Sabina McCue

From the 1881 Ontario Census:
Sabina MCCUE Household
Female
Other Information:
Birth Year <1831>
Birthplace Ireland
Age 50
Occupation
Marital Status W
Ethnic Origin Irish
Head of Household Sabina MCCUE
Religion Catholic
________________________________________
Source Information:
Census Place Melancthon, Grey East, Ontario
Family History Library Film 1375897

NA Film Number C-13261
District 155
Sub-district E
Division 2
Page Number 17
Household Number 81

James McCue X 2

There are 7 men listed as "head of household" in the 1871 Canadian Census.

In my post of September 1, 2011, I listed information from the 1871 Canadian Census pages 18 and 19 of the enumeration for Melancthon Township. There is a different James McCue listed on page 48 of the enumeration for Melanchthon Township:
James McCue
Sex: Male
Age: 53
Place of Birth: IRELAND
Religion: Roman Catholic
Origin: IRISH
Occupation: FARMER
District: GREY SOUTH (036)
Sub-district: Melancthon (D)
Division:1
Page: 48
Microfilm reel number: C-9951
Reference: RG31 — Statistics Canada

I believe it is this James McCue, born circa 1818, that is married to Sabina, and is Hanora "Annie" McCue's father.

I do believe the two men are related in some way, but in what way remains to be discovered. I've been corresponding with a woman who is a great grand-daughter of James of the 9/1/11 post, and it will be fun unraveling what our relationship is.

Ontario Marriages

A compilation of marriages from Ontario, with the following information:

2666-89 Timothy CURREN, 32, farmer, Canada, Melancthon, s/o Jeremiah & Bridget, married Annie McCUE, 21, Canada, Melancthon, d/o James & Sabina, witn: Francis DAVIS of Gartand Forks & Barbara McCUE of Melancthon, 4 March 1889 at Melancthon twp

This is confusing, as it lists Tim's dad as "Jeremiah." Tim had a brother named Jeremiah, but so far as I know, his dad's name was "Darby." Is it possible that "Darby" was a nickname?

Upper Canada Marriage Indexes
Jacob Irons and Mary McCue, 1842
Jane McCue and Allan Salt, 1846
William McCue and Eliza Bedford, 1847

Naturalization Papers

Found at Ancestry, a naturalization roster for Clearfield County, PA.

Nicholas Heisler, application filed 1 Dec. 1840; arrival 5 June 1831, Baltimore, MD; naturalized, 5 Sept. 1848.

This corresponds with what I know about Nicolaus Heisler.

Hafeneder?

Ancestry is sponoring 15 days of free database searching. Tuesday's data base was WW1 Personnel Rosters from Bavaria, Germany.

There were 141 entries on men with the last name of "Hafender." Pretty close to Hefenieder, in my opinion. Clearly, more work is needed on this topic. Names included Georg, Heinrich, Johann, Josep, Franz, Xaver (Xavier?)

The Elusive Joseph Heisler

Conflicting census information!

1860 Census, Liberty Township, Dubuque, IA
Heisler, Nicolaus; age 54; born 1806, Bavaria
Heisler, Sophia; age 54; born 1806, France
Heisler, Joseph; age 23; born 1837, Pennsylvania
Heisler, Magdalena; age 18; born 1842, Pennsylvania
Heisler, Veronika; age 16; born 1844, Pennsylvania
Heisler, Margareth; age 15; born 1845, Pennsylvania
Heisler, Martin; age 13; born 1847, Pennsylvania
Heisler, Mary; age 11; born 1849, Pennsylvania

1870 Census, Minnesota
Heisler, Joseph; age 35; born 1835, Pennsylvania
Heisler, Nicolas; age 65; born in France
Heisler, Sophia; age 65; born in France
Heisler, Annie; age 20
heisler, Martin; age 23

Matrilineal Monday

In response to Randy Seaver’s SNGF (Saturday Night Genealogical Fun)
, my matrilineage:

1. Me

2. Mom

3. Gertrude Curran Heisler, b. 1892 in North Dakota, d. 1985(?) in Montana.

4. Hannorah McCue Curran

5. Stumped

I've got information in boxes I need to organize and use!

Jailbirds in the Family Tree?

Probably everyone has some. I found some possible relatives on a list of compiled Ontario jail records. More research is needed to find if they're relatives:

Curran, Darby; age 35; Owen Sound Jail, 1859 [Owen Sound was the county seat of Grey County, described as "a lively port on Georgian Bay)
Curran, Felix; age 23; Brockville Jail, 1848 [Leeds County]
Curran, Mary; age 20; York-Peel Jail, 1855 [Toronto]

McCue, Michael; age 75 [hope this is a typo!]; Home District Jail, 1842 [in Toronto, included prisoners from Simcoe County]
McCue, Peter; age 24; Cobourg Jail, 1852

My recollection is that the dob for Darby is about right, i.e., 1824. If Felix is a relative of Darby's [perhaps a brother, dob ~ 1825], and they came over about the same time, they emmigrated before 1850. Mary Curran's dob would be 1835.

1871 Census of Canada

From page 18 & 19, Province of Ontario, District No. 36 South Grey, Subdistrict: Township of Melancthon Division No. 2, John Mills, Enumerator.

Household 68:
McCue, James; male; 28;born in Ireland; farmer; married.
McCue, Margaret; female; 24; born in Ontario; married.
McCue, Bridget; female; 63; born in Ireland; widowed.
McCue, Bridget E.; female; 9 mos. born in July; born in Ontario.
McCue, Barbary; female; 24; born in Ireland.
Purtle, James; male; 21; born in Ontario; farmer.

Household 69:
McCue, Michail; male; 35; born in Ireland; farmer; married.
McCue, Bridget; female; 27; born in New York State; married.
McCue, Catherine; female; 5; born in Ontario.
McCue, Patrick; male; 4; born in Ontario.
McCue, Mary (middle initial R or L or B); female; 1; born in Ontario.

Intriguing

Found a Nicolaus Schnell in the Castle Garden arrivals list. He arrived on November 24, 1891, and listed his destination as Baltimore

He gave his age as 33 (so birth ca. 1858), and his profession as "farmer." His last residence was in Norka, Russia.

Grandma was born circa 1880; her father's name was Nicolaus. I know he died in Russia; it is possible that this Nicolaus is a cousin. The Schnells were a large tribe in Norka.

Other Schnells from Norka through Castle Garden:
Peter Schnell, 29 (born circa 1861), arriving 28 Nov. 1890, ship Polaria, destination NYC
Heinrich Schnell, 20 (born circa 1870) , arriving 28 Nov. 1890, ship Polaria, destination NYC
Brothers?? Probably.

Johannes Schnell, 20 (born circa 1867) , arriving 6 Dec. 1887, ship Anchoria, destination NYC

Melancthon, Ontario

Melanchton as a town no longer exists; the old townsite is a windfarm, now. These a photos from the internet, showing scenery, and the still-standing St. Patrick's Church.

Melancthon, Ontario

From:
Ontario Ghost Towns
http://www.ghosttownpix.com/ontario/towns/melancth.html

When James Beachell, a native of Yorkshire, England, first set foot in Melancthon around 1848, he landed in almost complete wilderness. There were no railways and what passed for roads were crude trails that were barely useable. Undaunted, Beachell, an engineer by profession, who had worked as a railway contractor in France, opened a tavern and hotel about two kilometres south of the future Melancthon town site. The "Beachell Hotel" grew to become a popular stopping place for many years. In 1851, he opened the Melancthon post office and later built a sawmill in nearby Flesherton.
* * *
Many of Melancthon's early settlers arrived at around the same time as James Beachell. They included people like the Darraghs, Mitchells, McCues and McManamans. One exception was William Silk, who was said to have arrived in the area around 1837. Silk worked on and off at Horning's Mills but also had excellent carpentry skills and built the first wooden wagon in the township.
* * *
Although Dufferin County was largely a bastion of conservative Protestantism, there was a large group of Irish Catholic settlers who established a Roman Catholic congregation in the early 1850s. Initially services were held in the home of Patrick McCue, who had arrived in Melancthon around 1851. Around 1858, a large log-hewed church, that later became known as St. Patrick's, was moved to Lot 280, owned by Francis O'Boyle. The church was also used as a separate school for a number of years, with Miss Purtil, who later married James McCue, as the teacher. Melancthon's erstwhile carpenter, James Sawden, although not a Roman Catholic, conducted many of the early funeral services. After serving the community well for about 20 years, the old church was replaced in 1879 with a new brick structure.
* * *
By far the most long-lasting of all Melancthon's business operations was H.L. Breen's granary and hay business. The granary was first started by James McCue, whose family arrived in Melancthon from Ireland in 1851, while James was still a boy. McCue grew up to become an extremely successful farmer and breeder. Later on in life, he was appointed a Justice of the Peace. During the Patrons of Industry days, McCue built a frame granary above the board and batten railway station, which by then was part of the C.P.R. The business was later bought by H.L. Breen, a hay and grain dealer, who merged the business with his own. By 1906 the business had been taken over by the Canada Grain Company of Toronto, who built a large grain elevator near the station. The business appears to have survived until some time in the 1930s.
* * *
After the end of World War I, Melancthon fell into a steep decline from which it never recovered. Depletion of the surrounding lumber supplies and changes in the agricultural sector were the main contributing factors. Piece by piece, the village slowly began to trickle away until there was virtually nothing left. Of the old town hall, the Orange Lodge, sawmill or the Gravel Road Church - nothing remains. Even the Gravel Road cemetery didn't escape the carnage. After Highway 10 was enlarged, the tombstones were jammed into a cluster alongside the highway, where they remain, largely ignored. Other relics include an abandoned farmhouse of later vintage. The railway line was removed around 1997. All that survives of old Melancthon Village is St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, located just north of the old town site. Surprisingly, the church remains in use. In 2006, the barren remains of old town site were reclaimed by the provincial government and found new use as the site of a massive government wind farm.

McCue Leads

this information was posted by “Peter McCue” on a Curran message board on Ancestry several years ago; his e-mail no longer works. Some of the information matches what I know about my McCue ancestors. I am eager to go to the Dufferin County Museum and Archives north of Toronto.

* * *

I am looking for any information regarding Patrick McCue (b.1796 Castlebar, Co.Mayo, Ire.) who was married to a Bridget Dean (b.1805 in County Mayo).Patrick died on Oct.5,1869 in Melancthon, Ontario.

His son, James McCue(b. May 1,1844 in Castlebar) is my great grandfather. He married a Margaret Purtell on Jan.25,1869. James died in Melancthon, Ontario on March 8, 1928. I know that Patrick and Bridget had other children who all came to Ontario with their families. Some went to the US and some stayed in that area of Ontario. Any help would be appreciated.

Our family of McCue came from County Mayo ( Westport and Castlebar area) They came to an area near London, Ontario in Canada. They were a Catholic family. There is some speculation in the family that the name was spelled McHugh when they came to Canada but the land deed was spelled 'McCue". My great grandfather arrived in Canada at an elderly age with all his grown children and their respective families. I had a prof who spelled his name"McCue" and his background was Protestant.

Darley Curran?

Wonder if this is "Darby Curran"?

Found at: http://www.ontarioobits.com/genealogy/dufferincht.htm

As published in the Orangeville Banner on April 20, 1911 (Page 6, Column 3)
THE FIRST SETTLERS
Melancthon Gravel Road Was Chopped About 1848.
Editor of the Banner.
Dear Sir, - The Banner of last week contained an interesting account of the pioneer days of Melancthon, written by the facile pen of Mr. w. L. Smith, editor of the Toronto Weekly Sun. The Shelburne Free Press also recently published brief accounts of the early days in this northern township, but both the Banner and the Free Press are somewhat mistaken. The Banner said something about someone drawing hay to Shelburne, and getting stuck in the mud and remaining there all night. As a matter of fact, where Shelburne stands was an unbroken wilderness at that time, and there was no hay market there until about 20 years afterwards. The late Wm. Jelly built the first Mansion House on the present site about the year 1864, and this was the first progressive business place of the now progressive town of Shelburne.

Last week a Free Press correspondent published the names of those settlers, who are supposed to be the first settlers, namely: -- Lewis Gant, Thos. Doyle, Robt. Atkinson, David Biggar, Wm. Gant, Michael Shoaf, John Johnton, Darley Curran and John Hodgins. Now, the earliest of these men came in about 1851, and the others not until three or four years afterwards. The "Toronto Line," now the Gravel Road, was chopped out in '47 or '48, and the men who were engaged on that contract were the first settlers, among whom were Mr. Atcheson, Andrew Darrah (the latter took up and settled the hill where the Gravel Road Church now stands), Jas. Watson, first clerk of Melancthon, and others who settled about Dundalk were the McDowell, Connor and McAuley families. These were really the first settlers. James Beachell came shortly afterwards, and opened the first Post Office in Atcheson's Hotel, which stood on what was known as Beachell's Hill.
READER.
Corbetton, April 18th, 1911

Hefenieder Origins in Germany?

I've found a bit of information from the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia suggesting that the original Hefenieder / Hefeneider / Hefeneder family that settled in Russia originated in the town of Schlitz, Germany.

Information found at: www.ahsgr.org/findancestors/GO/goNi.htm

This is a photograph of Schlitz from a German tourism website at Christmas time. An old watchtower is decorated as a candle.

Schlitz is about an hour and a half northeast of Frankfurt am Main. Binsfeld, believed to be the ancestral home of the Hammer family (mom's side) is about an hour and a half south of Frankfurt am Main.

There is an article in the "Stars and Stripes" with a couple of photos of Schlitz:
www.stripes.com/military-life/travel/drink-in-the-ancient-german-origin-of-schlitz-beer-1.79062

Curran Marriages and a Baptism

These are from an Irish records site. These records are not old enough to include any ancestors, but they might certainly be related, as these are Cahirciveen Currans:

Kerry Marriage Records, Cahirciveen

Jeremiah Curran m. Catherine Garvey, 10 Feb. 1881
Fathers: Jeremiah Curran, William Garvey (from Kimego)
Witnesses: Denis Garvey, John Clifford.

John Curran m. Mary Sullivan, 2 Mar. 1889
Fathers: Finanean Sullivan (from Meelagoleen)
Witnesses: Daniel Connor, Finan Sullivan

John Curran m. Ellen Sullivan, 16 Jan. 1891
Fathers: Patrick Curran, Mortimer Moriarty
Witness: Daniel Clifford

Eugene O'Sullivan m. Bridget Curran, 31 July 1897
Fathers: Eugene O'Sullivan (from Filemore, John Curran
Witness: Daniel O'Sullivan

Baptised: Michael Curran, on 18 April 1877
Father: Denis Curran
Mother: Honora Lucey
DOB: 17 April 1877
Sponsors: John Curran, Mary Curran

A Tragedy

A tale from "Memories of Norka," by Conrad Brill. Found here http://cvgs.cu-portland.edu/colonies/russia/mother_colonies/colony_norka_memories.html

The Hefenieder branch in Portland spells their name, to this day, as "Hefeneader."

“A family named Hefeneader lived in the first row in Norka, at Unterdorf and Mitteldorf line. For years as a boy I heard gossip about how they got their wealth, so I always consider that part of it as a ghost story, but their death, later on, while I was a boy, and described to our villagers by a family friend, Adam, Soie ohmer schiezer Schwartz, was a truly tragic ending.

“The Hefeneader’s neighbors, the Aschenbrenner’s, used to tell that back in the 1860 70's, a Russian peasant came to the Hefeneader’s door on a cold rainy night, seeking food and shelter. They fed him and gave him a place to sleep in the cellar. At that time they had a poor man’s home like most of the neighboring villagers. What I can remember of the home in 1905 era, is a beautiful brick place, with brick or cement block outbuildings, a building with hewn, notched logs, (log cabin style) all with metal roofs, which was a sign of wealth. The place also had a solid wood fence around it, covered with metal.

“The story was that in those earlier days, the Hefeneaders were rewarded by this peasant, who stayed on with them, with money he made for them in appreciation for the food and lodging. As the story went, he had just been released from confinement for counterfeiting and supposedly had treasury plates or counterfeit plates in his possession. He was supposed to have made money for them, but was ready to leave, but they decided to keep him as a secret prisoner, forcing him to make more money. They built the nice brick home, then the outbuildings and fence. Later they built a flourmill in a Russian village near Saratov. Mrs. Aschenbrenner could tell for hours of the trips from cellar to house the Russian must have made dragging chains, which they could hear rattling as he was hauled back and forth in the night. She said he must have died and was eventually thrown into an old well and the log shed built over it when he died.

“In about 1905-09 period . . . a group of Russian bandits rode into the mill property shooting all of the employees and the old Hefeneader couple, too. Adam Schwartz was there working for them and was in his bedroom getting dressed when he heard the hoof beats of the riders coming into the yard, then screaming and shooting started, so he crawled into the bedding drawer under the bed, pulling a quilt down over himself, so he wasn't discovered.

“He walked back to Norka to inform our village councilors of the raid, and they sent three wagons to go to the mill and bring back any salvageable property they could. My brothers John and Conrad took a wagon, as did a neighbor Hessler, who was a relative of Hefeneaders. Garte Krieger was married to the Hefeneader’s daughter. The home of the Hefeneaders was taken over by the Russian government and used as the State owned liquor store after the death of the old couple. It was situated next door to the Aschenbrenner’s home. “