Oneil

My grandfather Arthur Francis Jacques, Jr., told family members that his great-grandfather Charles O'Neil came from County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. To date, I have not found any proof of this. This is one of those ongoing genealogy projects, I refuse to call it a deadend.

Another stumbling block was Charles' wife Hermine. Thanks to a Jacques cousin I now know who Hermine was and where she came from.

Charles O'Neil was married on 1 October 1824 at Trois Rivières, Comté-St-Maurice, Quebec, to Hermine Sigman - (Hermine's last name shows up with several spellings - Sigman, Sigmun, Sigmund, Sigmen, Sickman, Seguin). Hermine Sigman was the daughter of Henry Sigman (Siegmann, Sickman, Singman) and Henry's 2nd wife Marie Robert.

Hurcule (Hercule) O'Neil married Zoë Dupre, 31 August 1846 at St-Pierre-de-Sorel, Richelieu, Québec (this marriage is documented by marriage records received from Dominic Beauchesne of Montréal and also by records (Batch #7222260, Sheet #92) in the Family History Center in Salt Lake City, Utah). Zoë Dupre's parents were Jean-Baptiste Dupre and Marguerite Genest.

Sophie O'Neil - born in 1825 (per Frank Watters) and shows up in Québec census records, but so far nowhere else.

Marie Elzire, born and baptized 1 September 1837; sponsors were Joseph Hamel and Marie Sigman (perhaps husband and wife).

Marie O'Neil (same as above?) married François-Xavier Tousignant in St-Barthelemy, Québec, 7 August 1867.

Claire O'Neil married Zacharie Jacques 20 August 1859 in St-Barthelemy, Québec (Claire and Zacharie are my great-great grandparents

Marie Clarice, born 20 August 1842 and baptised on 21 August 1842; sponors were Alexndre Descôteaux and Sophie O'Neil (sister). Are Marie Clarice and Claire above the same person? More research needed here!

During my researches I have received the following information on 2 Charles O'Neils from the National Archives of Canada (are either of these two ours?) I now know that the second Charles O'Neil listed below is not ours. He left Ireland too late. On the other hand, the fellow in the first record shown could very well be our Charles.

1. A Record from the National Archives of Canada referencing a Charles O'Neil.

"A Census of the population of the Seigniories of Foucault, Noyan and Sabrevois, taken... By Samuel L. Welch -- completed on the 4th day of December 1830." found amongst miscellaneous records from the Provincial Secretary's Office, Lower Canada (RG4, B77). The census return was in the form of a roll, listing heads of each household and the members of males and females within the household, arranged by seigniory. After restoration treatment the document was left in 12 segments for ease of handling. (The original roll format had been achieved by fastening 12 sheets together.) The last segment bears a certificate signed by the enumerator and is endorsed as being addressed to Lord Aylmer, the Governor of Lower Canada.

#393 O'Neil, Charles
Year of Record: 1830
Males: 3
Females: 4
# in Household: 7
Comments: Living in Seigniory of Noyan
Source: Québec and Lower Canada Census fragments: Foucault, Noyan & Sabrevois
References: National Archives of Canada, Microfilm Reel No. H-1758 (RG4B77), page 9

2. "Extract from Ordnance Survey Documents, Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. County Londonderry, Parish of Ballinasoreen, Section III, Page 21
From a list of The Number of Persons That have Emigrated to America from The Under Mentioned Townlands, During The Years 1834 & 1835, It will show The Name, Age & Religion, of Each Person, Townlands From Whence Gone, & Ports For which Emigrated, as Enumerated, From 29th Sept. to 17th Oct. 1836." Information obtained from Henrey Gillespie, Hugh Bradley, & Others, Finished 17th Oct. 1836:

I found this information at the Ingeneas site of National Archives of Canada using their search engine.

An excellent site about the history of the Eastern Townships of Quebec, including the Seigniories.

Horses on a farm in County Tyrone (c) Martin Melaugh (source: http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/photographs/)
Countryside	Glen of Antrim
Gortin Lakes	Ogham Stone
Sperrin Mountains	Pollan Burn, Gortin Glen Forest in the Sperrin Mountains
Photos from The Glens Development Site An excellent site about things to do and see in the Sperrin Mountain area Omagh, County Tyrone	The photo of the Glen of Antrim from Robert Emmett Kane's Ireland Photo of horses from the Cain site, which covers the issue of the conflict in Northern Ireland

There Were Roses

by Tommy Sands
sung by Mick Moloney

So my song for you this evening, it's not to make you sad
Nor for adding to the sorrows of our troubled northern land
But lately I've been thinking and it just won't leave my mind
I'll tell you of two friends of mine who were both good friends of mine

Isaac Scott from Banagh, he lived just across the fields
A great man for the music, the dancing and the reels
McDonald came from South Armagh to court young Alice fair
And we often met on the Ryan Road and laughter filled the air

-Chorus-
There were roses, roses
There were roses
And the tears of a people ran together

Now Isaac he was Protestant and Sean was Catholic born
But it never made a difference, for the friendship it was strong
And sometimes in the evening when we heard the sound of drums
We said it won't divide us, we always will be one

For the ground our fathers plowed in, the soil it is the same
And the places where we say our prayers have just got different names
We talked about the friends who'd died and hoped there'd be no more
It was little then we realized the tragedy in store

-Chorus-

It was on a Sunday morning when the awful news came round
Another killing had been done just outside Newry Town
We knew that Isaac danced up there, we knew he liked the band
But when we heard that he was dead we just could not understand

We gathered round the graveside on a cold and rainy day
The minister he closed his eyes and for no revenge he prayed
And all of us who knew him from along the Ryan Road
We bowed our heads and said a prayer for the resting of his soul

-Chorus-

Now fear it filled the countryside there was fear in every home
When late at night a car came prowling round the Ryan Road
A Catholic would be killed tonight to even up the score
Oh Christ it's young McDonald they've taken from the door

Isaac was my friend! he cried, he begged them with his tears
But centuries of hatred have ears that do not hear
An eye for an eye, it was all that filled their minds
And another eye for another eye till everyone is blind

-Chorus-

So my song for you this evening, it's not to make you sad
Nor for adding to the sorrows of our troubled northern land
But lately I've been thinking and it just won't leave my mind
I'll tell you of two friends of mine who were both good friends of mine

Now I don't know where the moral is or where this song should end
But I wonder just how many wars are fought between good friends
And those who give the orders are not the ones to die
It's Scott and McDonald and the likes of you and I

There were roses, roses
There were roses
And the tears of a people ran together
There were roses, roses
There were roses....

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