October 10, 2009:

We've had an enquiry from a descendant of Garrett Byrne and Elizabeth Pearce who settled in Rossie, Upper New York State.
Thanks to Anne Burgess for her reply, as follows:

Hello Penny,
 
I've attached below, a copy of the Fitzwilliam estate's emigration record (from the CD) for your Garret Byrne, and it will give you the ship's name 
and date of arrival in Quebec City.
 
I'll have a look to see if I have the 1839 Fitzwilliam rentals record for the family.
 
... Anne Burgess

Fitzwilliam Tenants - Family Group 
    ID:  91 Parish     Derrylossary 
           Year Listed:   1848 
   Surname   Byrne 
          Reference No.     33 
   Group Members: 
   Garret 70, Betty 55, William 30, Michael 28, Thomas 26, James 24, John 22, Peggy 20,
Ellen 18. 
   Voyage       Townland 
  Ship  Jessie      As spelt in the Emigration 
   Departure  New Ross. May 17th      Ballinacorbeg/Rosbawn 
   Arrival  Quebec    Official 
                 Ballincorbeg 
   Other Information    Holding 
   Thomas, 26 does not appear on the NLI Pos.
934 list.  Cabin and 1.5 acres from Mrs Morton. 
Source: Companion CD to the book Surplus People by Jim Rees

Hi again, Penny:
 
Attached is a page of the 1839 Fitzwilliam rentals records for Rosbawn / Ballincorbeg (not shown here ... Al). There were Byrnes there in 1839, but none called Garret; however, there 
was a Pearce family there, no doubt the family of Garret's wife since the names Michael and Eleanor/Ellen appear in both families.
 
Here's a translation of the Pearce entry:
 
- Mary Pearce, a head tenant who lives elsewhere
 
- Michael Pearce age 40, wife age 30, 3 sons; he has leased 10 acres of land (from Mary Pearce)
 
Under him is
 
- Eleanor Pearce age 45, 3 sons and 2 dtrs; she has 1 acre of land
 
 You will have seen on the emigration sheet that Garret Byrne had 1.5 acres leased from a Mrs. Morton in 1848. Attached is the page with 
 Henry Morton's holdings (Mrs. Morton likely was his widow), and there's what looks like a James Byrne of the right age as a tenant of Henry Morton, 
 but just now I enlarged that part of the page, and I think it says Garret! He's 60, wife 50, 2 sons and 2 dtrs; has leased one acre of land, and he's
 a labourer.
 
I would guess that your Garret Byrne came down the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City to either Brockville or Kingston, both towns having many 
Fitzwilliam emigres as settlers. He would then have decided to cross the river to settle in NY State.
 
Hope this is helpful... Anne