When I was traveling in the Upper Ottawa Valley on both the Ontario (Renfrew) and Quebec (Pontiac) sides in 2012, a nice lady found and commented on this blog. She was very enthusiastic and was involved with the Sheenboro history. Unfortunately, I had already returned to my home and did not get a chance to meet her. We have since them communicated via email and more.
She said she was related to everyone in Sheenboro, Pontiac Co., Quebec and she is very interested in the families, genealogy and the history of the people of the Upper Ottawa River including Sheenboro, Chichester and Chapeau on Allumette Island. She had also visited many of the cemeteries and taken photos of them calling it her Stones and Bones tour.
Her name is Linda Berube Inch and she is on Facebook and Ancestry and is also the administrator of the Facebook group titled: The League to Preserve Timmins Heritage. Apparently a lot of people from the Sheenboro and Chichester area migrated to Timmins. If you are like me, Timmins is north of Sudbury, Ontario which is north of Toronto. Linda has many photographs and interesting documents and information on this page so you might want to check it out.
She has graciously given me permission to share this photo which she presented on her Facebook page.
Sheenboro Families
Unfortunately the photo is very difficult to read so with help from Linda this is what we came up with:
I am particularly interested in Hugh Downey and his wife Theresa McDonell who was the daughter of John McDonell and Julia Elizabeth Lacour (Ricard/Tebeau/Thibault). The Angus MacDonald mentioned married Ida Perrault and was a son of John and Julia.
John looks very promising as the brother of my great-grandfather Archibald McDonell who lived in Chichester and was the Culbute Lockmaster.
I have been trying to find more of Archibald’s siblings but have not been as successful as I have with his wife my great-grandmother Mary McDonell. Yes she was a McDonell as well. This whole blog is about these families and the ones connected to them.
You will find past posts on this blog about Hugh Downey and Theresa and the others I have mentioned. Here are several posts you may want to study. I am still trying to make sure the lineage is correct so if you have information please comment. Just go to the side bar on this blog and you can search for them either in the Archives or in the Categories.
The Migrations of the Downeys and MacDonalds, dated June 5, 2014
A Discovery: Archie’s brother John McDonell, living next door in Sheen?, dated March 31, 2012.
My curiosity being what it is, I tried to find information about this Sennetville Colony mentioned above but cannot bring up anything of significance online. The Archives of Saskatchewan has a very nice website devoted to settlement but no mention of this group of settlers at Sennetville.
UPDATE 8/1/2014 at 10:03 am – From the Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan we find the Irish Colony called Sinnett after the Fr. John Sinnett. Try Fr. Sinnett in Saskatchewan, Irish Settlements etc. in Google. Very interesting.
If you have any information about any of these families and their migrations, please contact us by leaving a comment on this blog, both Linda and I would love to hear from you.
NOTE: I have learned about the nature of Canadian research and after traveling in Ontario and Quebec that you need to increase your search area (geographically) for your ancestors. They were a lot more mobile then we think and you just might find them in Ottawa or Montreal, or further out West or even into the USA like my family did in 1901. Remember that the area of Sheenboro, Chichester, Waltham, Chapeau (Allumette Island) and Pembroke was a thriving mining, lumbering area when our ancestors were there but by 1900 it changed and now it is a sleepy neighborhood community. I know, I traveled it and you can read about my travels in the posts titled Tour/Touring of the Upper Ottawa Valley which includes Renfrew and Pontiac Counties.
UPDATES 8/3/2014: a book to check into: The way things were…LeRoy and District Saskatchewan Centennial 1905-2005, Vol. #2 under Loyola School District #1910. The History of Loyola, it was the school in the hamlet of Sinnett.
BJ MacDonald
The Man Who Lived Airplanes 
Hi. My husband Earl was great child of Thomas Downey who ‘s father was Hugh Downey.
Hugh was the son of Thomas son or John Downey Sr.
Yes Hugh came to Sask. and lived in LeRoy. They brought several children with them. Some years ago we did visit there and walked through the St Patrick cemetery where Hugh and Theresa are buried. They also have a plaque showing all the Irish people buried there.
In time the children scattered and settled in other areas. My husband’s family moved to Manitoba .
I do have that genealogy if anyone would like to know more.
Lorie Downey
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Lorie: Thanks for stopping by. Hugh Downey married Theresa McDonell who is the daughter of John MacDonell and Julia E. Lacour (last name is not clear). I was tracking them to learn more about her father. I have him as the son of Thomas Downey and Mary Ellen Sullivan. I was given copies of a family tree by a Diane Burnett who was a volunteer at the The Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Group, in Pembroke, this was in 2012 when I was there traveling in the area. She lived in the area and had done the research in the area, making her findings probably good. I do not know if she is there anymore. I did try checking her work with records that I could access. That is about as far as I went with the Downey Family which is rather large. I had enough to handle with McD’s. If you are willing to share your genealogy that would be great. Let me contact you offline at my other email. Bonnie
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Hi Lorie My name is Billy Brennan ,my grandmother was Stella Downey John Downey jr;s, daughter My brother still owns the Tom Downey farm where I was raised, Nice to here from some distant cousins, we do know that a lot of Sheeners followed Father Sinnett out west, sounds like they had it pretty tough the first few years, I would love to get genealogy from you, Thanks Billy
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Thanks for your comments.
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I am descended from the McGoldrick/Devine & Hayes/McRea families from Sheenboro – I was surprised to learn how many generations my family went back in Quebec! Michael Hayes and Ellen Devine remained in Quebec to my knowledge – but my great grandfather Bernard McGoldrick and his bride Margaret Ellen Hayes headed west to Cranbrook BC around 1900 with the Railroad and ended up in Calgary by 1911. I have a feeling I may be related to some of the other posters on here 🙂
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Hello JoAnn: It is a fascinating turn of events that a group left Sheenboro and headed west. I don’t have any of these people you mention, that fit your information, in my database. I was pursuing a daughter of a John MacDonell whom I believe is a brother to my Archibald MacDonell, my great grandfather. I was trying to connect them through a child and I think I did all right. Have fun piecing it together. Bonnie
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I just wanted to say hi, interesting reading about all the history of Sheenboro.
I live in Sheenboro
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Hello Glenn: Thanks for stopping by. I have visited Sheenboro and it is a lovely area. I am glad you enjoyed the information. There are a lot of families who lived in Sheenboro and came out of Chichester and some migrated west and into the US. My grandfather Ronald was born in Chichester. I think that John McDonald is brother to my grandfather Archibald. Bonnie
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II was born and grew up at Sinnett, SK and attended Loyola School until the end of Grade 9. My mother’s families were the McGuire and Coxes (Johncox) of Sheen and Pontiac..I have done extensive genealogical research into this heritage which I am willing to share on request.
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Harold: That is amazing, thanks for sharing. I am willing to assist others in connecting with other’s doing research on these areas of Canada. Bonnie
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I’m a descendent in Calif. USA by my mother (her mother a McGuire/father a Cleary) from Allumette Isle, Pontiac, Quebec. Her mom was Bridget Ann McGuire. Bridget married Thomas Cleary in Chapeau about 1900 and came to Calif. Bridget’s uncle was the Thomas McGuire whom the Jesuit Priest (Fr. John Chester Sinnett) convinced with many of the parish near Sheenboro, Quebec to migrate to the high plains of Saskatchewan just after the Canadian railroad made those high plains. Thomas had the first school and post office. See: Jack Coughlin, “The Irish Colony of Saskatchewan,” ISBN 0-9699300-0-3, 108 pages. This is a paperback which was easily obtained searching used book sites like: bookfinder4U. Happy searching and happy St. Pats day 2020.
Also the Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Group in Pembroke,Ontario is a wonderful source.
The genealogy I completed on my Clearys is in their library.
CHEERS.
Russ Taylor
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Russ: Thanks for stopping by and sharing. This is so very interesting that there are more who went to Saskatchewan from Allumette Isle. Thanks for the information about the The Irish Colony of Saskatchewan. Yes, I have visited the Upper Ottawa Valley Gen. Group in Pembroke when I traveled there in 2012. Thanks for contributing to their holdings. Documentation of the families is very important for both locations. Happy St. Pats day to you as well. I do have Irish on my Mom’s side. Bonnie
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I visited the church and grave yard in Sennett Sask. It was very well maintained.
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Hugh: Thanks for stopping by. I have not visited that graveyard so good that you have. The photos are courtesy of a cousin of that line of family. Bonnie
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Hi, I have the picture posted of the families from Sheen to Saskatchewan. Can anyone identify all the people. I would really appreciate any help.
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Marie: The photo was shared with me by Linda, whom I refer to in the post, she helped me to interpret as many of the individual’s as she could. You will have to go to her to see if she has figured out more of the individuals in the photo since then. She has posted this on her Timmins facebook page and I don’t know if anyone has identified more people. Thanks for stopping by.
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My wife and I visited Sinnett Saskachewan this summer on our way to Saskatoon. We walked through the cemetary and saw many af the names listed in the photo. It is a beautiful place. My gr gr grandmother was Mary-Ellen Devine.
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Hugh, welcome and thank you for your comment. I have never been to Saskatchewan and it is only through cousins and other family that I see what places are like. Thanks for sharing. When I was in Canada in 2012 I saw the spires of the churches reaching to the sky and I knew that Canada was built on faith. These individuals that traveled to this area of Sinnett and Leroy were to me brave and amazing people.
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my great grandmother was Mary Devine w/o Arthur Devine. Their daughter Ellen Devine married Thomas McGuire. They were my grandparents. Marie
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Marie: Thanks for stopping by and sharing.
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Hi, Bonnie, I can remember My Dad talking about about the Devines and McGuires. They were neighbors. They were my grandfathers age. Any way how are you folks keeping , well I hope. Getting ready for Xmas, hey. We had a busy summer and fall. Went on a river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest in Sept ,16 days. What an experience But was glad to get home…(Bonnie shorten this message for privacy reasons). Len and Joan.
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Hello: Wow sounds like you had fun on your trip. We are also ready for Christmas. Not really a good idea to chat about personal things on these comments on the blog. So I shortened your message a little. Have a great Christmas and New Years. Bonnie
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Hold on there. –Thomas John Mcguire married Mary Ellen Devine in Sheen and went to sask with the jesuit priest Sinnett 1905. ( a bunch of my Sask cousins have signed on here harold koberinski and marie pratcher ). You can reply to them or ask me for their email.
Russ. ——- serendipity to the max. I never check in on this site but you will see one entry. I never get notices from this site.
And yes, Thomas Mcguire (the son of James Mcguire and Mary O’Donnell) married
Mary Mcguire on Oct. 9, 1855 at chapeau, st. alphonsus church. Allumette Isle,pontiac,quebec. The microfilm record can be found at family search under collections for the location and year span. The priests records are pretty clear.
This is the story told on the island(allumette) of: “a McGuire marrying a McGuire .”
They were both descended from DIFFERENT Mcguires.
Russ Taylor (grandmother: Bridget Ann Mcguire from thomas gregory mcguire and teresa duff. Allumette isle.)
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Hello Russ: Thanks for your comments. This subject of the migration to Sask is very interesting. I have family that went there who were Mc/MacD’s and Downey and descendants that I am in contact with. I have removed your email from your comments that are online. I thank you for the information. If you want to get in contact with someone who has made a comment, you should contact me Bonnie the compiler and I will be happy to help. Telling me the post title and date will help. I see your email as administrator of this site and can contact you. Here is my blog email for you to contact me and I will be happy to get you to other of interest: bjmcdonell@gmail.com.
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Bonnie, Thanks.
There are a couple of spiral wound binded books created from many families of the island (Allumette) Gene Obrien is the contact. They are a wealth of info and also the upper ottawa Valley genealogical society in Pembroke, Ontario .
Russ Taylor
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Russ, thanks for the reference. I have seen them when I visited and have my own copies of certain pages. I believe they are also in the Pontiac Archives in Sheenboro.
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My Grandmother was Mary Agnes Devine born 1888 in Sheenboro, Quebec. My Grandfather Frederick Alphonse Anstett left (1886- 1972) Manvel, ND)North Dakota and homesteaded in Sinnett. There he married (1912) my Grandmother, Mary Agnes. All 9 of their children were born there. They then emmigrated back to the U.S. and farmed outside of Moorhead, MN. Moved to Baraboo, WI in 1943. I don’t know the relationship to Mary Ellen Devine. There is a James Devine in the above photo. My Grandmother did have a brother James. Her parents were Aurthur Devine and Mary Flynn Devine.
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Hello Mike: Thanks for stopping by and sharing. I don’t have much on the Devines or Anstett. I can see that your family was very restless, we don’t realize how often they did move and so brave. Yes James Devine is in the photo but I really don’t know that much about that family. I wish I could help out. Bonnie
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Hi Bonnie, I do know that my Grandmother had a brother James. Whether he is her brother or not I don’t know.
We did visit Sheenboro about 5-6 years ago and walked through the cemetery while there. Met a Cecil Morris while there and he told me that his great grandmother was a Devine, so a distant relative i would presume. An interesting visit.
Thanks for your reply,
Mike
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Mike, you are most welcome. I have been to Sheenboro as well and walked that cemetery. It is very different now then it was back when our ancestors were there, it was a bit more lively not your sleepy community. Bonnie
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Mike Anstett—- Your grandmother Mary Agnes & Ellen were sisters. My mother passed a Family Tree of the Anstett families to me.
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Marie, Thanks for the information.
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I am Maurice Downey and connected to the McGoldricks from Sheen. I also have a funeral card for Julia Devine who died in 1929 in my Grandfather’s photos
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Hello Hugh: This is very cool. Thanks for chatting and sharing. Bonnie
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Maurice I would be interested in a copy of Julia Devine’s obit—-
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Marie: Like I said to russ, please contact me Bonnie, the compiler of this blog if you want to get in touch with other commentators. You can contact me at bjmcdonell@gmail.com. I removed your email it is not a good idea on a public blog.
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sorry about that. I would appreciate it somehow I could learn the contents of Julie Devine obit.
Do you have a nun called Sister Rita McGuire with the Grey Sisters? She gave some names of her family. Her mother was Isabella McDonnel married to james McGuire. (I realize that there is a different spelling)
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Marie: Okay, check your email off the web and see my message. Hopefully, I have gotten you together with Marice. As for the nun, if you are talking to me the compiler, no I do not have Sister Rita McGuire. The spelling of MacDonald is many variations so I have tried those in my database and don’t find these names. However, there is a lot I don’t know or have not figured out regarding the McD’s. They are an old family and it is very difficult to trace them all. Bonnie
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I am not sure if I connect back to the McDonell’s you are mentionning here but my maiden name is McDonell
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Brenda: If you family came from Ontario or Quebec or even the Maritimes and you are a McDonell it is possible you have roots in the area that my blog covers. Untangling McDonell lineages in Canada is a tough business. Be aware that it can be spelled several ways McDonell, McDonnell, MacDonell, Macdonell, McDonald, MacDonald. In my family my father chose MacDonald, his father Ronald or R.S. was McDonald and his siblings used that spelling. The old version on my great Aunt Nellie’s charts was MacDonell. For each of record keeping many researchers works use a specific spelling to make it easier to find things but not necessarily correct. The Scots didn’t care it was all M*Donald to them.
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After some searching in the history books from back home, Sinnett, of the early homesteaders, it mentions; Tom McGuire, Jim Devine,Simon Sullivan, Michael Hayes, Harold Hayes, Angus MacDonald, Pat Masterson and Pat Slattery….so this has to be them.
I haven’t come across anything on High Downey and Theresa McDonell yet, will let you know if I do.
Joan
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Joan thanks so much. Could you send me the titles of those books you were looking at? You can email me direct and I can post if you like. This is so cool.
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Interesting! We grew up in ‘The Irish Colony’ in Saskatchewan. My mother’s maiden name was SINNETT. Some of the names mentioned in the picture homesteaded at SInnett. The Irish Colony was founded by Father Sinnett, a Jesuit priest from Ont.. If you google’ Sinnett The Irish Colony Saskatchewan’, there is a lot of information there. What a small world.
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Thanks so much, I had a feeling it was spelled slightly wrong. I was hoping you would see this. Bonnie
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