McGurk / McCanner in Co. Tyrone, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Portland, Maine

Hi thanks for your message and for sharing this information on Ireland Reaching Out.

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Kind regards,

Genealogy Support

Hi there hope you are still online, just wondering if you know whether or not she had any brothers or sisters?  thanks jj

Hi JJ,

Yes, she had at least two sisters and one brother. My grandfather, Stephen Griffin, wrote down what he recalled about Mary Ann, and that's where these connections came from. I've found US Census records and a marriage record for Margaret. I also found some UK Census records that could be Rose and her mother, Margaret McCanner McGurk, in Liverpool, but I haven't been able to verify them. Here's what I know:

Brother, first name unknown, was born in Ireland and died in Roxbury, Massachusettes.

Margaret McGurk, born abt. 1830 in Ireland. Married Hugh Monahan (1829-1911) 31 Jan 1854 in Portland, Maine. Died  in Portland, Maine in 1870.  They had three sons, William Hugh Monahan (1855-?), Thomas Monahan (1858-?)  and John Monahan (1858-1876).

Rose McGurk, birth and death unknown. Possibly younger than Mary Ann.  Mary Ann sent money home so that Rose could join her, but Margaret was sent instead. I understand that this was a sore point between Mary Ann and Margaret for years.

I have a family tree on Ancestry.com that is public. It's called Griffin Family Tree if you 'd like to look at it.

Please let me know if this information helps. This family has been a brick wall for me for decades, and I'd be thrilled if this is a breakthrough!

All the best,

Sue Griffin Bicknell

Hi Sue,

           Many thanks for your prompt reply, at this stage i have only just started on the Irish aspect of my family history and quite frankly it is extremely hard going! so i cannot say whether or not your information is pertinent. My first task as i see it is to determine where exactly in Ireland the family came from because then i can ,hopefully, start examining local parish registers etc

          Do you have any idea whereabouts in Ireland your ancestors originated from?

          I will be happy to contact you if there is any infomation we share.

          Awrrabest!  

          Jim McGurk

Hi Jim,

Yes, the Irish families are the most challenging for me as well! The most specific location I have for the McGurks is Tyrone, so parish records are not yet a feasible search point for me.

Thanks for asking the question about siblings. It got me in gear to write up more details for my original post.

I'll post any new discoveries here for your access.

Good luck to us both!

Sue Bicknell