Henry Nagle 1821 : Short Biography

Henry Nagle was born in Clonakilty, Cork, Ireland. His religion was Church of England and his siblings were shoemakers. Henry also was a shoemaker. Perhaps his father was also a shoemaker. Family oral history says that Henry Nagle and Elizabeth Wanless met on the ship when they emigrated. I suspect this ship sailed out of England. Elizabeth was the daughter of George Wanless, a British military officer who had been stationed in Canada earlier and was returning to Canada with his family. I have not been able to find a record of the ship. George Wanless was discharged from the British military on 18th September 1839 in Wooler, Kent, England and then lived 1840 to 1843 in Pittsburgh, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada with wife and family. George Wanless was a shoemaker by trade. So it could be that Henry Nagle emigrated to Canada in 1839 at age 18, or came later and then got employment with George in Pittsburgh, Frontenac (now Kingston, Ontario) meeting and marrying Elizabeth Wanless in 1843.  

We do not have any records that show siblings or parents.  However though DNA analysis, it appears that his siblings are:

1) John Nagle (1805 - 1886) born, lived and died in Clonakilty.  Married Francis Bryan. Was a shoemaker in Clonakilty. DNA relationship with descendants confirmed.

2) Rebecca Nagle Kingston (1806-1872) born in Clonakilty, emigrated to Detroit Michigan with two children after her husband Richard Kingston died. Known to be related.

3) Thomas Nagle (1812 -1994) born, lived and died in Clonakilty, married Catherine Brown. Was a shoemaker on Barrack Street, Clonakilty. DNA relationship with descendants confirmed.

4) Edward Nagle (1818-   ) Was a shoemaker on Barrack Street, Clonakilty.

5) Luke Nagle (1818- 1873) Was a shoemaker in Shoreditch, London, England. Married Mary Madden, also from Cork. DNA relationship with descendants confirmed.

6) Elizabeth Nagle Beazley (1820-1902), Born in Clonakilty, Married Geoffrey Beazley, lived and died in Brinny, County Cork. DNA relationship with descendants confirmed.

Henry appears to be the youngest of the family, born in 1821. 

Through these connections, I believe that his father was Edward Nagle. I found a marriage record between an Edward Nagle and Catherine Hayes. So this could be the mother of Henry.  However, I have no proof, just a gut hunch. I know nothing about either of them. 

These are the events of Henry's life that i know to be true:

1821 - born in Clonakilty, Cork, Ireland

1843 - Age 22, Married Elizabeth Wanless in Kingston, Ontario.Canada.   Both were residents of Pittsburgh Township.

1845 - Age 24, daughter Elizabeth Nagle born in Beauharnois, Montreal, Quebec

1848 - Age 26, son George born in Beauharnois, Montreal, Quebec

1850 - Age 28. Living in Detroit Michigan with Elizabeth, 26 and children Elizabeth 5, and George 2. Working as shoemaker.

1851 - Age 29 - received naturalization to the US.

1855 - Age 33, living in Detroit Michigan when daughter Rebecca died. Rebecca was buried in the Kingston plot in Elmview Cemetery in Detroit. The Kingstons were siblings of George Kingston, husband of Henry's sister Rebecca Nagle Kingston. The Kingston siblings paid the passage for Rebecca Nagle Kingston to immigrate to Detroit after her husband died. The Kingston family came from Clonakilty and were adherents at the Kilgarriffe Church in Clonakilty, so I expect the families were quite close and this would have been the draw for moving to the United States.

1871 - Age 48, Living in Chatham, Kent, Ontario Canada, with spouse Elizabeth and 7 children. Working as shoemaker.

1881 - Age 60, Living in Chatham, Kent Co, Ontario Canada, with spouse Elizabeth and 3 children. Working as shoemaker.

1886 - Age 65 - died in Huron, Ontario and is interred in Chatham, Kent, Ontario, Canada.