Julie/Judith/Judy O'Meara (nee Slattery) 1785 : Short Biography

Comments

This remarkable lady was my 5 times great-grandmother. I think we are decendants of her son William.  I believe the house referenced in the article is the very same house my great-granparents lived in and I visited as a young child.  In addition, there is an O'Meara street in the neighbourhood which is  likely named for the family.  The Ottawa O'Mearas would be grateful for any further information on where in Tipperary she came from, and indeed any information on Philip O'Meara her husband.  I wonder too where she was buried in Ottawa. I have been able to find no record of a grave.  

Seanagh

Tuesday 17th April 2018 06:31PM

Hello "cousin" Seanagh...so nice to have another connection.  Are you the dtr. of Philip Terence O'Meara & Patricia Joan McGovern?  If so, your first cousin, Lynn O'Meara's husband  Al Norris contacted me several years ago for information as he too was researching O'Meara's.  Check with him first, then if you still have questions, you can email me at mcdtreeline@gmalil.com

O'Meara's came possibly from, North Tipperary where I found a marriage for their daughter Bridget to Michael Ryan in 1852, Diocese of Killaloe, Templederry.  

As for Julia Slattery-O'Meara's burial place, I was told it was Old Chelsea Cemetery, Quebec.  I have been to St. Stephen's Cemetery, Old Chelsea, but did not find her grave.  I also checked online the Old Chelsea Pioneer Cemetery as well.  The Quebec connection is she lived in 1881 with her son Thomas & family in the Hull area.

Marilyn

 

 

Marilyn

Tuesday 17th April 2018 08:40PM

Hi Marilyn - thank you for responding! Yes, I am the daughter of Philip and Joan, and my cousin Al was the one to give me the photo and get me started on this.   Thank you also for the additional information on Bridget and Michael, perhaps the diocese is the same where Judith and Philip came from. an angle to pursue for sure.   I can confirm that she want not buried in St. Stephen's, although there are many other family members buried there; but suspect she might be in Beechwood Cemetery which would have likely been the closest Catholic cemetery in Ottawa at that time.  I don't think they have an online register but perhaps their paper records go back that far.  I would certainly like to find her gravesite. 

Seanagh

Seanagh

Wednesday 18th April 2018 11:24AM

Seanagh, I can assure you that she is not buried in Beechwood.  I had searched their online actual Beechwood parish burial records for all of 1896-1898 (through Ancestry.ca) and there isn't an O'Meara or Slattery buried in that whole period.  I checked Notre Dame Cemetery in Hull, but they do not have a lot of transcriptions online as yet under the Find-a-Grave.  Perhaps a visit to both Notre Dame Cemetery offices requesting a look-up.  Also checked Notre Dame in Ottawa this morning yet again, but the O'Meara's submitted so far do not have her.  I too would like to find her grave.  [FYI, I am descended from her son David O'Meara (Margaret Hogan)]

Julia's dtr. Bridget O'Meara's  (Michael Ryan) son Philip Ryan (1856-1940) moved with his wife Frances Thompson following their marriage in Ottawa in 1881, to Piney, Manitoba.  They had 9 children.  I was given a lot of info from a contact in Calgary, but my interest was more about the O'Meara's.

Happy searching, Marilyn

Marilyn

Wednesday 18th April 2018 02:47PM

Rootsireland.ie shows a baptismal record from Kilcommon, Co. Tipp, in November 1835, for Philip Meara, child of Jude Slattery and Philip Meara. If Julia/Jude was born 1885, she would have been fifty at the birth of this child.

Church Baptism Record
Name:Philip MearaDate of Birth:
Date of Baptism:01-Nov-1835
Address:Not RecordedParish/District:KILCOMMON
Gender:MaleCountyCo. Tipperary
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Father:Philip MearaMother:Jude Slattery
Occupation:
Sponsor 1 /
Informant 1:Bridget Dwyer
Sponsor 2 /
Informant 2:Not Recorded
Notes:

Patricia

Friday 10th August 2018 11:38PM

Patricia, I agree his birth would be 'biblical' at age 50 yrs.  All of her children's births were calculated from their ages given at time of death. It is possible she had other children that stayed in Ireland or had died there.  Her marriage I know now has to be prior to 1816.  I have gone back over their deaths discovering the following:

Thomas b. 1816; age 82;  Bridget cir.1826, age 93; Patrick 1828 age 87; William 1831, age 81; David 1836, age 83; Philip John 1837, age 76.   [last 3 she would be in her 40's]

Thanks,  Marilyn

Marilyn

Sunday 12th August 2018 09:55PM

I am descended from the Meara's of Tipperary, Kilgorteen to be precise, who ended up in NYC/NJ in the mid-1800's.

Please check my work-in-progress blog post about the Meara's in Ireland and see if any details mesh with your particular family. I will be adding information as I find it.

http://plugsandpixels.com/geneblog/index.php/2018/09/10/the-mearas-of-tipperary-ireland/

jerseymara

Wednesday 5th December 2018 01:08AM

Marilyn, I would put a lot of weight on the baptism of Philip Meara in Kilcommon in 1835, 

brought to your attention by Patricia.

Although the names O Meara and Slattery are by no means unusual, the combination 

of Philip O Meara with Jude Slattery make this record of great importance to your search

for your ancestor's parish of origin.

In your listing you know that Judith had a son Philip John circa 1837, 

If Judith was indeed born in 1785, she would then have been 52 when she gave birth

to Philip John . And Philip John was not her youngest child, your listing indicates a son

David was born to Judith in 1839, putting her at 54 when she gave birth.

Judith and her children would never have had any documentary evidence, from Irish 

records, as to her age. They would not have had a birth certificate or passport. 

The parish of Kilcommon would seem to be a parish of great interest to your search

for precise place of origin for your remarkable ancestor. 

Carmel Gilbride

 

Monday 8th June 2020 11:06AM

Julie's obituary in the Ottawa Daily CItizen (12 October 1896) indicates she was buried in the "RC cemetery at Chelsea," which appears to be in Quebec. It's not clear from the above postings if anyone has actually consulted the cemetery staff or if just FindaGrave and gravestone inscriptions have been reviewed.
One of the postings above says Julia came to Canada with her sons in the 1840s. But her obit says her husband died c1848 and that she went to Canada alone in 1851 and worked. If she was born in 1785, she would have been 66 at that time. It would have been highly unusual for a woman of that age to do this.
The obit also says she was married at age twenty, which would have been 1805 if she was really born in 1785. But RootsIreland has her marrying in 1835, so if she was married at 20, she was born in 1805.
An interview with Julie a year before she died said she could remember the 1798 rebellion. But maybe she didn't; maybe she was just told about it.
In my years doing genealogy, I have found many family stories to be just that--stories. It seems to me that Julie's story is a bit convoluted and needs to be further researched.

Patricia

Tuesday 9th June 2020 09:22PM

Patricia....I thank you for finding Philip O'Meara's baptism in 1835 in Kilcommon.  I have researched all of NLI parish Baptismal & Marriage records for O'Meara/Mara/Meara & Slattery in Kilcommon as well as marriges in Borrisoleigh.  There are no other children's births for Julie/Judy & Philip O'Meara in Kilcommon.  I have been working my way through surrounding areas over the years.

Fact:  Julie/Judy O'Meara is buried in St. Stephen's RC Cemetery in Old Chelsea, Quebec.  Other names for this area are Hull and currently Gatineau Quebec.  There is no gravestone & I have consulted with cemetery staff who confirmed that both she and her sons William & Philip John and daughter Bridget are also buried there.  I have a copy of the OVR (Ontario Vital Registration) death registration for her, aged 111 years, "wife of the late Philip O'Meara, Ireland" in 1896 in which her son David is the Informant.  Her husband died 1839 (not 1848) & she did not immigrate to Canada by herself.  She came with 4 of her sons, but to date with scant early ship lists for Canada, I have not found their immigration date.  I am also very well aware of the discrepencies with the birth of her sons, thus the reason to post her story.  It is my understanding that Irelandxo mandate is to have volunteers help with suggestions as to where one might research & connect others from the same areas.  I am not new at genealogy, having been at it for 35 years, taken several courses, know the value of sources & published several books.  Marilyn

Marilyn

Thursday 11th June 2020 08:51PM

Hi Marilyn,

I too am a longtime researcher. Please know that my intention was to be of assistance, not to offend. I'm so sorry if my suggestions were interpreted that way. I do wonder at the early birth date for Julie, as she would have been 50 at the birth of Philip and even older at the birth of her last child. Even though the paper and her son said she was 111, it is always possible they were wrong. People were not as aware of their birth dates as they are now--they were not asked for ID all the time like we are. And as I know you must have discovered, the information on death records is often incorrect--it's only as good as the knowledge of the person giving the information.

Patricia

Thursday 11th June 2020 09:31PM

I have now researched Baptism & Marriages in connection with Philip O'Meara & Judy Slattery in Kilcommon (1813-1843)  [son Philip O'Meara 1835]; Borrisoleigh (1814-1843); Upper Church & Drombane (1829-1835); Templederry (too late); Newport [no other children of Philip & Judy] and currently working so far on Anacarty & Donohill up to 1826.   In the Anacarty & Donohill records, which are very faint & many not legible, I found the following:

Marriage:  11 Feb 1823 Philip Mara/Meara & Jude Slattery; Witnesses:  William Slattery, John Ryan & John Dwyer; Kilpatrick

Baptism:   26 Dec 1823 Darby of Philip Mara/Meara & Jude Slattery; Sponsors:  Tom Gorman & Mary Heffernan

Note:  No other Darby's in our family tree, but we do know Judy had 8 children.

A William Slattery is a sponsor of two other baptisms of Mara/Meara/O'Meara & Gorman children [see below].  One of Philip & Judy's sons is named William.  There are also Gorman's in our family tree, so could this possibly be my Philip & Judy?  The marriage date of 1823 would make more sense for the birth of her other children.  If Jude was between 18 & 20 yrs. of age when she married, then she would have been in her 90's when she died, which is quite a difference between 111 yrs.

Baptism:  18 Sep 1824 Betty of Michael Mara & Peg Gorman; Sponsors: William Slattery & Mary Mara; Kilpatrick

Baptism:  7 Dec 1825 Ally ? of James Mara & Margaret Gorman; Sponsors: William Slattery & Mary Mara

I would very much appreciate any assistance or thoughts on this.  Also, I'm not familiar with Kilpatrick.  Is this a townland?

Thanks, Marilyn

Marilyn

Thursday 16th July 2020 02:34PM

In Ireland, Darby can be a nickname for Dermot, Dermott, Demetrius, Diarmuid, and Jeremiah.

Patricia

Thursday 16th July 2020 04:13PM

Thank you Patricia, but I did know all these nicknames for Darby previously.  I purchased a book of names/alternative names & Latin many years ago.

I did find Kilpatrick is a townland in the South Riding Tipperary, Catholic Parish of Knockavilla, Cashel & Emly Diocese.  Marilyn

Marilyn

Thursday 16th July 2020 06:09PM

Hello Marilyn, Seanagh, and Carmel,

Looking over all the diligent research here and seeing the marriage date for Philip and Judith and the baptism dates for two of their sons, it dawned on me that perhaps Judith was Philip's second wife. Perhaps Philip was a widower who brought several children to the marriage. Perhaps Judith was actually their stepmother? Just a thought.

Patricia

Friday 17th July 2020 08:56PM

Marilyn, I am not related, but I did a little research and read Mrs. O'Meara's 1895 interview in the Ottawa Journal. So charming! 

". .. The reporter questioned her about her age. She replied in her Irish accent, "A hun'ard an' ten." Asked as to what proof she had of her age, she said, "Its all down in the priest's house at Kilpatrick, and so is the day I was married to my dear old man who is now dead. . ."

If you haven't read the interview article, I'd be happy to send you a copy through email. [see my email address below]. It seems to me that the 1823 marriage you found the references, Kilpatrick must be her marriage to Phillip. Perhaps she was just mistaken about her birth year.

Best,

J. M. Sweets, portals2history@gmail.com

PrairieRose

Sunday 17th January 2021 11:56PM

Well done J.M, here you have the place of origin directly from the ancestor herself, Judy identifying Kilpatrick as her place of origin.

Kilpatrick would be the townland.

The website townlands.ie identifies two townlands named Kilpatrick in Tipperary - I had thought there would be more.

I would think Kilpatrick adjacent to Anacarty is the correct one for Judy Slattery. 

When Judy Slattery married Philip O Meara in 1823, in the parish of Anacarty, Kilpatrick was gi ven as the address.

This strengthens the belief that the marriage in Anacarty and Donohil ( to give the parish its full name, see www.nli.ie)

is correct for July Slattery. 

Hopefully when you post to this parish via ireland.xo , Marilyn, you can make contact with some volunteers from this parish and 

learn more about your ancestors  

Carmel

Carmel Gilbride

Monday 18th January 2021 11:41AM

J.M. Sweets, my new best friend & Carmel Gilbride. 

Thank you so very much for contacting me with this amazing interview of my 3rd great grandmother, which gives me more leads for my O'Meara's. The article is lengthy & J.M. sent it as 3 .pdf's. Not sure how to add it.

"Jude" mentions in the interview of having 7 sons & one daughter & 2 of the sons died in Ireland.  My guess is that Darby O'Meara (1823- ? ) perhaps is one of the children deceased, but haven't come across who the other deseased son might be.  I certainly now have more research to do with regard to this unknown son and also the baptisms of the other 5 sons.  I have been through the Anacarty & Donohill Kilpatrick records, but unable to find any other children born to Philip & Jude.  I have added Kilpatrick to her "place" and hope volunteers there may steer me in the right direction.

Thank you all for your volunteering efforts to bring my Jude to life.

Marilyn

Marilyn

Monday 18th January 2021 08:36PM

Marilyn, you might like to know that a Thomas was baptised to parents Philip and Judy ( nee Slattery) in the parish of Cashel

on Sept 5th 1826. The surname has been mistranscribed as Mearn online but when you look at the original it is Meara ( without the O, which is a common occurence).

So, with Darby born in Anacarty in 1823 Thomas in Cashel  and Philip in Kilcommon, we can see this couple are moving around, most likely due

to Philip's work.   

So, in this particular family history, there is no one parish where the O Mearas settled, although Judy Slattery was , based on her own words and her marriage record, , from Anacarty.

Carmel

Carmel Gilbride

Monday 18th January 2021 11:10PM

Carmel & J M Sweets

This is unbelieveable!  It never ceases to amaze me the help the Ireland xo volunteers do to help us.  To think that I was in Cashel in 2009 for an O'Dwyer Clan Rally and never knew that Philip & Judy were there.  I loved that town and met so many lovely people there, a fond memory.

As for Philip, it makes me wonder what kind of occupation he had to be moving from town to town with his family in tow?

With this newspaper article that J M posted, I now know the names of her children.  We previously thought one son was Patrick, but turns out it was John.  I have John's death in Canada as March 15, 1892, aged 57 yrs. which is on his gravestone, but I will look up today his death registration.  

Thanks again, Marilyn Dwyer

Marilyn

Tuesday 19th January 2021 05:05PM

This is amazing. I am a direct decendent of Phillip O'Meara and Julie Slattery. My great grandmother was Annie O'Dea married to Joseph O'Meara and they are buried at Notre Dame Cemetery in Ottawa. I have the original newspaper clipping from the Ottawa Citizen dated 1896 announcing Julie's death. I have brothers named Philip, Joseph, David, Patrick, all going back to the old family names.
My grandmother Veronica O/Meara who had several brothers and one sister also buried at Notre Dame. Margaret O'Meara, Simon, Philip, Joseph, married to Anne Hogan and the lost goes on. We also have the original picture of Joseph shown above.

Valentine

Monday 25th January 2021 04:24PM

Valentine ~ You are distantly related to me.  Your grandmother Veronica "Bonnie" O'Meara-Baker-Grimes, youngest dtr. of Joseph & Annie & my grandmother Margaret Ellen O'Meara-Smith, oldest sibling were sisters. Your relative Lorena Baker-Doxtater and I worked on the O'Meara family tree for many years prior to her death.  Still lots of research yet to come on Judy Slattery-O'Meara, but now know she came from Kilpatrick, Tipperary and married there in 1823 to Philip.  I'd be happy to share the Ottawa Journal interview with Judy in 1895 if you email me at:  mcdtreeline@gmail.com.

Marilyn

Marilyn

Monday 25th January 2021 06:11PM

Patricia, J.M. Sweets, Carmel ~ Thank you to all of you for your contributions, but from the start, we all know there are many discrepencies, which I agree with Patricia in previous postings.  This latest 1895 newspaper interview that you J.M. sent me, gave a great deal of information I did not have, including her place of birth & marriage in Kilpatrick. We all love the idea of Judy living to 111, but I think she loved the Irish art of story telling and all the intention.  I think death at 96 would be noteworthy as well.  Sadly, the records for Kilpatrick do not go back far enough to obtain her proof of Baptism.

Patricia, is it possible for you to send me Judy's obituary from the Ottawa Citizen Newspaper dated 12 Oct. 1896, which I do not have?  You mentioned that it said in her obit that she was 20, when she married, therefore b. 1805 which makes more sense and all along I felt that the early 1800's was the true birth.  If her birth was 1785 she would have been 38 when married & birth of her children would be Biblical (age 38-52 yrs.).  Also, believe she did not come alone to Canada, but with her sons & dtr. Bridget came a few years later.  She would be 43 at the time of her husbands death in 1848, therefore still of an age to find the work as a servant for David Hartin in Goulbourn/Nepean Township near Ottawa.  Mr. Hartin had a large family as well as a Hotel.

If b. 1805 she would have been 7 yrs. of age at the time of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and quite possible she would remember hiding in the mountains for 3 weeks.  At the time of the famine in 1845 she would be 40 and experience it first hand.

I will continue researching to find the baptisms for all her children, in particular would like to find David's, who is my ancestor line. David died 27 Oct. 1920, age 83, therefore b. abt 1836.

Thank you all again.  Till next discovery,

Kindest regards, Marilyn

Marilyn

Monday 25th January 2021 07:09PM

Hello! Thank you for reaching out. Veronica (Bonnie) was my grandmother on my mother's side. Lorena was my first cousin. Her father Joe Baker was my mother's twin brother. Patricia Rose Baker Valentine, and she just passed in August 2020 at the age of 97.

We often spoke of our past history. We grew up together as kids. Where do you fit into the tree?. As far as I knew aunt Margaret only had one daughter, young Margaret, and she and married Gerry Grimes who had Ruth and a son Frank. I also have the interview from 1895.

There are many O'Meara's and O'Dea's at Notre Dame Cemetery in Ottawa.

Nancy Valentine

Valentine

Tuesday 26th January 2021 01:28PM

Nancy, I am much older than Aunt Margaret's daughter Ruth :-).  Thank you for the information, but I have all your family and your ancestry, partly thanks to Lorena, but sorry to learn of your Mom's death last year.  Longevity seems to favour the O'Meara women.

My line is as follows:

Philip O'Meara & Judy Slattery

David O'Meara & Margaret Hogan

Joseph P. O'Meara & Annie O'Dea

Margaret Ellen O'Meara & Lewis Wm. Smith III

Ivor Smith & Marjorie Turner

Marilyn (Smith) Dwyer (me)

Marilyn

Tuesday 26th January 2021 06:13PM

Nancy Valentine - Going through correspondence between myself & your cousin Lorena in 2005 in which she tells at length about her parents (Baker & Doyle) as well as your Mom Pat.  If of interest to you, email me & I will send it.  I had sent pictures to Lorena which she had planned to share with your Mom & you.  I do hope that someone in the family kept all her O'Meara & Doyle research following Lorena's death.

Marilyn

mcdtreeline@gmail.com

Marilyn

Thursday 28th January 2021 08:48PM

Dear Marilyn

I have just started learning about my ancestry.

My grandfather on my mothers side was Orville Ambrose Smith (Ivor's brother)

I suppose that would make Orville one of your uncles?

We do not know anyone in our family other than our mother, so this has been a fascinating journey.

Would you please share the article about Judith Slattery you received from JM Sweets?

My email is jackie_anderson99@yahoo.com

Kind regards

Jackie

Monday 21st November 2022 01:40AM

Thank you IrelandXO, Jackie and I have connected. Her mother and I are first cousins. Marilyn

Marilyn

Thursday 19th January 2023 03:58PM

Just read the article Tracing Irish Traveller family history in the Jan. 21, 2023 newsletter and wondered if my Judy/Julia Slattery O'Meara and husband Philip O'Meara were Travellers, as 3 of their children were born in 3 different places (Kilpatrick, Kilcommon and Cashel). Marilyn

Marilyn

Monday 23rd January 2023 07:10PM