Denis (Deonysii) Devine (Duane/Devane) : Short Biography

The first known record of Denis was a Castlemaine Parish marriage record indicating that Denis (shown as Denis Duane) married Ellen Shea on February 25, 1805. This record indicates that Ellen (Helen, Ellena) Shea resided in Boolteens but it did not indicate a townland of residence for Denis.  John Corcoran and James Shea were named as witnesses to their marriage.  Given that marriage in Kerry often involved people from neighbouring townlands, it is possible, perhaps likely, that Denis was from Ballyarkane, where most of the other Castlemaine Parish Devines appear to have lived.

A search of Castlemaine Parish records provided details of four children born to Denis and Ellen.  These children were Michael, baptized on November 4, 1805, Margaret, baptized on May 4, 1807, Mary, baptized on November 12, 1808, and another Mary, baptized on August 16, 1811.  The sponsors for Michael’s baptism were John Shea and Julia Shea and the sponsors for Margaret’s baptism were William Shea and Catherine Foloue (Foley).  The sponsors for the 1808 Mary’s baptism were John Corcoran and Honora Cahalane, and for 1811 Mary the sponsors were Michael Brien and Margaret Folue (Foley). The family name in all of these baptism records was Duane.  All baptism records showed Boolteens as the place of residence.  The location of the marriage and baptisms was not specified; however, there was a catholic church located in Boolteens at the time.  This church building was replaced in 1874 by a new Catholic church, Saint Gobnait’s, located at the edge of Boolteens village.    

It is known from DNA analysis and other research that Denis and Ellen also had a daughter named Bridget; however, no baptism could be found under this name.  There are two possibilities: the second Mary (1811) was Bridget or Bridget’s baptismal record was not lost or not transcribed.  Using the same name for a second child generally occurred when the first child given that name died.  Since there are significant gaps in the records from Castlemaine Parish, it’s more likely that Bridget baptismal record was lost or damaged.

Since Castlemaine Parish records are not available for the period before 1804, no birth records are available for Denis or his spouse, Ellen Shea, nor is information available on their parents.  However, we can discern from 1842 Canadian census data that Denis was born in or before 1782 as the census recorded a male over 60 living at Michael’s residence.    

Unfortunately, Irish emigration records, Canadian immigration records and ships lists are incomplete and efforts to locate travel or immigration records relating to Denis, his son Michael and his daughter Margaret were unsuccessful.  Hence, it is not known exactly when they immigrated to Canada, nor can it be confirmed that they immigrated together.  Their emigration from Ireland may have occurred after Denis and Ellen’s daughter, Mary, married Michael Prendergast in Castlemaine Parish on January 24, 1830 as the witnesses were Denis Dwane and James Shea.  At the time, Mary was living in Gortaneden.  The Denis Dwane who acted as a witness was more likely a cousin (possibly the Denis from Ballyarkane), although I suspect Mary’s father Denis would not have left without Mary marrying and being able to care for her younger sister, Bridget.  James Shea was likely the son of Ellen’s brother James.

Michael and Mary Prendergast remained in Kerry and had seven children, James (born 1830), Mary (born 1833), John (born 1836), Michael (born 1838), Helen (born 1842), John (born 1845) and Patrick (born 1848).  Descendants of Michael and Mary continue to reside in Ireland.

Denis and Ellen’s youngest daughter, Bridget, also lived in Gortaneden and remained unmarried until 1842, when she married Martin Sullivan.  The witnesses to Bridget’s wedding were her sister Mary and her brother-in-law, Michael Prendergast.  Martin and Bridget Sullivan’s children were Martin (1842-), John (1845-1916), Bridget (1849-), Denis (1852-), Michael (1854-), Ellen (1857-) and Daniel (1864-1944).  John and Daniel emigrated to Australia. 

Denis and Ellen’s first daughter, Margaret, married James Hogan in Dundas, Ontario on August 13, 1839, following which she and James relocated to Eramosa Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  Margaret had been a sponsor for the baptism of Michael’s eldest son, Denis, earlier the same year.  James and Margaret had five children, Michael, Denis, James, John and Mary Ann.  Margaret passed away in Eramosa on February 13, 1893 and is interred in St. Peter’s Cemetery near Oustic, Eramosa Township.  Margaret’s grave marker identified her as a native of Kerry. 

Denis and Ellen’s oldest child and only son, Michael, married Roseanna (Rose/Rosie) Gaynor, also an Irish immigrant to Canada, in Dundas, Ontario on November 14, 1837. Michael died on or about October 22, 1848, just over a month shy of his 43rd birthday.  While there is no official record of the place of death, it was likely in Nelson Township.  We also do not know the cause of death; however, there were typhoid and cholera outbreaks in Upper Canada at that time.

Michael and Rose had six children, Ellen (born 1836), Denis (born 1839), Mary (born 1840), Michael (1843), James (1845) and Jane (1848).  Devine sponsors to the children’s baptisms included his sister Margaret and a Michael and Catharine Devine, who could not be further identified.

I found no identifiable record of Ellen Shea after the second Mary’s baptism record in 1811, whether in Ireland or Canada.  The first reliable indication Ellen had passed away was the 1842 Canadian census where Denis was shown to be a widower.  If Ellen died in Ireland, that could explain why Margaret accompanied Denis and Michael to Canada while Bridget stayed behind with Mary, who was starting her own family there.   

The first reliable record of Denis being in Canada was in 1836, when his name and that of Michael were listed on a petition from Nelson Township, Halton County, Province of Canada.  The petition was in support of Sir Francis Bond Head, Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada.  Bond Head was censured for taking a firm stand against reformers.  Bond Head was a very controversial figure who governed during a rather tumultuous time in the history of Canada.  During this period, a Reform Movement was underway, which was fueled by discontentment over the perceived power and actions of an elite clique of politicians and officials, known as the Family Compact.  There was also opposition to land-granting practices and economic depression felt mainly by farmers. 

Bond Head was reportedly sent to Upper Canada to appease reformers but was accused of having helped conservatives defeat the reformers in the 1836 election.   In 1837, William Lyon Mackenzie persuaded his more radical followers to draft a republican constitution for Upper Canada and to seize control of the government.  A large number of men gathered at Montgomery's Tavern in Toronto in December 1837, coming largely from the farming countryside north of Toronto. The rebellion was repelled with several arrests being made, one of whom was a John Devine from Markham.  John was released after petitions and letters of support were submitted, portraying his actions as being misguided.  Those who signed the petition included Isaac, James and Polly Devine.   There is no indication these Devines were from Kerry or related to Denis.

Denis held three properties during his time in Nelson Township.  In October 1838, Denis acquired 100.5 acres of land on Lot 11, Concession 4 South of Dundas Street (SDS).  This land was purchased from Michael and Denis held it until November 1847.  In February 1840, Denis acquired 48 acres of Lot 12, Concession 4 SDS, which he sold in November the same year, and in December 1840 he acquired 50 acres of Lot 10 Concession 3 SDS, which he transferred into the ownership of lawyers Hiram Smith and Andrew Chisholm in June 1845.  The same land was acquired from Smith and Chisholm by Michael Devine in November 1847.  Since Denis signed the land transfer agreements with a “mark”, he would appear to have been illiterate.  explain the focus Denis (and Michael) placed on land ownership. 

It is not known for certain when Denis passed away but it would appear to have been between 1847 and 1851.  The fact that two land transactions occurred in November 1847 may provide a clue of when Denis passed, but no record has been found to confirm when he passed.  All that is known with any certainty is that in 1847 Denis disposed of his last land holdings and he was not named in the 1851 Canadian census.  Neither the local Roman Catholic parish nor Catholic Cemeteries found a death or burial record for Denis.