April 19, 2002:

My name is Jim Whelan and I too and trying to research my Whelan genealogy 
in Canada. I am in Florida, USA - which makes it difficult. I have a friend 
who was researching his roots in the Toronto area and he would send me bits 
and pieces of info. from the Archives when he would run across them. My 
information is limited

Some of the information about some of the Whelan's on your Website sounds 
very familiar to "my" Whelan's.

I apoligize - I do not have a lot to go on.

My ggg grandfather, Michael Whelan was married to Mary Bates and according 
to the 1851 census were both born about 1800 in Ireland. According to that 
census, Michael was a butcher - and that is about all the information we 
have. We do not know where in Ireland they were from.

Their son, C. B. Whelan, (Charles Bates Whelan) - born about 1830, was born 
in St John, Quebec (now St. Jean Baptiste). He married Mary Farrar of the 
american stoneware / pottery merchants Farrars from Vermont, USA.
Charles died in 1874 in Pembroke, Ontario and was a watchmaker by trade.
His wife Mary died in 1922 - but we do not have any verification of that. I 
have often wondered why Charles, as a watchmaker, would move from the "big 
city" - to seemingly the middle of nowhere at the time. I had presumed that 
he had other Whelan family in the area but no confirmation of that either. 
From the sound of the notes on your website - there were certainly other 
Whelan's in the Ottawa area.

Any help or comments would be appreciated.

Jim Whelan

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From Taylor Kennedy:
Hello Jim
I read your email and may be able to help a bit.  
It appears that Michael and Mary resided in Quebec, and if this is 
the case, I would be helpless as the Ontario Archives do not have records 
for Quebec. I beleive they can be obtained at the National Archives in 
Ottawa. However, if they ended up coming into Ontario, then I'm sure I can 
help out, as I visit the Ontario Archives once a week if I'm not working, so 
any look ups, I be happy to search for you. Pembroke is in the County of 
Renfrew and I'll be looking through those records for another related 
family. Any additional information as to location of the 1851 census might 
be a good start to narrow down the regions. If Michael and Mary died in 
Ontario, chances are good I can retreive a death register for them. We have 
access up to 1929 for those.
So let me know. Take care
Taylor Kennedy

==========

Jim:

You could also try posting a query to the Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogy group which includes
the town of Pembroke where Charles died.
... Al
=========
 April 29, 2002:
Hello there Jim

Well it took about 3 mins. once I got to the cemetery today and found the 
tombstone of your grandparents and Aunt. It's a gray stone that stands about 
4 feet high and 30 inches across. I took 3 pictures of it, but I won't have 
the pictures until I develop my film. Your pictures are #1,#2  on the roll 
of 24. Here's the inscription and here's a map that shows the 
EXACT........... location, in case you are ever up in Toronto again. I get 
those pics. to you as soon as I develop, OK.
Take care for now
Taylor Kennedy

INSCRIPTION:
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
WILLIAM FARRAR WHELAN
BORN ST. JOHN'S QUEBEC
OCTOBER 20, 1861
DIED IN TORONTO AUGUST 11, 1923
"HE RESTS FROM HIS LABORS"
AND HIS WIFE
HARRIETT McDOWELL WHELAN
BORN IN NORWOOD, ONTARIO
DECEMBER 5, 1861
DIED IN BUFFALO JANUARY 16, 1946
"HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP"
ALSO HELEN MARGUERITE
BELOVED DAUGHTER OF THE ABOVE
AGED 16 MONTHS