As referenced in last post, Grandma Ann's family name was Miller. But it was changed to Miller at the end of the 19th century from Menagh. The Menaghs were originally from County Down in what is now Northern Ireland, near a place called Bangor. From what distant relatives have told me, the surname is an Irish corruption of the Scottish name MacNaughton, and the Menaghs were Protestants. Grandma's father (my great grandfather) was born Alphonse Menagh in Oshawa, Ontario, in 1886. He died with the name Fred Miller in 1936. The following photo is of John Menagh, who I believe to be his grandfather. John Menagh was born in Ireland in 1832 and died in Oshawa in 1912:
And this photo is of John Menagh's son Franklyn Boyns Menagh (my great great grandfather), who was born in 1859. The photo must have been taken in the 1860s. Forgive the poor kid for being so pasty, he's Irish:
This final photo is of John Menagh's wife and Frank Menagh's mother, Rachel Boyns Robinson Menagh and an unidentified daughter. The little girl might be Ethel, Frank's sister, who was the witness at his wedding to Annabelle Jaynes (hence the family name, Annabelle).
Here's a record of Frank Menagh and Annabelle Jaynes's marriage, just to sum up:
8303-81 Frank B. MENAGH, 22, moulder, Oshawa, Detroit, s/o John MENAGH & Rachel ROBINSON, married Annabel JAYNES, 20, Grafton, Oshawa, d/o William H. JAYNES & Mary MALE, witn: Thomas GALE of Whitby & E. MENAGH of Oshawa, 12 Dec 1881 at Oshawa.
To think of how disconnected from these people we are at this stage. All it takes is 150 years, and you become completely estranged from the past. For some reason, it's really hard for me to feel Irish or connected to Ireland. My whole body type is different, and I have to admit, I have stereotypes about Irish people (they are too eager to fight about small things, given to blood feuds, and pasty. Most of all, they take offense!). That being said, they make great bouncers. If you ever need someone's ass kicked, employ an Irishman. But I am lying a bit here, too, because I have red in my beard, and it's got to come from somewhere. There is an Irishman in here somewhere, buried amongst the piles of Italians.
6 comments:
This is just amazing. I will forward these to Midge and my sister.
I am happy that Anna will in someway carry that beautiful Annabelle (baptism) family name forward.
I wish there was a photo of Annabelle Jaynes..
Perhaps they have one that is archived.
I think the photos are connected with the Robinson House, which is where the historical museum is located.
I sent them an email saying that I was involved with our local Historical Society and would they have their archivest do a search for additional photos in particular one of Annabel Jaynes.
It is strange to think that maybe someday someone will sent a letter to some museum asking for my picture for example. Someone who is somehow related to me but who doesn´t even exist at the moment. I would like to believe that in Estonia, you´ll know your ancestors for at least five or six generations back but who am I kidding: I don´t know them by heart.
As I understand, You´re quite into investigating Your roots. Do You use Geni (www.geni.com)? It is only thanks to Geni that I know quite exactly where I come from. One of my relatives put our family tree up to Geni and he tries to find out more and more. So at the moment I know who are my ancestors from the year 1600 something. It is quite interesting!
But I must say, people used to look really funny about 150 years ago. I hope that this remark is not offensive, I think the same way when I look at the photos of my family archive. :)
Yes, I use Geni. My interest in our roots comes and goes. It is interesting from an American point of view because a lot of us really don't know our family stories. They are vague and include many locations (this family went from Ireland to Ontario to Quebec to New York in three generations). In Estonia, it's usually that the person's family had lived on that farm for hundreds of years.
We have quite a few russians among our ancestors, some jews and some germans, so our roots go back to different countries as well. But in general You are right: usually Estonians have this one farm where their parents and grandparents and so on have lived. Although WW II changed it a lot.
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