My Great Great Great Grandfather William Robert Cotnam b1770 Monaghan Co, Ireland d 1849 Merrickville, Ontario, Canada
married Margaret Mary McKaye b. @1778 Monaghan Co, Ireland d 1851 Merrickville, Ontario, Canada
Children:
my Great Great Grandmother
Sarah Cotnam b 1818 Cornawall, Ematris Parish, Monaghan Co, Ireland d 01 May 1902 Merrickville, Ontario, C anada
m George Bates b 1803 Ireland, maybe Waterford d 19 October 1868 Merrickville, Ontario, Canada 6 Children
John Robert Cotnam b 1801 Cornawall, Ematris Parish, Monghan Co, Ireland d 1878 Merrickville, Ontario, Canada
m Mary McCreary of County Armagh, Ireland
Jane b 1803 Cornawall, Ematris Parish, Monaghan Co, Ireland d 1886 Mount Forest, Ontario, Canada
m. John Gilroy b Monaghan Co, son of John Gilroy and Amelia Nichol
Mary Ann b 1813 Cornawall, Ematris Parish, Monaghan Co, Ireland d 1893 Wolford Twp, Grenville Co, Ontario, Canada
m Richard Phillips b Ireland, son of Thomas Phillips and Mary Corry
All of my mother's ancestors came from Ireland...........and all her grandparents were born in Merrickville, Ontario, Canada.
They say that Merrickville is like taking a piece of Ireland and setting it down......when people emigrated, they went to where they had family, neighbours, friends.........and I have found when they moved to other areas or provinces they continued to move where their relations might be. I have been in contact with another Cotnam researcher, and her Cotnam's came to Quebec, and I have heard that there were cousins there.
I was told that the Cotnams were weavers.
I have a tithe allotment copy and it lists Corniwall as the area
Just found this site!
I am coming to Ireland in October and hope
to come to Monaghan around October 12.
Sheila
Cotnam, McKaye, Gilroy
Thursday 30th Jul 2015, 10:36PMMessage Board Replies
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Sheila,
This is a very rare name in Ireland. I can see that there was a John Cottnam with a small farm (just under 4 acres) in Cornawall (E-Matris) in 1830. Note that there are 3 townlands all called Cornawall in Co Monaghan. There was also a Thomas Cottnam in Tonagimsy, 3 Cotnams in Co Cavan and 2 Cottnams in Co Down.
Looking at the statutory birth, death & marriage registers for the whole of Ireland there are only 4 entries. 2 deaths and 2 marriages. None of them were in Co Monaghan. (3 in Co Cavan, 1 in Co Tyrone).
There’s no Cot(t)nam entries in Cornawall in Griffiths Valuation (1858) and none in the 1901 Irish census. Indeed no-one of that surname anywhere in Ireland by 1901. The name appears to have completely died out.
You don’t say what denomination your ancestors were. If they were RC then the E-Matris parish records start in 1848 which is probably too late for you. If Church of Ireland (ie Episcopalian) they start in 1811. If Presbyterian, 1860.
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Friday 31st Jul 2015, 04:23AM -
Thanks for your info Elwyn
My Cotnams were Protestant or Church of Ireland.
There are lots of Cotnams in eastern Canada and parts of the USA.
I stayed at a lovely bnb in County Monaghan, Killyliss Country House run by Pauline, and Angel.
She found out where the townland Corniwall was and took me over to see it as well as the Ematris parish church.
I did not have enough time!
Cotnam, McKaye, Gilroy
Friday 19th Feb 2016, 08:05PM