I am leaving in a couple of days to attend Blaine Bettinger’s DNA talk hosted by the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society. I will be bringing my mother and after the 2 days of learning, we are embarking on a road-trip to locations in Ontario where her family lived.
Where do we go?
Narrowing down the places to visit in under a week is going to be very difficult. We do plan to meet one of her 3rd cousins who is still residing on their original McMahon farm. Although this is not the home of my mother’s ancestor Cornelius who settled in Ayton, Ontario, it was the home of Cornelius’ brother Michael who settled in Windham Twp, Norfolk, Co.
Dundas, Hamilton, Ontario
This is where William Stewart married widow Mary Loftus in 1846 so it is on the list. The couple farmed in West Flamborough and we also plan to visit the Archives and see the area.
Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital
Where John McMahon who was deaf and dumb lived for over 30 years, yup plan to visit. John is buried in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery so we will be paying our respects.
Orchardville Cemetery
Michael McMahon, mom’s 2x great-grandfather is buried here along with his son Cornelius (her great-grandfather) and Cornelius’ son Michael who died at the age of 18.
Ayton Union Cemetery
Cornelius’ brother Edward McMahon who was a Civil War veteran is buried here and Cornelius has a second headstone in this cemetery.
Historical Meeting
We also may get a chance to meet Bob McIntee who I have corresponded with for years. I wouldn’t have been able to get very far in researching the McMahon and Stewart families without his help.
Also, he is a descendant of the McIntee who was in the cart that over-turned and resulted in the death of Cornelius’ McMahon in 1893. I don’t think we will go for a drive together…
What I wish we could add in…
What is really hard is knowing what we won’t have time to do.
- Visit Mary Potter & George Mordy’s grave in Ramsey, Lanark Co. Mary is our direct maternal line and we have yet to find her parents.
- Go to Huntley, Carleton County where her Hodgins and Mordy families settled in the 1820s.
- Spend time doing research at the various Archives along the way
We are packing a lot in for such a short span of time. Do you see why I need to move to Ontario?!
