November 18, 2008:

Hello,
I am descendant from an Irish family from the area of Ballyraheen, County Wicklow.  I have 
been researching the family history and believe they may have been part of the Fitzwilliam 
tenant emigration to Eastern Ontario, and also am aware of other family names that may have 
come from the same Wicklow area.  (See Anne Burgess' work at www.bytown.net/wicklowemigrants.htm and
Annette Code's work at www.bytown.net/coolattin.htm)
 
John Sheppard (Coolkenna) and his second wife, Mary Appleby (Ballyraheen), homesteaded in 
Ramsay Township Ontario (Innisville) in 1841.  Several other siblings arrived with them, 
or at least in the same time period.  Other names in that area are Ebbs, Byrne, Ireton, etc.  

The original Sheppard homestead chimney still stands on Ramsay county land to which they 
came, with a brass plaque citing their arrival.
 
We believe John Sheppard was a carpenter on the Fitzwilliam estate prior to his departure 
to Canada.  (See link below.)
 
I was wondering if you might have run across their names in your research.
 
Thank you very much for any information you might be able to provide.
 
Ian (Sheppard)
 
http://www.ancestorsatrest.com/ireland_genealogy_data/coolkenna_townland_wicklow_fitzwilliam_rentals.shtml

_______________________________________

Good morning, Mr. Sheppard:
 
Thanks for your interesting e-mail regarding your ancestors, John Sheppard and Mary Appleby.
 
There seem to have been quite a few families who came from southern County Wicklow to the 
Innisville / Boyd's Settlement area in Lanark County. It's an interesting migration pattern.
 
Is it OK with you if I add your e-mail to our web site? Hopefully, we may hear from other 
researchers. Please let me know if this is OK with you.
 
I have a CD prepared by the late Robert Sample. The CD contains the family of John and Mary 
in the 1800's. It states that John's first wife was Anna Price and they had two children 
together, Sarah and Benjamin. According to Mr. Sample's work, John was born in Shillelagh, 
County Wicklow.
 
Thanks very much for contacting us. Hope to hear from you.
 
... Al Lewis
_________________________________

Thank you, Al, and, yes, feel free to add my email.  John Sheppard (born 1801) was married 
to Anna Price (first wife) and had two children, Benjamin and Sarah.  His birthdate 
coincides with the age in the 1839 valuation link below.  He emigrated with his second 
wife, Mary Appleby, and settled in Ramsay County.  We know from an obituary of his second 
child with Mary, Charlotte, that she was born in Shillelagh.  I am inclined to believe, 
however, that John himself was not born there.  Certainly, he lived there for a time with 
Mary.  Mary and he had many other children (10, we believe), the first two of which were 
born in Ireland prior to their departure to Canada, meaning that he likely arrived with 
four children; two from each marriage.
 
Rumour had it that their original destination was not Lanark County, but they stopped in as 
Mary was significantly ill, and they had prior family connections.  We have not been able to 
confirm this however.   
 
Please note that we believe two of John's brothers also came to the Ottawa valley (Benjamin 
and David), and several of the Appleby clan also arrived with Mary (Thomas, Elizabeth, Ann, 
John, Sarah).  All of these around the same time period, but we are unsure of any particular 
ships.
 
Thank you again, as it seems your information from Mr. Sample corresponds with the information 
I have.  Isn't it odd how we build the tree fibre by fibre.
 
Best regards,
... Ian
_______________________________
Hello Ian,
 
I have just a couple of things to add.
 
You have my transcription of the 1839 Fitzwilliam rentals record for Coolkenna (from 
ancestorsatrest). 
 
Attached here is a map of the townlands of the western part of the Fitzwilliam estate. 
One of the Balfes of Boley (Patrick) married an Anne Price and was having children there 
in the 1820s, so perhaps there was some movement back and forth across the religious divide 
in that area. (Other Balfes from Boley came to the rural area around Smiths Falls, 1826-1848.)
 
In my research into the Ontario settlement of the Fitzwilliam emigres, I haven't yet found 
the attached Appleby family, but perhaps they relate to your family. I did see the name 
in Lanark County, but I don't think it's this family. 
 
I'm also attaching the emigration record for a Keeley family who had leased land from John 
Shepard, a head tenant in Liscolman (top right-hand corner of the townland map). Perhaps 
this John is one of your family, too.
 
Hope this is helpful.
 
... Anne Burgess