIAL CHEQUE FOR SUCCESSFUL TEACHING. THE
AWARDS WERE MADE THROUGH INSPECTORS TAYLOR AND
HOWTON." (5 MAY '99)
"DUNN - MISS LIZZIE DUNN OF WARDEN, WHO SPENT
LAST YEAR IN THE PRESENTATION CONVENT, COATICOOK,
COMPLETING A COURSE IN FRENCH DECIDED TO JOIN
THE ORDER AND WAS ADMITTED ON AUG 22ND, 1900,
FOR THE PROBATIONARY TERM OF THREE YEARS....MISS
DUNN IS A SISTER OF REV. SISTER OF THE TRINITY,
DIRECTRESS OF THE PRESENTATION CONVENT, HOLYOKE,
MASS., AND COUSIN OF REV SISTER ST. COLUMBAN OF
EXETER, ENG..." (31 AUG 1900)
"DUNN - AT CLOSING CEREMONY OF SCHOOL #3 ...
SONGS WERE SUNG BY MR. DUNN AND MASTER DUNN...
LITTLE MISS DUNN OF GRANBY ALSO SANG A PRETTY
SONG AND SANG IT SWEETLY...PRESENT WERE MR. M DUNN
OF GRANBY, MR. JOHN DUNN AND FAMILY,...MISS A. DUNN
WAS ENJOYED BY EVERYBODY PRESENT..." (8FEB'01)
"MISS DUNN WAS SCHOOL MANAGER...MICHAEL DUNN OF
GRANBY SANG "IF I WERE AS YOUNG AS I USED TO BE" AND
"WHEN MCGINNIS GETS A JOB"...MARGUERITE DUNN OF GRAN-
BY, A LITTLE TOT OF THREE YEARS, SURPRISED THE AUD-
IENCE BY A FRENCH SONG AND RECITATION..." (8 FEB '01)
"MISS DUNN CLOSED SCHOOL #1 IN W BOLTON WHERE SHE
WAS MANAGER;...(IN CEREMONY SIMILAR TO ABOVE)... ADDIE
DUNN SANG "WHEN I WAS YOUNG"; ... (15 FEB 1901)
I AM NOT SURE WHICH OF LIZZIE'S SISTERS HAD BECOME A NUN. IT
WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTING TO KNOW IF THE NUN IN ENGLAND WAS
RELATED ON THE DUNN SIDE, OR THE MORAN. THAT INFORMATION COULD
PROVIDE A LEAD TO ANOTHER SIBLING OF ELIZABETH AND CHARLES, AND
PERHAPS HELP IDENTIFY THEIR PARENTS AND PLACE OF BIRTH. IF I
INTERPRET MY NOTES CORRECTLY FOR THE 1891 CENSUS, THE DUNNS LIVED
IN FAIRLY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE MICHAEL MAHEDY FARM, WHICH LATER
BECAME THE HOME OF THE J.P. MCKAY FAMILY. PETER ALSO HAD A
BROTHER FRANCIS WHOSE FAMILY LIVED IN OR NEAR THE TOWN OF GRANBY.
JOHN JR.'S WIDOW AND EIGHT CHILDREN WERE NOT TOO FAR FROM PETER,
AND WERE NEIGHBORS OF THE THOMAS MCGOWAN FAMILY.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
MISCELLANEOUS
NEWS
CONGRATULATIONS TO ROBERT CAMPBELL (SON OF GERALD) AND WIFE KATIE
OF TORONTO, CAN., ON THE BIRTH OF THEIR DAUGHTER, SHANNON,
13 JUL 1991!
ALSO TO JEFFREY RIGHTON (SON OF KATHLEEN CAMPBELL RIGHTON)
AND WIFE CAROL ON THE BIRTH OF THEIR SON @ MAY, 1991.
COUSIN "MICKEY" COSTELLO HAS JOINED THE ELITE GROUP OF 3M
DESCENDANTS TO MATRICULATE AT SUNY PLATTSBURGH. SHE IS
CURRENTLY IN HER FRESHMAN YEAR MAJORING IN INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS RELATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK!!!
SEAN COSTELLO IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED AT THE COLLEGE OF ENVIRON-
MENTAL SCIENCE AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY. HIS BROTHER
SHANNON IS A SENIOR AT BUCKNELL MAJORING IN PRE-LAW. THEIR
PARENTS JOHN ("BUTCH") AND PATTY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TOUR IRELAND AND SCOTLAND THIS PAST SUMMER!!!
DAN MANNIX HAS JUST OPENED THE SPORTING LOUNGE AT THE BAY CLUB -
A HEALTH CLUB - 427 MARGARET ST., PLATTSBURGH, NY. WONDER IF
HE'LL SEE ANY EMISSARIES FROM COSTELLO'S RESTAURANT OF AUBURN?
GOOD LUCK DAN!
#2 SON, MICHAEL PATRICK, WAS LISTED IN WHO'S WHO IN AMERICAN HIGH
SCHOOLS DURING HIS SOPHOMORE YEAR.
IN MEMORIUM:
ELLEN D. NEWCOMB, SISTER OF MARGARET NEWCOMB MCKAY, DIED 9
JUNE 1991 AT AUBURN, NY. IN HER 90TH YEAR. AUNT ELLIE WAS TRUELY
A GREAT AUNT. SHE HAD A WARM AND GENTLE SOUL. TO THIS VAGABOND
SHE WOULD SAY HER DOOR WAS ALWAYS OPEN. AND IT WAS. DAY OR
NIGHT I COULD ALWAYS POP IN AND FEEL RIGHT AT HOME. LIKE AUNT
MAY AND ZORA, AUNT ELLIE AND HER BROTHERS, THE LATE GORDON AND
THOMAS NEWCOMB, PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN NURTURING MY EARLY
FASCINATION WITH FAMILY HISTORY. IN FACT, IT WAS AUNT ELLIE WHO
REKINDLED THAT INTEREST IN 1975, WHICH LED TO 3M AND A HOST OF
RELATED PROJECTS. AT THE TIME, I SAID TO MY WIFE THAT WE HAD TO
WRITE DOWN OUR HISTORY SO THAT THOSE WHO FOLLOW MIGHT KNOW WHAT
WONDERFUL PEOPLE WE HAD HAD IN OUR LIVES. IT WAS ONLY AN
EXTENSION TO CONCLUDE THAT THESE CHERISHED ELDERS MUST HAVE
SPRUNG FROM EQUALLY REMARKABLE ELDERS, AND HENCE WE SHOULD LEARN
ALL THAT COULD BE LEARNED OF OUR FOREBEARERS. AUNT ELLIE WAS
THIRD IN A FAMILY OF THIRTEEN. NOT SURPRISINGLY, SHE HAD DOZENS
OF NEICES AND NEPHEWS, NOT TO MENTION A HOST OF COUSINS. WHEN
THE VAGABOND POPPED IN, HE WAS INEVITABLY INTRODUCED TO YET
ANOTHER PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN RELATIVE, OR SEE LONG LOST COUSINS,
AUNTS AND UNCLES. AUNT ELLIE WAS AS DEAR TO THEM ALL, FOR THREE
GENERATIONS, AS SHE HAD BEEN TO ME. EARLIER IN THE YEAR, ON 17
MARCH, ELLIE'S SISTER, BERNESS NEWCOMB CASPER, ALSO DIED. THEY
ARE SURVIVED BY THEIR BROTHERS, REV. BERNARD NEWCOMB OF ROCHES-
TER, FRANK OF AUBURN, FIDELIS OF ALBANY, AND ONE SISTER JOAN
LIVINGSTON OF AUBURN.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
FIONN
SINCE PAT MAHEDY WAS ACCUSED OF BEING A GENERAL IN THE
FENIAN MOVEMENT, PERHAPS IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE - AND HOPEFULLY
INTERESTING - TO LEARN THE LEGEND OF IRELAND'S MOST FAMOUS
FENIAN, FIONN. ORIGINALLY BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN BASED ON AN
ACTUAL HISTORICAL CHARACTER, MODERN SCHOLARS FEEL THE LEGEND IS
MORE LIKELY BASED ON A SUPERNATURAL BEING OF THE ANCIENT GAELS.
IN ANCIENT IRELAND THERE WERE TWO WARRIOR CLASSES. THE
TRADITIONAL WARRIOR CLASS WERE TRIBAL WARRIORS. THEY FOUGHT
WITHIN THE LAWS OF THEIR TRIBE AND ADHERED TO THE SOCIAL CUSTOMS
OF THEIR PEOPLES. THE MAJORITY OF ANCIENT IRISH WARRIORS
BELONGED TO THIS CLASS. THE OTHER WARRIOR CLASS SWORE ALLEGIANCE
TO NO TRIBE OR SOCIETY, AND THUS, ACCEPTED NO AUTHORITY OR LAW.
THEY LIVED OUTSIDE THE LAW. BY DEFINITION THEY WERE OUTLAWS.
THEY TYPICALY BANDED TOGETHER IN GROUPS KNOWN AS "FIANS", MEANING
WAR OR BATTLE, AND CAME TO BE CALLED FENIANS. ACCORDING TO THE
LEGEND, FIONN WAS THE SON OF CUMHALL. CUMHALL WAS AN OUTLAW WHO
WAS SLAIN BY GOLL MAC MORNA IN A FIERCE BATTLE OVER THE LEADER-
SHIP OF THE FENIANS. FIONN WAS NOT BORN UNTIL AFTER HIS FATHER'S
DEATH. FEARING FOR THE SAFETY OF HER SON WHOM SHE HAD NAMED
DEMNE, FIONN'S MOTHER SENT HIM AWAY TO BE RAISED BY THE DRUIDESS
BODBALL, AND THE FEMALE WARRIOR FIACAL. THEY DWELT FOR SIX YEARS
IN THE SLIEVE BLOOM, A LOW MOUNTAIN RANGE STRETCHING ACROSS THE
CENTER OF IRELAND. THERE HE LEARNED BASIC HUNTING SKILLS AND
TECHNIQUES OF SELF-DEFENSE. HIS MOTHER WOULD STEAL IN TO VISIT
HIM WHEN SHE COULD. LIKE ANY PARENT FORCED TO LIVE APART FROM
THEIR CHILD, THE JOY OF THESE MEETINGS WAS ALWAYS TEMPERED BY THE
SORROW OF THEIR PARTINGS AND PROLONGED ABSENSE. UNDER THE
GUIDANCE OF BODBALL AND FIACAL, DEMNE CONTINUED TO GROW IN
STRENGTH AND WISDOM AS HE GAINED PROFICIENCY IN THE ARTS OF WAR
AND MAGIC.
EVENTUALLY DEMNE GREW RESTLESS AND BORED WITH HIS FOSTER-
MOTHERS AND STOLE AWAY WITH A BAND OF WANDERING POETS AND
SCHOLARS. FROM THERE HE JOINED UP WITH A NOTORIOUS ROBBER IN THE
SOUTH OF IRELAND, ALWAYS KEEPING HIS TRUE IDENTITY HIDDEN FOR
FEAR OF THE SONS OF MORNA. IN TIME, BODBALL AND FIACAL FOUND
DEMNE AND RETURNED HIM TO THE SAFETY OF SLIEVE BLOOM. BUT AGAIN
HE GREW RESTLESS AND STOLE OFF TO A PLACE KNOWN AS THE PLAIN OF
LIFE. THERE HE CAME UPON A FORTRESS WHERE HE SAW A GROUP OF BOYS
PLAYING SHINTY. HE CHALLENGED TO PLAY THEM EACH, ONE ON ONE. HE
BEAT THEM HANDILY. THE FOLLOWING DAY DEMNE RETURNED TO SEE A
QUARTER OF THE TEAM STRETCHED ACROSS THE FIELD TO CHALLENGE HIM
TO A RE-MATCH. AGAIN HE WON. FINALLY THE WHOLE TEAM CHALLENGED
HIM AND HE WON WITH EASE. ASTONISHED, THE BOYS TOLD THEIR CHIEF,
COMPLAINING THEY COULD DO NOTHING TO MATCH HIS PROWRESS. THE
CHIEF SOUGHT THE NEW LAD'S IDENTITY. HE LEARNED IT WAS DEMNE, A
STRONG, FAIR LAD. THE CHIEF PROCLAIMED A NEW NAME FOR DEMNE:
FIONN, MEANING "FAIR" IN ANCIENT IRISH. FIONN REMAINED FOR SOME
TIME. AS NEWS SPREAD CONCERNING HIS MANY TALENTS, HE FEARED THE
WORD WOULD INEVITABLY REACH THE SONS OF MORNA AND THEY WOULD
SEEK
HIM OUT.
FIONN BID FAREWELL AND MOVED ON TO MUNSTER WHERE HE ENTERED
THE SERVICE OF THE KING OF BANTRY. AGAIN HIS SKILLS BECAME
READILY APPARENT AND AGAIN FIONN MOVED ON. HE NEXT WENT TO THE
COURT IN KERRY. THE KING OF KERRY RECOGNIZED HIM IMMEDIATELY.
THE KING TOLD FIONN IT WOULD NOT BE PROPER TO CHANCE HIS BEING
SLAIN WHILE UNDER THE KING'S PROTECTION. SO, FIONN CONTINUED TO
ROAM ABOUT IRELAND SLAYING MONSTERS AND CHALLENGING CRIMINALS
AND
WARRIORS ALIKE TO COMBAT. TO BE A TRUE WARRIOR IN ANCIENT
IRELAND ONE HAD TO MASTER THE ART OF COMBAT, BUT ALSO THE ART OF
POETRY. IN TIME, FIONN CAME TO STUDY WITH AN ANCIENT POET NAMED
FINNECES. THE OLD SAGE LIVED ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER BOYNE.
FOR SEVEN YEARS FINNECES HAD REMAINED BY A POOL WHERE IT WAS SAID
THE SACRED SALMON OF KNOWLEDGE DWELT. THERE HAD BEEN AN OLD
PROPHECY THAT SOMEDAY A MAN CALLED FIONN WOULD EAT THAT SACRED
SALMON AND ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THINGS. AFTER SOME TIME AND
MEDITATION FINNECES MANAGED TO CATCH THE FISH. HE ORDERED FIONN
TO COOK IT, BUT NOT TO EAT A SINGLE BITE. WHEN FIONN COMPLETED
HIS TASK THE POET TESTED HIM TO BE SURE FIONN HAD EATEN NONE OF
IT. FIONN ASSURED FINNECES HE HAD OBEYED THE COMMAND, BUT STATED
HE HAD BURNED HIS THUMB ON THE FISH AND SUCKED IT TO STOP THE
PAIN. THE POET NEXT QUIZZED FIONN TO BE SURE HE WAS THE MAN IN
THE PROPHECY, THEN INSTRUCTED FIONN TO EAT THE SALMON. SO FIONN
OBTAINED ALL KNOWLEDGE. WHENEVER HE PUT HIS THUMB IN HIS MOUTH
HE COULD SEE INTO THE FUTURE AND KNEW THE FATE OF THE WORLD.
NOW, FIONN HAD NOT ONLY GREAT STRENGTH, BUT KNOWLEDGE OF THE
AGES, AND SO, FINALLY FACED AND DEFEATED THE SONS OF MORNA TO
BECOME KING OF THE FENIANS.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
NEXT ISSUE: DIARMUID AND GRAINNE
THE DEATH OF FIONN
---------------------------------------------------------------
RECIPES
DUBLIN LAWYER:
1 - LIVE LOBSTER, @ 2 LBS.
1/2 - CUP BUTTER
1/2 - CUP IRISH WHISKEY
1/2 - CUP WHIPPING CREAM
- SALT & PEPPER
FOR BEST FLAVOR, KILL LOBSTER JUST PRIOR TO COOKING. PIERCE
WITH SHARP KNIFE INTO THE CROSS ON BACK OF HEAD; SPLIT LENGTHWISE
& CRAK OPEN CLAWS. REMOVE FLESH. CUT MEAT INTO LARGE CHUNKS.
PLACE LOBSTER MEAT IN FOAMING BUTTER OVER MEDIUM HEAT FOR A FEW
MINUTES UNTIL COOKED, TAKING CARE THAT BUTTER DOES NOT BURN. ADD
WHISKEY UNTIL HEATED, THEN SET LIGHT TO IT. POUR IN CREAM, HEAT
THROUGH AND SEASON. SERVE IN HALF SHELLS WITH PLAINLY BOILED
FINE BEANS.
WELL, I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME AND ROOM! I HAD NO NEWS ON
THE GILLETT LINE BUT WILL KEEP LOOKING. DUE TO LACK OF SPACE I'M
ALSO OMITTING A TRADITIONAL BLESSING, SO WILL WISH BLESSINGS TO
ALL...
***
ERIN GO BRAGH !!!
OOPS!
FOOLED YA!
NEVER SAY NEVER...
TODAY (8 MAR) I RECEIVED A CALL FROM A JANET SCHREINER OF
HOLLAND PATENT, NY, NEAR WESTERN. SURPRISE! SHOCK! HER GREAT,
GREAT, GRANDFATHER WAS HORACE GILLETT, SON OF EBENEZER, AND BRO-
THER OF ESTHER GILLETT MAHEDY. NOW WE HAVE A REAL GILLETT DES-
CENDANT BEYOND THE MAHEDY LINE IN THE 3M FAMILY. SHE AND HER
AUNT WILL BE WRITING SOON, SO WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO
LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE NEXT EDITION.
SO....
AN IRISH BLESSING
MAY YOUR TROUBLES BE LESS,
YOUR BLESSINGS BE MORE
AND MAY NOTHING BAD COME
THROUGH YOUR DOOR.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
NURTZ! THE LETTER HAS BEEN DONE FOR SOME TIME BUT THE PRINT SOFT-
WARE APPARENTLY IS INCOMPATABLE WITH MY PRINTER. AFTER SOME CON-
SULTING AND MANIPULATING I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO BEGIN PRINTING.
HALF WAY THROUGH THE FIRST COPY, THE RIBBON JUMPED OUT OF PLACE AND
I AM UNABLE TO REPAIR IT. TECHNOLOGY! STAY TUNED...
HOWEVER...I HAVE HEARD FROM ANOTHER GILLETT COUSIN: MRS. BETTY
NASH OF WESTERNVILLE. BETTY DESCENDS FROM ALMIRA GILLETT BURCH,
SIS-
TER OF ESTHER AND HORACE MENTIONED ABOVE. DETAILS NEXT EDITION.
MAHEDY - MCKAY
3M
MULLARKEY
VOL VIII, 1993
DAN TOUSE
MARCH '93
GREETINGS!
'TIS TIME TO TAKE A BREAK FROM THOSE WINTER DOLDRUMS. SO, BREW A
NICE IRISH "TAY" OR COFFEE - OR EVEN A GUINESSS BREW; TURN ON A TRUE
IRISH TENOR; KICK UP YOUR HEELS; AND HAVE A GRAND ST.
PATTY'S DAY!
THIS INTRODUCTION IS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT FOR ME. THERE WAS
SERIOUS DOUBT AS TO WHETHER THERE WOULD BE A 3M THIS YEAR. OVER
THE YEARS I HAVE INTENTIONALLY SAID LITTLE OF MY PERSONAL LIFE.
MANY, IF NOT MOST, OF YOU ARE AWARE THAT I WAS PARTIALLY PARALYZED
BY A SPINAL INJURY IN 1977. ANOTHER BIZARRE SYNDROME DEVELOPED IN
1979 AND PERSISTS TODAY. NEVERTHELESS, I HAVE MANAGED TO LIVE ON MY
OWN SINCE 1980. LAST AUGUST, DUE TO A FREAK ACCIDENT IN THE
HOME, I WAS PLACED IN BASSETT HOSPITAL, COOPERSTOWN. IN OCTOBER I
LOST MY LEFT LEG. THE FOLLOWING WEEK, IN ANOTHER FUTILE ATTEMPT TO
RESOLVE MY "PROBLEM", A COLOSTOMY WAS PERFORMED. THE DAY I WAS
HOSPITALIZED MY HAND CEASED TO FUNCTION FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IN
DEC. I FINALLY BEGAN TO MOVE MY FINGERS. IN MID FEBRUARY I WAS
TRANSFERRED TO THE ONEIDA CITY EXTENDED CARE FACILITY. I WILL NEED
EXTENSIVE THERAPY IF THERE IS TO BE ANY HOPE OF RETURNING HOME.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, MY RESEARCH "SCHEDULE" WAS SERIOUSLY DIS-
RUPTED. I HAD HOPED TO COMPLETE MY REVIEW OF WATERLOO, QUE.
NEWSPAPERS FROM 1865 - 1920, AS WELL AS SEARCH MORE CENSUS RE-
CORDS. I SENT SEVERAL INQUIRIES TO IRELAND AND SCOTLAND, BUT HAD
ONLY ONE RESPONSE. I HAD ALSO HOPED TO HAVE MORE CONTACT WITH
OUR "NEW" GILLETT COUSINS. STILL, SOME PROGRESS WAS MADE. A
MAJOR NEW LEAD ON THE MCKAY-DONAHUE SIDE WAS PROVIDED BY MAHEDY
COUSIN JAMES O'DONAHUE. ADDITIONAL MAHEDY-MORAN INFORMATION WAS
FOUND IN THE OLD NEWSPAPERS. I DO NOT HAVE ALL MY FILES AND
IRISH RESOURCES HERE IN ONEIDA, BUT HOPE I HAVE ENOUGH WITH ME
TO THROW TOGETHER ANOTHER 3M. THE RESOURCES AND ACCESS REQUIRED
FOR
THE MODES OF RESEARCH DONE AT HOME ARE ALSO NOT AVAILABLE TO
ME HERE. OBVIOUSLY MY PRIORITY FOR THE COMING YEAR WILL BE TO
REGAIN MY FORMER LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE, BUT I WILL CONTINUE TO
SEEK ALTERNATE AVENUES TO PURSUE OUR FAMILY HISTORIES. IN THE
MEANTIME...HAVE A
VERY
HAPPY
ST. PATRICK'S DAY
ERIN GO BRAGH !!!
SOLID GOLD
YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW
THE 1992 3M WAS DEDICATED TO REX AND KATHLEEN MCKAY TOUSE ON
THE OCCASION OF THEIR GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. IN THE SPRING
DAUGHTERS MAUREEN LEWIS AND KATHY BERNET INITIATED A LOOSE
CONSPIRACY
TO HAVE A SURPRISE PARTY. ON DECEMBER 20 THE PLAN CAME TO FRU-
ITION WITH ASSISTANCE FROM ALL THE FAMILY. GRANDDAUGHTER JACKIE
PARKER PUT GREAT EFFORT IN COMPILING AN ALBUM OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND
MEMORIES FROM THEIR EARLIEST CHILDHOOD THROUGH TO THEIR GREAT,
GRANDDAUGHTER. FRIENDS, RELATIVES, AND FAMILY GATHERED AT THE
BERNET HOMESTEAD IN SHERILL, NY. IN ALL THE DRAMATIC FAMILY EVENTS
IN
MY MEMORY - BIRTHS, DEATHS, MARRIAGES, REUNIONS - I HAVE NEVER
SEEN MY PARENTS MORE VISIBLY MOVED. IF WEALTH IS MEASURED BY THE
NATURE AND NUMBER OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY, THEY HAVE DISCOVERED
THEY ARE MILLIONAIRES. TO ALL THOSE WONDERFUL PEOPLE I WANT TO
EXPRESS FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY A VERY WARM, HEARTFELT THANKS.
FOR MY PARENTS, I KNOW THE MEMORY OF WARMTH AND LOVE
DEMONSTRATED
ON THAT WONDERFUL DAY WILL BE WITH THEM ALWAYS. BEYOND THAT I CAN
ONLY WISH THEM HEALTH AND HAPPINESS.
SUCH AN EVENT IS BOUND TO EVOKE MEMORIES AND EMOTIONS FOR ALL
THOSE INVOLVED. CERTAINLY THAT IS TRUE FOR THIS WRITER. SEEING MY
CONNIFF AND MCKAY COUSINS WHO WERE ALWAYS AROUND THE CORNER OR
IN
NEARBY SHERILL BROUGHT BACK YEARS OF WONDERFUL MEMORIES. ONE
THINKS
AND REMEMBERS SO MANY NOT PRESENT; THOSE DEAR DEPARTED SOULS
WHO HELPED TO SHAPE MY PARENTS' LIVES AND, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY,
MINE TOO. SURELY MY GRANDPARENTS OSCAR AND MADGE TOUSE WERE
THERE,
AS WERE THE MCKAY GRANDPARENTS I NEVER MET - JOHN AND MARGARET
NEWCOMB MCKAY. SO TOO WAS "MOM" AND AUNT MAY; AUNT ELLIE, UNCLES
TOM AND GORDON; MY MOTHER'S SISTER MARY; ESTHER, HOWARD AND
MORRIS;
RAYMOND CAMPBELL, AND SO MANY MORE. THEIR SPIRITS PERMEATED THE
HOUSE. THEIR NAMES WERE INVOKED; THEIR LIKENESSES DISPLAYED. THEY
ENRICH THE PRESENT.
NO FAMILY EVENT PASSES BUT WHAT MY MIND TRAVELS TO AUBURN TO
WHERE MY MOTHER'S MOTHER'S FAMILY LIVED, AS DID MY MOTHER'S TWO
SISTERS, MARY AND JEAN. AT THIS EVENT - TO MY JOY - MY DEAR COUSINS
BUTCH AND PATTY, AND "TISH", AND JOHNNY DECKER WERE ALL
THERE. SO TOO WERE MY GREAT UNCLE BERNARD, GODFATHER TO MY
MOTHER,
AND MY GREAT AUNT JOAN; AND MY DEAR AUNT JEAN AND UNCLE JOE. ALL
THOSE MEMORABLE SUMMERS ON THE COSTELLO FARM CAME BACK. BUTCH
WAS
MY IDOL. THEY TAUGHT ME TO RIDE HORSE - AND COW! -, SLOP PIGS,
SHOVEL MANURE, AND I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. WE HIKED THE RAIL-
ROAD INTO AUBURN TO THEIR RESTAURANT. BETWEEN HER YOUNG FAMILY,
HOUSEHOLD, AND RESTAURANT, AUNT JEAN SEEMED TO GO NON-STOP. SHE
STILL
DOES! AS YOUNG 'UNS WE DO NOT THINK OF SUCH THINGS, BUT LOOKING BACK
I MARVEL. AT THE NEWCOMB HOME UNCLES TOM AND GORDON TAUGHT US
ALL HOW
TO PLAY POKER - 'TIL FOUR IN THE MORN. I WAS NINE. WHETHER YOU
NEEDED ONE OR NOT, THERE IS ALWAYS A LAUGH FROM UNCLE JOE.
AMOUNGST
HIS MANY TALENTS THE MAN IS JUST PLAIN FUNNY; NOT A CLOWN, JUST
FUNNY.
MUST BE A BIT OF IRISH WIT! NOTHING HAS
CHANGED. THEY ARE AS DEAR AND WONDERFUL A FAMILY TODAY AS THEY
HAVE ALWAYS BEEN.
I DO NOT KNOW HOW AUNT JEAN AND UNCLE JOE MET. THE MCKAY
SISTERS USED TO SPEND SUMMERS IN AUBURN TO BE WITH THEIR FATHER.
AFTER GRADUATION JEAN MOVED TO AUBURN TO LIVE WITH HER FATHER. ON
12 DEC 1943 THEY WERE MARRIED AT ST MARY'S R.C. CHURCH IN AUBURN.
THE NATION WAS IN THE MIDST OF WAR SO THE NEWLYWEDS WERE OFF TO
TEXAS
WHERE UNCLE JOE WAS THEN STATIONED. TWO WEEKS AFTER THEIR
WEDDING, ON 2 JAN 1944, JEAN'S FATHER, JOHN D. MCKAY, DIED OF A
HEART ATTACK, FULFILLING HER WORST PREMONITION. LATER THAT YEAR
THEIR SON JOHN JOSEPH ("BUTCH") WAS BORN. PATTY WAS BORN IN 1946.
AFTER THE WAR I BELIEVE THEY RESIDED WITH UNCLE JOE'S PARENTS ON
AURELIUS AVE. JOE WENT TO WORK WITH HIS FATHER IN THEIR RESTAUR-
ANT ON THE CORNER. IN THE MID-50'S THEY PURCHASED A FARM ON SOUTH
ST. ROAD AND HAD DAUGHTERS ELIZABETH ("TISH") AND MARTHA. TODAY
THEY HAVE SEVEN (? - REMEMBER I'M WORKING WITH OUT MY FILES!)
GRANDCHILDREN. THIS YEAR MARKS THEIR GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.
I WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS ISSUE OF 3M TO JOSEPH AND JEAN MCKAY
COSTELLO. I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN ME IN WISHING THEM A HEARTFELT
CONGRATULATIONS
&
BEST WISHES
ST. PATRICK'S DAY
1872
LAST YEAR AN ACCOUNT OF THE VERY FIRST ST. PATRICK'S DAY
CELEBRATION IN SHEFFORD CO. IN 1859 WAS PRESENTED. THE IRISH
CONTINUED TO CELEBRATE. HERE IS HOW THEY CELEBRATED THEIR 21ST
ANNIVERSARY. THE GROUP EXPANDED TO INCLUDE SEVERAL PROMINENT
NON-CATHOLIC IRISHMEN. THERE SEEMED TO BE AN OBVIOUS ATTEMPT TO
SHOW THAT
PROTESTANT AND CATHOLIC COULD COEXIST IN HARMONY. IT DID SEEM
SURPRISING THAT SO MUCH TRIBUTE WAS PAID TO THE QUEEN - KNOWN IN
IRELAND WITH SOMEWHAT LESS AFFECTION AS "THE FAMINE QUEEN".
HOWEVER,
SHE WAS ALSO CANADA'S QUEEN AND THE IRISH WERE APPARENTLY CONTENT
WITH
THEIR LOT IN CANADA.
"ST. PATRICK'S DAY IN SHEFFORD
THE MEMBERS OF THE "IRISH UNION AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETY OF
THE COUNTY OF SHEFFORD," CELEBRATED ST PATRICK'S DAY AT WARDEN
BY A DINNER AT MR KELPYN'S HOTEL, ON MONDAY AT 2 P.M., AT WHICH
40 SAT DOWN. THE DINNER WAS OF A MOST SUBSTANTIAL CHARACTER,
WELL LAID OUT AND ABLY SERVED, AND ON TEMPERANCE PRINCIPLES,
THERE BEING NO LIQUORS OF ANY KIND ON THIE TABLE BUT PLENTY OF
GOOD COLD WATER.
THE DINING ROOM WAS DECORATED WITH A NICELY PAINTED SHEET
ON WHICH WAS THE MOTTO: "LET THE ORANGE LILLY BE THY BADGE, MY
BROTHER; THE EVERLASTTING GREEN FOR ME, AND WE FOR ONE AN-
OTHER," AND ALSO PRINTED IN LARGE TYPE THE FOLLOWING VERSES,
FROM THE PEN OF A NATIVE POET:
"HIBERNIANS UNITE, AS YOUR SIRES OF YORE,
THOUGH AT DIFFERENT SHRINES YOUR GOD YOU ADORE;
WHILE TRUE TO EACH FLAG WHERE YOU CHOOSE TO RESIDE,
LET NO RUMOROUS STRIFE YOUR FRIENDSHIP DIVIDE.
WHERE VIRTUE IS SEEN,
BE IT ORANGE OR GREEN,
THAT VIRTUE WE LOVE AND RESPECT;
NO DISTINCTION WE KNOW,
OF A FRIEND OR A FOE,
BY THIE NICKNAMES OF PARTY OR SECT.
THE CHAIR WAS OCCUPIED BY DR. ERSKINS, OF WATERLOO, PRES-
IDENT OF THE SOCIETY, SUPPORTED ON THE RIGHT BY A.B. PARMELEE,
ESQ., WARDEN OF THE COUNTY, AND ON THE LEFT BY REV. MR. CLAY-
TON, OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BOLTON, AND OTHER INVITED GUESTS.
THE VICE CHAIR WAS OCCUPIED BY T.L. CLEARY, ESQ., AND SUPPORTED
RIGHT AND LEFT BY INVITED GUESTS.
AFTER AMPLE JUSTICE HAD BEEN DONE TO THE ABUNDANCE OF GOOD
THINGS ON THE TABLE, THE CHAIRMAN, WITH APPROPRIATE, PROPOSED
THE FOLLOWING TOASTS: -
"THE QUEEN." SONG "GOD SAVE THE QUEEN" ENTHUSIASTICALLY
SUNG BY THE WHOLE COMPANY.
"THE DAY AND ALL WHO HONOR IT." RESPONDED TO BY REV. MR.
CLAYTON, IN AN ABLE AND LENGTHY SPEECH, FULL OF HIS NATIVE
IRISH HUMOR.
"THE PRINCE OF WALES AND THE ROYAL FAMILY." THE CHAIRMAN
IN PROPOSING THIS TOAST FEELINGLY ALLUDED TO THE RECENT ILLNESS
OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS.
"THE FATHERLAND." THIS WAS ABLY RESPONDED TO BY MR.
BASTABLE, OF THE HIGH SCHOOL HERE.
"THE GOVERNOR GENERAL AND LT. GOVERNOR."
"ARMY, NAVY, AND VOLUNTEERS." RESPONDED TO BY MAJOR
FOURDRINIER AND CAPT. MAYNES.
"CANADA OUR COUNTRY, EITHER BY BIRTH OR AOPTION."
ABLY AND ELOQUENTLY RESPONDED TO BY J.F. LEONARD, ESQ., ADVO-
CATE.
"OUR COUNTY AND LOCAL COUNCILS." RESPONDED TO BY A.B.
PARMELEE, ESQ., AND P. MAHEDY, ESQ.
"OTHER NATIONALITIES." RESPONDED TO BY H. ROSE OF THE
WATERLOO ADVERTISER.
"OUR GUESTS." RESPONDED TO BY M. LEONARD, ESQ., OF WICK-
HAM.
"THE PRESS." RESPONDED TO BY MR. SMITH OF THE ST. JOHN'S
NEWS.
"THE PRESIDENT OF THE IRISH UNION AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETY"
WAS PROPOSED BY MR. SMITH.
DR. ERSKINE RESPONDED IN A HAPPY AND ABLE MANNER. AFTER
EXPLAINING THE OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY, - WHICH WAS SIMPLY FOR
CHARITABLE AND PATRIOTIC OBJECTS, IRRESPECTIVE OF RELIGIOUS
CREEDS, HE GAVE A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF HIS TRIP TO OLD IRELAND, &C.
"THE LADIES." RESPONDED TO BY MR. HARDING.
THE COMPANY ROSE ABOUT SIX O'CLOCK ALL FEELING THEY HAD
SPENT A PLEASANT AND AGREEABLE TIME.
IN THE EVENING A BALL WAS HELD IN MR. MAHEDY'S HALL, AT
WHICH NEARLY 100 ATTENDED, AND KEPT UP THE DANCE UNTIL EARLY
MORNING." 22MAR'72
MCKAY - DONAHUE
THERE HAS STILL BEEN NO NEW SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOUND ON OUR
MCKAY-DONAHUE ANCESTRY. I DID WRITE TO SCOTLAND TO SEEK GENERAL
INFORMATION ON THE MAXWELL CLAN AS WELL AS SPECIFIC DATA FOR ANN
MAXWELL (1787-1855), WIFE OF PATRICK DONAHUE. TO DATA THERE HAS BEEN
NO RESPONSE.
IN ONE OF THE EARLIEST ISSUES OF 3M I MENTIONED I HAD DOCU-
MENTED THE MARRIAGE OF THOMAS MCKAY TO MARGARET DONAHUE BASED
ON
THE PUBLISHED RECORD OF THEIR MARRIAGE LISCENSE IN VITAL RECORDS OF
GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSSETTS TO 1850. LATER I WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN A
COPY OF THEIR ACTUAL MARRIAGE RECORD AT ST. MARY'S R.C. CHURCH IN
SALEM, MASS. TYPICAL OF MY EARLY RESEARCH, I NEGLECTED TO OBTAIN
COPIES OF THE DOCUMENTATION. IT WAS ENOUGH FOR ME THAT I HAD SEEN
THE DATA. THANKFULLY, LAST FALL JIM O'DONAHUE SENT ME COPIES OF
THE ACTUAL PAGES OF THE RECORDS. THEY READ AS FOLLOWS:
DONNAHUE (SEE ALSO DONAHUE), ...
MARGARET [OF CANADA. DUP.], a. 25 y. b. CASSIAR, CANADA, AND
THOMAS MACKEY [RESIDENT. DUP.], a. 25, LABORER, b. CASSIAR,
CANADA, s. DAVID AND BRIDGET, INT. DEC. 31, 1848. [JAN 2.
DUP.] [PAGE 184]
MACKEY (SEE ALSO MCKAY), THOMAS [RESIDENT INT.] a. 25 y.,
LABORER, b. CASSIAR, CAN., s. DAVID AND BRIDGET, AND
MARGARET DONNAHUE [OF CANADA. INT.] a. 25 y. b. CASSIAR,
CAN., 1848. [JAN. 2. INT.]
WHEN I READ THOMAS AND MARGARET CAME TO THE U.S. FROM CASSIAR,
CANADA, I ASSUMED CASSIAR MUST BE IN QUEBEC, PROBABLY NEAR GRANBY,
WHERE THEY SETTLED IN 1851-52. I CONSULTED THE MAPS, THE CAMPBELL
CLAN, AND AREA CORRESPONDENTS, BUT NO ONE KNEW OF CASSIAR. KNOWING
PUBLIC RECORDS WERE NOTORIOUS FOR THEIR SPELLING, I THOUGHT PERHAPS
THE IMMIGRANT IRISH BROGUE WAS MISUNDERSTOOD FOR ST. CESAIRE, A
VILLAGE NOT FAR FROM GRANBY. A SEARCH OF THOSE RECORDS FOUND
NO-THING. COUSIN JIM CAME THROUGH AGAIN. HE FOUND CASSIAR WAS
LOCA-TED
IN THE CASSIAR MOUNTAINS, JUST SOUTH OF THE YUKON, DUE EAST
FROM JUNEAU, ALASKA, IN THE NORTHEAST WILDERNESS OF BRITISH
COLUM-BIA.
I HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO WRITE OR SEARCH CENSUS RECORDS FOR THAT
REGION, BUT IF INDEED BOTH FAMILIES SETTLED THERE AND RECORDS STILL
EXIST, WE MAY HAVE FINALLY PENETRATED THE INVISIBLE BARRIER TO THE
MCKAY AND DONAHUE ANCESTRIES. PERSONALLY, I AM CURIOUS AS TO HOW
AND
WHY THESE FAMILIES ARRIVED IN THE CANADIAN WILDERNESS. DID THEY
LAND
IN NEW ENGLAND OR QUEBEC AND VENTURE WESTWARD IN THE EARLY 1840'S,
OR
DID THEY MAKE THE TREACHEROUS VOYAGE AROUND SOUTH AMERICA AND
SAIL ON
TO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES? WHAT BROUGHT THOMAS MCKAY AND
MARGARET
DONAHUE, THEN SINGLE, ALL THE WAY TO GLOUCESTER, MASS. NO LATER
THAN
1847? WERE THERE RELATIVES IN THE AREA? THE 1850 CENSUS FOUND
NOTHING CONSPICUOUS. PERHAPS THEY WERE ELOPING! AUNT MAY HAD
MENTIONED A MCKAY UNCLE HAD BEEN LOST IN THE GREAT LAKES (HURON?).
SINCE WE HAD NO INFORMATION ON MCKAYS OF THOMAS' GENERATION I
ASSUMED
SHE WAS REFERRING TO ONE OF HIS SONS, BUT WE CAN ACCOUNT FOR EACH OF
THEM. MY MOTHER RECALLS BEING TOLD OF A MCKAY ANCESTOR BEING LOST
AT
SEA, THEN RETURNING HOME TO VOW TO RETURN NEVERMORE TO THE SEA.
MY
MOTHER ASSUMED IT TO BE THOMAS BECAUSE HE LIVED IN GLOUCESTER, BUT
THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THOMAS WAS EVER A SAILOR. PERHAPS THE STORY
REFERRED TO AN EARLIER GENERATION. IT REMINDS ME OF THE IRISH BALLAD,
"I'LL GO TO SEA NO MORE". I WILL TRY TO PURSUE THESE LEADS IN THE
COMING YEAR.
THERE WAS ONE MINOR REFERENCE TO A THOMAS MCKIE. THIS MAY BE
OUR THOMAS MCKAY. HIS NAME HAS APPEARED AS MCKIE IN EARLY CHURCH
AND CENSUS RECORDS.
"GRANBY -
L.F.A. VIOLETTI, ESQ., ...HELD AN INQUEST YESTERDAY
ON THE BODY OF JAMES GALLAGHER, OF THIS TOWN, AGED 57...
[WHO] WENT TO THE HOUSE OF THOS. MCKIE - ONE OF HIS NEIGH-
BORS - TO SPEND PART OF THE DAY, BUT WAS TAKEN SICK, AND
DIED THERE...DISEASE OF THE HEART..." 17MAY'66
-------------------------------------
VOLUNTEER APPOINTMENTS - " ...MILITARY SCHOOL, vice
MACKAY, 1ST INFANTRY COMPANY, GRANBY, TO BE ENSIGN..."
29MAR'66
THIS IS PROBABLY THE MACKAY WHO HAD THE RUN-IN WITH COL.
MAYNES. NOTHING EVER CAME OF THEIR FEUD. MACKAY WAS ORIGINALLY
PORTRAYED AS THE VILLAIN BUT MAYNES NAME APPEARS MORE THAN ONCE
AS A BULLY AND RUFFIAN, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRINKING! NO EVIDENCE
HAS BEEN FOUND TO LINK ENSIGN MACKAY TO THOMAS MCKAY'S FAMILY.
MAHEDY - MORAN
THERE WAS A GOOD DEAL OF INFORMATION FOUND ON THE MAHEDY -
MORAN CLAN IN THE OLD NEWSPAPERS. AGAIN, AS WITH THE MCKAYS,
MICHAEL MAHEDY'S LINE IS ALMOST CONSPICUOUS IN THEIR ABSENSE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, PATRICK MAHEDY SEEMED ALMOST EVER PRESENT.
HE CONTINUED TO SERVE AS THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION FOR
SHEFFORD COUNTY, AND REMAINED A PROLIFIC LETTER WRITER FOR
EDITORIALS. HE RAN FOR A TOWN OFFICE BUT RECEIVED ONLY SEVEN
VOTES! TO BE FAIR, THERE WERE A PLETHORA OF CANDIDATES. A FEW
FARED EVEN WORSE THAN PAT. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT THE
CHARLES MORAN IN LAST YEAR'S 3M WAS INDEED "OUR" CHARLES. THE
LADY HE WENT TO VISIT WAS HIS SISTER BRIDGET. A SAMPLING OF
YESTERYEAR'S NEWS FOLLOWS:
SCHOOL EXHIBITION AT WARDEN - "...AFTER THIS FOL-
LOWED DECLAMATIONS, SONGS, AND DIALOGUES, - THE PUPILS
TAKING PART IN EACH, SHOWING THAT THE CAREFUL TRAINING
OF MISS BRIDGET MORAN, THE TEACHER, HAD NOT BEEN THROWN
AWAY...THE SUCCESS OF THE EXHIBITION IS GREATLY DUE TO
THE EXTRA EXERTIONS OF THE TEACHER, MISS MORAN, WHOSE
LABORIOUS EFFORTS TO MAKE THE PUPILS AU FAIT IN THEIR
PARTS IS WORTHY OF THE HIGHEST PRAISE." 8APR'69
BRIDGET MARRIED THE FOLLOWING YEAR AS INDICATED BELOW. HER
HUSBAND'S FIRST WIFE DIED IN 1868 OR '69. HE RAN A HOTEL IN
NEIGHBORING ROXTON FALLS. LATER, HE OPEND A HOTEL RIGHT IN
WATERLOO. I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE CENSUS RE-
PORTS FOR THIS FAMILY.
MARRIED - AT THE PARISH CHURCH, NORTH SHEFFORD, BY
THE REV. CURE PHANEUF, ON THE 15TH [?] INST., JOS. O.
PAQUETTE, ESQ., HOTEL KEEPER OF THIS PLACE, TO BRIDGET
MORAN, DAUGHTER OF CHARLES MORAN, SR., OF SHEFFORD.
28JAN'70
"EASTERN TOWNSHIPS HOTEL"
WATERLOO
--------
THIS DESIRABLE HOTEL, WHICH IMMEDIATELY ADJOINS THE
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND FRONTS DIRECTLY ON THE COURT
HOUSE, IS NOW CONDUCTED BY J.O. PAQUETTE, ESQ., LONG AND
FAVORABLY KNOWN AT ROXTON FALLS. THE REPAIRS AND IMPROVE-
MENTS HE HAS MADE, THE ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STA-
BLING HORSES AND OTHER COMFORTS TOGETHER WITH A GOOD TABLE,
MODERATE CHARGES AND GOOD ORDER, FOR WHICH HE HAS ALREADY
GAINED NOTORIETY, RENDER THIS HOTEL ONE OF THE BEST THAT A
TRAVELLER CAN PATRONIZE.
IT IS THE NEAREST HOTEL TO THE COURT HOUSE AND ROMAN
CATHOLIC CHURCH.
J.O. PAQUETTE,
PROPRIETOR
THE FOLLOWING YEAR BRIDGET'S COUSIN (ONCE REMOVED!), ELLEN
MAHEDY, DAUGHTER OF PATRICK, MARRIED MICHAEL HARPER:
MARRIED - ON THE 10 ULT., AT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
OF N SHEFFORD, MR. M.F. HARPER OF MONTREAL, TO MISS
ELENOR MAHEDY OF NORTH SHEFFORD." 27JAN'71
---
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL - "...F.X. GIBEAUT WAS IN-
STRUCTED TO CLEAR THE ROAD NEAR MAHEDY'S MILLS
FROM ALL OBSTRUCTIONS ... FOUR DAYS' WORK WAS
ALLOWED ON THE ROAD TAX OF ELIJAH MARTIN FOR ...
SUPERINTENDING WORK ON MCCAFFREY HILL ..." 4OCT'66
(PAT'S DAUGHTER MARRIED HENRY MCCAFFREY)
DOMINION DAY - MAY '69 - JOHN MCNEIL BADLY
BURNED ABOUT FACE AND HANDS WHEN CANNON EXPLODES!
THIS MAY BE THE JOHN MCNEIL WHO MARRIED PAT'S DAUGHTER, MARTHA, BY
WHOM SHE HAD TWO SONS. MARY MARRIED A SECOND TIME @ 1881 TO
MICHAEL GALLAGHER.
MIKE KELPYN AT THE RACES; MAY '69
THIS IS PROBABLY THE FATHER OR BROTHER OF THE MIKE KELPYN WHO
MARRIED MARY MORAN, DAUGHTER OF CHARLES, SR. THE KELPYNS OWNED A
HOTEL IN SHEFFORD. THIS IS THE THIRD HOTEL IN THE FAMILY. ELI AND
ELIZABETH MAHEDY (SIS OF PAT AND MIKE) CARR OWNED THE CONGRESS
HALL HOTEL IN TROY. JOSEPH AND BRIDGET MORAN PAQUETTE OWNED THE
EATERN TOWNSHIPS HOTEL MENTIONED ABOVE.
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL - "... [CASE] OF JOHN ALLEN,
1ST, TO THE MAYOR AND P. MAHEDY..." REIMB. $2.85
FOR POOR SERVICES; 9AUG'66
ROAD INSPECTORS - TOWN OF SHEFFORD: DIST 18 -
PATRICK MCGUIRK, PATRICK MORAN; DIST 20 - PETER
DUNN; 8 MAR'72
VILLAGE COUNCIL - 3 MAN COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO
"INVESTIGATE CLAIM OF P. MAHEDY, ESQ." 16 JUL'68
--------------------------------
TOWNSHIP COUNCIL - "THE MAHEDY BRIDGE WAS ACCEPTED
AND SEC'Y-TREAS WAS INSTRUCTED TO PAY THE CONTRACTOR,
P. MAHEDY, $250 THEREFOR." 4NOV'69
" THE STORMS OF APR 1869 WHICH WASHED OUT THE
GRANBY BRIDGE KILLING 11, INCL PAT'K HACKETT, CAUSED
EXTENSIVE DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE CO.. 8 OF 10 MILL
DAMS WERE WASHED AWAY BETWEEN WATERLOO AND GRANBY:
LEE'S, FARLEY'S, MARTIN'S, MAGOON'S, SAVAGE'S,
HAYES', KILBOURN'S, AND MAHEDY'S. 22APR'69
-------------------------------
THE SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS ORGANIZED ON MONDAY LAST,
BY ELECTING MR. P. MAHEDY, ESQ., CHAIRMAN. 19 JUL'72
--------------------------------
P. MAHEDY, ESQ., WITH CHARACTERISTIC GENEROSITY,
HAS BEEN COLLECTING DURING THE PAST FEW DAYS MONEY
TO PURCHASE A COW FOR A POOR MAN IN NORTH SHEFFORD,
BLESSED WITH A LARGE FAMILY. FROM THE LIST SHOWN US
IT IS EVIDENT THAT MR. MAHEDY'S APPEAL HAS MET WITH
A HEARTY RESPONSE. 26 JUL'72
---------------------------------------------
SHEFFORD TOWN COUNCIL - P. MAHEDY, ESQ., WAS IN-
STRUCTED TO ASCERTAIN IF NANCY KENNISON COULD BE
PLACED IN A HOSPITAL IN MONTREAL. THE VALUATION ROLL
AND VOTERS LIST FOR CURRENT YEAR WERE AMENDED AND HOMO-
LEGATED. THE BILLS OF P. MAHEDY OF $7.50 AND S.N.
BLACKWOOD OF $4.50, SERVICES AS VALUNTARS, WERE
APPROVED. 5AUG'70
-------------------------------------
CERTAINLY PATRICK WAS A BUSY MAN. HE SEEMED TO BE INVOLVED
IN VIRTUALLY EVERY FACET OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS IN EARLY SHEFFORD
COUNTY. READERS MAY RECALL PATRICK'S EDITORIAL IN LAST YEARS IS-
SUE IN RESPONSE TO ACCUSATIONS THAT HE WAS A HIGH OFFICIAL IN
THE FENIAN MOVEMENT TO INVADE CANADA. THE FENIAN THREAT CONTIN-
UED THROUGH THE 1860'S. THERE WERE ACTUALLY SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT
SKIRMISHES IN 1868 AND 1870. PATRICK WAS STRONGLY OPPOSED TO
THE RADICAL FENIANS. HIS EDITORIAL MADE THAT CLEAR. IN 1866
PATRICK WAS ONE OF THE LEADERS IN ESTABLISHING A VOLUNTEER
FORCE TO AID IN THE DEFENSE OF THE AREA IN THE EVENT OF A
FENIAN ATTACK.
HOME GUARDS - "ON WEDNESDAY EVENING A LARGE AND INFLU-
ENTIAL MEETING OF CITIZENS OF WATERLOO AND VICINITY WAS
HELD [TO ESTABLISH A HOME GUARD AND PLAN OF DEFENSE
AGAINST THE FENIAN INVASION]...IT WAS AGREED THAT A CHIEF
COMMANDANT ...SHOULD BE APPOINTED FOR THE TOWNSHIP...FROM
WATERLOO. THREE ASSISTANTS WERE TO BE GIVEN HIM FROM
WATERLOO, AND ONE FROM W SHEFFORD, SHEFFORD MOUNTAIN, N.
SHEFFORD, KNOWLTON FALLS, AND FROST VILLAGE... CAPT ROBIN-
SON WAS MADE CHIEF COMMANDANT; A. HEBERT, 1ST ASSISTANT; E.
LONGLEY, SEN., 2ND ASSISTANT; GEO. H. ALLEN, 3RD...MAJOR
WOOD ...FOR FROST VILLAGE; JOHN WOOD FOR WEST SHEF-
FORD; S.N. BLACKWOOD FOR SHEFFORD MT; P. MAHEDY FOR NORTH
SHEFFORD... OVER 400 NAMES SUBSCRIBED IN FEW HOURS...
PATROLS ARE STATIONED EVERY NIGHT ABOUT TOWN..." 7JUN'66
-----------------------------------------
IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THERE WAS ONLY ONE MAN FROM SHEFFORD CO.
KILLED IN ACTION DURING THE YEARS OF THE FENIAN UPRISINGS.
THOUGH PATRICK WAS WILLING TO FIGHT THE FENIANS, HE REMAINED
A TRUE SON OF ERIN AND SOUGHT TO RETAIN THE IRISH HERITAGE IN
AMERICA. IN LAST YEAR'S ISSUE PATRICK WAS MENTIONED AS PRESIDENT
OF THE SHEFFORD CO. ST. PATRICK'S SOCIETY. IN THE SEGMENT ON THE
THE 1872 ST. PATTY'S CELEBRATION IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE PARTY
WAS HELD AT MAHEDY HALL! THE IRISH ORGANIZATION APPEARS TO HAVE
EVOLVED OVER THE DECADES. THE TITLE GIVEN LAST YEAR FOR 1859 WAS
DIFFERENT THAN THAT IN 1872. IT PROBABLY WAS CHANGED TO BE MADE
BROADER IN SCOPE IN 1871 BY THE GROUP LISTED BELOW. PAT'S COUSIN
PATRICK MORAN WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN THE IRISH SOCIETIES.
ST PATRICK'S SOCIETY OF SHEFFORD
ACCORDING TO ANNOUNCEMENT IN OUR LAST ISSUE, A MEET-
ING WAS HELD AT WARDEN, -ON THE 17TH INSTANT, WHEN A ST
PATRICK'S SOCIETY, FOR THE COUNTY OF SHEFFORD, WAS ORGAN-
IZED, AND THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS ELECTED FOR THE ENSUING
YEAR: - PRESIDENT - DR. ERSKINE; 1ST VICE-PRESIDENT -
JOHN CLEARY; 2ND VICE-PRESIDENT - HUGH MCCLINTOCK; SEC.
TREASURER - J.F. LEONARD; CORRESPONDING SECRETARY - P.
MAHEDY. COMMITTE OF MANAGEMENT - MESSRS. JAMES MAYNES, M.
LEONARD; P. MORAN, JOHN T. BOOTH, JAMES COLMAN, P. MAHEDY,
AND THE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY - TREASURER. AT THE CLOSE
OF THE PROCEEDINGS, THE MEETING ADJOURNED TO MEET AGAIN AT
WATERLOO ON SATURDAY THE 13TH MAY NEXT, WHEN THE BY-LAWS OF
THE SOCIETY WILL BE ADOPTED. 24MAR'71
PATRICK ALSO CONTINUED TO SERVE AS JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.
THERE WAS NOTHING SPECIFIC IN THE NEWS PERTAINING TO HIS ROLE AS
JUSTICE. HOWEVER, THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE CONFIRMS THE FACT HE WAS
STILL A J.P. AND PRESENTS AN INTERESTING CASE IN LABOR RELATIONS!
IT WOULD ALSO APPEAR THAT PATRICK HAD AT LEAST TEMPORARY DIFFI-
CULTY RETAINING EMPLOYEES. ONE CAN ONLY SPECULATE AS TO WHY.
"MASTERS & SERVANTS - ON SATURDAY LAST, BEFORE JUS-
TICES ALLEN, AND ELLIS, ONE SENECAL WAS CONVICTED OF
DESERTING HIS MASTER'S EMPLOY BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF
HIS AGREEMENT AND AT THE INSTANCE OF THE COMPLAINANT,
PATK. MAHEDY, ESQ., J.P. A MODERATE FINE OF ONE SHIL-
LING AND COSTS WAS INFLICTED UPON HIM. ON MONDAY AN-
OTHER MAN IN THE SERVICE OF MR. MAHEDY, CALLED LEVIGNE
PLEADED GUILTY TO A CHARGE OF LEAVING HIS MASTER'S SER-
VICE WITHOUT GIVING THE MONTH'S REQUIRED BY LAW....
THE FINE IN THE CASE FIRST MENTIONED WAS PURPOSELY SMALL
AT THE REQUEST OF MR. MAHEDY WHO DESERVES THE THANKS OF
ALL AGRICULTURALISTS AND MASTER'S HIRING HELP FOR ESTAB-
LISHING THIS IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE - COM. " 5AUG'69
IN AUGUST 1870, PATRICK WAS ONE OF SEVEN MEN ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF
MANAGEMENT OF THE COLONIZATION SOCIETY - AN ORGANIZATION ESTAB-
LISHED TO PROMOTE EMIGRATION FROM THE BRITISH ISLES. WHILE PART OF
ITS MISSION WAS TO PROVIDE AID AND COMFORT TO IMMIGRANTS, ITS PRI-
MARY GOAL WAS TO INFLATE THE LABOR MARKET, THUS ALLOWING WAGES TO
REMAIN LOW AND PROFITS HIGH. THE FOLLOWIMG YEAR PAT SIGNED A PE-
TITION URGING THE WARDEN OF SHEFFORD COUNTY TO HOLD A PUBLIC
MEETING IN OCTOBER TO CONSIDER THE QUESTION OF CANADIAN INDE-
PENDENCE.
THE PUBLICITY CONCERNING PATRICK IS, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE,
CENTERED ON HIS ROLE AS EDUCATION COMMISSIONER. I SIMPLY DID NOT
HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO TRANSCRIBE EVERYTHING IN THE NEWS BY OR ABOUT
PATRICK. IN 1865 HE INITIATED AN ANNUAL "PIC-NIC", PROVIDING AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS, FAMILY, AND CIVIC LEADERS TO GATHER.
THERE WERE ACADEMIC CONTESTS WITH PRIZES FOR EVERY SUBJECT AREA.
DISTRICT SCHOOL EXAMINATION AND PIC-NIC.- [2ND YR]
"...WE BELIEVE THAT P. MAHEDY, ESQ., CHAIRMAN OF THE
SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS, HAS DONE HIS SHARE IN STARTING THE
MOVEMENT..."
AMOUNG PRIZE WINNERS AT THE SECOND ANNUAL PIC-NIC WAS MARTHA
MAHEDY,
PATRICK'S DAUGHTER, WHO WON 1ST PRIZE FROM DISTRICT
#18 IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 6SEPT'66
THE FOLLOWING YEAR:
3RD ANNUAL SCHOOL PIC-NIC -
..."ON OPENING THE PROCEEDINGS P. MAHEDY, ESQ., ONE OF THE
SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS SAID NEARLY AS FOLLOW: `PUPILS OF THE DIS
TRICT SCHOOLS THAT ARE ASSEMBLED HERE TO-DAY TO HAVE A SOCIAL
GATHERING AND COMPETE FOR THE PRIZES OFFERED BY THE GENEROUS
PEOPLE OF SHEFFORD TO SUCCESSFUL COMPETITORS, THERE IS A GREAT
DESTINY BEFORE YOU - THAT IN A FEW YEARS YOU WILL HAVE TO TAKE
THE SAME POSITION IN SOCIETY THAT IS NOW FILLED BY YOUR FATHERS
AND MOTHERS - YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BE MORAL AND VIRTUOUS AND
OBEDIENT TO THE LAWS WE LIVE UNDER, THAT PROTECTS EVERY MAN'S
SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS INTERESTS. I WOULD SAY A FEW WORDS TO
THE BOYS IN PARTICULAR. TO DAY WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTY TWO
GENTLEMEN THAT MANY OF YOU PERHAPS KNOW. THESE GENTLEMAN ARE
NOW SEEKING FOR HIGH HONORS - BOTH WORTHY OF THEM - MEN OF WHOM
WE MIGHT WELL BE PROUD; I REFER TO MESSRS. HUNTINGTON AND
PARMELEE. A FEW YEARS SINCE THE PROSPECTS OF THESE MEN WERE NO
BRIGHTER THAN WHAT MANY BOYS NOW ARE, BUT BY THEIR EDUCATION
AND PERSEVERENCE THEY ARRIVED AT THE HIGH DISTINCTION THAT THEY
THIS DAY OCCUPY. I WOULD REMIND YOU OF THE WORDS OF THE POET
THAT
"`LEARNING STANDS UPON A LOFTY THRONE,
BEYOND THE REACH OF EVERY IDLE DRONE.'" 5SEPT'67
---------------------------------------
"SCHOOL PIC-NIC - SHEFFORD - IN ADDRESS GIVEN BY
HON. L.S. HUNTINGTON:
"THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PROTESTANT BOARD WAS HIS FRIEND,
MR. MAHEDY, AN EARNEST AND CONSISTENT MEMBER OF THE RO-
MAN CATHOLIC CHURCH... FOR MANY YEARS A POPULAR OFFICER,
INDEFATIGABLE IN THE DISCHARGE OF HIS ONEROUS DUTIES -
AND HAVING HELD OFFICE BEFORE THE FRENCH INHABITANTS DIS-
SENTED - ... MR. MAHEDY HAD BEEN, YEAR AFTER YEAR, ELEC-
TED BY HIS PROTESTANT CONSTITUENTS - AND THE ROMAN CATHO-
LICS WHO SPOKE ENGLISH HAD PATRONIZED THE SCHOOLS...AND
EVERY BODY FELT THAT PUBLIC GRATITUDE WAS DUE THE WORTHY
CHAIRMAN FOR THE INTELLIGENT INTEREST HE HAD MANIFESTED
IN THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR COMMON SCHOOLS..." 2SEP'69
AS DEMONSTRATED LAST YEAR, PATRICK OCCASIONALLY FOUND HIM-
SELF IN THE MIDST OF CONTROVERSARY. HE DID NOT SHY AWAY FROM IT,
BUT CONFRONTED IT HEAD ON. THIS IS EVIDENCED AGAIN IN THE LETTER
WHICH FOLLOWS. A TEACHER IN THE SHEFFORD SCHOOL HAD TO DISCIPLINE
ONE OF HIS PUPILS. THE INCIDENT BECAME EXAGGERATED AND WAS BROUGHT
TO THE ATTENTION OF MR. NUTTING WHO WAS THE FORMER TEACHER.
NUTTING MADE A BIG STINK IN THE PRESS. THE CASE WAS REVIEWED BY THE
SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS WHO RULED THE TEACHER'S ACTIONS WERE
APPROPRIATE AND JUSTIFIED. NUTTING CONTINUED HIS ATTACK, AIMED
PARTICULARLY AT PATRICK AS THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER. NOTE THAT
PATRICK IMPLIES HE RECEIVES NO SALARY. HOWEVER, IN THE $3500+ 1870
BUDGET VERIFIED BY PATRICK THERE WAS AN ITEM FOR SCHOOL
COMMISSIONER AMOUNTING TO $120. WHETHER THIS IS SALARY OR A FUND
FOR EXPENSES OF THE OFFICE IS UNKNOWN. IN ANY EVENT, HERE'S....PAT -
"THE WATERLOO ADVERTISER
DEAR SIR. - IN YOUR ISSUE OF THE 2ND, I HAVE SEEN THAT YOU
PUBLISHED MY LETTER OF THE 22ND IN FULL, A FEW TYPOGRAPHICAL
ERRORS EXCEPTED, WHICH SHOWS THAT THE BOLD AND INDEPENDENT
SPIRIT OF THE ORGAN OF THE GREAT LIBERAL PARTY OF THE COUNTY
OF SHEFFORD HAS RESUMED ITS FORMER INDEPENDENCE - THE FREE
PRESS OF A FREE PEOPLE. I WAS IN HOPE, WHEN WRITING MY LET-
TER OF THE ABOVE DATE, THAT YOUR ABLE AND LEARNED CORRESPON-
DENT, MR. NUTTING, HAD CONSULTED HIS OWN HONOR AND INTEREST
AND NO FURTHER AIRED THE DISAGREEABLE SUBJECT UNDER DISCUSSION
BETWEEN HIMSELF AND THE SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS - BUT INSTEAD OF
LETTING THE MATTER DROP, HE HITS RESUCITATED IT IN YOUR ISSUE
OF THE 26TH ULT., WITH SO MUCH ACIDITY THAT NOW I AM LED TO
BELIEVE FROM THE TENOR, TEMPOR, AND SOURNESS OF HIS LETTER,
THAT BY LOOKING AT WATER HE WOULD CONVERT IT INTO VINEGAR.
ALTHOUGH I DID NOT INTEND TO WRITE ON THIS SUBJECT AGAIN UNTIL
AFTER I HAD A PERSONAL INTERVIEW WITH THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY IN
SCHOOL MATTERS IN THIS PROVINCE, ON MR. JUSTICE FOSTER'S
DECISION, WHICH SHALL BE SOME TIME THIS MONTH AND AT MY OWN
PRIVATE EXPENSE; YET, SIR, I THINK THAT I HAVE THE RIGHT, WITH
YOUR PERMISSION, TO MAKE A FEW CURSORY REMARKS ON THE LAST
EPISODE OF YOUR LEARNED CORRESPONDENT, ALTHOUGH, HE HAS
SOUNDED HIS OWN RETREAT FROM A STRIFE HE HAS SO GLORIOUSLY AND
TRIUMPHANTLY WAGED AGAINST THE SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS, MORE
ESPECIALLY THE COURT OF "APPEALS COMPOSED OF LEONARD WHITCOMB
AND P. MAHEDY." IN HIS LAST SQUIB HE SAYS THAT I HAVE MADE
MANY STATEMENTS IN MY FIRST LETTER THAT WERE NOT CORRECT.
IF NOT CORRECT, THEY MUST BE FALSE, THEN WHY DID HE NOT SHOW
THE FALSE STATEMENTS? - ASSERTIONS ARE NOT PROOFS, FRIEND
NUTTING. NEXT HE SAYS THAT I DID NOT DENY OR DISPROVE THE
FACTS SET FORTH IN HIS LETTER. THE REASON WHY - THERE WERE NO
FACTS IN HIS LETTER. IN PLACE OF "FACTS" HE SHOULD HAVE
WRITTEN FABLES OR FIBS - THAT IS, IF THE REPORT OF THE EVI-
DENCE PUBLISHED IN THE "ADVERTISER" OF JUNE THE 21ST LAST, WAS
CORRECT, AND WHICH WE MUST RECEIVE AS CORRECT SO LONG AS IT
HAS NOT BEEN CONTRADICTED.
NEXT HE SAYS THAT HE HAS SAID NOTHING PERSONAL OF MR.
MAHEDY - NEITHER HAS MR. MAHEDY SAID ANYTHING PERSONAL OF MR.
NUTTING.
WHEN HE WROTE HIS LETTER AND SAID THAT THE TEACHER WENT
AT THE BOY "DERRY FAIR STYLE," I SUPPOSE THAT POOR NINNY MEANT
"DONNYBROOK FAIR STYLE," SUPPOSING THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD
FLING AND A HAPPY HIT AGAINST THE TEACHER OF THE ACADEMY AND
YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT, BOTH BEING IRISHMEN, MORE ESPECIALLY AS
THE DONNYROOK FAIR IS THE MOST ODIOUS AND IMMORAL OF ALL THE
COUNTRY FAIRS HELD IN IRELAND AND ATTENDED NOT ONLY BY THE
SCUM OF THAT ISLAND, BUT ALSO, ON ACCOUNT OF ITS NOTORIETY,
ATTENDED BY THE SCUM AND BLACKLEGS OF OTHER COUNTRIES,
YANKEEDOM NOT EXCEPTED. THE HAPPY HIT REDOUNDED ON THE GIVER
AND NOW FILLS HIM WITH IRE. YET, SIR, IT IS THE OPINION OF
MANY THAT IF THE LATE PROPRIETOR OF THE ACADEMY WAS OF ANOTHER
NATIONALITY, HE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED MORE CURTESY AND ENCOUR-
AGEMENT THAN WHAT HE HAS RECEIVED FROM BOTH PARENTS AND PUPILS
OF SO MANY IN YOUR VILLAGE, AND NOT BE THE SUBJECT OF THE
PETTY PERSECUTIONS THAT HE HAD TO SUFFER.
YOUR LEARNED CORRESPONDENT DOES NOT KNOW WHERE I SPENT
ALL MY DAYS OR WHAT BUSINESS I FOLLOWED. THAT DOES NOT HAVE
ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MATTER UNDER DISPUTE, AND CONQUENTLY
IS NONE OF HIS BUSINESS. NEXT THAT OFFICE OF SCHOOL
COMMISSIONER HAS MADE ME "ARISTOCRATIC". I ASSURE YOUR
LEARNED CORRESPONDENT THAT ITS NOT A PAYING OFFICE, AND THAT
IN PLACE OF BEING A SCHOOL COMMISSIONER I WAS APPOINTED CLERK
OF SOME LAW COURT, WHOSE COSTS ARE BOTH GRINDING AND ENORMOUS,
AND THE MOST PART OF IT FOUND ITS WAY INTO MY EMPTY POCKETS,
IT MIGHT MAKE ME FEEL "ARISTOCRATIC".
ALTHOUGH YOUR ABLE AND LEARNED CORRESPONDENT, THE GREAT
AND OMNIPOTENT NUTTING, WHO WRITES WELL IF NOT WISELY, SOUNDS
IN HIS LAST SQUIB HIS OWN INGLORIOUS DEFEAT MAY RETURN TO THE
CHARGE. IF SO THE SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS WILL PAY NO ATTENTION
TO IT UNTIL THEY GET THE OPINION OF THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION ON THE SUBJECT, BUT IF IN THE MEAN TIME YOUR
LEARNED CORRESPONDENT, MR. NUTTING, SHOULD BECOME RESTIVE,
THE SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS WILL ALLOW HIM, TO KEEP HIM EASY, A
FEW BOTTLES OF "MRS. WINSLOW'S SOOTHING SYRUP." HE WILL FIND
THEM PERHAPS AT THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY-TREASURER OF THE
SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS OR THE "THIRTY PIECES", TO PURCHASE THE
SYRUP WHEN CALLED FOR. GOOD BYE, FRIEND NUTTING;
GOOD BYE, MR. EDITOR." P. MAHEDY
---------
SCHOOL MUNICIPALITY OF SHEFFORD AUG 6TH, 1872" 9 AUG
----------------------------------------------
A FEW MORE OF OUR MAHEDY-MORAN COUSINS WERE FOUND AT THE ANNUAL
PIC-NIC:
SHEFFORD SCHOOL PIC-NIC
MARTHA MAHEDY - 1ST PRIZE - ENGLISH GRAMMAR; 2ND - CAN
HISTORY;
2ND - ARITHMETIC; HON MENTION - WRITING;(AS
DID MARY J)
2ND CLASS LEVEL; DIST 18;
DUNN PETER F,
MARY B, JOHN S, - 2ND, 3RD, & 5TH PRIZES - ENGLISH SPELLING
3RD CLASS [UNDER 7]; DIST 16;
" MARY B - 3RD ENG READING; PUNCTUALITY.
" JOHN E - " " HON MENTION
" " S - " " " " 3SEPT'68
SCHOOL EXAMS/PICNIC:
2ND CLASS [@ 8-12] - 2ND PRIZE, MARY B. DUNN; DIST 12;
" " SPELLING - 4TH " MARY DUNN " 17
PETER " " "
" " [10-14]
WRITING 2ND " EMMA J. MAHEDY " 18
" " GEOGRAPHY 3RD " MARY B. DUNN " 13
" " GRAMMAR 4TH " MARY DUNN " "
5TH " BRIDGET " " 16
1 SEPT'71
----------------------------------------------
TEACHER AT SHEFFORD ELOPES TO THE STATES! 25 AUG'71
(ONE OF OUR COUSINS!???)
GILLETT - KEECH
DEJA VU! REMEMBER LAST YEAR'S LETTER? SINCE I BEGAN THIS
CURRENT ISSUE I AGAIN HEARD FROM COUSIN BETTY NASH. BETTY HAS BEEN
BUSY GATHERING GILLETT-KEECH DATA AND HAS SENT @ EIGHT PAGES OF UP-
DATES. WE STILL HAVE NOTHING CONCLUSIVE PRIOR TO EBENEZER GILLETT
OR ELIZABETH KEECH, BUT THE LIST OF THEIR DESCENDANTS IS STEADILY
EXPANDING. AS WITH ANY NEW DATA, IT RAISES AS MANY QUESTIONS AS IT
ANSWERS. I WILL TRY TO EXPLORES THESE QUESTIONS WITH BETTY OVER THE
SUMMER. I HAVE FREQUENTLY SPECULATED THAT THE MAHEDY-MCKAY CLAN
PROBABLY HAD MORE KNOWLEDGE AND CONTACT WITH THE GILLETT-KEECH
THAN WWAS MADE KNOWN TO US. THIS WOULD SEEM PARTICULARLY TRUE OF
ESTHER BUTLER WHO LIVED FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN AVA AND ROME BEFORE
SETTLING IN VERNON. SEVERAL OF THEIR FIRST COUSINS SURVIVED TO THE
1920'S, '30'S, AND '40'S. EUGENE GILLETT DIED IN 1943. A SEYMOUR
GILLETT SURVIVED TO 1959. I HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT YET WHERE HE FITS
IN. LIZZIE MCKAY PROBABLY KNEW MANY OF THESE PEOPLE AS HER MOTHER
AND ESTHER BUTLER. WOULD THAT WE COULD CONVERSE!! PERHAPS THE
QUESTIONS WERE NEVER ASKED, OR GENERATIONS SIMPLY DRIFTED APART,
AND NOW WE MUST RECONSTRUCT THE WHEEL. WITH THE HELP OF COUSINS
LIKE BETTY, WE WILL KEEP PLUGGING AWAY.
***
DIARMUID AND GRAINNE
THE STORY OF DIARMUID AND GRAINNE IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS
LEGENDS IN WESTERN CIVILIZATION. THE STORY COMBINES IRISH MYTH-
OLOGY AND HISTORY; IRISH GODS AND MORTALS. IT STILL EVOKES DEEP
EMOTION IN IRELAND, SCOTLAND, AND THE NORTHERN ISLANDS.
THE STORY TAKES PLACE IN THE REIGN OF CORMAC MAC ART, HIGH
KING OF IRELAND @ 3RD CENTURY. BY THIS TIME FIONN WAS AN OLD
MAN WHOSE CHILDREN HAD LONG SINCE MATURED. NOW FIONN SOUGHT A
NEW WIFE AND DESIRED THE BEAUTIFUL GRAINNE, DAUGHTER OF CORMAC.
CORMAC WAS AMENABLE TO THIS UNION. AT AN AGREED UPON TIME FIONN
ARRIVED AT THE ROYAL PALACE AT TARA WITH AN ENTOURAGE OF HIS
GREATEST
WARRIORS. THE GREATEST OF THE GREAT BY FAR WAS DIARMUID.
NOT ONLY WAS HE A GREAT WARRIOR, HE WAS YOUNG AND EXCEPTIONALLY
HANDSOME. DIARMUID WAS GRANDSON OF DUIBHNE - ANCESTOR OF THE
CAMPBELL CLAN OF SCOTLAND - AND FOSTERSON OF ANGUS, IRISH GOD OF
LOVE. BEYOND ALL THAT, DIARMUID WAS BLESSED WITH A LOVE SPOT
ABOVE HIS EYEBROW. IT WAS SAID NO WOMAN COULD LOOK UPON HIM
WITHOUT FALLING MADLY IN LOVE. TO AVOID EMBARRASSMENT, HE NOR-
MALLY WORE HIS HELMET LOW. ON THE DAY THE FENIANS ARRIVED AT
TARA DIARMUID WAS LEFT TO STAND GUARD WHILE FIONN AND CORMAC
WENT HUNTING. IT WAS A DREARY, HOT DAY. THINKING HIMSELF ALONE,
DIARMUID RAISED HIS HELMET TO WIPE HIS BROW. GRAINNE HAD ALREADY
HAD HER EYE ON HIM AND NOW, SEEING HIS LOVE SPOT, WAS CONSUMED
WITH PASSION FOR HIM.
AFTER THE HUNTING PARTY RETURNED GRAINNE WAS SUMMONED TO
MEET FIONN. SHE ASKED A DRUID THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING AND
WAS INFORMED OF FIONN'S PLAN TO MARRY HER. THIS WAS PREPOSTER-
OUS! FIONN WAS EVEN OLDER THAN HER FATHER. IT WOULD HAVE SEEMED
MORE SUITABLE FOR FIONN TO HAVE HAD HIS SON, OISIN, MARRY GRAINNE. AT
LEAST THEY WERE OF COMPARABLE AGE. BUT GRAINNE WOULD HAVE
NONE OF THIS. SHE WOULD MARRY WHOMEVER SHE WISHED. NATURALLY,
THAT WOULD BE DIARMUID. FOR THE FEAST THAT EVENING, GRAINNE
MIXED A VERY STRONG POTION AND BLENDED IT WITH MEAD TO SERVE TO
FIONN AND HIS TOP WARRIORS, TAKING CARE THAT NONE WENT TO DIARMUID.
IT WORKED! THEY WERE OUT COLD. GRAINNE APPROACHED DIARMUID. SHE
ASKED HIM TO RUN AWAY WITH HER. HE REFUSED. HE WOULD HAVE NOTHING
TO DO WITH A WOMAN PROMISED TO FIONN. SHE THEN THREATENED TO CAST
HIM UNDER A DRUIDIC SPELL SO POWERFUL HE WOULD FOLLOW HER
ANYWHERE. DIARMUID GREW ANGRY, CALLING HER EVIL. HE REFUSED AGAIN,
REMINDING GRAINNE THAT FIONN HELD THE KEYS TO THE FORTRESS. SHE
INDICATED THERE WAS A SECRET WICKER GATE. FOR REASONS UNMENTIONED
DIARMUID STATED IT WAS TABU FOR HIM TO PASS THROUGH A WICKER GATE,
SO GRAINNE TOLD HIM TO VAULT OVER THE WALLS WHERE SHE WOULD JOIN
HIM. IF HE DID NOT SHE WOULD TAKE HER LIFE RATHER THAN LIVE WITHOUT
HIM. DIARMUID, NOW LAPSING UNDER HER SPELL, FOLLOWED HER WISHES
SAYING HE WOULD DO SO WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF HER SPELLS. THUS
BEGAN THEIR FLIGHT FROM FIONN.
FIONN FLEW INTO A JEALOUS RAGE AND BEGAN IMMEDIATE PURSUIT. THE
YOUNG LOVERS FOUND REFUGE IN THE WOODS WHERE THEY BUILT A HUT
SURROUNDED BY A HUGE FENCE WITH SEVEN GATES. IN DUE COURSE FIONN
TRACKED THEM DOWN, LAYING SIEGE TO THEIR MAKESHIFT COMPOUND.
GUARDS WERE POSTED AT EACH GATE. FIONN HIMSELF GUARDED ONE.
DIARMUID'S FOSTER - FATHER, THE GOD ANGUS, OFFERED TO WRAP THEM BOTH
IN A CLOAK OF INVISIBILITY. DIARMUID REFUSED, PREFERRING INSTEAD TO
STAND AND FIGHT. THEY DID CONVINCE GRAINNE TO ESCAPE, LEADING HER
SAFELY AND UNSEEN INTO THE WOODS. ONCE DIARMUID CONCLUDED HIS
ONLY OPTION WAS TO DO BATTLE WITH HIS LEADER, HE RAN AND JUMPED THE
FENCES IN A MIGHTY LEAP.
DIARMUID AND GRAINNE CONTINUED TO REMAIN HIDDEN IN THE
COUNTRYSIDE LARGELY DUE TO THE EFFORTS ANGUS. LIFE WAS NOT EASY.
THEY WERE CONSTANTLY MOVING; DRIFTING TO AVOID DETECTION. THEY
ENDURED MANY HARDSHIPS. IN TIME GRAINNE BECAME PREGNANT. FIONN
CONTINUED HIS RELENTLESS PURSUIT. EVENTUALLY THE COUPLE SOUGHT THE
SHELTER OF A SACRED ROWAN TREE. THE TREE WAS GUARDED BY A CRUEL
GIANT SO VICIOUS EVEN THE FENIANS FEARED TO APPROACH HIM. DIARMUID
FULLY ANTICIPATED HE WOULD HAVE TO DO BATTLE, BUT HE GREW
DESPARATE. TO HIS AMAZEMENT, THE GIANT PERMITTED THEM TO REMAIN SO
LONG AS THEY DID NOT EAT THE BERRIES FROM TREE. AT LAST THEY WERE
SAFE. THINGS FINALLY SEEMED TO BE GOING WELL. THEN, PERHAPS DUE TO
HER CONDITION, GRAINNE BEGAN TO CRAVE THE BERRIES OF THE SACRED
TREE. FULLY AWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES IF SHE ACTED UPON HER
CRAVING, SHE TRIED TO CONCEAL IT FROM DIARMUID. BEFORE LONG
DIARMUID REALIZED WHAT TROUBLED HIS LOVE. HER URGE BECAME SO
INTENSE THAT HE BEGAN TO FEAR FOR HER HEALTH. HE PLEADED WITH THE
GIANT ON GRAINNE'S BEHALF, BUT THE GIANT GREW ANGRY IN HIS REJECTION.
AS A LAST RESORT, DIARMUID CHALLENGED THE GIANT TO A BATTLE. THE
COMBAT WAS LONG AND FEROCIOUS. DIARMUID SLEW THE GIANT, THEN
MOVED WITH HIS LOVE INTO THE GIANT'S HOME IN THE BRANCHES OF THE
TREE. GRAINNE COULD EAT BERRIES TO HER HEARTS DELIGHT. THERE WAS
PEACE AND HAPPINESS.
WORD OF THE GIANT'S DEMISE REACHED FIONN, WHO QUICKLY FIGURED
OUT THAT ONLY DIARMUID COULD HAVE SLAIN THE GIANT. SO THE FENIANS
MARCHED YET AGAIN, THIS TIME ENCAMPING AT THE FOOT OF THE SACRED
TREE. FOR REASONS UNCLEAR, FIONN THEN ORDERED HIS CHESS SET AND
CHALLENGED HIS SON, OISIN, TO A GAME. UNBEKNOWNST TO THEM, DIARMUID
LOOKED ON FROM THE BRANCHES ABOVE. REMEMBER, BESIDES HIS NATURAL
ABILITIES, FIONN NEED ONLY STICK HIS THUMB IN HIS MOUTH TO SEE THE
FUTURE AND KNOW HOW TO RESPOND TO IT. DIARMUID SAW OISIN WAS IN
DANGER OF LOSING, SO HE DROPPED A ROWAN BERRY ON THE PIECE OISIN
NEEDED TO MOVE TO PREVENT A LOSS. OISIN'S LUCK BEGAN TO CHANGE, BUT
ONLY TEMPORARILY. FIONN AGAIN REGAINED THE ADVANTAGE. WHEN THE
NEXT BERRY DROPPED ON A STRATEGIC PIECE FIONN IMMEDIATELY
SUSPECTED DIARMUID'S INFLUENCE! A CLOSER LOOK IN THE BRANCHES
OVERHEAD REVEALED DIARMUID AND GRAINNE HIDDEN IN THE LEAVES.
CLEARLY THEIR SECURITY WAS LOST. AGAIN THEY WERE SURROUNDED.
AGAIN ANGUS APPEARED AND, AT DIARMUID'S REQUEST, WHISKED GRAINNE
OFF UNDER ANOTHER CLOAK OF INVISIBILIY. DIARMUID RAN ACROSS THE
BRANCHES BEYOND THE ENCAMPMENT, JUMPED, AND EVENTUALLY FOUND
SAFETY. HE MET UP WITH GRAINNE AND THEY WERE FREE ONCE AGAIN. BY
NOW GRAINNE WAS DUE. SHE DELIVERED A BABY GIRL. YEARS PASSED IN
RELATIVE PEACE AND HAPPINESS. IN LATER YEARS GRAINNE FELT THE NEED
TO CLEAR THE AIR WITH FIONN. HE GAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT HE WOULD
INDEED FORGIVE THEM AND INVITED THEM TO JOIN HIM. THIS CAUSED GREAT
JOY FOR ALL, AS MANY OF THE FENIANS HAD BEEN SYMPATHETIC TOWARD
THESE YOUNG LOVERS. NATURALLY FIONN WAS STILL SECRETLY PLOTTING
HIS REVENGE ON DIARMUID. THERE WAS IN THE WOOD NEAR FIONN'S A WILD,
POISONOUS BOAR. MANY FENIANS HAD ATTEMPTED TO HUNT DOWN THIS
VICIOUS BEAST ONLY TO LOSE THEIR LIVES. FIONN EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM
TO DIARMUID AND ASKED FOR HIS ASSISTANCE. TO FIONN'S SURPRISE,
DIARMUID ACCEPTED. HE WAS EVEN MORE SURPRISED WHEN DIARMUID
RETURNED UNHARMED CARRYING THE DEAD BOAR. FIONN'S WILL WOULD NOT
BE THWARTED. FIONN PRAISED DIARMUID SKILLS AND CONGRATULATED HIM
ON THE KILL. THEN HE ASKED DIARMUID TO MEASURE THE BORE HIDE,
KNOWING ITS BRISTLES WERE DEADLY POISONOUS. DIARMUID THEN WALKED
THE LENGTH AND WIDTH OF THE PELT. IMMEDIATELY DIARMUID FELL
UNCONSCIOUS. AS HE BEGAN TO COME TO, HE LOOKED UP TO SEE FIONN
TOWERING ABOVE HIM. HE IMPLORED FIONN TO USE THE HEALING POWERS
FIONN OBTAINED FROM THE SALMON OF LIFE. THREE TIMES FIONN WENT FOR
WATER AND CARRIED IT BACK TO DIARMUID IN THE CUP OF HIS HANDS. EACH
TIME THE WATER FLOWED OUT BETWEEN HIS FINGERS JUST WHEN HE
REACHED DIARMUID. FIONN WAS TORN BY THE FOND MEMORIES OF
DIARMUID'S FRIENDSHIP AND WARRIOR SKILLS, AND THE PERCEIVED
TREACHERY WITH GRAINNE. ULTIMATELY HE DECIDED TO SPARE DIARMUID,
BUT HE WAS TOO LATE - DIARMUID WAS DEAD.
THE FENIANS WERE ENRAGED WITH FIONN FOR TRICKING DIARMUID AND
CAUSING HIS DEATH UNDER THE GUISE OF RECONCILIATION. FIONN APPEARED
CONTRITE. HE PROMISED HIS COMRADES HE WOULD DEDICATE HIS LIFE TO
COMFORTING AND CONSOLING GRAINNE. THIS HE DID. IN TIME GRAINNE
FORGAVE FIONN AND EVEN MARRIED HIM, BUT SHE NEVER FORGOT HER LOVE
FOR DIARMUID. THUS ENDS ANOTHER ROMANTIC TALE.
NEXT ISSUE: THE DEATH OF FIONN;
NOTES
BELLS! (#1 SON) BRIAN SHAWN TOUSE HAS ANNOUNCED HIS ENGAGEMENT TO
LISA DUROCHER. THE WEDDING WILL BE SEPTEMBER 4, 1993.
BRIAN IS A SUPERVISOR AT GROSSMAN'S IN PLATTSBURGH. LISA IS
A PHYSICAL THERAPIST AT CHAMPLAIN VALLEY\PHYSICIANS' HOS-
PITAL. (BOY IS SHE IN TROUBLE!) CONGRATULATIONS & BEST
WISHES TO A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG COUPLE!
ANCHORS AWAY! - MICHAEL PATRICK TOUSE HAS ACCEPTED AN APPOINTMENT
TO THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY AT ANNAPOLIS, MD. MIKE WILL GRADU-
ATE IN JUNE FROM MILFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL IN ONE OF THE TOP
TWO POSITIONS IN HIS CLASS AND PLANS TO MAJOR IN PHYSICS.
AMOUNGST HIS MANY TALENTS, MIKE HAS ALSO WRITTEN AND DELI-
VERED SERMONS IN SEVERAL CHURCHES IN THE COOPERSTOWN VICIN-
ITY. A VERY PROUD
CONGRATULATIONS !!!
&
BEST WISHES
---------------------------------------------------
IN MEMORIUM - MRS. MARJORIE GUILFOYLE CLAMP, DAUGHTER OF LEO AND
MARY MAHEDY GUILFOYLE, DIED 5 DEC 1992, AT LAWRENCE, MASS.
MARJORIE WAS BORN 5 SEPT 1921 AT LEOMINSTER, MASS. SHE
SERVED AS A PHARMACIST MATE IN THE NAVY WAVES DURING WWII.
IN 1944 SHE MARRIED RONALD CLAMP. MARJORIE IS SURVIVED BY
HER HUSBAND, DAUGHTER MARSHA A. OF ROSLINDALE; DAUGHTER
CAROL A. (MRS. ROBERT) FEUGILL OF SHELBURNE, NH, SISTERS
MARY SULLIVAN OF LAWRENCE, AND LEONA (MRS. STEPHEN)
O' DONOGHUE OF HAVERHILL, MASS., AND SEVERAL NIECES AND
NEPHEWS.
MARJORIE WAS MY INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE ALFRED MAHEDY
LINE. SHE PROBABLY THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY WHEN I FIRST CALLED
HER, BUT SHE PUT UP WITH ME AND HAS BEEN A BIG HELP IN FILL-
ING IN MANY BLANKS, AS WELL AS DISTRIBUTING 3M TO THE CLAN
IN MASS. I KNOW THIS FAMILY IS VERY CLOSE AND WISH TO CON-
VEY OUR SYMPATHY TO ALL THE FAMILY.
-------------------------------------------
AN IRISH BLESSING
THESE THINGS I WARMLY WISH FOR YOU -
SOMEONE TO LOVE,
SOOME WORK TO DO.
A BIT O' SUN
A BIT O' CHEER
AND A GUARDIAN ANGEL
ALWAYS NEAR.
ERIN GO BRAGH
------------------------------------------------------------------
MAHEDY - MCKAY
3M
MULLARKEY
VOL IX - SPRING '94
DAN TOUSE
RD1, BOX 1269
MARYLAND, NY 12116
MARCH 1994
GREETINGS,
YUP! IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN AND AGAIN IT HAS ARRIVED TOO QUICKLY FOR
THE RESEARCH DEPARTMENT TO COMPLETE ITS ASSIGNMENT. INDEED, EXCEPT
FOR A FEW WRITTEN QUERIES, THE DEPARTMENT HAS FAILED TO GET A SINGLE
PROJECT OFF THE GROUND. THOSE WHO (FINALLY) RECEIVED THE '93 EDITION
OR THE CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER WILL RECALL THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW
MINOR IMPEDIMENTS TO CIRCUMVENT. AS I BEGIN THIS YEAR'S CLASSIC (25
JAN) THOSE IMPEDIMENTS ARE ALL BUT NEUTRALIZED. BY THIS WEEKEND
TOUSE HOUSE WILL BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS AGAIN - AT LONG LAST. SOME
RADICAL CHANGES ARE BEING INTRODUCED.
REMEMBER THAT THUNDERBOLT REFERRED TO AT CHRISTMAS? THE IMPACT
WAS MUCH MORE PROFOUND THAN I WAS WILLING TO ADMIT! THIS IS NEITHER
THE APPROPRIATE TIME OR PLACE TO DISCUSS DETAILS BUT I FEEL COMPELLED
TO TELL THE FAMILY OF MY GOOD FORTUNE. THROUGH SOME MIRACLE FAR
BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION, MY HOME HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH THE
ADDITION OF JANICE LONGLEY AND HER DAUGHTER LEIGH ANN. I AM NOT
QUITE SURE WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HERMIT, BUT YOUR EDITOR IS RUMORED
TO BE SOMEWHAT MORE ANIMATED - SOME MIGHT EVEN SAY HAPPY! THE
HOUSE IS BECOMING ORGANIZED AND, WITH LUCK, THE FILING MAY BE UP TO
DATE BY YEAR'S END. SO, THE LUCK O' THE IRISH IS NOT ALL MYTH!
AS THE YEAR CAME TO AN END THERE WAS ALSO SOME POTENTIALLY GOOD
NEWS FOR IRELAND. OBVIOUSLY I HAD OTHER THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BUT
WAS ABLE TO CATCH A FEW OF THE REPORTS COMING OUT AT THAT TIME. IF I
HEARD CORRECTLY, BRITAIN FINALLY CONSENTED TO ENTER INTO SERIOUS
NEGOTIATIONS WITH OFFICIALS OF NORTHERN IRELAND AS WELL AS SINN FEIN
- THE LEGAL ARM OF THE IRA - AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE REPUBLIC OF
IRELAND! THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE TO BE DEPENDANT ON GOOD FAITH
EFFORTS OF THE IRA TO REFRAIN FROM HOSTILITIES FOR THREE MONTHS. THIS
WOULD PLACE THE POTENTIAL BEGINNING OF NEGOTIATIONS IN MARCH OR
APRIL. THIS IS INDEED A SIGNIFICANT EVENT IN IRISH HISTORY. IT LAYS OPEN
THE POTENTIAL FOR A UNITED IRELAND, OR AT LEAST A NORTHERN IRELAND
FREE OF BRITISH MILITARY AND POLITICAL INTERVENTION. NOT SURPRISINGLY
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH MAY ALSO PROVE TO BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO A UNITED
IRELAND, AS MUCH FOR THE CATHOLICS AS THE MILITANT ORANGE. CLEARLY
THERE ARE ROADBLOCKS AHEAD, BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME
THERE IS REAL HOPE FOR PEACE. LET US HOPE AND PRAY!
WELL, DUE TO THE LACK OF RESEARCH I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WILL FILL THE
PAGES TO FOLLOW. SO, SIT BACK WITH YOUR FAVORITE IRISH BEVERAGE AND
SNACKS, HEAR THE MUSIC AND WORDS OF THE OLD IRISH BARDS, WATCH THE
PARADES, THINK OF THOSE WONDROUS IF SOMETIMES DEVILISH IRISH
ANCESTORS, AND HAVE A
VERY HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY ! ! !
DAN
MCKAY - DONAHUE
LAST YEAR IT WAS REPORTED THAT (MAHEDY) COUSIN JIM O'DONAHUE
HAD LOCATED THE IMMIGRANT MCKAY-DONAHUE HOME OF CASSIAR, CANADA,
IN THE WILDERNESS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, NOT QUEBEC. OBVIOUSLY THERE
HAS BEEN LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE THIS LEAD. FROM THE MARRIAGE
LISCENCE FOR THOMAS MCKAY AND MARGARET DONAHUE IT APPEARED THEY
HAD LEFT CASSIAR TO SETTLE IN GLOUCESTER NO LATER THAN 1843. IT IS
PRESUMED THEY LEFT AT LEAST SOME OF THEIR RESPECTIVE FAMILIES
BEHIND. I HAD EXPECTED TO SEARCH THE EARLY CENSUS SCHEDULES - 1851 &
1861 - IN HOPES OF FINDINGS PARENTS OR SIBLINGS BUT RECENTLY
DISCOVERED THERE WERE NO CENSUSES FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA AT ALL
PRIOR TO 1881. THOSE RECORDS ARE ON ORDER BUT WILL PROBABLY NOT BE
AVAILABLE BEFORE THIS EPIC IS COMPLETE. (THEN AGAIN...!) I HAVE WRITTEN
SEVERAL BC HISTORICAL SOCIETIES TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER RESOURCES
AVAILABLE.
MARGARET DONAHUE'S MOTHER WAS ANN MAXWELL, BORN 1787 IN
SCOTLAND AND DIED AT GRANBY 22 FEB 1857. I WROTE TO THE HERITAGE
CENTRE IN DONAGHMORE, CO. TYRONE TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECORDS
FOR DONAHUE OR MAXWELL @ 1770 - 1830. BASED ON TITHE APPLOTMENT
RECORDS FROM 1823 - 1838, THERE WAS NO MENTION OF DONAHUE. HOWEVER,
THERE WERE TWELVE MAXWELLS LISTED FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY. OF THOSE,
ONLY TWO RESIDED IN MARGARET'S NATIVE PARISH OF CLOGHER: JOHN
MAXWELL, SR., AND JOHN, JR.. BOTH JOHNS RESIDED IN THE TOWNLAND OF
BALLYGREENAN. IN THE PARISH OF CLOGHERNY, WHICH BORDERED CLOGHER
ON THE NORTH, WAS A WM. MAXWELL, AND IN THE PARISH OF DONACAVEY
WEST OF CLOGHER THERE WAS A GEORGE. I SUSPECT JOHN, SR. MAY WELL
HAVE BEEN THE FATHER OF ANN. AT LEAST THERE IS A SPECIFIC TOWNLAND
AND NAME PROVIDED FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. I HAVE ALSO WRITTEN (TWICE)
TO GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES IN SCOTLAND TO LEARN MORE OF THE MAXWELL
CLAN.
THE QUESTION ARISES AS TO WHY THERE WAS NO RECORD FOR PATRICK - OR
ANY - DONAHUE IF THEY RESIDED IN THE PARISH OF CLOGHER AT LEAST FROM
1820 - 1831. UNFORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO CATHOLIC BIRTH RECORDS PRIOR
TO 1856. OTHER CHURCH RECORDS BEGIN IN 1825 BUT ARE INCOMPLETE. IT
WOULD ALSO NOT BE UNREASONABLE TO SPECULATE THAT PATRICK AND ANN
MAY HAVE LIVED WITH ANN'S FATHER, (JOHN, SR.?) WHILE THEY SAVED MONEY
TO MOVE TO CANADA AND THUS MAY HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED PART OF
JOHN'S FAMILY FOR RECORD KEEPING PURPOSES.
TRIVIA BUFFS MAY BE INTERESTED TO LEARN THAT PRESIDENT WOODROW
WILSON'S GRANDFATHER LIVED IN STRABANE, ABOUT 30 MILES NW FROM THE
DONAHUE/MAXWELL HOME, UNTIL HE MIGRATED TO AMERICA IN 1807. AT
DERGINA, BALLYGAWLEY, SOME TEN MILES EAST OF CLOGHER, JOHN SIMPSON
WAS BORN IN 1738. JOHN IS THE MATERNAL GRANDFATHER OF PRESIDENT
ULYSSES SIMPSON GRANT. IN AUGHER, @ FIVE MILES EAST OF CLOGHER,
ARCHBISHOP HUGHES OF NY WAS BORN IN 1797. THE CHIEFS OF THE MIGHTY
CLAN O'NEILL WERE CROWNED AT TULLAHOGE FORT FROM THE 1100'S.
TULLAHOGE IS IN COOKSTOWN, @ 20 NE OF CLOGHER. GUESS TYRONE BRED
SOME STURDY STOCK!
MAHEDY - MORAN
THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE EFFORT NOW IN IRELAND TO ESTABLISH
COMPREHENSIVE RECORDS CENTERS THROUGHOUT BOTH NORTHERN IRELAND
AND THE REPUBLIC. FROM THE IRISH PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS NOT ONLY GOOD
HISTORY/GENEALOGY, IT IS GOOD BUSINESS. MOST TOURISTS WHO COME TO
IRELAND TEND TO LOOK FOR THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMES AND RECORDS OF
THOSE ANCESTORS. IT IS ALSO FELT THAT THOSE WHO RESEARCH BY MAIL
AND MEET WITH SUCCESS MAY BE FURTHER MOTIVATED TO TRAVEL TO THAT
LAND OF LEGEND. (LIKE I NEED MOTIVATION!) "DUN NA SI" IS THE IRISH
FAMILY HERITAGE CENTER FOR COUNTIES WEST MEATH AND LONGFORD. I DID
WRITE AND RECEIVED AN ENCOURAGING RESPONSE. HOWEVER, THEY ARE
STILL IN THE PROCESS OF COMPUTERIZING ALL AVAILABLE RECORDS. THEY
HOPED TO RESPOND AT A LATER DATE AND WERE LEAVING THE DATA I
SUBMITTED AT THE CENTER FOR POTENTIAL PATRONS. I'M STILL TRYING...
LAST YEAR I REPORTED THAT BRIDGET MORAN, DAUGHTER OF CHARLES
HAD MARRIED JOS. O. PAQUETTE, OWNER OF THE EASTERN TOWNSHIPS HOTEL
IN WATERLOO, P.Q., CANADA. I HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO REVIEW MY COPY
OF THE 1891 SHEFFORD CO. CENSUS AND FOUND:
NAME AGE BORN F. M. REL OCCUPATION
PAQUETTE, JOS. O. 60 m PQ PQ PQ RC HOTEL OWNER
BRIDGET 55 m PQ IRE IRE RC
ALFRED 19 s
MAGGIE 17 s
MARY 15 s
ANNIE 14 s
MAUD 13 s
IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN OF THE ABOVE
CHILDREN MAY STILL RESIDE IN OR NEAR WATERLOO. EDNA CAMPBELL RE-
MEMBERS ANNIE AND MAUD AS TWO OLD MAIDEN LADIES WHEN SHE WAS
YOUNG. A THIRD DAUGHTER MARRIED AND HAD AT LEAST ONE DAUGHTER. I'LL
KEEP SEARCHING.
I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING ANY NEW INFORMATION ON BRIDET'S
SISTER MARY MORAN KELPYN'S FAMILY IN THE 1891 WINNIPEG CENSUS.
HOWEVER, THE LOCAL LIBRARY DID FURNISH ME WITH A CURRENT DIRECTORY
SHOWING TWO KELPYN/KELPINS RESIDING IN THE AREA. I DID WRITE TO EACH
ADDRESS, BUT TO DATE HAVE HAD NO RESPONSE. OF COURSE I'LL TRY TO BUG
THEM AT LEAST ONCE MORE, AS WELL AS SEEK OTHER AVENUES TO OBTAIN
ADDITIONAL DATA ON THIS FAMILY.
I HAD HOPED TO BE HOME IN TIME TO ORDER AND SEARCH MICROFILM FOR
1870'S SHEFFORD COUNTY, QUEBEC NEWSPAPERS FOR THE 1870'S. SINCE
PATRICK MAHEDY WAS SO PROMINENT IN CIVIC AFFAIRS AND SUCH A PROLIFIC
CONTRIBUTER TO THE AREA NEWSPAPERS I AM HOPING HIS OBITUARY MAY
SHED NEW LIGHT ON HIS EARLY LIFE IN IRELAND. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST
PROJECT FOR 3M IN THE COMING YEAR.
(IT PAYS TO BE SLOW - BUT NOT MUCH.) ONE OF MY BELATED EFFORTS WAS
TO WRITE TO THE SACRAMENTO GEN. SOCIETY TO PURSUE OUR WANDERING
JOHN MAHEDY, JR. JOHN WAS LAST KNOWN (1864) TO BE IN PLACER CO., CAL.,
AFTER HIS AMAZING MISFORTUNES IN CUBA, TEXAS, AND LOUISIANA. THERE
WERE NO RECORDS OF JOHN IN PLACER CO., BUT THERE WAS A JOHN MAHADY
WHO DIED IN 1872 IN SACRAMENTO. IT WAS HOPED THIS MIGHT BE "OUR" JOHN.
THANKS TO THE PROMPT EFFICIENCY OF LORRAINE LINEER AT THE ABOVE
SOCIETY IT APPEARS SPECULATION WAS PREMATURE. THE JOHN M. WHO DIED 7
SEPT 1872 WAS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD. THERE WAS A JOHN MAHADY IN THE
1870 SACRAMENTO CENSUS BUT HE WAS ONLY 29. THERE WAS ANOTHER JOHN
MAHADY, AGE 36, IN THE 1860 CENSUS, BUT OUR JOHN WAS STILL ON THE
CHAIN GANG IN CUBA, SO WE ARE STILL STUCK. THERE WAS ALSO A JAMES
MAHADY, 44, IN 1870. IT WOULD BE NICE TO FIND ANY REMNANTS OF THAT
CLAN TO LEARN IF THEY CAME FROM CO. LONGFORD. I AM NOT SURE WHERE
NEXT TO LOOK FOR JOHN!
*******************************************************************
FLASH - 12 MAR 94 - MORAN BRANCH FOUND - WINNIPEG!!!
**********************************************
(AS USUAL, I'M RUNNING BEHIND SCHEDULE, AND AS USUAL - IT PAID
OFF!)
I REWROTE MY KELPYN LETTER AFTER I WROTE THE PARAGRAPH. TODAY
I RECEIVED AN EXCITING LETTER FROM GERI JARVIS OF WINNIPEG. GERI AND
SISTER SHIRLEY HAD BEEN WORKING ON THEIR KELPYN FAMILY HISTORY
WHEN THEY HEARD OF MY LETTER FROM ANOTHER COUSIN, SHELLEY. THEY
DESCEND FROM MICHAEL HENRY AND MARY LOUISE MORAN KELPYN
THROUGH MICHAEL'S SON, CHARLES PATRICK KELPYN. CHARLES MARRIED
MARY LOUISE VICTORIA BRAULT AND HAD SIX SONS AND FOUR DAUGHTERS
INCLUDING MARGUERITE MARIE WHO MARRIED WALTER JAMES DANIEL DOYLE
AND HAD FOUR DAUGHTERS, THE YOUNGEST OF WHICH IS GERI. THUS WE
HAVE COME FROM 1786 TO 1994! I WILL BRING YOU UP TO DATE NEXT ISSUE.
FOR NOW, A VERY WARM WELCOME TO OUR "NEW" COUSINS AND DEEPEST
THANKS TO GERI, SHIRLEY AND SHELLEY!!!
CEAD MILE FAILTE!
*******************************************************************
AN IRISHMAN
WITHOUT FREEDOM
IS LIKE A FLOWER
WITHOUT SUNSHINE
***************************
SYMBOLS
THE CLADDAGH
THE CLADDAGH IN RECENT YEARS HAS GAINED UNIVERSAL POPULARITY
IN JEWELRY DESIGN AS WELL AS IN A MULTITUDE OF IRISH KEEPSAKES.
THE SYMBOL CONTAINS TWO HANDS HOLDING A CROWNED HEART. THE HANDS
ARE SAID TO REPRESENT FRIENDSHIP AND LOYALTY HOLDING A HEART IN
EVERLASTING LOVE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL ACCOUNTS OF ITS ORIGINS. ONE TALE CLAIMS IT
ORIGINATED AFTER THE DEFEAT OF THE SPANISH ARMADA AND MANY OF THE
SPANISH WERE SHIPWRECKED OFF THE COAST OF GALWAY. THERE IN THE
VILLAGE
OF CLADDAGH, THE SPANISH WERE SO TAKEN BY THE BEAUTY OF THE LOCAL
COLLEENS THAT THEY REQUESTED THIS SPECIAL SYMBOL.
THE RING IS KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN DESIGNED @ 1690 BY RICHARD JOYCE.
HE IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN CAPTURED BY ALGERIAN PIRATES AND TAKEN AS A
SLAVE TO TUNIS AND THERE LEARNED THE ART OF GOLDSMITHING. SOME SAY
HE
WAS RELEASED WHEN WILLIAM III (THE INFAMOUS ORANGEMAN) ASSUMED THE
THRONE OF ENGLAND AND DEMANDED THE MOORS RELEASE ALL SUBJECTS OF
ENGLAND. IN ANY EVENT, JOYCE RETURNED TO CLADDAGH AND HIS NEW RING
BECAME A TREASURED HEIRLOOM THROUGHOUT IRELAND.
I AM FREQUENTLY ASKED HOW THE RING IS TO BE WORN AND AM
EMBARASSED
BECAUSE I AM NEVER CERTAIN. SO HERE IT IS: IF ONE IS ENGAGED OR MARRIED
THE RING IS WORN WITH THE HEART FACING INWARD; IF ONE IS FREE, IT IS
WORN FACING OUTWARD.
SON MIKE GAVE ME A NICE CLADDAGH COFFEE MUG THIS PAST CHRISTMAS.
ON THE BACK OF THE MUG IS THE FOLLOWING VERSE:
ONE HEART FOR THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF LOVE.
TWO HANDS TO TOUCH THE HEART OF A FRIEND.
ONE CROWN THAT RESTS SO REGALLY ABOVE
THE SYMBOL OF LOYALTY WITHOUT END.
THE CLADDAGH IS THE SYMBOL OF OUR BOND
AS THE YEARS WAX AND WANE.
THE CLADDAGH IS THE VOICE THAT DECLAIMS
LET LOVE, LOYALTY, AND FRIENDSHIP REIGN.
(THANKS MIKE!)
******************************************************
THE SHILLELAGH (FROM MIKE O'LAUGHLIN'S IRISH FAMILIES, 1988)
I HAVE TALKED WITH AT LEAST THREE AMERICANS WHO, WHEN PRESSED,
SAID THAT THE SHILLELAGH WAS A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, SOMETHING LIKE A
SQUEEZE BOX. AFTER ALL, THERE WAS EVEN A SONG ENTITLED, "THE SAME
OLD SHILLELAGH ME FATHER BROUGHT FROM IRELAND."
SHILLELAGH IS ACTUALLY THE NAME OF A SMALL TOWN IN COUNTY
WICKLOW, IRELAND. NEAR THIS VILLAGE STOOD A FOREST, AS THE STORY
GOES. FROM THE TREES IN THIS FOREST THE LOCALS COULD FASHION CANES,
AND STICKS AND CLUBS...
IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE IRISH RESIDENTS WERE LEFT WITH ONLY ONE
WEAPON IN THE TROUBLES OF THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES. THESE
"REBELS" FOUGHT OFF THE "INVADERS" WHO HAD GUNS, WITH THE ONLY
RESOURCE THEY HAD: CLUBS FASHIONED FROM TREE LIMBS.
THE `SMALL TWIGS' THAT CAN BE FOUND IN MOST IRISH IMPORT STORES ARE
TODAY SOLD AT BEST AS SMALL REPRESENTATIONS OF THE REAL THING. ONE
CAN NOT EASILY BREAK A REAL SHILLELAGH IN HALF!
*******************************************************************
IN MEMORIUM:
CAMPBELL, GERALD -
GERALD CAMPBELL DIED IN WATERLOO, QUE. ON 10 JUN 93 AFTER
A LONG ILLNESS. GERALD WAS BORN AT NEARBY WARDEN, QUE., ON 4 MAR
1913, SON OF ANDREW AND MARY-ELLEN MCKAY CAMPBELL, AND WAS A
LIFE-LONG RESIDENT OF THE AREA. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE NINA OF
WATERLOO, P.Q., SON ROBERT AND HIS WIFE KATHY, AND GRANDDAUGHTER
SHANNON OF OTTAWA, SISTER EDNA OF UTICA, NY, AND MANY NIECES,
NEPHEWS, AND COUSINS THROUGHOUT CANADA AND THE U.S.. GERALD WAS A
WARM AND GENTLE MAN. I REMEMBER WHEN HE CAME TO AUNT MAY'S
BEFORE I EVER STARTED SCHOOL. HE HAS BEEN A KIND FRIEND AND GREAT
HELP TO ME OVER THE YEARS, AND I KNOW HE IS TRULY MISSED BY ALL WHO
KNEW HIM.
NEWCOMB, REV. BERNARD C.
FATHER BERNARD DIED AT THE NEWCOMB FAMILY HOME IN AUBURN, NY,
ON 5 DEC 1983, ONE WEEK BEFORE HIS 85TH BIRTHDAY. HE WAS BORN
13 DEC 1908 IN AUBURN, NY, SON OF THOMAS H. AND MARY MALONEY
NEWCOMB. HE WAS THE BROTHER OF MARGARET NEWCOMB MCKAY AND
GOD-FATHER TO KATHLEEN MCKAY TOUSE, AND IS SURVIVED BY HIS SISTER
JOAN LIVINGSTON OF AUBURN, AND BROTHERS FRANK OF AUBURN AND FIDELIS
OF WACO, TX., AND A MULTITUDE OF NIECES AND NEPHEWS THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY. HE WAS A MAN OF KEEN INTELLECT AND WIDE INTERESTS. UNCLE
BERNARD WAS VERY MUCH A FAMILY MAN, BUT DEDICATED TOO TO HIS
PARISH OF ST CECELIA'S WHICH HE ESTABLISHED MANY YEARS AGO. HE WAS A
MAN OF QUIET STRENGTH AND DIGNITY WHOSE MEMORY WILL BE CHERISHED
BY ALL WHOSE LIVES HE TOUCHED.
MARRIED: TOUSE - DUROCHER
ON 4 SEPT '93, BRIAN SHAWN TOUSE WAS MARRIED TO LISA DUROCHER AT
REDFORD, NY. A LIVELY RECEPTION WAS HELD AT THE PLATTSBURGH, NY K OF
C. BRIAN IS THE SON OF DAN TOUSE OF GOODYEAR LAKE AND SUSAN
DRAGOON KIROY OF DANNEMORA. HE WAS A 1991 GRADUATE OF SUNY PLATTS-
BURGH AND IS EMPLOYED BY GROSSMAN'S OF PLATTSBURGH. LISA IS THE
DAUGHTER OF RAY AND THE LATE CATHERINE DUROCHER. SHE IS A 1992
GRADUATE OF SUNY STONY BROOK AND IS CURRENTLY A PHYSICAL THERAPIST
AT CV PHYSICIANS' HOSPITAL OF PLATTSBURGH. CONGRATULATIONS!
GRADUATED: TOUSE
MICHAEL PATRICK TOUSE GRADUATED AS VALEDICTORIAN FROM MILFORD
HIGH SCHOOL 25 JUN 1993. AT 6:00 A.M. ON 1 JUL HE BEGAN HIS CAREER
AT THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY, ANNAPOLIS, MD., MAJORING IN PHYSICS. IT
HAS PROVEN A TOUGH CHALLENGE BUT HE IS SUCCEEDING AND LOVES IT.
CONGRATULATIONS!
N.B. O'TOUSE'S ANNUAL ST PATTY'S FESTIVAL RETURNS TO GOODYEAR LAKE
MAR 17 - 20! HOSTS - DAN, JAN, & LEE
O'TOUSE II'S 1ST ANNUAL PARTY WILL BE HELD 19 MAR, 81
LAFAYETTE ST., PLATTSBURGH - HOSTS BRIAN SHAWN & LISA
***
THE DEATH OF FIONN
FIONN, LIKE MANY OF OUR BIBLICAL HEROS, HAD SURVIVED AS THE
UNDISPUTED LEADER OF THE FENIANS TO AN IMPROBABLE ANCIENT AGE - 230
YEARS! IN TIME HE HAD PERSONALLY KILLED GOLL MAC MORNA, KILLER OF
FIONN'S OWN FATHER. HE WAS STILL UNRIVALED IN BATTLE, POETRY, DRUIDIC
ARTS, WISDOM, AND WAS RESPECTED AND OBEYED THROUGHOUT THE LAND. IN
AN EARLIER TIME A PREDICTION HAD SURFACED THAT FIONN WOULD DIE IN
IRELAND IN A GIVEN YEAR. THAT YEAR HAD COME AND FIONN HAD PLANNED
TO GO TO SCOTLAND IN DEFIANCE OF THE PROPHECY.
BELOVED BY ALL HIS MEN, FIONN WAS EVENTUALLY PERSUADED TO REMAIN
IN IRELAND WHERE HE COULD FEAST AND BE ENTERTAINED EACH NIGHT IN A
DIFFERENT LOCATION UNDER THEIR PROTECTION IN A MANNER BEFITTING THE
KING OF THE FENIANS. FER-TAI WAS AMONG THE FIRST NOBLE HOUSEHOLDS
TO OFFER IRISH HOSPITALITY TO FIONN. HOWEVER, IT SO HAPPENED THAT
FER-TAI WAS MARRIED TO THE DAUGHTER OF GOLL MAC MORNA. THEIR SON
FER-LI WAS NOT UNLIKE HIS GRANDFATHER MAC MORNA IN FEATS OF
BRAVERY AND STRENGTH AND HAD CARRIED A LIFE-LONG GRUDGE AGAINST
HIS GRANDFATHER'S KILLER! UPON SEEING FIONN ARRIVE WITH BUT A SMALL
TROOP OF WARRIOR-PROTECTORS FER-LI QUICKLY SUMMONED A GROUP OF HIS
CLAN TO PLOT AGAINST FIONN. FIONN HAD STATIONED HIS MEN ON THE
OUTSKIRTS OF THE FORT. INSIDE HE FOUND A GRAND FEAST HAD INDEED BEEN
PREPARED FOR HIM AND THE HALL HAD BEEN DECORATED WITH THE FINEST OF
CLOTHS. A HUGE FIRE BURNED IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM AND THE FLOOR
WAS COVERED WITH SWEET SMELLING RUSHES. IN THE MIDST OF THIS GRAND
FEAST FER-LI'S COMRADES ENTERED IN A FURY, ACCUSING FIONN AND
HIS MEN OF LAUNCHING RAIDS THROUGHOUT THE AREA, SLAUGHTERING
CATTLE AND EVEN KILLING LOCAL FARMERS. FER-LI BECAME HOSTILE.
WITHOUT ANSWERING THESE FALSE CHARGES FIONN CALMLY SWORE TO
REPLACE EACH MISSING COW WITH TWO NEW ONES. THE ASSURANCE WAS
EXPANDED TO INCLUDE HORSES AND SHEEP, THUS TRYING TO AVOID ANY
DIRECT CONFLICT. FER-LI CONTINUED HIS BARRAGE. HE ACCUSED FIONN OF
COMING SOLELY TO SLAY HIS FAMILY AS HE HAD SLAIN FER-LI'S GRANDFATHER
AND CLANSMEN FOR TWO GENERATIONS. FER-LI LUNGED AT FIONN IN A FURY
SO FIONN AND HIS CHIEF WARRIORS ROSE AND REAL DONNYBROOK ERUPTED.
FER-LAI TRIED IN VAIN TO QUELL THE UPROAR AND PROTECT HIS HONORED
GUEST. DOZENS OF VALIANT WARRIORS WERE SLAIN BEFORE HIS WIFE RAN
INTO THE HALL WITH HER HEAD AND BREASTS BARE AS THE CUSTOMARY
SYMBOL OF PEACE. SHE HARANGUED HER SON FOR BETRAYING THE HONOR OF
FAMILY AND SOLDIER ALIKE AND STATED IT WAS AN EVIL OMEN FOR HIM TO
BETRAY THE MAGNIFICENT FIONN IN THEIR OWN FORT. SHE ORDERED FER-LI
OUT OF HALL IMMEDIATELY! AS HE LEFT, FER-LI CHALLENGED FIONN TO DO
BATTLE THE FOLLOWING MORNING AT ATH BRES ON THE RIVER BOYNE.
FIONN APPEARED AT THE APPOINTED TIME AND PLACE WITH HIS FORCE OF
150 WARRIORS, ONLY TO FACE FER-LAI AND FER-TI AND THEIR ARMY OF 3000.
STILL EAGER TO AVOID CONFLICT AND NATURALLY DISCOURAGED BY
OVERWHELMING
ODDS, FIONN SENT A WOMAN - BIRGAD - WITH A GENEROUS PEACE OFFER.
FER-LAI
WAS EAGER TO ACCEPT THEM BUT HIS SON WOULD SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS
THAN
FULL BATTLE. THIS, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT HE GREW UP IN FIONN'S HOME
AND KNEW FIONN LOVED HIM AS HIS OWN. FER-LI SWORE HE WOULD NEVER
RENEW
THOSE BONDS AND WOULD SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS THAN BATTLE, DESPITE
HIS
FATHER'S CONTINUED ADMONITION AND PRAISE FOR FIONN. FOR HIS PART,
FIONN
SENT BIRGAD BACK WITH ONE FINAL PEACE OFFERING WHICH FER-LI REJECTED
WITH THE UTMOST CONTEMPT.
ANGERED AND HURT, FIONN SLOWLY ROSE TO PREPARE FOR BATTLE. HE
DONNED HIS MOST BRILLIANT BATTLE GARB. HIS SHIRTS WERE OF THE FINEST
SILKS AND COTTON. ON TOP OF HIS IRON CHAIN-MAIL HE WORE A BRILLIANT
GOLD-BORDERED BREASTPLATE. UPON HIS BACK HE STRAPPED HIS SHIELD,
RESPLENDENT IN COLOR AND DESIGN. ON EITHER SIDE WERE PLACED HIS
FIVE-EDGED SPEARS AND GOLD-HILTED SWORD AND ADORNED HIS HEAD WITH
A GEM-LADENED GOLDEN HELMET. WHEN THIS GIANT STOOD TO ENTER
BATTLE IT WAS
STILL CLEAR AFTER 230 YEARS WHY HE REMAINED KING OF THE FENIANS. HIS
WARRIORS GATHERED ABOUT HIM AS IF PROTECTED BY HIS GIANT SHADOW,
THEIR
COLORED SHIELDS RAISED TO FORM A MASSIVE MOVING FORTRESS, AND
STRODE TO
THE BATTLEFRONT WITH SWORDS RAISED AND A HOST OF FLAMING SPEARS.
TRUMPET AND BATTLE CRIES RANG OUT THROUGHOUT THE REGION AS THE
TWO
ARMIES CLASHED. SWORDS AND SPEARS CLANGED AS DID THE HEAVING SLING
STONES FLUNG INTO ENEMY LINES, BUT THE NUMBERS WERE SIMPLY TOO
OVERWHELMING FOR FIONN'S FORCES. AFTER LONG AND FIERCE FIGHTING THE
LAST OF THE FENIANS LAY DEAD UPON THE BATTLEFIELD. EVEN FIONN
HIMSELF WAS FOUND SLAIN BY CLAN OF MORNA AFTER OVER TWO CENTURIES
OF DEDICATION TO HIS BELOVED IRELAND. FER-LI'S FORCES NATURALLY
CELEBRATED THIS GRAND VICTORY.
IT APPEARED OBVIOUS THAT FIONN AND HIS GALLANT FOLLOWERS HAD
PERISHED. HOWEVER, THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM. THE PEOPLE OF
THE OTHERWORLD CAME IN THE DARK OF NIGHT AND CARRIED OFF THE BRAVE
FENIANS TO THE SIDH MOUNDS WHERE THEY WERE HEALED AND MADE TO
REST. TO THIS DAY THEY REMAIN, AWAITING THE TRUMPETS SUMMON THE
CRY THAT IRELAND IS IN DANGER. THEN THEY WILL RISE UP, GIRD THEIR
WEAPONS, MOUNT THEIR VALIANT STEEDS AND AGAIN RISE UP FROM THEIR
UNDERGROUND FORTRESS TO SAVE IRELAND.
LONG CENTURIES LATER ST. PATRICK WAS ON HIS MISSION TO BRING
CHRISTIANITY TO IRELAND. AT THAT TIME THERE WERE TWO ANCIENT MEN IN
IRELAND SAID TO BE REMNANTS OF THE ANCIENT FENIANS. OISIN (O-SHIN, aka -
OSSIAN) WAS ACTUALLY THE SON OF FINN. DUE TO A DRUIDIC ACT BY "THE
DARK MAN", OISIN'S MOTHER WAS TAKEN FROM FINN AND TRANSFORMED INTO
A DEER. SOME YEARS LATER ON A HUNTING TRIP, FINN CAME UPON A NAKED
BOY RAISED BY A DEER AND SOON LEARNED THE BOY WAS HIS VERY OWN SON.
OISIN WAS TRAVELLING WITH HIS LIFE-LONG FRIEND, CAOILTE - SON OF FINN'S
CLOSEST FRIEND AND BEST WARRIOR, RONAN. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT WHILE
IN THE VICINITY OF SLEEVE BLOOM THAT MANY IN THEIR ENTOURAGE WERE
BESET WITH MELANCHOLY. CAOILTE SUGGESTED THEY SEEK SOME DIVERSION
TO LIFT THEIR SPIRITS, BUT OISIN COULD THINK OF NOTHING TO DISTRACT HIM
FROM THE REALIZATION OF HOW FEW FENIANS STILL SURVIVED. THAT NIGHT
THEY ARRIVED AT CAMA'S, WHO HAD HELPED RAISE OISIN. THEY REMAINED
THERE FOR THREE NIGHTS, ACTING WITH CHEER DURING THE DAY FOR CAMA'S
SAKE, BUT ALL REMAINED DOWNHEARTED. AS THEY DEPARTED ON THAT LAST
DAY OISIN SUGGESTED THEY GO SEPARATE WAYS. OISIN WENT TO THE SIDH
WHERE HIS MOTHER HAD LIVED AND ULTIMATELY SETTLED IN THE LAND OF
TIR NA OGE - LAND OF THE EVER-YOUNG.
CAOILTE TRAVELLED ON THROUGH MAGH DERG AND ON TO DRUM DERG
WHERE ST. PATRICK WAS SAYING MASS AND BLESSING A SITE WHERE ONCE
STOOD A STRONGHOLD OF FIONN MAC CUMHALL. ST. PATRICK AND HIS
DISCIPLES SAW THE ANCIENT MEN APPROACH AND WERE OVERWHELMED BY
THE SIZE OF THEIR HUNTING DOGS. IN FEAR PATRICK SPRINKLED THEM ALL
WITH HOLY WATER AND IMMEDIATELY WITNESSED A HOST OF DEMONS AND
SPRITES TAKE THEIR LEAVE FROM THESE VISITORS OF ANOTHER AGE. THE
CHRISTIANS WERE EQUALLY IN AWE OF THE SIZE OF THE FENIANS; THE
TALLEST DISCIPLE STANDING CAME ONLY TO THE WAIST OF THE SEATED
ANCIENTS. AFTER THE INITIAL INTRODUCTIONS ST. PATRICK SOUGHT
CAOILTE'S AID TO FIND A WELL OF HOLY WATER SO THAT HE MIGHT BLESS THE
CLANS OF MEATH, BREG, AND USNECH. THIS CAOILTE DID WITHOUT
HESITATION. LATER THEY FEASTED AND PATRICK LONGED TO HEAR STORIES
OF THE ANCIENT DAYS OF FIONN. CAOILTE TOLD HIM NOT ONLY OF THE
HEROIC DEEDS BUT THE UNSURPASSED GENEROSITY. HE SPOKE OF THEIR
UNRIVALLED CAVALRY, AND OF HORSES SO MAGNIFICENT THEY COULD
BREED 150 FOALS FROM A SINGLE MARE AND STALLION! HE TOLD PATRICK OF
THE TREMENDOUS HOSPITALITY OF THAT BY-GONE ERA, WHEN HIS MEN
DRANK FROM THE FINE DRINKING HORNS AND GOBLETS OF CRYSTAL AND
GOLD - ALWAYS FILLED WITH THE BEST OF ALES. WHEN ASKED THE SECRET OF
THEIR LONGEVITY, CAOILTE TOLD PATRICK IT WAS THE TRUTH THAT THEY
HELD IN THEIR HEARTS, AND THE TRUTH SHOWN BY THEIR WORDS AND DEEDS.
IT IS SMALL WONDER THAT THROUGHOUT IRELAND'S CENTURIES OLD
STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE A "FENIAN MOVEMENT" HAS BEEN ALL BUT
INEVITABLE!
*****************************************************************
THERE ARE BUT TWO THINGS
WE SHOULD GIVE OUR CHILDREN -
ONE IS ROOTS,
THE OTHER -
WINGS.
---------------------------------
IRISH RECIPES
CHAMP:
8 - MEDIUM POTATOES, PEELED
SMALL BUNCH SCALLIONS
1/2C - MILK
SALT 'N PEPPER
KNOB OF BUTTER/PERSON
BOIL POTATOES UNTIL SOFT, BUT NOT MUSHY, FRAIN, RETURN TO HEAT
TO DRY BEFORE MASHING. KEEP THEM HOT. CHOP SCALLIONS FINELY, BOTH
GREEN AND WHITE PARTS, AND COOK FIVE MINUTES IN MILK. BEAT THIS
MIXTURE INTO MASHED POTATOES UNTIL SMOOTH AND FLUFFY, SEASON TO
TASTE, AND SERVE A LARGE MOUND ON EACH PLATE WITH KNOB OF BUTTER
ON TOP. EACH FORKFUL IS DIPPED IN THE MELTING BUTTER.
SAUSAGE BALLS:
2 C - BISQUICK
1 LB - SAUSAGE
7 1/2 OZ - SHREDDED CHEESE
MIX TOGETHER AND ROLL INTO SMALL BALLS. BAKE @ 400 FOR 15 - 20
MINUTES (UNTIL BROWN).
IRISH PORK CAKE:
1/2 LB - FINELY GROUND SALT PORK 3 C - FLOUR
1 CUP - STRONG COFFEE 1/2 C - RAISINS
1/2 t - SODA 1 C - BROWN SUGAR
1/2 C - CURRANTS 1/2 C - MOLASSES
1 - EGG 1 t - CLOVE
1 t - CINNAMON
POUR BOILING WATER OVER CURRANTS AND RAISINS, LET STAND WHILE
MIXING BATTER. PUT SALT PORK THRU FINE KNIFE OF A GRINDER TWICE. POUR
HOT COFFEE OVER THIS AND LET COOL. ADD BROWN SUGAR, MOLASSES,
AND EGG TO MIXTURE AND BEAT TOGETHER. SIFT THE FLOUR, SODA, AND
SPICES TOGETHER AND SPRINKLE OVER THE DRAINED CURRANTS AND RAISINS,
ADD TO BATTER.
LINE GREASED FRUITCAKE PAN OR RING PAN WITH BROWN PAPER, GREASE
PAPER AND POUR IN BATTER. BAKE 1 1/2 HR @ 350. WHEN COOL WRAP CAKE IN
CLOTH MOISTENED WITH SHERRY AND STORE AT LEAST A WEEK.
***
AN IRISH BLESSING
MAY YOU BE BLESSED
WITH THE STRENGTH OF HEAVEN-
THE LIGHT OF THE SUN AND THE
RADIANCE OF THE MOON
THE SPLENDER OF FIRE-
THE SPEED OF LIGHTENING-
THE SWIFTNESS OF WIND-
THE DEPTH OF THE SEA-
THE STABILITY OF EARTH AND THE FIRMNESS
OF ROCK
FROM THE BREASTPLATE OF ST PATRICK
ERIN GO BRAGH !!
Contributed by Dan Touse
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