Comments about Farrar caught my eye.
My ancestors are Martha Farrar and John Lawrence, who moved to Canada in 1848.
Following are some notes from my personal family tree:
"Relocated to Canada by Lord Fitzwilliam of Ireland in an assisted emigration program to reduce the number of tenants on his massive estate. The reduction of tenants was partly due to too many people living on the estate and mainly due to hardships caused by the potato famine of the 1840's. Lord Fitzwilliam paid for his tenants to relocate to Ontario during the years 1847 - 1855. Many came to Durham area because there were already Irish people in the area.
John and Martha were some of the first farmers in the Durham area.
Their property was 100 acres on lot 1, concession 2, near Durham.
John and Martha's children: Anthony?; Anna (c.1827); Thomas (c1829); Samuel (c1831); John (c1833); William (1836); James (c.1838); Henry (c1842); Martha (c1844).
The surname Lawrence is not Irish.
The Lawrence name in England, dates to very ancient times (prior to 1066) in Lancashire.
They would have been relocated from England to either farm the estates or be a slave labourer.
Some sources say they came as archers with Cromwell, in about 1640.
It is thought John Lawrence "owned" some property, so I assume he was some sort of farm supervisor on the Coollatin Estate, owned by Earl Fitzwilliam.
One record says The Lawrences were "senior Tenants" or some sort of supervising agents for that part of the estate (Around Sandyford at Moyne).
"In 1827, John Lawrence, age 35 had 45 acres at Slieveroe, near Moyne. With him was his wife age 24 (Martha?), a son (Probably Anthony?) and a daughter (porbably Anne?). The property was formerly held by Keegan. Mary Keegan was still on 1/2 acre of this land.
Also at Slieveroe on 46 acres was Anthony Lawrence, age 60, who was possibly John's father, after whom john's first son Anthony would have been named.
In 1839, John age 46, wife age 36, with 5 boys and 1 girl.
In 1848 the 45 acres is still held by Lawrences, but John and family are no longer there.
Some 300 years earlier, Lawrences owned a castle in Ireland, obtained through marriage and lost due to political changes in England. The castle was built in 1585 by John Lawrence on land he aquired through marriage to the daughter of O'Madden, Lord of Longford. John Lawrence jr. was dispossed of by Oliver Cromwell in 1641.
It is not known if the castle has any connection to the Canadian Lawrence's. However, it is interesting there are castles in our family names.
The name Farrar is not Irish.
They would have been relocated from England to farm the estates or to be a slave labourer.
A record on RootsIreland has a John Lawrence marrying Martha Farrar on December 5, 1826 in Parish Kilcommon, County Wicklow. This may have been Martha's home parish.
Witnesses are William Farrar and Samuel Farrar."
I am open to comments on the accuracy of my notes and also interested in any documentation that may be available to substantiate my notes.
Thanks for your interest,
Dave
