DUNBAR

[Heather Anne]

Hi Everyone
This is by far the best site on the web as far as I'm concerned.  Thought I'd take a shot at my husbands mysterious family that were pioneers in Westport, Eastern Ontario Canada.  Apparently William Dunbar 1st was born in Townsland Clougher, County Tyronne in 1797,  He had two sons that emigrated to Canada. The family at that point changed their name to 'Barr' for apparently some political reason.....??Very weird tale indeed.  Anyone got an opinion on this one>
Heather

[kingskerswell]

Heather,
             I cannot answer your name change question but I had a look at a couple of sources.

Flax Growers Register 1796 John Dunbarr (sic) parish of Clogher, Tyrone
Griffiths Valuation 1860        William Dunbar rented a House, offices (Barns etc) and six acres if land in the townland of Ballaghneed, parish of Clogher.

Regards

[AcadianJoan]

This post caught my eye. I have an ancestor, James Connolly, who was born about 1838 in County Tyrone. At some point he moved to Canada. He married a Margaret Dunbar in 1859 in Wellington Ontario Canada. Margaret was born in 1838 in Eramosa Township, Wellington Ontario Canada. Her parents were Samuel and Susan Dunbar.

I noticed you said that once William's sons moved to Canada they changed their last name to Barr, but there were too many coincidences here not to post a reply. I wonder if Margaret was related to William in some way. Are you familiar with a son named Samuel?