William BRASSILL / BRAZZLE and Mary NOLAN / NOLAN
County Wicklow, Ireland to Marlborough Township, Ontario, Canada
also William O'DAIR and Mary KERR / CARR, Ireland to Kemptville, Ontario
November 11, 2007:
Hello: I just found my ancestors on your website! They were part
of the groups of Irish immigrants from County Wicklow but arrived probably between
1833 and 1838. The name is William Brassill and wife Mary Nowlan / Nolan. They are
my great great grandparents.
My great grandfather being their son Thomas Brazil who married Johanna
Glasgow in 1859 in Wawanosh Twp, Huron County, Ontario. Thomas and Johanna left
Canada c. 1867 and finally settled in Kansas, USA, in 1880.
I have been looking for this family for years!!!! We had no idea about
where in Ireland this family was from or about the pattern of emigration, or
even if the parents (William and Mary) even left Ireland.
If you would like anymore information about the Kansas descendants of
William and Mary Brazil, I will be more than happy to provide it.
Thank you so much for your wonderful work. It is like a miracle to come
across all this history!
Mary Jo Brazil Guinan
_______________________
Other spellings for search engine: Brasil, Brazil, Brazzell
A few other families who went from the Ottawa Valley to Kansas and Nebraska:
Thompson, Corrigan, Connor, Hickey McNally Burns / Byrnes
These families left the Metcalfe area of Osgoode Township in the 1880's
and settled in the area of Olmitz, Kansas. The book, The Blood Creek Thompsons,
has a lot of information regarding this migration.
... Al
Dear Al:
Thank you for including me on the new website. A couple of corrections on
that link. On further reading of the information Anne sent me, I saw that
in all likelihood the Wm. and Mary Nowlan Brassill family left Ireland in an
earlier group, probably between 1833 and 1838, with Patrick Kehoe. I don't
know if that is important enough to change on the message. (They did not take
part in the assisted emigration scheme of 1846-1855).
... Mary Jo Brazil Guinan
April 18, 2008:
Dear Anne and Al:
I received this information from the Leeds Grenville OGS today in response to my query.
"St. Ann's Cemetery has two graves of interest
“ BRAZEL Eliza O’Dair wife of Wm. Brazel died Aug. 23, 1876 AE 44 yrs.
William Brazell May 1828- Dec. 1919
Bridget Brazell died Aug. 8, 1895 AE 26 yrs.
James R. Brazell died May 10, 1877 AE 1 yr. 7 mo.”
And on an adjacent grave:
“Mary wife of Wm. Brazell died Feb. 28, 1853 aged 58 yrs.”
There are no Brazels etc. in the Holy Cross Cemetery, Kemptville."
Mary wife of Wm Brazell who died Feb. 28, 1853 was Mary (Nolan) Brazel, first wife
of William Brazel (Sr.)
William Brazell who died 1919 was the son of Mary (Nolan) and William Brazel
Eliz. O'Dair was the first wife of William (Jr.), son of Mary (Nolan) and William Brazel
Bridget Brazell who died in 1895 was the daughter of Eliz. O'Dair and William Brazel (Jr.)
James R. Brazell, child, who died in 1877 was the son of Eliz. O'Dair and William Brazel (Jr.)
Mary (Nolan) and William Brazel were my gr gr grandparents
William, their son, was the brother of my gr grandfather Thomas.
I am trying to run down the church records for St. Ann's in Merrickville, and will
send you any information I might find.
Mary Jo (Brazil) Guinan,
Nebraska, USA
April 20, 2008:
Dear Al and Anne:
Re a day trip to Merrickville and Kemptville this spring. You might look for what I
think is a "Brassils Creek(?)" down in the southern most part of Marlborough Twp.
This is something I picked up on a map that you can see at the Archives of Ontario
website - Changing Shape of Ontario. Regional Municipality of Ottawa - Carlton. It
is a 1968 map of Carleton County. It looks very much to me like this creek (?) is in
the near vicinity or on the Concession where Wm. Brazel and family had their land -
Concession 4, Lot 26. The creek apparently runs into Burritts Rapids.
What do you think? Am I beginning to get the hang of the land in Canada?
Mary Jo Brazil Guinan
_____________________________________
Thanks very much for all this good stuff, Mary Jo!
From what I can see in Ancestry's records, the O'Dair family appear to have
lived in Oxford Twp. We've already seen some connection between Marlborough
Twp. and Oxford Twp. families, and I think Al Lewis said there was only the
river between them. Al, do I have that right?
In any case, I think this Wm. O'Dara's record (from the digital atlas site
at McGill) is that family:
Full record for O'Dara, William
Last Name O'Dara
First Name William
Township Oxford
County Grenville
Atlas Date 1862
Concession and Lot Lot size
V, 23:
That's Concession 5, lot 23, Mary Jo.
... Anne
__________________________
Hi Mary Jo:
You are definitely catching up on our local geography.
A few weeks ago, while returning from Merrickville and on the way
back, I drove past what I think is Brassil's Creek. It flows along parallel to the
highway, crossing the highway at a couple of places. Most of the creeks in the area
have signs giving their names. This one probably is marked also, but maybe
on the next highway over.
With any luck I'll be able to find it and get a picture sometime this
spring.
I've never heard of St. Ann's Church / Cemetery in Burritt's Rapids.
No wonder. I see by your e-mail that it's in Merrickville.
... Al
___________________________
Hi Mary Jo,
I can perhaps answer your question about your family's port of departure.
I have the CD of emigration records from the FW estate from 1847-1855, and in each
case where a ship's name is given, the port of departure is New Ross, County Wexford.
Anne
__________________________
Dear Anne and Al:
To continue the story of the WILLIAM BRAZIL family which is an addition to the
information I sent you yesterday.
After Mary (Nolan) Brazel's death in 1853, and sometime before 1858, her husband
(Wm. Sr.) married a woman by the name of Bridget Curtain / Curtin who had a son named
Joseph, age 22? on the 1871 Census. William died in July 1871. "In his Will dated
June 8, 1871 he left to his wife Bridgett Brazzill the rear half of Lot 25 in the
third Concession of Marlborough. After her decease the land was to go to his step
son Joseph Curtain."
The rest of his real estate was divided in equal shares between his sons Richard,
William, Patrick and Thomas.
William's residence at time of death was Merrickville.
After Elizabeth O'Dair's death in 1876, her husband (Wm. Jr.) married a woman by the
name of Margaet Conners / Connors / O'Connor on February 2, 1880. I might mention
that William and Elizabeth had 11 children according to 1881 census. William and
Elizabeth married circa 1853.
It does not appear that William and Margaret Conners had children.
Richard Brazil, the oldest son of William and Mary (Nolan) Brazil, married a woman
by the name of Catherine _____ circa 1855. On the 1861 census they had three
children and were listed along with William Brazil Sr. and William Brazil Jr. family.
In approximately 1878 Richard and Catherine and family emigrated to Detroit. I
found Richard and Catherine and a son and a daughter on the 1900 U.S. census for Detroit,
Wayne County, Michigan, USA.
I don't know what happened to the third oldest son Patrick. Although I find a
Patrick Brazil in Simcoe County and also a Patrick who emigrated to Indiana, I have
not tried to follow up on them. Since William Sr. mentioned son Patrick in his Will,
it is assumed that he knew where he was.
As stated in an earlier email, my gr grandfather Thomas, the fourth son, left for
Huron County before 1858 - year he married Johanna Glasgow - and they settled in
Wingham, leaving there in 1867 for U.S. and finally settling in Kansas.
Margaret, daughter of Mary (Nolan) and William Brazil - I do not know for sure, but
I found a death record of a Margaret Brazell on May 28, 1929, death location Grenville,
birth date 1836, which age wise would match up with Mary and William's daughter.
I sure would like to find church records where the Brazils married and where baptisms
took place as there would be a wealth of information therein. I plan to try the
Archives of Ontario next.
Also, if you or anyone else had a hint of ship's passenger records where I might start,
I would sure appreciate the help. Or even a port they might have departed from when
they left Wicklow in 1842(?) as Anne has indicated to me earlier.
Hope this helps someone.
Mary Jo (Brazil) Guinan, Nebraska, USA
July 20, 2008:
I visited Eliza Brazell's grave today. If any of you need photos of gravestones or
additional research in the area, please let me know. Eliza O'Dair, William Brazell, Bridget
Brazell & James Brazell are indeed buried at St. Anne's Cemetery in Merrickville. My O'Dair
ancestors are buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Kemptville, about 20 minutes away from
Merrickville.
Best Regards,
Kevin O'Dair
___________________________
Good Morning: So happy to hear from you, Kevin, re the Brazils and O'Dairs. I would very
much like to have pictures of the graves of Elizabeth, William, Bridget and James. And
close to those graves is Mary Brazil d. 1853. That would be Mary Nolan Brazil, my gr gr
grandmother.
And I wonder if William Brazil, the father of William Brazil buried at St. Anne's, is buried
at Holy Cross in Kemptville? Perhaps you could inquire.
William, Sr., married a woman by the name of Bridget Curtin (or Curtain) after the death
of Mary Nolan Brazil, my gr gr grandmother, his first wife, and it seems he must be buried
with Bridget someplace.
I don't know how much you have read about my connection to the William Brazil family in
Carleton Co., but you evidently got my email address from Bytown or Bust. I am a descendant
of William and Mary Nolan Brazil. My great grandfather, Thomas, was a younger brother of
William Brazil who was married (first) to Elizabeth O'Dair and (second) to Margaret Conners /
Connors.
I come from a large family of Brazils in S.E. Kansas. On June 28th we had a family reunion
of around 200 descendants of Thomas and Johanna (Glasgow) Brazil who emigrated to Kansas from
St. Augustine, Huron County, Ontario, after the Civil War.
Since you included your phone number, I will give you a call later today.
Thank you for you reply and offer to do research and take pictures.
Regards
Mary Jo Brazil Guinan
_____________________________
Good morning, Kevin:
Thanks for your e-mail to Anne, Mary Jo and myself regarding your Brazell
and O'Dair ancestors.
Here is a record from St. Philip's Church in Richmond, Ontario, (now part of
the city of Ottawa):
15 July 1862
Marriage of William O'Dair, son of age of William O'Dair and Mary Ker, and
Mary Hodnett, daughter of age of Philip Hodnett and Mary Hagarty.
Witnesses: William O'Dair and Ellen Hodnett.
(Source: Drouin records at ancestry.ca)
Maybe this is one of your O'Dair ancestors?
Do you know if the O'Dair family also came from County Wicklow? Is Mary Ker
in the above record Mary KERR?
... Al
___________________________________
Hi Al,
Yes, William O'Dair Jr. and Sr. are the original descendants that came to
Kemptville / Oxford Twp from Ireland. Place in Ireland is debatable - most
references are from County Mayo. I have seen references to both Ireland and
Northern Ireland (Ulster). Not much is known about them while in Ireland.
I've seen Mary's last name as Ker, Kerr and Carr.
Both Williams and Mary are buried in a family plot at Holy Cross Cemetery in
Kemptville. There are also 5 other O'Dair family plots there.
William Jr. would be my gr/gr/gr grandfather. He had a son John James
O'Dair who had a son William Edward O'Dair, who was my gr grandfather.
William Edward moved from Kemptville to Green Valley (Glengarry County) with
his wife Christine McDonald, who was from the area. They operated the Green
Valley Hotel. After William's death, Christine moved the family (including
my grandfather) to Cornwall, where I grew up.
Feel free to add my email to your site - kodair@cogeco.ca
I'd be happy to send you photos of the Brazell gravestones. I'll probably
be in the Merrickville area next week, so I'll bring my camera along.
Best Regards,
... Kevin
______________________________
Here is a map showing the location of the Brazell farms in 1879 just north of
Burritt's Rapids in Marlborough Township:
Map Source: Extracted from Belden's 1879 Map of Marlborough Township, digitized by McGill University
September 10, 2008:
Dear Anne and Al:
Surfing through your website this morning I came upon Gaelynn Wall's link regarding
Canada Land grants under date of March 22, 2005. In there I found the attached.
Another piece of the puzzle in my Brazil research.
Thomas left the farm in Carleton County in 1854 - his mother died in 1853. He was 22 or
23 years old. Probably knew that as the fourth son that he had no chance of inheriting
the farm in Marlborough Twp. So he left for Wingham in Huron County and - luckily for
his descendants - was involved in a dispute about the land he bought. Seems as though
there was a lot of funny stuff going on with land agents and selling the same lot to
several different people.
At any rate, Thomas remained in Wingham and subsequently married Johanna Glasgow from
nearby St. Augustine in Wawanosh Twp. in 1859. They left Wingham in 1867/1868, eventually
settling in southeast Kansas.
Now, if I can find them on a ship leaving New Ross, County Wexford, I will have all the
pieces of the Brazil emigration from the Fitzwilliam Estate to Canada in place - maybe.
As always, thanks for all your good information.
Mary Jo Brazil Guinan
E-mail Anne Burgess, Mary Jo Brazil Guinan, Kevin O'Dair and Al Lewis
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