Johanna GRAHAM [1859-1911]

daughter of

Hugh GRAHAM [c1825-1908] &
Mary Anne ENGLISH [c1834-1908]

wife of John Joseph McGUIRE, Sr.

taken: King Township, Ontario

John Joseph McGUIRE, Sr. [1855-1936] King Township, Ontario
and his brother
Dennis McGUIRE [1851-1927]
Isabella County, Michigan, USA
sons of
Owen (Eugene) MAGUIRE [1808-1881] and Catherine (Annie) O'BOYLE
[1819-1903]

taken: Nobleton, Ontario

The details of the MAGUIRE/McGUIRE family emigration to Canada are clouded in time, confusion and conflicting Family Legend, as is the case found by so many other family researchers.

The earliest details are presented with the proverbial "Grain of Salt" and the seemingly most sensible account we are able to piece together at this time.

According to Family Legend, Dennis MAGUIRE left IRELAND from "Co. Fermanagh" for the USA c 1792 - 1796 subsequently returning to Ireland sometime after that period. No story has survived intact the generational "test of time" that offers a reasonable explanation for this supposed trek.

One possible theory is that Dennis could have been serving in the British Military in Ireland, spent time in the USA in that capacity, returning to Ireland when the regiment was shipped home.

Dennis MAGUIRE apparently was one of or, had several sons, his one known son being GG Grandfather, "Owen" MAGUIRE, whose adult occupations were that of farmer and tailor.

It is of interest to note that the Gaelic (Irish) of the given name "Owen" is Eoghain, which translates by verbal pronunciation approximately to Owen while the literal, anglicized translation becomes Eugene.

With one exception, all Ontario records discovered to date show the given name recorded as "Owen" MAGUIRE.

The one record of exception is Owen's Ontario marriage record in 1844 where he is recorded as "Eugene" MAGUIRE at his marriage to Catherine O'BOYLE.

As a further note to that, Catherine, at least after her marriage, was commonly called "Ann" or "Annie" and is in some instances recorded as such, though she is most frequently recorded as Catherine.

It is said, again in unsubstantiated Family Legend, that the several brothers (or sons) of Dennis MAGUIRE emigrated to the "eastern seaboard" of the United States where apparently, if there is any truth to the story at all, some? may have settled permanently.

Certainly the emigration path of Owen MAGUIRE began in IRELAND and ended in Ontario, CANADA.

Whether Owen's emigration path may have first led him through the United States or not is unknown.

"Family Legend" also indicates the possibility of an involvement by Owen with the Ontario rebels in the 1837 Rebellion of Upper Canada although, there is no data discovered to date that either confirms or refutes this particular story. It may be truth or, it may be purely
a "good yarn".

Eugene (Owen) MAGUIRE [1808 - 1881] b Co. Fermanagh, Ireland married Catherine (Annie) O'BOYLE [1819 - 1903] b Co. Mayo, Ireland

August 6, 1844 at the Gore Roman Catholic Mission,
Toronto/Gore Township, Peel County, Ontario

Both Eugene MAGUIRE and Catherine O'BOYLE were recorded as being residents of Vaughan Township, York County, Ontario at the time of their marriage.

In February 1850, Martin O'BOYLE, witness at the marriage of Eugene MAGUIRE and Catherine O'BOYLE, married Bridget BRENNAN, d/o Patrick Brennan and Mary Ann Fleming, at St. Gregory's the Great Catholic Mission in Oshawa, Ontario

Witnesses to Martin O'BOYLE's marriage are recorded as *Owen MAGUIRE*, William HOLMES and Ellen O'BOYLE

"Family Legend" intrudes once more, with the story being that Owen MAGUIRE and Catherine O'BOYLE were married in Ireland, emigrated to Ontario, inexplicably returned to Ireland where their first child, a daughter, Mary MAGUIRE was supposedly born in Ireland in 1848, nearly four full years after the marriage of her parents and, following that birth, Owen and Catherine once more returned to Ontario, where they remained for the rest of their lives.

In spite of "Family Legend", it seems extremely improbable that Owen MAGUIRE and Catherine O'BOYLE ever returned to Ireland for any reason, given the difficulty, time and expense of such an undertaking during the time frame between their marriage in 1844 and their known presence in Ontario in 1850, an era when the Irish people were fleeing the famines in their homeland by the thousands for new lives in North America.

The 1851 Ontario Census of Vaughan/Markham Township, York County, Ontario records the following as being residents of the township:

Owen McGUIRE, age 50 (c1801), his wife, Catherine, age 32 (c1819) and their eldest four children, Mary, age 7 (c1844), Dennis (Donal), age 6 (c1845), Anne, age 4 (c1847) and John, age 2 (c1849).

The Land Records of Tosorontio Township, Simcoe County, Ontario, dated 28 October, 1851 indicate an Owen McGUIRE living on a leased farm at Lot 3 W1/2, Concession 6.

Owen MAGUIRE/McGUIRE, husband of Catherine O'BOYLE, is the only MAGUIRE/McGUIRE by given name "Owen" that we have ever discovered in records of York, Peel or Simcoe Counties to date.

By 1871, twenty years later, Owen and Catherine were settled near Salmonville, (present day Terra Cotta, Ontario) on a leased farm at Lot 15 Concession 6 of Chinguacousy Township, Peel County, Ontario. It is on this property that they are found at the time of the 1871 Ontario census of Peel County, and it is at that time that they are recorded as follows:

Owen MAGUIRE, age 65 (c1806), his wife Catherine, age 50 (c1821) and their children, Mary, age 23 (c1848), Dennis, age 20 (c1851), Annie, age 18 (c1853), John, age 16 (c1855), James, age 14 (c1857), Melina, age 12 (c1859) and Thomas, age 10 (c1861).

As a young woman, Mary MAGUIRE of Peel County, Ontario, eldest child of Owen MAGUIRE and Catherine O'BOYLE, married c1878, John HEFFERNAN.

followed by the names and birth dates of their children, leaving no doubt that this is indeed Mary MAGUIRE, daughter of Owen MAGUIRE and Catherine O'BOYLE

As to the discrepency in year of birth, this may have been deliberate or accidental. It is certainly not unusual on census records, whatever the reason may have been. Curiously, our own personal family research has shown that when discrepencies occur, our family members do tend to get younger with each progressive decade's census.

*St. Martin's Roman Catholic Church Cemetery, Drayton, Wellington County, Ontario*

**Dublin (St. Joseph's) Roman Catholic Cemetery, Esquesing Township, Halton County, Ontario**

Owen MAGUIRE and Catherine O'BOYLE had the following children and, it is with this generation that we see the alternate "Mc" spelling of the surname continuously used and carried forward to subsequent generations of the family:

2. Anne J. McGUIRE [c1849 - 1926] m John "Jack" GRAINEY(GREANEY) [1850 - 1923] s/o Dennis Greaney and Johanna Murphy

3. Dennis McGUIRE [c1851 - 1927] m Mary GREANEY [1857 - 1921]
d/o Dennis Greaney and Johanna Murphy

*4. John Joseph McGUIRE, Sr. [c1855 -1936] m Johanna GRAHAM [1856 - 1911]
d/o Hugh Graham Sr. and Mary Ann English

7. Thomas McGUIRE [c1861 - aft.1900] bachelor

***Appeared in Acton Free Press , 2 Jul 1875 , page 1 , column 7***

Accidental Drowning - James McGuire - on 22 Jun 1875

"A young man named James McGuire, in the employ of Mr. J. Speight, while bathing in the mill pond with a son of the latter, on Tuesday evening, 22nd ult., was drowned. It is supposed he took cramps, as he disappeared suddenly. The young man who was with him, being unable to swim, could render no assistance. A large number of villagers soon assembled, and searched for the body till after midnight, but it was not found till the following morning. An inquest was held, and a verdict rendered of "Accidental drowning while bathing." Deceased was held in high esteem by those who knew him, and especially by his employer, who feels much regret at the sad occurance. His parents reside at Salmonville."

Of the six children who survived into their adulthood, only Mary McGUIRE Heffernan and her brother, John Joseph McGUIRE, Sr. remained in Ontario, Canada, throughout their lives. Their four remaining siblings all emigrating to the USA, sooner or later.

*John Joseph McGUIRE and Johanna GRAHAM lived initially in Toronto, Ontario following their 1883 marriage, where John operated a coal yard and Johanna, a store. John and Johanna then moved to Whitchurch Twp. and finally to Lloydtown, Ontario c1899, where they farmed on the 10th line of King Twp. and completed raising their family. John McGuire carried the mail between Holly Park and the Nashville railroad station, picking up fresh farm produce from the farms along the way for delivery to the station and shipment to the larger centers...
all aided and abetted by his pinto horse, "Billy".

Dennis McGUIRE and Mary GREANEY emigrated to the vincinity of the town of Mt. Pleasant in Union Township, Isabella County, Michigan, USA, following their marriage in Toronto, Ontario in 1881. There they established a farm and spent the remainder of their
lives, having eight children of whom five survived infancy, two sons and three daughters.
Dennis died suddenly, as an elderly widower, in a tragic house fire.

Anne J. McGUIRE, following the death of her husband, John "Jack" GREANEY, Sr.(GRAINEY) in Toronto, Ontario c1905-1909, emigrated to Helena,
Helena Township, Lewis & Clark County, Montana, USA
to join her sons who were living there.

Anne J. GRAINEY is recorded on the 1910 Census of Helena, Montana as
"head of household, widow, living in a rented house, mother of 5 children
of whom 3 are still living"

Three of her five sons, Dennis, James P. and John J. GRAINEY,
had emigrated to Helena between the years of 1902 and 1905.
There James and John owned and operated a successful stationary and stamp business.
It was in Helena, Montana that the recorded surname spelling of this branch
of the GREANEY family permanently became "GRAINEY".
Anne reportedly died in Helena, Montana, USA in 1926.

Mary McGUIRE and John J. HEFFERNAN, married c1878, had seven children, four sons and three daughters. They farmed and raised their family not far from the town of Arthur, in Maryborough Township of Wellington County, Ontario.

James McGUIRE, bachelor, died of accidental drowning near the dam in Fairy Lake at Acton, Ontario on the 22 June, 1875.

Melina McGUIRE and John (Jack) WOODS emigrated by Connestoga wagon to eventually settle reportedly in Colorado, USA (unconfirmed). There was at least one child, a son, Clarence WOODS.
All contact and further information about this branch of the family is lost or, unknown.

Thomas McGUIRE reportedly emigrated to Montana, USA c1895-1900
and was said to have worked for a company stringing telegraph/telephone
lines across the state.
Thomas was supposedly murdered in an attempted robbery on him in Butte, Montana,
enroute to visit his family in Helena. He is believed to have been a bachelor
at the time of his death and to have been buried in Butte or Helena, Montana, USA.
To date, no trace of information has been discovered to confirm this information.

1 i Mary Melina "May" McGUIRE [1885 - 1929] m Thomas "Elmer" BLACK [1885 - 1964] s/o John Black and Matilda Edwards, having three children:

a John Francis BLACK [1912-....] m Mary Ellen CARNEY [1920-1990]
d/o John Carney and Maude ............

b Joseph Thomas BLACK [1915-1986] m Elfreda PIERCE [1923-....]
d/o John Pierce and Mary Heslop

1 ii Hugh Francis McGUIRE [1887 - 1965] m Roselena SULLIVAN [1892 - 1965]
d/o Daniel Sullivan and Lena Wood, having thirteen children:

b Basil Joseph McGUIRE [1912-1997] m (1st) Mary Ann LUCKETT [....-1966]
and m (2nd) Susan Frances PILSON [....-....]
d/o Edward Charles Pilson and Frances Ferguson

c James Bertram "Bert" McGUIRE [1914-1999] m Veronica "Vera" DOYLE [1916-1999]
d/o John Edward Doyle and Anne Crowe

d Francis Hugh McGUIRE [1920-...] m (1st) Kathleen Rose MARSTON [1923-1985]
and m (2nd) Margaret "Peggy" JONES [....-....]

f Bruce Edward McGUIRE [1924-....] m Margaret Mary "Peggy" O'LEARY [1927-....]
d/o Joseph Leo O'Leary and Muriel Teresa A. Campbell

g Bernard McGUIRE [1925-....] m Anne CANNING [....-....]
d/o Ambrose J. Canning and Lillian Smith

h Thelma McGUIRE [1929-....] m James DONNELLY [1926-1991]
s/o John "Clare" Donnelly and Loretta Schuet

j Paul Beverly McGUIRE [1932-....] m Geraldine DOHERTY [1932-....]
d/o Richard Doherty, Jr. and Mary "Edna" Horan

1 v John Joseph "Jay" McGUIRE, Jr. [1894 - c1924] m Elizabeth Myrtle "Lydia" SULLIVAN [1894 -1959] d/o Daniel Sullivan and Lena Wood, having four children:

a John "Dennis" McGUIRE [1915-1952] m Annie "Irene" MATSON [1922-1983]
d/o William George Matson and Isabella Watson Munro

b Verda Helen McGUIRE [1916-1984] m Carl McLEAN [....-....]
s/o Marshall McLean and Annie McGraw

c Josephine Rosemary McGUIRE [1919-1983] m Leslie Howard BRAZIER [1902-1987]
s/o ............Brazier and Loretta Sophia Trimble

d Lorna McGUIRE [1924-1993] m Alan "Robert" CHRISTMAS [1917-1969]
s/o William Cecil Christmas and Ellen "Harriet" Turk

* 1 vi Christopher Basil McGUIRE [1896 -1978]
m Mary Ann Elizabeth "Mae" O'BRIEN [1893-1991]
d/o Morgan O'Brien, Jr. and Mary Ann Melander, having two children:

* a Christine McGUIRE [1920-....] m Patrick "Gerrard" McCABE [1923-1999]
s/o Patrick Joseph McCabe and Mary Theresa McCabe

Christopher Basil McGUIRE, son of John Joseph McGUIRE, Sr. and Johanna GRAHAM,
grandson of Owen (Eugene) MAGUIRE & Catherine (Ann) O'BOYLE,
with his wife, Mary Ann Elizabeth (Mae) O'BRIEN
and three of their great grandchildren - August 1975 - Schomberg, Ontario

The Original Farmhouse of Christopher Basil McGuire
and Mary Ann Elizabeth (Mae) O'Brien on the old
"Tyson Mill Farm" - 10th Concession of King Township
As it appeared in 1960

Though raising first dairy and later beef cattle, the McGuire family
never lost touch with their great admiration and fondness for horses.
They bred and boarded many fine animals during
the active years of their lifetimes on the farms.

2. Dennis McGUIRE and Mary GREANEY had eight children, all born in
Union Township, Isabella County, Michigan, USA:

2 i Catherine Melonia "Katie" McGUIRE [1882-1965] m John James GANNON
[1887-1939] having five children:

2 ii Unknown Child McGUIRE [1883/1900-bef.1900] (died in infancy/childhood)

2 iii Mary Teresa McGUIRE [1884-1969] (spinster)

2 vii Francis Martin McGUIRE [1894-1895]

2 viii Unknown Child McGUIRE [1900/1910-bef.1910] (died in infancy/childhood)

3. Anne J. McGUIRE and John "Jack" GREANEY (GRAINEY) Sr.
had the following five children:

3 iii James P. GRAINEY [1878-....] m Rose Ann KELLY [1888-1983]
having five children:

c. Bernard F. GRAINEY [1919-....] m Elizabeth R. ROCHE [1918-1997]
d/o Matthew Roche and Catherine Hines

e. Florence Rose GRAINEY [1924-....] James Martin PURCELL [....-....]

3 ii John J. GRAINEY [1880-1959] (bachelor)

3 iii Dennis GRAINEY [....- bef. April, 1910] (bachelor)

3 iv Francis GRAINEY [....-....] (bachelor) (Bro. Oswald of the Christian Brothers)

4 i James Dennis HEFFERNAN [1879-....] m Elizabeth BROWN [....-....] having three children:

4 ii Agatha HEFFERNAN [....-1930] m John "Joseph" THIVIERGE, Jr. [1895-1940] having four children:

4 vii Laura (Lauretta) HEFFERNAN [1889-....] m John "Jack" MURCHISON [....-....]
having one child:

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