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Would anyone here have a family connection to James Bonfield b. ca. 1800 of Ardataggle?  This is the James Bonfield credited with founding the settlement of Killaloe in Renfrew County, Ontario, by 1850, named after his home parish.  There is a James "Bunfield" with 9 acres in the TA for Ardataggle ca. 1825.  There is not a James Bunfield or Bonfield in the barony at the time of GV, but there is a Mary Bunfield at O'Briensbridge.  The Killaloe Parish baptism register has an 1829 baptism of Nancy and 1831 baptism of Anne daughters of James Bonfield/"Bunfill" and Mary Brown of Ardataggle.  

There is a James Bonfield 1821-1883 buried at Eganville, Renfrew, Ontario, born at the other end of the lake in Gortmore, Co. Tipperary, muckety muck in the Ontario legislature, possibly distantly related but his parents were John Bonfield and Elizabeth O'Mara.  The contemporaneous John Bonfield in Ardtaggle was married to Mary Boland. 

I am curious (a) whether others from the parish emigrated with James Bonfield to Renfrew, (b) whether this Mary Brown is one of the Browns from the other side of the bridge in Montpelier, and (c) whether the Barry men establishing Barry's Bay, Renfrew County, just a 14 miles from Killaloe, Ontario, were also from Killaloe, Clare.  There was a John Barry two doors away from James Bonfield in the TA this man also does not appear in GV.  

Matt Barry

MRB

Saturday 24th Dec 2022, 05:44PM

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  • Dear Matt: Thank you for your interesting query. The information that you mentioned may indicate that there were several families from the Ardataggle area who went to Ontario. That would not have been uncommon. As Ardataggle is in the O'Briensbridge civil parish, it is very possible that other families may have come from Killaloe, Montpelier and even from the border with Tipperary. I am not aware of any Bonfields in the Killaloe area today, but I would recommend that you try to contact the Killaloe-Ballina History Society. They may be able to connect you with a Bonfield descendant. Their contact details are here: https://killaloeballinalhs.wordpress.com/ The best of luck with your research. If you need further assistance, please let me know. Happy New Year! Jane Halloran Ryan

    Tulla Clare, IrelandXO Volunteer

    Wednesday 28th Dec 2022, 08:50PM

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