January 10, 2004:

From Alexa Pritchard:

Discharge Papers of Sergeant William Shea, 99th Regiment of Foot
Settler in Richmond, Upper Canada, 1818



William Shea, 5' 6 3/4", was 30 when he enlisted in the 41st Regiment in 
1799, his complexion was fresh, he had grey eyes and brown hair.  William 
was born in Kerry (county), Killcarny (parish), near Tralee, and was a 
labourer. Prior to the 41st Regiment, he had spent one year with the Bershire 
Foot and four years with the Royal Cork City Regiment. Shea attached to 
the 99th Regiment in Chambly (Quebec)on April 2nd, 1816 for a period UL 
(unlimited time?) by Sgt. March. "Jan 6th to June 24, 1815; to Corporal 
May 25, 1812; to Sargent July 3, 1817".
_______________________________________	
Al:

I hope that perhaps out there there will be an answer to my missing links:

Catherine Shea was the daughter of Sgt. William Shea of the 41st & 99th
British Regiment. I do know that he had to return to London England to be
presented to the Chelsea Board for his pension at the end of the war so it
is possible that Catherine was born in the UK.

In April of 1821 William, together with his wife Cecila Kelly and their
children, moved from the military camp at Lachine, Quebec to the new
settlement of Richmond, in Ontario.

Twenty years later (Oct 29, 1842 St. Phillips) Catherine married John Murphy
"of Montagie" (Montague Township). He was a soldier in the 99th Regiment as
well.  The marriage was witnessed by Martin Hanrahan & Sarah Larkin (NA
M2818) If John is the John Murphy I expect he is, then he was born in 1794.

From this union there were at least three:
1) Margaret Murphy
b Aug 25, 1842
bpt Oct 2, 1842 St. John Baptist, Perth
sponsors: Daniel Hounigan (Hourigan) & Donohan, pg 8 book 6
2) John Murphy
b Dec 24, 1843 @ Montague Twp
bpt  Dec 25, 1843 St. John Baptist, Perth
sponsors: Thomas Dillon & Alice Smith #132
3) Bridget Murphy
bapt: Sept 7, 1845 @ Lanark Co., On

Catherine's sister, Ann, moved with her husband, Peter McGinn, to
Petersville Iowa, USA. I believe John and Catherine also moved to Petersville for
a time. Catherine's name appears on a tombstone in Petersville Iowa:

JOHN
Son of
JOHN &
CATHERINE
MURPHY
DIED
August 8, 1872
28 yrs 7 mos 14 days

erected by his mother Catherine

I believe the Catherine, mother of John, who erected a monument to her son
in Petersville is non other than Catherine Shea Murphy.  However I have not
been able to find out what became of Catherine and her husband John after
their son's death. Hopefully this notice will help make the connection.

Thank you.

By Alexa Pritchard

Surname: Shea, Kelly, McGinn, McCabe, Roane (Rowan?), Murphy

Sgt William Shea of the 41st Regiment and his wife Cecilia Kelly settled 
in Goulbourn/Richmond Ontario in 1821 with their children: Marie b 1800, 
Nancy/Ann b 1801 (married Peter McGinn),Jane (m. Thomas McCabe), 
John Joseph b 1813 (m. Mary Roane), Catherine (m. John Murphy) and
William b 1817 (m. Sarah Kelly)


Here's more from Alexa:

Hugh Gormley was born in 1781 at  Miny Tyrone and was 40 when he died. He 
was 5'10" tall, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes, black hair, and an oval 
face. At 21 years of age he signed on to the 41st Regiment at Castle Bar on 
the 4th of May in 1812 by Sey' McGowan for an unlimited term. He was 
promoted to Corporal on the 16th of June and to Sergeant on the 14th of 
February, 1818. Pensioned Sept 23, 1818 (wo 120 Vol 135 pg 265 index 1842) 
Located Goulbourn October 1818, on E 1/2 Lot 14 Con. 3 and W 1/2 Lot 15 Con 
2. When Hugh left for Goulbourn Marie was by his side.
The Shea grave stone is engraved  died 1822 but in fact he was killed by a 
falling tree before Feb 17th, 1821, about two and a half years after he 
located, leaving a wife, Marie, and daughter, Jane. When his daughter Jane 
sold the farm she stipulated "except 6 feet wherein lies Hugh Gormley". 
(Bruce Elliot OGS News May/June, 1996, pg 103 & RG1C4 OA Township Papers, 
Johnston District) I assume the grave stone was erected when William Shea 
died and at that time Cecilia Kelly, James McGinn, Hugh Gormley, were 
included. His body is very likely still on the farm.
The 1842 census lists Daniel and Martin Hanrahan as farmers of 250 acres, 
25 improved; 5 Irish born; 1 Canadian; 16 years in the province (arrived 
1826) 1 male 0-5 (Billy in the Bush); 1 male 21-30 (Martin) 1 male 30-60 
married (Daniel); 1 male married 60+ (Daniel Sr.); 1 female married 14-45 
(Jane); 1 married female 45+ (Ellen-Daniel's wife). From these clues I 
assume that Maria and Hugh were married in Ireland or England when he went 
back to be discharged. I was unable to find a record of Marie and Hugh's 
marriage in Canada, which could mean that the record didn't survive. Was 
Jane born in Ireland as well?  However they settled on Lot 14 Concession 3; 
Marie's parents, William and Cecilia were located on Lot 13.
1821 Feb 17 Assessment : Widow Gormley 1 w, 1 female child total 2
1821 August 16 Special Assessment to Pay the County: Widow Hugh Gormley 8 
pence. (total of 170 farms assessed)
Interesting to note here that the first listing of William Shea in 
Goulbourn Township was in April of 1821 but Marie was a widow living in 
Goulbourn by February of 1821. I would suppose that Hugh was probably killed 
in January or early February. The family remembered 1822 and marked the 
family gravestone years later.
Jane Gormley married Daniel Hanrahan in 1839. By the April 1840 tax 
assessment,  "Gormley's daughter" was living on Con 3 Lot 14 and Con 2 Lot 
15.  Sgt Hugh Gormley was the original settler on both lots-no sign of her 
mother-would Marie be dead? Or did she marry and move away leaving the farm 
to Jane and Daniel? By 1840 William and Cecila were living in Richmond, they 
were listed as owning Con 3 Lot 18 but not occupied.

R. McCabe owned Con 1 Lot 12 but was not living on it either. . . . four 
names up on the list so must be neighbours. Would he be the father of Thomas 
McCabe who married Marie's sister, Jane? Is the George Hanrahan who owns Con 
10 Lot 3 (not occupied) related to Daniel? Probably, but not a father I 
think because the name isn't repeated in Daniel's children's names.
Pat Murphy was on Lot 12, Con 8 which is 16 down on the list from them. At 
the bottom of the list is Alex McCabe on Lot 8 Con 6. John Murphy has half 
lot 24 on Con 9. Is he the John Murphy that marries Marie's sister 
Catherine?

And then....
William and Cecilia's son John Shea....eventually took over the farm on Shea 
Road in Richmond with his wife Mary Rowan / Roane:

William Shea
b Dec 12, 1843 bpt Jan 6, 1844
bpt sp: James McGinn & Mary Larkin

Thomas Roland Shea  bapt Dec 25, 1845
sp Henry McCarthy & Marg O'Brien
b Oct 24, 1845
d April 7, 1922 I Danford
m1 Rose Crossman d 1874
m2 Katherine McKay White (widow) Dec  '74
b 1844
d Dec 23, 1899 55 yrs cronic dypepsia

John Shea
b April 26, 1847  Confirmed Jan 27, 1861
bpt  sp Patrick Laughrin & Ellen Murray
d @ Prescott

Edward Shea
b April 27, 1849
bt s: Wm Shea & Mary McNeal

Alice Shea
b Feb 3, 1851 bt Feb  25, 1852
bt s: John McCarthy & Ann Shea
d 1885 33 yrs I. Fallowfield
m John A. Hanratty son of Peter Hanratty
b May 24, 18552
d Aug 16, 1905  I. Notre Dame

Joseph Ralph Shea
b May 28, 1853
d Jan 22, 1888??
m Catherine Theresa Bradley

Mary "Maria" Shea SCO
(Rev. Sister Marie Antoinette)
b April 10, 1855
bt s:  John Mears & Mary Ann McGinn June 5/55
d March 18, 1928  I. Pembroke

James Shea
b Feb 27, 1859
bt s: M. Charlebois & Mary Tierney
d 1899

Briget Theresa Shea
b 1862 bt Aug 21, 1871
bt s: Thos Myers & Brigett Myers
d Jan 18, 1882 20 yrs
I. Fallowfield buried in presence of John,
Thomas and Joseph Shea
October 16, 2002:
Thanks to Ken Armstrong for the following:
Hi Alexa and Al;
 
I visited the recently renovated Reilly's Cemetery, located on Shouldice Road, 
5.1 km, from highway 105, Alcove, and found the following Cemetery stone for 
Alexander H. Shea:
 
Alexander H. Shea
Died: Apr 3, 1877
Aged 74 Years
His Wife
Elizabeth Courtney
Died: Mar 15, 1877
Aged: 73 Years
 
Alexander would have been born about 1803 and Elizabeth born about 1804. Any idea what 
Shea family he belongs to?
 
Ken Armstrong

September 27, 2004:
New Book by Alexa Pritchard:

Family ,Friends & Neighbours of Sgt. William Shea, 41st British Regiment of Foot, by Alexa Pritchard,
ISBN 0-9682818-3-4, August 2004, Ottawa, Intrepid Communications or by e-mail from Alexa Pritchard
December 1, 2005:
Hello Al

I have extra copies of Sgt William Shea 41st Regiment of Foot 1770 now available 
to families connected to Petersville Iowa and Richmond Ontario.
Anyone wanting more details can contact me directly at alexapritchard@hotmail.com

Thank you
Alexa
May 7, 2006:
Here's some more info on William Shea from a researcher of the 41st Regiment.  
Hope it helps!
... Tod Molesworth, 
4th Great grandson of Drummer William Molesworth, 41st Regt. 18 years.  
 
Shea, William
Light Infantry
7th 2nd  
Born Tralee, County Cork, Ireland.  Enlisted January 6, 1799.  Reduced in ranks 
November 2, 1812.  Settled in Richmond, Ontario after the war.
Sgt.
Pvt.
 Sailed aboard the Asia in 1799 from Cork, Ireland as Sgt. of the Light Infantry 
 Company.  Posted at Kingston June 1801.  Posted at the Landing at Chippawa late 1811.  
 Captured at the Battle of the Thames October 5, 1813.  Returned as Prisoner of War 
 October 25, 1814.
__________________
Mr. Molesworth: Please e-mail me if you would like your e-mail address added to this page.
Thanks,
... Al Lewis
May 7, 2007:
Index to names which occur in Alexa Pritchard's book:
Sgt. William SHEA, 41st British Regiment of Foot 1770: Pioneer families of 
Richmond, Ontario and Petersville, Iowa, USA
 February 9, 2009:

As I review my notes of 1822, Sgt Wm Shea is listed as 1 adult male, 1 adult female, 1 male 
child, 5 females total 8. The 1842 census records: 2 born in Ireland, 8 born in Canada. I 
assumed a combination of married children and grands. 1822 had to be an error: 2 adults fine 
but one boy and 5 girls?..I know there were 2 sons, John b 1818 and William b 1817 
(confirmed by church records). I gave little thought to this entry knowing it wasn't 
correct....that is until today. Is the total accurate? Their children are: Marie, listed 
elsewhere as Widow Gormley with 1 female child so not to be counted; (1) Ann (McGinn by 1823); 
(2) Jane (McCabe by 1839); Elizabeth died 1810 as an infant; (3) Catherine (Murphy by 1842); 
(4) John (married Mary Roane 1843); (5) William (married Sarah Kelly 1837). Obviously missing 
3 children.

Prescott conundrum: when (4) John died, his son "of Prescott" made the arrangements. Grace 
Shea is reported to have said that she was related to George Beverly Shea (because of his 
high profile he is difficult to reach) however I've traced his family back to Plantagenet, 
Prescott Co., Ontario. His grandfather, Jemas b 1821 and Barbara (various spellings) b 1832 
had the following children: John (of Pendelton) b 1852; William b 1863; George b 1862; Issac 
b 1865; Adam J. b 1872; and Alice D b 1883.

Bytown or Bust has been very good to me in the past.....will my luck hold?  Anyone looking 
for Jemas (aka James) Shea born Mar 27, 1821 of Prescott?  Also one Sarah Shea who married 
James Roach 23 September 1832 (Notre Dame record)?

Thanks Al!

... Alexa