Patrick KILFOYLE / GUILFOYLE and Catherine O'CONNOR -- County Waterford, Ireland to East Lot 3 and 4, Concession II, Osgoode Township, Ontario, Canada (Manotick Station)

Patrick KILFOYLE / GUILFOYLE and Catherine O'CONNOR
County Waterford, Ireland to
East Lot 3 and 4, Concession II, Osgoode (Manotick Station)
Later to Gatineau Valley (Farrelton), Quebec

June 4, 2003:

Alternate spellings: Guilfoil, Guilfoyle, Gilfoyle, Kilfoil, Gilfoil

Notre Dame Cathedral records:

19 Apr 1841
After three publications of banns, marriage of Patrick Kilfoyle, yeoman of Gloucester,
to Catherine Connor / O'Connor of the same place (later to Osgoode)
Witnesses: Daniel Henry, Taddy (Timothy) Connors & several others

25 Apr 1843
After the publication of one bann, marriage of Patrick Gannon (Fannin?) of Osgoode to Ann
Gilfoyle, minor daughter of Patrick Gilfoyle
Witnesses: John Gilfoyle / Kilfoyle & Elisa Gannon

26 Feb 1842
Baptism of Mary, born the 26th of the marriage of Patrick Kilfoyle and Kitty Connors
Witnesses: Michael Kilfoyle & Mary Walsh
(Was this the Mary Kilfoyle who was killed at Manotick Station in 1926 -
see newspaper clipping from the contemporary Ottawa Citizen)

Source: Drouin Records at ancestry.ca
________________________________

Spelling is way off - this is Pat Kilfoyle, widower in 1871:
His wife, Catherine ("Kitty") O'Connor died in 1856 - see FTW file for more children, etc.
I believe that the woman (Jrace) is Julia, born c. 1847.

1881 Census Place: Osgoode, Russell, Ontario, Canada
Source: FHL Film 1375865 NAC C-13229 Dist 104 SubDist G Div 1 Page 11 Family 50
Sex Marr Age Origin Birthplace
Patrick KATFEFE M W 71 Irish Ireland
Occ: Shoe Maker Religion: Catholic
Jrace KATFEFE F 35 Irish Ontario
Religion: Catholic
________________________________
1881 Census Place: Osgoode, Russell, Ontario, Canada
Source: FHL Film 1375865 NAC C-13229 Dist 104 SubDist G Div 2 Page 5 Family 24
Sex Marr Age Origin Birthplace
John KILFOIL M M 88 Irish Ireland
Occ: Carpenter Religion: Catholic
Mary KILFOIL F M 65 Irish Ireland
Religion: Catholic
John KILFOIL M 35 Irish Quebec
Occ: Farmer Religion: Catholic
Elen KILFORL F 30 Irish Quebec
Religion: Catholic
James LANNIN M 18 Irish Ontario
Occ: Farmer Religion: Catholic
John LANNIN M 16 Irish Ontario
Religion: Catholic
William LANNIN M 13 Irish Ontario
Religion: Catholic
Harietann LANNIN F 11 Irish Ontario
Religion: Catholic
May 23, 2005:
Thanks to Michael Daley for the following:

Hi Al, and all, small world . would you believe that this old fellow, in 1935-36,
visited an elderly woman by the name of Ellen Kilfoil on a farm ,across the
road from the Guilfoyle farm, at Farrellton, I went there with my grandparents
and a sister, Ellen Kilfoil, [ Guilfoyle] was my Grandmother 's God Mother,
[Catherine Keough] as they were neighbors, in Osgoode, and my grand mother wanted
to see her ,Ellen never married, i think she would be living on the Carroll farm,
there were two men living there by the name Lannin (see 1881 census above).
They would be nephew's of Ellen Kilfoil, ?. The Guilfoyle Family from Farrellton
returned to their roots, visited here on the farm on a Sunday afternoon, in October 1941 ,
from that day forward, the Guilfoyle name became a like a household name in this
family, Jim Guilfoyle, son of James Guilfoyle and Mary Gertrude Rice of Farrellton,
married my sister Margaret, November 9 ,1942 , in St. John's the Evangelist church,
in Enniskerry, thus creating a link with past and a continuity in to the future.
... Michael DaleyDecember 9, 2008:

I have came across another spelling of the Guilfoyle name.

"KILLFOILE"

This how it is spelled in the St Camillus Church register.

Regards

... David Guilfoyle
February 14, 2010:

From Taylor Kennedy:

Hi Guys
Michael Britt who married Elizabeth Carroll, this is his older brother John Britt. Read Front page first then
The Ottawa Citizen January 12th next.
Sad and tragic.
Taylor
PS Her parents married in April 19, 1841 and John Britt parents married June 13, 1841
Mary Kilfoyle - born 26 Jan 1842 and baptized 26 Feb 1842 first born died January 6, 1926

FRONT PAGE - OTTAWA CITIZEN - JANUARY 8, 1926

HAMMER FOUND UNDER CUPBOARD OF KILFOYLE HOME
Verifies in Measure Story Told Police Authorities by Napoleon Pelletier, Confessed Slayer

MRS. BRITT UNABLE TO LOCATE WILL

HORSE SHOT BY HUMANE SOCIETY, BUT OTHER STOCK CARED FOR

A discovery which verifies, in some measure, the statement made by Napoleon Pelletier, confessed murderer of Mary Kilfoyle
of Manotick Station on Wednesday, was made by County Police Chief Ernest Reid when he visited the Kilfoyle home today.
The chief discovered a hammer under a cupboard.
Pelletier had stated that Miss Kilfoyle had started a fight which ended in fatal injuries to her, by throwing a hammer at Pelletier. At first no
hammer could be found and some doubt was cast on this statement.

The Chief was accompanied to Manotick by Humane Inspector Lemuel Milligan, who shot the old horse belonging to Miss Kilfoyle.
The beast was decrepit and good for nothing and since her death had no one to care for it, so that the authorities judged it a
humane act to put the animal beyond any possibility of misery.

STOCK CARED FOR

The cow and chickens, all that are left of Miss Kilfoyle's few belongings, are being looked after by Mr. Patrick Harney,
a neighbour, until such time as her Last Will & Testament, at the present, not located, is found and her property disposed of.
Detective Sergeant Mort Culver accompanied Chief Reid to Manotick Station and took photographs of the house, exterior and interior,
for the purpose of the trial. Chief Reid also visited several people living in the vicinity for the purpose of summoning them to
Ottawa to attend, in the capacities of witnesses, the inquest and trial.

Continued on Page 5

OTTAWA CITIZEN - JANUARY 8, 1926 - PAGE 5

HAMMER IS FOUND UNDER CUPBOARD,
KILFOYLE HOME

In the late fall of the year 1921, the late Miss Mary Kilfoyle, who was murdered at her home in Manotick Station
on Wednesday afternoon, by Napoleon Pelletier, came to Ottawa with her old friend, Mr. Samuel Chambers, and stayed
for the winter at the home of her brother-in-law, Mr. John Britt, 367 1-2 Bointer Street.
Mr. Britt was away in a lumber camp at the time, and his wife cared for the aged couple. In return for this kindness,
before she left, Miss Kilfoyle drew up what would now be her Last Will & Testament. In it she deeded to Mr. John Britt,
her two hundred acre farm at Manotick Station, but Mrs. Britt is now unable to find the valuable document.
"I remember Miss Kilfoyle drew up this deed on a sheet of paper, which I witnessed and so did Mr. Chambers, some time
in the early spring, before she returned to her farm," Mrs. Britt said this morning. "I put the document away in some
place, but although I have searched everywhere, I can think of this morning I have been unable to find it. This Will
was written on a single sheet of ordinary note paper, and while I can not remember the exact phraseology of the document,
I know who provided that in the event of her death, the farm should go to John, my husband, owing to the fact that her
only brother, Patrick, had gone to the West, but she didn't know if he was alive or dead. My husband was away in a
lumber camp at the time and Mary told me that she was leaving the property to John because she knew
he would and could look after the property, and she did not want strangers to get her old home, to which she was very
much attached."

OTTAWA CITIZEN JANUARY 12, 1926

SLAYER GRINS AS STORY HIS DEED IS TOLD

Napoleon Pelletier plays with handcuffs and Appears Little Interested in Inquest In Death of His Victim

VERDICT HE MURDERED MISS MARY KILFOYLE

Town Hall At Manotick Crowded When Coroner Holds Inquiry Into Brutal Crime

Exhibiting a callous and even cynical indifference, Napoleon Pelletier sat in a crowded Town Hall at Manitock last
evening, and listened with a grin on his face, to the jury empanelled by Coroner Dr. J. E. Craig, bring in a
verdict charging him with the murder of Miss Mary Kilfoyle, pioneer resident of Manitock, at her lonely cabin
home on Wednesday afternoon last.
With a set of handcuffs dangling from one wrist with which he played continuously through the two hours the inquest
was in progress, the self confessed murderer, was without doubt, from his behaviour, the most uninterested man
in the hall.
He sat on one side of the hall, near to Crown Attorney Richie and Coroner Craig, guarded by High Constable Ernest Reid
of Carleton County, and County Constable Harry Hill, and only on two occasions, did he betray the slightest
interest in the fatal proceedings.

Scowling deeply

These were when Reverend Father Francis Corkery, parish priest of South Gloucester and High Constable Reid were giving
their evidence. When the former testified, Pelletier leaned forward in his seat gazing fixedly at the witness, but when
High Constable Reid gave his evidence, the accused man scowled deeply, and one time seemed about to make a statement,
but apparently changed his mind, and sat back in his seat with his habitual grin.

Upon the conclusion of the evidence given by upwards of a dozen witnesses, which told of the murder of the aged woman,
the finding of her brutally beaten body, his connection with the Kilfoyle home, and his final confession, Crown Attorney
J. A. Ritchie summed up.
He was brief, and left no room for doubt in the minds of the jurors, as what their verdict should be. He declared that
in view of Pelletier's confession he was guilty of murder, and as these words left his lips, Pelletier gazing vacantly
about the hall yawned prodigiously several times.
The meaningless grin which has been spoken of as one of his characteristics was constantly in evidence, and it was displayed
when there was no possible reason for any suggestion of humor.
Accompanied by Crown Attorney J. A. Ritchie, who questioned the various witnesses, Mr. Bernard Mullin, who took down the
evidence in shorthand, and Mr. H. R. Meredith, who marshalled the witnesses, Coroner Craig conducted the inquest with despatch,
with the result that by a little after ten o'clock the small party of Ottawa officials were on route to the city.
The evidence given by the witnesses summoned added nothing new to the story of the crime, and subsequent apprehension and
confession of Napoleon Pelletier, as published a week ago.

Town Hall Crowded

That the case has aroused very considerable interest was evidenced by the very large gathering which filled the small
Town Hall, comprising farmers from all over the Gloucester, Osgoode and Manotick districts.
There was a hush that almost could be felt, at the outset of the inquest, when Crown Attorney Ritchie, holding aloft
the axe with which the life of Miss Kilfoyle had been taken, asked a witness, Mr. Joseph O'Brien, if it was
he who had found it. Pelletier gazed for a moment or so at the blood stained weapon, and from it to the witness,
and then turning his face to the body of the hall, he laughed silently.
Following the inquest the handcuffs were fastened about both wrists of the accused man, and he was loaded into an
automobile and taken back to his cell in the Nicholas street jail by the officers in charge of him from whence
he will emerge to face his preliminary trial on the murder charge Thursday morning.

Report of Autopsy

Dr. William J. Leach, physician Manitock, the first witness called, read the report of the autopsy he had made. It
had disclosed a bad gash on the back part of the skull, together with minor cuts and bruises on the face. In his
opinion death had been due to haemorrhage and shock, resulting from a fracture of the skull.
In reply to Crown Attorney J. A. Ritchie, witness stated that the wound on the skull could have been caused by a
blow from the back of an axe, and that it was probably this wound that led to her death.
Witness stated that he was called to Miss Kilfoyle about 5 o'clock on Wednesday last by telephone, and found her
lying prone, in a pool of blood, in an unconscious condition. He found evidence of a disturbance having taken
place in the house from the bed tick being on the floor and furniture being disarranged.
She did not have a rope around her neck when he found her.

Finding of Victim

Mr. Mark O'Brien, Manitock Station, said he had known the deceased, and was at her home on Wednesday afternoon last
shortly after 3 o'clock. He had gone with his brother to buy wood. Not being able to make Miss Kilfoyle hear
them rapping and calling, they opened the door, which was fastened on the outside, and saw her lying on the floor.
They went to neighbours to get help, and when they returned they entered the house, but didn't examine her.
"Why didn't you do something to arouse her?" asked Mr. Ritchie.
"I didn't think it was any of our business," said witness.
Then they went to Mr. Downey, who phoned Dr. Leach, and when they got back Rev. Father Corkery was there.
He hadn't noticed if the house was in disorder.
Witness said he has known Pelletier since he was a boy, but didn't know how he worked for Miss Kilfoyle. He had not
seen him for some time before the murder. He was present when the blood stained axe was found under a cot,
in the room where Miss Kilfoyle was discovered.
Mr. Joseph E. O'Brien corroborated the evidence of the previous witness, his brother. He testified contrary to
the evidence of Dr. Leach, that a rope had been about the woman's neck, but it was not knotted.
Mr. William Harney, farmer of Manitock, said he had been a neighbour of Miss Kilfoyle for many years, and lived
about a mile distant from her home. His evidence was similar to that of Mr. O'Brien's.
His lack of knowledge in the dire event led Crown Attorney Ritchie to query: " Are murders so frequent in this
district that they don't create any interest?" (Laughter)
Mr. Percy O'Brien's evidence was also corroborative.

Rev. Father Corkery

Rev. Father Francis Corkery, parish priest of South Gloucester, stated he had visited Miss Kilfoyle four or five
times since he had come to the parish. He had endeavoured to get her into an institution several times but
she had refused.
Witness explained that previous witness had not known it was Miss Kilfoyle they had found in the house, because
of the way she was dressed. She had on a man's coat, also socks and moccasin's and her hair was all over
her face and her head bloody.
He had believed her to be dying and administered the last rights of the church.
Asked if he knew Napoleon Pelletier, witness said Louis Napoleon Pelletier had called upon him some time ago
to get a baptismal certificate, as he wanted to go to Detroit. He identified the accused as this man, who had
given the name as Napoleon Pelky. He had given Pelletier the required certificate. It was not until after the
murder he had learned Pelletier had been working for Miss Kilfoyle.
While Rev. Father Corkery was giving his evidence, Pelletier gazed fixedly at him, and when witness told of him
having used the name "Pelky," he grinned broadly.

Alexander Potvin, mail carrier, Manitock Station, stated he knew Pelletier, and that he had told witness on the
Monday before Miss Kilfoyle's death, he was working for her.

Purchase of Boots

"Did Pelletier call at your store and buy anything on this Monday?" asked Mr. Ritchie.
"Yes he bought some gum rubber boots and some groceries for Miss Kilfoyle."
"Did he pay you in cash?"
"He paid part and had a note from Miss Kilfoyle telling us to charge the balance owing."
Witness stated he had not kept this note, but both he and his wife had both read it, and his wife had
served the young man.
Mr. Johnson Clapp said he knew Pelletier by sight and on Wednesday last in the afternoon about 3:35 he had
seen the accused in Manotick Station.

Red Mark on Hand

He was seated on a bench, and it was about ten minutes before the train for Ottawa had arrived. He noticed when
Pelletier was filling his pipe a red mark on his left hand which looked like blood. He had not spoken to him.
Pelletier was unshaven and looked like a rough character.
He saw Mr. William Buell talking to the accused, apparently about horses. He heard Pelletier say "Why don't you go
up and buy some from Miss Kilfoyle?"- also that he was going to the shanty. Witness saw Pelletier
board the Ottawa train.
Throughout this evidence Pelletier smiled almost constantly also when the next witness Mr. William Buell was testifying.
He said "It's a good farm alright, although it has a few stones on it." After this he had boarded the train.
Lucien Potvin, son of Alexander Potvin, told of seeing Pelletier at Manotick Station on Wednesday afternoon last.
Witness just saw Pelletier approaching the Station. He had a pack on his back, and was coming from the direction
of Miss Kilfoyles home. Later he had seen him sitting on a bench at the Station and afterwards board the train going to Ottawa.

For Miss Kilfoyle

Mr. George Dundas, farmer at Manotick Station, said Pelletier had called at his place the day before Miss Kilfoyle's death,
for a drink of water. Pelletier told witness he had been cutting wood for Miss Kilfoyle on the 3rd and the 4th of January.
Mr. Winfield Gamble, of Manotick Station, said that on the last day of December when he was at Miss Kilfoyle's farm
Pelletier had entered the farmhouse, and sat for awhile, and afterwards cut some wood. Witness and Mr. Ernest Moody had
gone there to buy � an acre of bush. They paid Miss Kilfoyle $16.50 for the bush and Pelletier was present. The accused
scowled at the latter statement, and was about to say something, but changed his mind and smiled.
High Constable Ernest Reid after being informed of the death of Miss Kilfoyle on the night of January 6th, he did not
know Pelletier, and met him for the first time on that night in the Ottawa Police station. He had identified him by
the description he had received from Manotick.
Witness stated that on the following morning Pelletier had admitted to him, Detective Culver and Meehan, that he had
been at Miss Kilfoyle's home, also that following a quarrel which had arisen when the woman had accused him of theft
of money from her Pelletier had struck her with an axe and tied a rope around her neck.

Other witnesses who gave evidence of a minor character were Messrs. Patrick Fox, Daniel Nolan, William Eggins / Eggens,
Ernest Lee, Norman Spratt and County Constable Hill.

May 30, 2010:

Here is the beginning of a newspaper article from the
Ottawa Citizen Digital Archives of March 24, 1926

August 18, 2011:

Can someone tell me the wife name of the John Britt who was named in the murder investigation of Mary Kilfoyle... was it Annie?
If so this is my Great Grandparents.

... Kelly Ellis
____________________________

Hi Kelly

Here is some info on Catherine Kilfoyle who married John Patrick Britt. It was Catherine's sister that was murdered.

... Taylor Kennedy

Generation No. 1

1. CATHERINE2 KILFOYLE (PATRICK1) was born 1857 in South Gloucester, Carleton County, and died April 23, 1917 in Ottawa,
Ontario. She married JOHN PATRICK BRITT October 17, 1884 in South Gloucester, Carleton County, son of PATRICK BRITT and
ANASTATIA O'BRIEN. He was born January 11, 1846 in South Gloucester, Carleton County, and died April 30, 1932 in Ottawa, Ontario.

Notes for CATHERINE KILFOYLE:

FRONT PAGE - OTTAWA CITIZEN - JANUARY 8, 1926

HAMMER FOUND UNDER CUPBOARD

OF KILFOYLE HOME

Verifies in Measure Story Told Police Authorities by Napoleon Pelletier Confessed Slayer

MRS. BRITT UNABLE TO LOCATE WILL

HORSE SHOT BY HUMANE SOCIETY, BUT OTHER STOCK CARED FOR

The remainder of this newspaper article is included above, under date of February 14, 2010.