My gr gr grandfather JOHN TONER emigrated to Wilmington, Delaware, USA about 1877 from Malin Village/Town. The Toners were blacksmiths by trade. He married Jane Robinson, born in Scotland, in about 1840. They had 9 children: John, James, Anne, Sarah, Isabella, Mary, Frances, William H and Patrick.
The family all emigrated to the US individually from 1860 to 1877, all but one resided in Wilmington, Delaware. Sarah who married Ninian Boggs in Ireland, settled in Brooklyn, NY.
I have met the last surviving descendants of the Malin Toners on a visit in 2014, mainly residing in Cardonough area.
I am hoping to get any details about the family when they lived in Malin. As the sons were all blacksmiths in the US and there is an old building in Malin that once was a blacksmith shop, once owned by 'James Toner' who was either a brother or a cousin to John.
The building still stands and has just recently been renovated by a family. It is on the left corner of the green as you enter the village across the bridge.
In the 1840's other Toner men from Malin emigrated to Canada, where they remained. Cousins?
I have called the library in Donegal to see if there are any records of births or marriages other than what is included in the various genealogy websites I use in my research. The births of John&Jane and their children are before records were kept. Hoping there is maybe another source.
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
All the best,
Honey Toner Ennis
USA
ete73
Monday 6th Feb 2023, 04:03PMMessage Board Replies
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Honey:
Unfortunately, there are no other records. The RC baptismal records for Clonca RC parish as you likely know do not start until November 1856 and marriages start later.
The Griffiths Valuation head of household listing from 1857 for Malin village shows two John Toner records. One lived in the Green the other on Mill Lane. One or the other was likely your ancestor. askaboutieland.ie has the Griffiths and some details on the individual properties.
Have you considered a DNA test? You might identify distant relatives who might have some information.
Roger McDonnell
Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Monday 6th Feb 2023, 07:40PM -
Hello Roger, thanks for your reply and suggestions. I have my DNA results and have visited Malin, met relatives. When I look at the Griffiths docs I see the 2 Toner families. The units are listed by number but I don't where in the Green circle the numbers begin. I was trying also to get the actual address for the first house on the left as you enter Malin but can't find that out. I will look again about the Mill Lane property.
Toner descendants I've found cannot guarantee which Malin Toner family John Toner is from since he and his wife and children all emigrated to US before 1880. John could have been James' brother or cousin.
regards,
Honey Toner Ennis
ete73
Wednesday 8th Feb 2023, 06:20PM