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My great-grandmother was Marie Anne (Annie) Ames, daughter of John Ames and Mary O'Dea.

From information in the 1901 & 1911 Canadian census, Annie was born in Ireland on Apr 24, 1855 and the family emigrated to Ontario, Canada in 1856. According to family lore, Annie claimed to have been born in County Clare.

The family appears in the 1861 Canadian census in Huron County, Ontario (then called Upper Canada) as follows:

John Ames, born Ireland, Roman Catholic, age 39

Mary Ames, born Ireland, Roman Catholic, age 36

Bridget Ames, born Ireland, Roman Catholic, age 17

Catherine Ames, born Ireland, Roman Catholic, age 11

Annie Ames (my gr-grandmother), born Ireland, Roman Catholic, age 7

Thomas Ames, born Upper Canada, RomanCatholic, age 5

Mary Ames, born Upper Canada, Roman Catholic, age 3

(In the 1861 census, the age noted was supposed to be age NEXT birthday and census date was supposed to be as of 13 Jan 1861)

The fact that Annie was born in Ireland and Thomas in Canada pins down the year of immigration.

Annie's birtdate of 1855 is consistent (+/- a year) in the 1871, 1891, 1901 and 1911 Canadian census as well as in the 1880 USA census.

I would like to be able to fill in information on the marriage place and date for John Ames and Mary O'Dea and from the marriage record discover their parents; birthdates and places for the three children noted as born in Ireland; other children born to John & Mary in Ireland who did not survive to come to Canada.

I would be most appreciative of any help and guidance you could provide me in furthering my research into this family.

Thank you in advance,

Kindest Regards,

Ron Emery

Toronto, Canada

 

 

ronemery

Tuesday 3rd Jun 2014, 07:57PM

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  • Ron:

    There is very little Ames information in Co. Clare. No Ames records in the Tithes. No Ames in the 1855 Griffiths Valuation head of household listing. (I was not necessarily looking for John but any Ames).

    I went to the Co. Clare library site and there is very little Ames info. You may want to check with them to see if they have any advice. http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/genealog.htm

    Roots Ireland www.rootsireland.ie is just now starting to add Co. Clare RC records. There is an 1849 baptismal record for a Thomas Ames in the records for the Mountshannon and Whitegate RC parish. The mother's name was Mary but the father's name was not John and O'Dea was not the mother's surname Likely this was a different Thomas Ames since your Thomas was born in Canada but possibly they came from that area. Mountshannon and Whitegate are in the civil parish of Clonrush which is the easternmost parish of Co. Clare on the Co. Galway border.

    You may want to consider the surname Eames in your research.

    I located a Martin Eames in that parish in the Griffiths and actually he was listed as being in Co. Galway.

    There were three other Eames in Co. Clare: 

    James in Kilmacduane West townland Kilmacduane parish

    Honoria same townland

    Thomas Lisdeen townland Kilfearagh civil parish.

    I know there is not much information here but hopefully you have some general leads.

    Roger McDonnell

    Castlemore Roscommon, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘

    Tuesday 3rd Jun 2014, 11:57PM

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