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I am wondering whether the occupation of carpenter was unusual or was passed down in families in 19th century Ireland and whether that provides possible clues for working on brick walls.

In searching for my great-grandfather, Mathew Shanly, who emigrated to Canada and was in Toronto by 1848 or so, I find him in the Toronto city directory as "Mathew Shanly, carpenter." When his sister-in-law later tried to locate Mathew's son Thomas (on Missing Friends), she says he was son of "Mathew Shanly, carpenter." I think it's also possible that Mathew might have been related to a Michael Shanly who was in Montreal by 1842 and is repeatedly listed in their city directory as "Michael Shanly, carpenter" (in French). When Michael and family emigrated to Brooklyn, he and his sons (Edward, Michael, Andrew) were always listed as carpenters or apprentice carpenters. Michael's wife was Mary Feeny, and I think there was a Thomas Feeny who was a carpenter in Drumsna/Jamestown.

In 1879, a 99-year-old Thomas Shanly, carpenter, died in Mohill, a widower with Anne Shanley present at death. Most of the male Shanly deaths list them as farmers (or farmer's child), so this pattern of identifying someone as a carpenter seems interesting. I assume a 99-year-old was not still working and that the title is a badge of honor or an identifier.

There is also an 1893 marriage record for William Shanley of Mohill, CARPENTER, marrying Mary Evers of Curnagress who also is listed as CARPENTER (!), daughter of Patrick Evers, farmer. William's father is listed as Thomas Shanley, CARPENTER (all these upper-case letters were in the records). William's father could be the Thomas, carpenter, who died at age 99 in 1879. The gap in ages between a Thomas born in 1780 and a William marrying in 1893 lessened when I realized that William's 1893 marriage came late in life, because when he died in 1898 at age 64, he was again described as a widower, age 64, and CARPENTER. If he was born ca. 1834 (I can find no record of that), he could be the son of Thomas born 1780--or there was another carpenter Thomas in between (or all the dates could be wrong.)

Are these clues that help differentiate one family from another or are they randomly occurring? 

Thanks for any suggestions,

Susan MacDonald

smacd

Saturday 9th Jun 2018, 07:36PM

Message Board Replies

  • Hi Susan, I have been asked to look at unanswered queries and have randomly found yours, have Leitrim ancestors and probably a Shanley great great grandmother who married a Murray in 1856, in the interests of transparency! I was not born in Leitirm mind you nor do I live there, there has been a new volunteer for Leitrim taken up recently.

    I think it was a common thing to highlight you job as you were not just a labourer and indeed it may well have been in the family as training would be required and some form of apprenticeship.

    There is a good site here now on Leitrim focusing mainly on South Leitrim https://www.yourleitrimancestors.ie/index.htm There is only 1 Shanly but many Shanley.

    You could also contact the Leitrim Library in Ballinamore where the Local History section is based and I have found them helpful. There is an active Facebook private page Leitrim History and Genealogy, apply to join. 

    If you would care to repost your query maybe the local volunteer would know more.

    Regards

    Pat

    Pat O Holloran, IrelandXO Volunteer

    Sunday 25th Feb 2024, 01:28PM

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