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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Canada Lookup Request => Topic started by: jimchelsea on Monday 22 April 13 13:43 BST (UK)

Title: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: jimchelsea on Monday 22 April 13 13:43 BST (UK)
Hi, i am trying to help a friend , would anyone have any info on a James Mehaffey who emigrated from Belfast to Canada in the late 1920s or how i could find any info on him?
regards
Jim
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: Jacquie in Canada on Tuesday 23 April 13 09:04 BST (UK)
Can you provide more information like when he was born, who his parents were, etc?

There is no central registry for BMD events in Canada as it is within the jurisdiction of each province. As well, privacy laws vary from province to province.

I did see a passenger list entry for a James Mahaffey, 23, who arrived in Halifax on the Regina on 10 Apr 1927. His nearest relative from where he came was listed as his father, James Mahaffey, ?? Fort Street, Belfast. There's a border crossing document from 1939 which indicates his middle name was Alphonsus. Is this the James you are looking for?

Jacquie
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: aghadowey on Tuesday 23 April 13 09:48 BST (UK)
I did see a passenger list entry for a James Mahaffey, 23, who arrived in Halifax on the Regina on 10 Apr 1927. His nearest relative from where he came was listed as his father, James Mahaffey, ?? Fort Street, Belfast. There's a border crossing document from 1939 which indicates his middle name was Alphonsus. Is this the James you are looking for?
The surname is also spelt Mahaffey in 1911 census- but mother's name seems to be Ellen:
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Falls/Fort_Street/173394

Parents in 1901-
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Falls_Ward/Oranmore_Street/981044
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: jimchelsea on Tuesday 23 April 13 11:34 BST (UK)
Many thanks of replying Jacqui and Aghadowey, The only other info my friend knows is that while living in Belfast James was married to an Edith Heatley and had a son Joseph(my friends Father,who was born in 1920). James then deserted his family and took off to Canada in the late 1920s.I have asked him if he can try and find out any more info on James,ie parents names or siblings and will let you know when he gets back to me. Again many thanks for your help.
regards
jim
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: aghadowey on Tuesday 23 April 13 12:04 BST (UK)
If the family we found in Belfast is the correct one-

BIRTH: Hugh Patrick Mahaffey, Jan./Mar.1899 Belfast registration district volume 1 page 283
? BIRTH: Jane Mahaffey, Jan./Mar.1901 Belfast resgistration distrct volume 1 page 335
BIRTH: James Alphonsus Mahaffey, Jan./Mar.1903 Belfast registration district volume 1 page 346
BIRTH: Edward Joseph Mahaffey, Apr./June 1906 Downpatrick registration district volume 1 page 583
BIRTH: Francis G J Mahaffey, Jan./Apr.1908 Downpatrick registration district volume 1 page 530
BIRTH: Bridget Catherine Mahaffy, Oct./Dec.1909 Belfast registration district volume 1 page 326

May have been other children born after 1911.
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: Jacquie in Canada on Tuesday 23 April 13 17:05 BST (UK)
I don't think we have the right James then. According to marriage records at Family Search, Edith Heatley and James Mahaffy were married in 1919 so James Alphonsus would have been about 15.

Jacquie
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: aghadowey on Tuesday 23 April 13 17:22 BST (UK)
I don't think we have the right James then. According to marriage records at Family Search, Edith Heatley and James Mahaffy were married in 1919 so James Alphonsus would have been about 15.

Okay, hopefully this will help-

James Mahaffy, son of Joseph, married 1919 to Edith- makes sense if son born next year was called Joseph.
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: Jacquie in Canada on Wednesday 24 April 13 05:45 BST (UK)
I've found another possible. Here's a link to the 1911 Ireland census for Edith Heatley. She's 8 years old and the address her family is listed at is Edenderry Street:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Shankill/Edenderry_Street/176661/ (http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Antrim/Shankill/Edenderry_Street/176661/)

There is a passenger list entry for a James Mahaffey, 25, born in Belfast who arrived in Montreal on the Metagama on 2 Oct 1926. He indicates he is going to his brother-in-law, James D. Louttit in Ontario (can't make out town as the type is really difficult to read). He lists his nearest relative from where he came from as his wife, Mrs. ? Mahaffey, 27 Edenderry Street, Belfast.

I've found Attestation Papers for a James Daniel Louttit of Acton, Ontario who listed his sister, Alice as his next-of-kin so he was single when he enlisted. The Ireland civil registration database at Ancestry has a marriage in 1919 for a James Louttit in Belfast and there is a Margaret Heatley listed as being on the same page. On the 1911 census I linked to Edith does have a sister named Maggie.

Jacquie
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: Jacquie in Canada on Wednesday 24 April 13 06:54 BST (UK)
You might want to check this James out to see if he is the same one listed in my previous post... I found an entry in the Drouin Collection parish records for Quebec in the United Church in Verdun for a James Mahaffey, widower, son of Joseph Mahaffey and Rosina Jenkins to Elizabeth Kinney, daughter of Francis Kinney and Margaret Murphy on 6 Sep 1935. There is a death in Victoria, British Columbia for this James which indicates he was born 21 Jun 1900 in Belfast:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0tnn/ (http://www.rootschat.com/links/0tnn/)

The Ireland civil registration database has a marriage in 1904 for a Rose Jenkins in Belfast that has a Joseph Mahaffy on the same page. I can't find them on the 1911 Ireland census yet.

There is also a birth for a son James Francis Mahaffey who was born 30 Nov 1932 in Verdun and baptized on 29 Jan 1940 at Grace Anglican Church in Montreal. James' occupation was listed as soldier. James Francis is buried in Maple Ridge Cemetery in British Columbia:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=106943972&PIpi=76858814 (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=106943972&PIpi=76858814)

Jacquie
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: jimchelsea on Wednesday 24 April 13 11:48 BST (UK)
Jacquie i cant thank you enough on behalf of my contact for the time and trouble you have took to find so much information! He will be delighted!  and thanks to Aghadowey as well.
regards
jim
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: joeboy15 on Wednesday 24 April 13 18:16 BST (UK)
Hi Jacquie,,Im Joe mehaffey Jnr,,Just wish to thank all the team for your efforts In finding my Granddad James,,I would like to Know If James has any surviving offspring and If so what or how Is the best approach for making contact,,Assuming they wish to may I say,,
     Thanks again,,Joe mehaffey
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: valeriec on Wednesday 24 April 13 18:30 BST (UK)
You could try
www.canada411.ca
There are 2 Mahaffey's listed for Maple Ridge, BC
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: joeboy15 on Wednesday 24 April 13 20:03 BST (UK)
How or where would I start to contact these people,,They are possible relations who might be like my familey and wondering  as to wether distant familey exists..Please advise..

                              Regards Joe mehaffey,,
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: cosmac on Thursday 25 April 13 01:14 BST (UK)
You have a specific date of death for James in Victoria, BC.  Why not contact the library and see if they will look for an obituary for you - that would hopefully give you names of any children he may have had.  I included a link to the library - on the right hand side there is a big ASK NOW button that will either get you to an email contact or a live chat to ask your question
http://gvpl.ca/

http://bccfa.islandnet.com/bccfa-search.php
If you enter the surname Mahaffey in the above link you get a page of results.  There is an Elizabeth buried in Hatley and also in the same location a Ray L. - perhaps wife and son??
You can contact the cemetery or the contributing agency for details on the gravestone - How to contact the contributing agency is on the home page.

To use Canada 411 that Valeriec suggested you simply put in the last name of Mahaffey in the who box and in the where box limit it to British Columbia.  Contact information is either given as a mailing address and telephone number or simply a telephone number.  How you decide to contact someone would be what you feel comfortable doing.  Personally I would try and see if the library could find a published obituary as that might narrow possibilities for you.

Good luck
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: Jacquie in Canada on Thursday 25 April 13 04:46 BST (UK)
There was a short obituary in the newspaper for James Francis. Here's a link to it:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0to7/ (http://www.rootschat.com/links/0to7/)

I would recommend verifying the information provided before contacting any family. The passenger list information seems to fit your James but the marriage to Elizabeth Kinney is still speculative until you can confirm who the parents of your James were.

Jacquie
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: joeboy15 on Thursday 25 April 13 16:31 BST (UK)
Hi Jaquie,I would be confident In saying we have the right James Mahaffey and that he Indeed Is my Grandfather,,His father according to the death cert was a Joseph Mahaffey and his Wife a Rosena jenkins,,The departure date to Canada fits In as does other factors,,My dad was called Joe, He's James son, and My sister has the middle name Rosena,,I also have a sister called Edith,,These all go hand In hand with names mentioned concerning James,,Im trying to see If there are any Mahaffeys On facebook In Victoria b.c
                        Thanks again,,Joe mehaffey
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: Jacquie in Canada on Friday 26 April 13 03:29 BST (UK)
My dad was called Joe, He's James son, and My sister has the middle name Rosena,,I also have a sister called Edith,

It certainly helps when people name their children after their parents and other family members when trying to piece things together.

Good luck.

Jacquie
Title: Re: James Mehaffey from Co Antrim
Post by: Louttit of Canada on Saturday 24 March 18 05:49 GMT (UK)
I am James Daniel Louttits distant relative, if you need info reply to this message.