Author Topic: Looking for my ancestors GEAR surname  (Read 2949 times)

Offline ballydw

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Looking for my ancestors GEAR surname
« on: Sunday 09 September 18 16:31 BST (UK) »
I believe some of my ancestors immigrated to Canada during the time of the Irish Famine as I cannot locate any records for them in Ireland after 1842.
I have found the following marriage which gives birthplace of Groom as Middleton Co Cork Ireland.

Marriage 11th June 1879Luneburg County
Michael Gear age 35 residence place Bridgewater occ Musician Parents Michael Gear & Abbie (these are parents on his baptism25th May 1842 Midleton Co Cork)
Bride Margaret M Grant.

Any information on any Gear families that went from Ireland to Nova Scotia Halifax would be appreciated - I  am interested in any children of  Thomas Gear & wife Johanna Gear (formely Quinn) these parents both died in Ireland. Children I cannot account for in Ireland are Jeremiah b. 1831, James b 1829, Bridget , David 1821, Patrick 1822, Mary 1830, Joan 1826

I have failed to uncover any ship passenger records.  Thank you in anticipation of your assistance

Offline eileenwilson

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Re: Looking for my ancestors GEAR surname
« Reply #1 on: Monday 10 September 18 14:56 BST (UK) »
Passenger records are generally only available after 1869 beyond the odd one so unlikely to find one.

Marriage record for Michael gives his parents' names are Michael (a shoemaker) and Abilene; witnesses are L.C. Yount and Mrs. Cragg.  Married by a Lutheran minister (Rev. Yount)

By 1884, Michael is a widower, and a shoemaker, and remarries on March 7, 1884 in Bridgewater to a Ceres?? Wile, a 22 year old spinster. His parents are noted as Michael and Abigail.  Same Lutheran minister.

There is a marriage on 24 January 1877 of a Bridget Gear, aged 22, spinster, daughter of Michael (a mechanic) & Abigail, birth place not given, residence Halifax, to a John Martin(?), a mechanic, aged 23, bachelor, son of Wm. (a labourer) and Johanna; married by a Roman Catholic priest.


Offline ballydw

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Re: Looking for my ancestors GEAR surname
« Reply #2 on: Monday 10 September 18 16:00 BST (UK) »
Passenger records are generally only available after 1869 beyond the odd one so unlikely to find one.

Marriage record for Michael gives his parents' names are Michael (a shoemaker) and Abilene; witnesses are L.C. Yount and Mrs. Cragg.  Married by a Lutheran minister (Rev. Yount)

By 1884, Michael is a widower, and a shoemaker, and remarries on March 7, 1884 in Bridgewater to a Ceres?? Wile, a 22 year old spinster. His parents are noted as Michael and Abigail.  Same Lutheran minister.

There is a marriage on 24 January 1877 of a Bridget Gear, aged 22, spinster, daughter of Michael (a mechanic) & Abigail, birth place not given, residence Halifax, to a John Martin(?), a mechanic, aged 23, bachelor, son of Wm. (a labourer) and Johanna; married by a Roman Catholic priest.


Thank you Eileen I had a look on the Nova Scotia Archives and found a 1871 Census as follows: Michael Gear 52 Shoemaker Abigail 53, Bridget daughter 17 Mary daughter 11. Province Nova Scotia District No 196 West Halifax Sub district ward 4. 
The Bridget here is likely to be the marriage you found in 1877.
Is there any further censuses for Bridget Martin & any family.  Also is there a death for Michael & Abigail Gear from any source? Did Michael b. 1842 have any children from his 2 marriages.
Appreciate your help Rgds Frances :)

Offline aghadowey

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Re: Looking for my ancestors GEAR surname
« Reply #3 on: Monday 10 September 18 16:15 BST (UK) »
For Nova Scotia research try these sites to start with-
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!


Offline eileenwilson

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Re: Looking for my ancestors GEAR surname
« Reply #4 on: Monday 10 September 18 16:19 BST (UK) »
Your initial message confused me as you talk about Michael and Abigail and their son, Michael, but then you talk about Thomas and Johanna and their missing children.

Michael Sr. appears in the 1861 Census in Halifax.  It's a head-of-household census only but indicates there are 2 males and 5 females in the house.

The 1881 Census shows Michael, a shoemaker, aged 64, in Halifax, living with Abigail, aged 65.  No children left in the household.

The 1891 Census in  Halifax shows Michael, a shoemaker, aged 73, a widower, noted as a pauper in the Poor's Asylum.  There is a corresponding death record for him on September 4, 1894 in the Poor's Asylum in Halifax, a pauper, aged 77, altho' it says he's married.

1891 Census for Michael Jr. shows him with his wife, Cartha, and children John W., aged 10; Mary, aged 5, Walter, aged 4, and Guy, aged 2.

Did find a reference for Michael & Abigail's arrival:

Name:   Michael Gear
Arrival Year:   1845
Arrival Place:   Halifax, Nova Scotia
Primary Immigrant:   Gear, Michael
Family Members:   Wife Abigail Murphy
Source Bibliography:   PUNCH, TERRENCE M. Erin's Sons: Irish Arrivals in Atlantic Canada, 1761-1853. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2008. Volume II.


Offline ballydw

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Re: Looking for my ancestors GEAR surname
« Reply #5 on: Monday 10 September 18 17:15 BST (UK) »
For Nova Scotia research try these sites to start with-
Tks for the Links some of the links on the resources page no longer work so I will look at yours also keeping in mind your suggestion to broaden the search.

Offline ballydw

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Re: Looking for my ancestors GEAR surname
« Reply #6 on: Monday 10 September 18 17:20 BST (UK) »
Thank you Eileenwilson, didnt mean to confuse you.

My direct line is the Thomas & Johannah (died Ireland) Gear.  I listed their children as I cannot locate them in Ireland after 1842.

The Michael Gear & Abigail I believe he could be a brother to the above Thomas.

Great you located the arrival for Michael & Abigail I guess this is all the info due to the time period.
Any idea of where they would likely be buried given the area they resided. :)

Offline eileenwilson

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Re: Looking for my ancestors GEAR surname
« Reply #7 on: Monday 10 September 18 18:13 BST (UK) »
Only a guess, but as a pauper, he would be in a pauper's grave somewhere, likely unmarked. I would suggest trying to find the publication noted with their arrival which may provide more info.

Offline ballydw

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Re: Looking for my ancestors GEAR surname
« Reply #8 on: Monday 10 September 18 23:25 BST (UK) »
Only a guess, but as a pauper, he would be in a pauper's grave somewhere, likely unmarked. I would suggest trying to find the publication noted with their arrival which may provide more info.

I found details on findagrave for Abigail Gear no dob only native co cork irl age 70 Holy Cross Cemetery Halifax Nova Scotia.  Sad to think of Michael ending up a Pauper especially when they had family. Guess we will never know circumstances.

Looked at the details of their arrival it is a Book Publication quiet expensive to purchase. Tks for your help :)