other purposes of course. EARLY IRISH HISTORY The antiquity of Ireland has been a subject of controversy for a longer time, and perhaps in a greater

Transcription

1 IRELAND - INTERNAL DIVISIONS IN 19TH CENTURY. PROVINCES. The Four Provinces, Ulster in the north, Leinster in the east, Connaught in the west and Munster in the south derive their names from the four ancient kingdoms of Ireland: Uladh, Laighean, Connaught, Mumha. The fifth kingdom of Meath became merged in the province of Leinster. Other ancient kingdoms such as Aileach and Oriel had become integrated with Ulster since the 17th Century. COUNTIES The division of Ireland into counties began with King John in 1210 when he constituted twelve of the present-day counties - Dublin, Kildare; Meath later divided into east and west, Louth, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary. King's and Queen's counties were constituted during the reign of Queen Mary and the following under Elizabeth I: Longford, Clare, Galway, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Armagh, Monaghan, Tyrone, Derry, Donegal, Fermanagh and Cavan. The origin of Antrim and Down as counties seems uncertain and the last county to be formed was Wicklow which was divided from Dublin in Many counties have towns of the same name, e.g., Dublin, Limerick, Cork, etc. BARONIES. The barony is a division of great antiquity based on the great Gaelic family holdings. At present there are three hundred and twenty-five baronies in all Ireland. They were turned into civil divisions by the English for the purpose of the 19th century land valuations. PARISHES. Parishes were of two kinds, ecclesiastical and civil The civil parish again used for lastcentury valuations, was normally smaller in area than the ecclesiastical parish and often differed in name from it. There are about two and a half thousand ecclesiastical parishes in the whole country. TOWNLANDS. The town land was a small rural division of the parish. Its average area was threehundred-and-fifty acres. The census of 1901 showed sixty-thousand, four-hundred andsixty-two such townlands. POOR LAW UNIONS. Under the Poor Law Relief Act of 1838, the country was divided into districts or Unions in which the local rateable people were financially responsible for the care of all paupers in the area. These Unions comprised multiples of townlands within an average radius of ten miles, usually with a large market town as centre, in which the 'Poor House' was located. Most of these Poor Houses may still be seen and many are still in use - for

2 other purposes of course. EARLY IRISH HISTORY The antiquity of Ireland has been a subject of controversy for a longer time, and perhaps in a greater degree, than generally occurs in any other country. The origin and primitive state of Ireland is considerably involved in darkness and fable. Yet, fewer countries have a higher claim to antiquity or have advanced better proofs in support of this distinction than this, the most westerly and secluded kingdom of Europe. In the fifth and sixth centuries, Ireland enjoyed an advanced state of education and belief in the Christian religion. The ancient monastic centre at Clonmacnois, in the County of Westmeath, was founded by St. Ciaran about 548 A.D. The ruins of this historic centre are still there. A study of the early history of this ancient abbey is being made to-day. That town had several hundred population. The first buildings were made of wood which the invading enemy destroyed by fire. This did not deter those ardent followers of Christ from their mission. They rebuilt the abbey and again it was destroyed. The last buildings were made of stone and lasted through the ages to serve a magnificent purpose for the education of many of the Irish people. So great was their devotion to the Christian religion, that from this area were sent missionaries to Scotland and to northern Europe to christianize the people of those lands. THE CURSE OF CROMWELL History indicates that Ireland was over-run by many foreign people. We read about the plunder by the Danes and Robert the Bruce's armies from Scotland. When the curse of Cromwell descended upon their native land, it seemed as if the end of the Catholic religion and of Irish nationality had come. Cromwell, who had risen in rebellion against his own King, Charles I, had put him to death. The Irish people, too faithful to the faithless Stuarts, whom they regarded as members of the Gaelic family, and by whom they were betrayed and persecuted, were now paying a heavy price for their fidelity. For four years Cromwell's armies marched through their land, burning, slaying, destroying, sparing neither old or young, neither men nor women nor children. He broke his word as easily as he gave it and slaughtered those he promised to spare. The brave Irish forces were greatly outnumbered by his armies. When the war was over, thousands of Irish boys and girls were shipped across the sea to spend the rest of their lives as slaves on sugar plantations. The Catholic owners of the rich lands of Ireland were ordered to leave their homes and go north-west of the Shannon to the Counties of Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim being the poorest part of Ireland. If they refused, they were put to death. No bishop, priest or nun was allowed to live anywhere in the land. Ireland was to become an English colony. In The National Library, Dublin, Ireland on August 18, 1969, I read as follows of "The Curse of Cromwell":

3 Prior to these invasions, the population of Ireland consisted of many clans who held their farms and possessions in various districts or counties over the island. When we study a rather ancient map of Ireland, we will see a relationship between the districts and counties and the clans of Irish people who lived there. But those invasions dispersed these clans and for that reason we find our original family descendants living in many parts of Ireland. They were driven from their original homes and had to find refuge where ever they could make their living and be reasonably safe from the invader. From that time, until the present, the refugees from this terrible invasion have lived largely on the poor lands of the counties to which they were driven. Stone-covered fields, not fertile enough to be good farm land. Every inch had to be tilled to supply vegetables and a little barley meal for those poor people to live. The men sought work in the mills of England to bring extra money home to help support their families. Through the following years there was a vast emigration of the sons and daughters of these people to other lands. They went to Australia, New Zealand and the United States. They came to Canada seeking freedom from suppression, and the opportunity to make money, first, to take their families from Ireland; second, to give security to themselves and their family in this land of their adoption. THE EVICTIONS What were the terms of eviction? Let me record here information copied in the Library at Sligo, Ireland, August 12, All the compensation for the disturbance which those unfortunate creatures received was the passage money which was at the rate of 2 pounds per head of people. The compensation for improvement was confirmed to 4 pounds per acre for their patches of potatoes. Though these terms were not so hard as those of certain other heartless landlords of the day who turned their tenants out on the roadside and left them there without aid or compensation of any kind. Still, 2 pounds a head for disturbance and 4 pounds an acre for a track of potatoes was a mere bagatelle in comparison to what evictions would cost at present. The great object, no doubt, was to be rid of those disagreeable neighbours and to be rid of them at as little cost as might be possible. The terms of eviction were not only severe, they were absolutely heartless and these poor people, in many, many cases, were actually herded onto boats and crowded into sailing ships to get out of Ireland and to come to Canada and the United States. The spirit of those people was never broken and they have made excellent citizens in our land. Family Records in Ireland Ordinary family records such as ours were not necessarily kept in those early days. The church records are fairly good but unfortunately, many have been destroyed by fire in the burnings of the early 1920's and of further destruction since that time. It makes it

4 extremely difficult to follow with any accuracy the history of families in Ireland. I mean a continuous generation by generation record such as we would love to have. I spent several weeks in Ireland trying to trace down and to find the early history of the Morris family, particularly the branch from which we are descended. THE MORRIS FAMILY IN IRELAND The family of Morris is of Norman origin being descended from the Count of Anjou of Normandy. When they first came to Ireland, they were known as de Marreis or de Marisco. In 1485, a branch of this Marisco (Morris) family settled in Galway, Ireland, where they became one of the fourteen tribes of Galway. the fourteen ancient tribes, or famibies of Galway were Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, D'Arcy, Deane, Font, French, Joyes, Kirway, Martin, Morris, Lynch and Skerrett. It was these families who brought credit and fame to the Town of Galway. They discharged their duties faithfully towards trade, good education, charity and hospitality both at home and abroad. Several members of the Morris family served in the offices of mayor and sheriff and were otherwise active and distinguished themselves in the affairs of the corporation of Galway. Some of their descendants still reside in the town and to the west of the town in the Clifden district. Men and women carrying the surname Morris have been prominent in many nations and in many vocations. It has been probably as prominent as most surnames are. The Morris family now of Ballinaboy, formerly of Galway, has for centuries been recognized by the Ulster Office of Arms as being of the old Galway family of Morris. It has tenaciously held the tradition of having sprung from a family who came to Ireland at the time of the Anglo Norman invasion, and that that family was descended from the Count of Anjou. Unfortunately, those records were destroyed by fire about 140 years ago. Their present family tree goes back to a James Morris of Galway born in 1710 from whom there are a good many descendants. His son, Anthony Morris, the great-greatgrandfather of Lieutenant Colonel George P. Morris of Ballinaboy, was born about 1763 and was a captain of the Royal Navy. In 1821, he was in command of a revenue cutter on the west coast. It is said that, when Hardiman was collecting data for his history of Galway, published in 1820, he asked Captain Anthony Morris of the Royal Navy for his aid and support, the latter refused to help, regarding it as an insult that anyone should write about his family when everyone in Galway knew who they were. The quarrel alienated Hardiman to such an extent that he purposely said as little as possible about the Morris family when writing his book, and his description of the Morris arms seems incorrect. In the Morris family of Ballinaboy pedigree there appears;

5 James Morris His son Anthony Morris His son James Anthony Morris His son Anthony James Morris His son Anthony Morris died young. One can see that in the Morris family of Ballinaboy pedigree, the name Anthony Morris appears several times, and the beginning of our documented family history is with an Anthony Morris who was born in It is reasonable therefore, to assume that we belong to that same Morris family of Ballinaboy. The type of feature usually appearing in the Morris families is a well defined nose and chin, and a high colour, the nose usually straight and long and somewhat aquiline. Other outstanding characteristics were an acute sense of honour, and unbounded pride and rather quick temper. A word about Sligo county from which place our family immigrated to Canada. On looking over the rugged terrain of this county Sligo, it seems to be partly covered with timber; but on driving around the county as I did, it is found to contain many portions of open spaces, glades and beautiful vistas. There are plantations of trees for shelter, which are greatly needed, as the strong winds tell with exceptional effect on the landscape, owing to its exposed situation and the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. By having planted the hardier species of trees along the west border, and on the higher knolls, a barrier has brown up, on which the storms of the sea spends much of its force before it reaches the low lying stretches. In these more protected areas, softer and more ornamental varieties are flourishing. The fragrant shrubs and flowers, in the mildness of the deeper glens, beside the sparkling streams give charm and a delicately exotic fragrance to this otherwise rather rugged land. Such was the land they left to come to Canada. Anthony Morris in Canada How well educated our ancestors were is rather difficult to say but G.l Anthony Morris was educated and he taught school. His first marriage in Ireland was to a Protestant girl. From that marriage there were two girls and two boys born in Ireland, G.2 Eliza, G.2 Maria, G.2 John and G.2 Matthew. In the records the 1851 census, in Canada, the children, of this first marriage, declared themselves as Episcopalian which would mean that they belonged to the Church of Ireland or, in Canada, the Church of England. They came to Canada as young children with their father from Sligo in Ireland

6 In G.2 Eliza would have been 14 years old, G.2 Maria 12, G.2 John 10, and G.2 Matthew seven. They grew into adults in the northern part of the Township of West Zorra, County of Oxford. There is no record of the mother of these four children coming to Canada. G.l Anthony Morris married a second time, probably in Canada" to Bridget (Margaret) Walsh. On August 5, 1833, under entry no. 370 in the Canada Company book of land sales, he purchased 100 acres, lot 43, con. 1, in North Easthope for 37 pounds, 10 shillings and paid down 10 pounds, 10 shillings. That lot is now a part of the City of Stratford, being situated on No. 8 highway or Ontario Street, within the corporation of that city. He did not remain long at that location. A note of interest about North Easthope of that era. In 1829, the first concession of North Easthope was surveyed by John McDonald; a further portion in 1832; the whole completed in In 1841, when a parliamentary election took place, this township had five voters, who walked fifty miles on a bush trail to Godrich to vote for the anti- Family Compact candidate. It must not be forgotten that the number of votes in a riding at that period was no indication of its population. Only those could vote who had a deed to their property. These men, about whom I am writing, were amongst the earliest settlers in the County of Perth. It was only March 2, 1829 that one of the first settlers in that area, a Mr. Fryfogle, took 200 acres, lot 13, and 14 in the first concession of South Easthope. You will find a monument commemorating Fryfogle's settlement a short distance east of Shakespeare on Highway Number Seven. G.l Anthony Morris and his first family arrived four years later. It is highly probable that the first child of the second family of G.lAnthony Morris G.2 Anne, was born on the farm in North Easthope; possibly the second child, G.2 Margaret, also; if not at this place then in the Gore of Downie where the family moved in According to further records in the Canada Company Book, G.l Anthony Morris did, on May 31, 1836, purchase 109 acres being lot 9, con. 5 in the Gore of Downie for the sum of 61 pounds, 6 shillings and 3 pence. This lot is about four miles from his former location in North Easthope. It was purchased under entry number nine-hundred and sixty-seven. He remained here until Under date of July 22, 1841, G.l Anthony Morris purchased 50 acres from William Barwick. The legal description of this is part of west half of lot 35 and 36, con. 4, West Zorra. This purchase was registered July 3, On June 22, 1848, G.l Anthony Morris and his wife obtained a mortgage on this 50 acres for 125 pounds from John D. Dent; this was registered July 3, On May 15, 1852, they sold the 50 acres to John D. Dent; as registered July 6; At this time G.l Anthony Morris left Canada and went to Wisconsin State U.S.A.

7 It is well to note here that some early records were made by G.2 Anthony Morris a son of G.l Anthony Morris. I was fortunate in having access to read them. G.3 Katherine Morris a daughter of G.2 Anthony Morris preserved many interesting records which have been quite helpful. She was a very endearing lady and lived in the community of her birth all her life. Among other things these records state that; G.l Anthony Morris died July 3rd, His widow Margaret (Welch) Morris died March 4th, 1872 I understand that Margaret was buried in a cemetery near Tavistock, Ontario, Anthony in Wisconsin. The children of G.l Anthony Morris - first marriage The eldest child of the first marriage, G.2 Eliza or Elizabeth, was born in Ireland on August 15, 1819, and came to Canada in On November 13, 1838, she married William Hosford who also came from Ireland. They both belonged to the Episcopalian Church. It is interesting to note the derivation of the name Hosford. That territory south of Dublin, where the Hosfords lived, is a beautiful rolling land with streams of fresh water flowing through the valley. To go to Dublin, these streams had to be forded and, particularly in times of high water, they would have to be forded on horseback. A certain crossing became known as horseford, which, in abbreviated form, became the name Hosford. William Hosford landed in Toronto and lived with his mother and stepfather. His mother died and he and his stepfather disagreed to the point where young William, a boy, bundled up his few belongings and moved to the Township of West Zorra in Oxford County. It was in that area that he met his future wife. G.2 Eliza Morris and William Hosford had twelve children of whom they raised seven, six girls and one boy, to adulthood, namely, G.3 Jane, G.3 Katherine, G.3 Elizabeth, G.3 Martha, G.3 Lydia, G.3 Mary, and G.3 William. William Hosford was living in a log house in the northern part of West Zorra during his early marriage and he is said to have worked in the vicinity of Ingersoll, about 16 miles south, walking back and forth, to and from his labours. The family records that he kept indicates that he was a careful, articulate, well-read man. He is said to have been a lay preacher for the Anglican or early Methodist Church. He was in the process one time of purchasing property in Stratford, but his father-in-law borrowed money from him and did not pay it back, so Bill Hosford never bought that property. Later he purchased lot 10 on con. 12 in the Gore of Downie being 50 acres, where his grand-daughter, Mrs. Clark G.4 (Margaret Hosford), is still living. An interesting Quotation from the agricultural census of 1860: William Hosford had 26 acres-under crop made up as follows: 15 acres of spring wheat for 340 bu.,4 acres of peas for 120 bu., 3 acres of oats for 150 bu., an acre of potatoes for 120 bu., 3 acres of

8 turnips for 500 bu., 50 lbs. of maple sugar, 1 cow, 1 horse, and 8 pigs. It appears that he worked together with his brother-in-law, William Clyne, who had married Maria Morris. They owned neighbouring farms and after William Clyne died suddenly in 1870 he helped his sister-in-law quite extensively. G.2 Eliza Morris died May 10, 1883; William Hosford died May 8, 1887; they are both buried in the Harrington Cemetery, Ontario. His son, G.3 William Jr., carried on the farm during his entire lifetime. THE BEGINNINGS OF HARRINGTON VILLAGE Stories are told of the problems with wild animals, such as timber wolves, which were still quite plentiful in the forested area of the early settlements. There were also black bears and these would steal lambs, calves, or pigs if the livestock was improperly guarded. Cows wore a "cow bell'! so that they could be easily found at milking time. Transportation presented a problem. The roads through the swamps had to be paved with logs to prevent the vehicles sinking into the mud. It was a memorable experience to drive a wagon over these logs, commonly called "corduroy roads". Speculation in land deals was engaged in those pioneer days. Land transfers state that David L. Demorest did on August 25, 1842 and on August 14, 1843 purchase the entire 200 acres of lot no. 30, con. 2, West Zorra. He proceeded to layout streets and subdivide this area into what is now known as the Village of Harrington. The first name of this village was Demorestville, however, some records indicate that the new village was called Springville. In any event, neither name was acceptable to the post office authorities, so the new name of Harrington was decided upon. Because of the need for farm tools and home furniture, industry in these rural villages thrived greatly. The original village of West Zorra was Embro, but this did not serve the northern portion very well; hence the Village of Harrington thrived well, lots were sold and industries established. During that time in Harrington, there was a wagon shop, blacksmith shop, a grist mill, oatmeal mill, sawmill, hotel, general stores, clothes-making shopm medical doctor, auctioneer, a Methodist Church and a Presbyterian Church. It was a thriving country village. G.2 ELIZA MORRIS was born August 15, 1819 in Ireland. She came to Canada with her father in On November 13, 1838, she married William Hosford who was born March 28, 1816 in Ireland, south of Dublin. They seem to have lived around Ingersoll, Ontario. Later he farmed in the Gore of Downie, County of Path, Ontario. Eliza died May

9 10, 1883, William died May 8, 1887 and both are buried at Harrington, Ontario. Their children: G.3 Catherine Hosford. G.3 Ester Hosford. G.3 Jane Hosford. G.3 Ellinor Hosford. G.3 Mary Hosford. G.3 Martha Hosford. G.3 Katherine Hosford. G.3 Charlotte Hosford. G.3 John Hosford. G.3 Lydia Hosford. G.3 Elizabeth Hosford. G.3 William Hosford. G.3 JANE HOSFORD was born August 14, 1840 at Ingersoll, Ontario. On January 2, 1860, she was married to Hiram Prentice Houck who was born October 30, 1833 at Scarborough, Ontario. A son of Richard Houck and Laura Winslow of Schoharie Co., New York USA. He farmed in the Gore of Downie, Perth Co. Hiram died January 8, 1893 and is buried at Harrington, Ontario. Jane moved to Hamiota, Man. with some of her sons. She died July 19, 1927 and is buried at Hamiota. Their children: G.4 Bertha Jane Houck. G.4 Sherman Winslow Houck G.4 Laura Maria Houck. G.4 Amanda Mary Houck. G.4 Eliza Amelia Houck. G.4 Hiram Philip Houck. G.4 Lydia Agnes Houck. G.4 Eleanor Martha Houck G.4 John Henry Houck.. G.4 Clara Lucinda Houck. G.4 Frank Prentice Houck. G.4 Marilla Maude Houck G.4 Frederick William Houck.. G.4 LYDIA AGNES HOUCK was born Jan. 7, 1866 in the Gore of Downie, Perth Co., ON. On Mar. 11, 1891 at Harrington Methodist Church she was married to John Thistle Dunsmore, a lifetime farmer, who was born May 27, 1866, at Harmony, Perth Co., ON. Lydia died June 14, 1949; John died Oct. 12, 1949 and both are buried at Harrington, ON. Their children: G.5 Harold Edmund Dunsmore G.5 Lillian Edna Dunsmore G.5 Robert John Dunsmore G.5 Verna Louise Dunsmore G.5 Albert James Houck Dunsmore G.5 Chester Winslow Dunsmore. G.5 LILLIAN EDNA DUNSMORE was born Feb.25, 1894 at the Gore of Downie, Onto On Dec. 30, 1913 at her home in Downie, by a Methodist minister, she was married to Melville Cooper who was born Apr. 27, 1886 in Nissouri Twp., ON. Lillian died Mar. 15,

10 1948; Melville died June 21, 1958 and both are buried at the St. Marys Cemetery, Ont Their children: G.6 Edna Alberta Cooper G.6 Alma Jean Cooper G.6 ALMA JEAN COOPER was born Dec. 18, 1923 in Nissouri Twp., Ont. On June 6, 1942 at her farm home by a United Church minister, she was married to Albert Joseph Gregory. He was born Mar. 17,1913 at Kintore, Ont. He is a farmer. Their children: G.7 Murray Albert Gregory G.7 Glen Stewart Gregory. G.7 Raymond Melville Gregory G.7 Douglas Joseph Gregory G.7 Rosemary Jean Gregory G.7,Steven Dunsmore Gregory G.7 Sandra Lee Gregory