Posted by Murrisk on May 23, 2001 at 23:51:05:
In Reply to: On this day posted by JDP on May 23, 2001 at 21:47:29:
Subject: Irish Orphans of Grosse Ile, part 1.
--GROSSE ILE, Summer of 1847--
One of the greatest tragedies of Irish emigration to the new world occurred at Grosse Ile, a quarantine station about 30 miles from Quebec, Canada. Without getting into all the details, here is a brief background.
The hospitals at Grosse Ile could care for 200 sick and provide shelter for 800 healthy people. By June 1, 1847 the facility was swamped by 12,000 immigrants. One week later there were 14,000. During that year, of the 100,000 Irish who left for Canada, 42,000 died. 17,000 of them died on the "coffin ships" which carried them to Canada, over 5,000 in quarantine at Grosse Ile, and 20,000 died upstream in Quebec and Montreal.
A side effect of this was the fate of about 1,000 orphaned Irish children. Catholic and Protestant Churches in Montreal aided in the adoption of these orphaned children, and they kept lists of their placements. The following is a portion of one of those lists, which was preserved by the Grey Nuns of Quebec.
It is from Appendix 11 of The Workhouses of Ireland: The Fate of Ireland's Poor, by John O'Connor, 1995, Anvil Books, Dublin.
Name: DORION, William
Age: 8
Date of Entry: 10/26/47
Father: Daniel
Mother: Cicily Dorion
Parish: ?
County: Armagh
Vessel: Rankin
Adopted by: Person in Rimouski
_______________________________________________________________
Name: DORNION, William
Age: 6
Date of Entry: 8/6/47
Father: Michael
Mother: Catherine Love
Parish: Fannoth
County: Donegal
Vessel: Rankin
Adopted by: Rev. Mr. Faucher, of Lotbiniere
_______________________________________________________________
Name: DOYLE, Lawrence
Age: 12
Date of Entry: 8/29/47
Father: Lawrence
Mother: Mary FLINN
Parish: Glinnigal
County: Carlow
Vessel: Industry
Adopted by: Mr. Lemieux, of St. Roch
_______________________________________________________________
Name: DUNN, Margaret
Age: 14
Date of Entry: 4/6/48
Father: John
Mother: Judith GAFFNEY
Parish: Dorah
County: Queens
Vessel: Juverna
Adopted by: Mrs. Ferguson, of St. John's Street
_______________________________________________________________
Name: EGAN, Bridget
Age: 6
Date of Entry: 9/20/47
Father: Bryan
Mother: Bridget CASY
Parish: Hillglass
County: Roscommon
Vessel: Erin's Queen
Adopted by: Died Feb. 3, 1848
_______________________________________________________________
Name: EGAN, Peter
Age: 16
Date of Entry: 9/20/47
Father: Bryan
Mother: Bridget CASY
Parish: Hillglass
County: Roscommon
Vessel: Erin's Queen
Adopted by: Agapit Belanger, of Rimouski
_______________________________________________________________
Name: FEENEY, Anne
Age: 8
Date of Entry: 9/2/47
Father: Thomas
Mother: Mary LYONS
Parish: Bumblin
County: Roscommon
Vessel: Virginius
Adopted by: Mr. Kelly, of St. Sylvester
_______________________________________________________________
Name: FEENEY, Catherine
Age: 18
Date of Entry: 9/2/47
Father: Thomas
Mother: Mary LYONS
Parish: Bumblin
County: Roscommon
Vessel: Virginius
Adopted by: Mr. Kelly, St. Sylvester
_______________________________________________________________
Name: FEENY, Catherine
Age: 14
Date of Entry: 9/7/47
Father: Michael
Mother: Ellen KELLY
Parish: Bumblin
County: Roscommon
Vessel: Naomi
Adopted by: Died Oct. 1, 1847
_______________________________________________________________
Name: FINNERTY, Hannah
Age: 14
Date of Entry: 8/6/47
Father: Patrick
Mother: Catherine COFFY
Parish: Foghnay
County: Galway
Vessel: Blonde
Adopted by: ?
_______________________________________________________________
Name: FITZGERALD, John
Age: 10
Date of Entry: 9/09/48
Father: Edward
Mother: Catherine LEHEY
Parish: ?
County: Kerry
Vessel: Bridgetown
Adopted by: Died Oct. 7, 1847, Brother is in Montreal
_______________________________________________________________
Name: FITZPATRICK, Anne
Age: 13
Date of Entry: 7/47
Father: Patrick
Mother: Mary FORESTAL
Parish: the Rower
County: Kilkenny
Vessel: Progress
Adopted by: Jean Bouvette, St. Gregoire
_______________________________________________________________
Name: FITZPATRICK, Bridget
Age: 18
Date of Entry: 8/9/47
Father: Patrick
Mother: Mary FORESTAL
Parish: the Rower
County: Kilkenny
Vessel: Progress
Adopted by: Norbert Beliveau, of St. Gregoire
_______________________________________________________________
Name: FITZPATRICK, Edward
Age: 15
Date of Entry: 7/47
Father: Patrick
Mother: Mary FORESTAL
Parish: the Rower
County: Kilkenny
Vessel: Progress
Adopted by: Jean Prince, of St. Gregoire
_______________________________________________________________
Name: FITZPATRICK, Ellen
Age: 8
Date of Entry: 7/47
Father: Patrick
Mother: Mary FORESTAL
Parish: the Rower
County: Kilkenny
Vessel: ?
Adopted by: Returned to mother, St. Gregoire
_______________________________________________________________
Name: FLYNN, Bridget
Age: 2 1/2
Date of Entry: 8/27/47
Father: John
Mother: Onah BRADLEY
Parish: near Rovishtown
County: Sligo
Vessel: Wanderer
Adopted by: Died Sept. 24
_______________________________________________________________
Name: FLYNN, Margaret
Age: 13
Date of Entry: 8/27/47
Father: John
Mother: Onah BRADLEY
Parish: near Rovishtown
County: Sligo
Vessel: Wanderer
Adopted by: Died Sept. 30
_______________________________________________________________
(to be continued)
Subject:
Irish Orpans of Grosse Ile, part 2
Resent-Date:
Sun, 25 Apr 1999 12:03:33 -0700 (PDT)
Resent-From:
SHAMROCK-L@rootsweb.com
Date:
Sun, 25 Apr 1999 11:38:36 -0600
From:
"Tony Riordan"
To:
SHAMROCK-L@rootsweb.com
This is the second part of a list of of immigrant children
orphaned around 1847, in Grosse Ile, Canada. Spelling, though
possibly incorrect, is as shown on original record. Most of the
families were tenant farmers, evicted from their land and homes by
landlords during the famine. Their homes were often destroyed by
the landlord to assure that the tenant would not try to return.
The choices of these desperate people were to endure the horrid
conditions of the work houses, or go to the new world. If they
could afford it, it was cheapest to go to Canada, because ships
were already going to Canada to pick up lumber and other imports,
while there were few exports to Canada, leaving lots of empty
cargo space to fill with Irish people. Many died on these
"coffin ships" while others died in Canada, leaving about 1,000
orphaned children in 1847 alone. This is part of a surviving
record of Irish orphans.
Name: HYLER, Mary (or HILLIARD)
Age: 13
Date of Entry: 8/28/47
Father: Andrew
Mother: Nancy FITZPATRICK
Parish: Hinch
County: Clare
Vessel: Champion
Adopted by: Luc Reau (went 1858 to St. Gregoire Longueil)
_______________________________________________________________
Name: HYLER, Michael (or HILLIARD)
Age: 15
Date of Entry: 8/28/47
Father: Andrew
Mother: Nancy FITZPATRICK
Parish: Hinch
County: Clare
Vessel: Champion
Adopted by: Louis Beaulorier, Nicolet
_______________________________________________________________
Name: HYNES, Edward
Age: 14
Date of Entry: 8/14/47
Father: James
Mother: Mary Hynes
Parish: Megorna
County: Mayo
Vessel: Rankin
Adopted by: Eusege Lepage, Rimouski
_______________________________________________________________
Name: HYNES, Patrick
Age: 12
Date of Entry: 8/14/48
Father: James
Mother: Mary Hynes
Parish: Megorna
County: Mayo
Vessel: Rankin
Adopted by: Luc St. Laurent, Rimouski
_______________________________________________________________
Name: KENNEDY, Anne
Age: 5
Date of Entry: 10/5/47
Father: John
Mother: Margaret HOWE
Parish: Burris
County: Tipperary
Vessel: Sir R. Peel
Adopted by: Died
_______________________________________________________________
Name: KENNEDY, Anne
Age: 20
Date of Entry: 10/15/47
Father: Denis
Mother: Margaret O'HARA
Parish: Kiluren
County: Clare
Vessel: Manchester
Adopted by: Left for Boston
_______________________________________________________________
Name: KENNEDY, Bridget
Age: 17
Date of Entry: 9/4/47
Father: Francis
Mother: Mary KENNY
Parish: Monaghan
County: Tipperary
Vessel: Albion
Adopted by: Returned to parents.
_______________________________________________________________
Name: NOONAN, Mary
Age: 15
Date of Entry: 9/20/47
Father: Patrick
Mother: Mary COLEMAN
Parish: Lamon Valley
County: Westmeath
Vessel: Odessa
Adopted by: Fran. Bergeron, St. Gregoire
(m. her adoptive brother, d. TB 1851)
_______________________________________________________________
Name: NOONAN, Pat
Age: 5
Date of Entry: 9/20/47
Father: Patrick
Mother: Mary COLEMAN
Parish: Lamon Valley
County: Westmeath
Vessel: Odessa
Adopted by: Louis Leblanc, St. Gregoire
_______________________________________________________________
Name: NUNN, Augustus
Age: 12
Date of Entry: 12/17/47
Father: Augustus
Mother: Suzan WAFER
Parish: Ardamine
County: Wexford
Vessel: Royalist
Adopted by: Died Jan. 13, 1848
_______________________________________________________________
Name: NUNN, Letitia
Age: 9
Date of Entry: 12/17/47
Father: Augustus
Mother: Suzan WAFER
Parish: Ardamine
County: Wexford
Vessel: Royalist
Adopted by: Given March 6
_______________________________________________________________
Name: RIELY, Mary
Age: 18
Date of Entry: 10/18/47
Father: James
Mother: Catherine MOORE
Parish: Tomrasin
County: Fermanagh
Vessel: Superior
Adopted by: Person in St. Thomas
_______________________________________________________________
Name: RIELY, Margaret
Age: 6
Date of Entry: 10/6/47
Father: James
Mother: Catherine MOORE
Parish: Tomrasin
County: Fermanagh
Vessel: Superior
Adopted by: Person in St. Thomas
_______________________________________________________________
Name: RODRICK, Mary
Age: 11
Date of Entry: 9/7/47
Father: Michael
Mother: Honora Burgan
Parish: Rathdowny
County: Queens
Vessel: Naparima
Adopted by: ?
_______________________________________________________________
Name: RODRICK, Pat
Age: 5
Date of Entry: 9/7/47
Father: Michael
Mother: Honora BURGAN
Parish: Rathdowny
County: Queens
Vessel: Naparima
Adopted by: ?
_______________________________________________________________
Name: ROURKE, Hugh
Age: 16
Date of Entry: 9/7/47
Father: Hugh
Mother: Ann MAGUIRE
Parish: Curan
County: Monahand
Vessel: Coromandel
Adopted by: J.B. Mottard, St. Croix
_______________________________________________________________
Name: RYAN, Thomas
Age: 8
Date of Entry: 11/25/47
Father: James
Mother: Biddy
Parish: ?
County: Galway
Vessel: Thistle
Adopted by: Died Dec. 24
_______________________________________________________________
Name: RYAN, Thomas
Age: 10
Date of Entry: 07/47
Father: Michael
Mother: Catherine HOGAN
Parish: Nockevally
County: Tipperary
Vessel: Avon
Adopted by: William Breen,* Cap Blanc
_______________________________________________________________
Name: RYAN, Thomas
Age: 10
Date of Entry: 12/20/47
Father: Michael
Mother: Catherine HOGAN
Parish: Nockevally
County: Tipperary
Vessel: Avon
Adopted by: * Child was sent to Chateauguay, N. Y. in 1848
_______________________________________________________________
Name: RYAN, William
Age: 13
Date of Entry: 9/7/47
Father: Edward
Mother: Eliza McGauran
Parish: Annanduff
County: Leitrim
Vessel: John Munn
Adopted by: Nick Wheeler, Frampton
_______________________________________________________________
Name: SANDERS, Jane
Age: 16
Date of Entry: 9/7/47
Father: James
Mother: Rebecca CARSON
Parish: Clunelochar
County: Leitrim
Vessel: Ellen Carr
Adopted by: Protestant