Michael McNamara 18111811

Michael McNamara 1811

Shanagolden (Limerick)
Back to List
Place of migration
Migrated to /Born in Canada

Michael McNamara, born Circa 1811 Shanagolden, Limerick, Ireland to Thomas McNamara and Bridget Quinn/Quain. 

On June 6, 1837 in St. Senan’s R.C. Church, Shanagolden, Michael married Catherine Walsh, Witnessed by:  Lawrence Kennelly & Joanne McNamara [sister of Michael]. 

Catherine Walsh McNamara

Picture: Catherine Walsh McNnamara

Eight days later on June 14th, 1837, Michael and Catherine sailed from Ireland for eight days at sea, arriving in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in September.  He found work quickly, but his arrival was just as the Rebellion of 1837 broke out, so he enlisted in the 6th Battalion Provisional Militia (2nd Company), under Capt. W.M. Ridout. 

He ended his Military career by May 30, 1839 and headed to Lockport, NY, USA where he worked on the Erie Canal.  Michael and Catherine had 3 children there; an infant who died 1839, Mary 1840 & Bridgetta 1841, then shortly after Bridgetta’s birth, they crossed the border back into Canada where he purchased 100 acres in Oxford County, Ontario at $1.00/acre with the one hundred silver dollars he had been paid working on the canal. 

He built a log home for his family in the beginning, farmed this land and accumulated more property; built a grand home of brick years later and was well liked in his community.  He contributed to the building of his beloved church, Our Lady of La Salette in La Salette, Ontario and donated two very large stained glass windows in memory. 

Michael died November 3, 1894, age of 83 yrs. in S. Norwich Township, Oxford Co., ON Canada and the farm was passed to his son Thomas Walsh McNamara.  The house still stands today and in 1982, 140 descendants of Michael & Catherine gathered for a first 2-day reunion with catered picnic, dancing, tour of the home and a Mass celebrated in Our Lady of La Salette Church, complete with McNamara’s Band to escort us out of the church.

Additional Information
Date of Birth 1st Jan 1811 (circa)
Date of Death 3rd Nov 1894
Number of Children Children of Michael McNamara & Catherine Walsh: Infant son; Mary; Bridgetta; Margaret; Thomas Walsh; Johanna [Hannah]; Catherine; John; Michael & Sarah Anne between 1843-1856.
Names of Siblings Family: Michael’s mother Bridget had also immigrated to this area along with his siblings, Joanne/Johanna b.?; Roger b.1809; John C. b.1815.; Mary Olive b.1821 and Bridget b.1827
Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname) Spouse: Catherine Walsh was born Circa. 1817, the daughter of Michael Walsh and Anna Marie Hoag. Catherine died April 4, 1890 at the age of 73 years
Login

Comments

  • Michael McNamara's mother, Bridget Quinn McNamara, b. abt. 1786 Limerick, Ireland & d. 13 Jun 1873 S. Norwich Township, Oxford County, Ontario, Canada.  She is buried in Our Lady of LaSalette RC Cemetery

    Children of Thomas McNamara & Bridget Quinn:

    1. Joanne McNamara birth & death unknown

    2. Roger McNamara b. abt. 2 Aug 1809, married cir 1838 Ellen Balfour/Belfour (b. abt 1809 Ire, d. 3 Jul 1883, La Salette, ON, Canada).  Roger died 2 Feb 1896, Oxford County, Ontario, Canada; brd. Our Lady of LaSalette RC Cemetery, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada.  Children of this union:  1. John B. McNamara b. 1838, Shanagolden, d. 1919 S. Norwich, Oxford, Ontario, Canada; 2. Bridget b. abt. 1842 Limerick; 3. Ellen, b. abt 1849, Ontario, Canada; 4. Margaret Ann b. 13 Sep 1861, S. Norwich, Oxford, Ontario, Canada

    3.  Michael McNamara (see previous information); Spouse:  Catherine Walsh b. abt 1817 Limerick, Ire & d. 4 Apr. 1890, S. Norwich, Oxford, Ontario, Canada; brd. Our Lady of La Salette RC Cemetery.  Catherine's known siblings: Johanna Walsh b. abt 1806 Limerick, d. 18 May 1893, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada.  She married William Moore (b. 19 Jul 1797, Clones Monaghan, Ire., d. 14 Sep 1884, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada) & William Walsh

         Children of Michael & Catherine:  i) infant son 1838-1838, Lockport NY USA; ii)  Mary b. 4 Mar 1840, Lockport NY USA; iii) Brigetta abt 1841 Lockport NY - 1920, Minneapolis Minnesota USA; iv) Margaret 1843 Norwich, ON, Canada - ?; v) Thomas Walsh 1845 Norwich, Oxford, ON Canada -1928 Oxford, ON Canada; vi) Johanna/Hannah 1848-1929; vii:) Catherine 184-1937 Oxford, ON, Canada; viii) John 1851- bef 1861, S. Norwich, Oxford, ON Canada; ix) Michael 1853-1890 Oxford, ON Canada; x) Sarah Ann 1856 S. Norwich -1943 La Salette ON Canada.

    4.  John C. McNamara b. 1 Feb 1815, Shanagolden, Limerick, Ire, married 3 Jan 1847 in Our Lady of La Salette RC Church, La Salette, ON, Canada to Johanna Hackett (b. 10 Sep 1825, Limerick, d. 18 Jul 1901 S. Norwich, Oxford, ON, Canada)

    5.  Mary Olive McNamara b. abt 1821, Shanagolden, Ire, married abt. 1841 to Patrick James O'Brien (b.1811 Clare, Ire. & d. 10 Oct 1886, S. Norwich, Oxford, ON, Canada); d. 1 Jul 1900, S. Norwich, Oxford, ON, Canada.  Their first 2 children were born Lockport, NY (perhaps he worked on the Erie Canal)

    6.  Bridget McNamara b. 4 Apr 1827, Shanagolden, Ire., married 5 Sep 1845 Norfolk, Ontario, Canada to John Clarke (b. 3 Apr 1815, Boston, Mass. USA & d. 20 Feb 1906 S. Norwich, Oxford, ON, Canada). Bridget d. 8 Apr 1904, S. Norwich, Oxford, ON, Canada

    Marilyn

    Marilyn

    Saturday 18th April 2020 02:43PM

  • I was very interested to read about Michael McNamara, Oxford Co., Ontario from Limerick. He would have been a neighbour of my 2 x GG Michael McDonald and his brother Andrew from Co. Monaghan who settled in the area about the same time (1837). The McDonald brothers were eventually joined by a number of siblings and some of their descendants still live in the area. A history of Our Lady of La Salette, "The Rise and Fall of a Parish in the Wilderness" by Danial Walker (2014) describes the founding of the parish as a collaboration of immigrant German and Irish families. Names of the first Irish settlers in the parish are given as Andrew and Michael MCDONALD, Arthur McELHONE, Roger and Michael MCNAMARA John and Roger MCNAMARA Others associated with the parish during its early years include Daniel and Michael O'DWYER John GIBBONS, Michael MCMAHON, Joseph KELLY, Pat DONAHOE, John BURKE, Pat MCSLOY, Patrick JOYCE, Morty and Daniel SCHOOLEY, John and Miles GIBBONS, Arthur, Edward, Joseph, James, John, Henry and Charles MCELHONE, James CASEY, Mary SCANLAN, Michael and Daniel O'DWYER, Lawrence DONAHOE, Thomas BRENNAN, Mrs. James MCCLAIN, John MCCARTHY, William and Robert MCCAULY, Dominick and Daniel MCCARTHY, Peter DOGHIN, John DUNN, Pat  and William GIBBONS, Mrs. John MCCARTHY, John and Daniel BURKE, Hannah FARLAN, James HUGHES, William SCANLAN, Joseph DONNELLY, Pat MCCAUGHLIN, James FURLONG, James MURPHY, John DOYLE.

    cavbeck

    Monday 27th April 2020 06:34PM

  • i am not aware of McDonald's, but glad you enjoyed reading my submission on Michael McNamara.  I am very familiar with all these early settlers in La Salette, especially Daniel Dwyer/O'Dwyer (Mary Hackett), our ancestors as well as the McNamara side.  This Daniel & Mary had a son Daniel who married Sarah Anne McNamara.  I have done the genealogy on both sides.

    Marilyn

    Marilyn

    Monday 27th April 2020 07:36PM

Some communities associated with this ancestor

Some ancestors associated with these communities

Some buildings associated with these communities