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Research in Other Countries => South Africa => Topic started by: tracer on Thursday 12 October 06 19:40 BST (UK)
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Hi,
I need help as I have come to a brick wall. Great Grandfather Thomas William FARRELL (b.1852 in Ontario Ca) married in 1883 in Kimberley Diamond Mines, South Africa great grandmother Flora Constance Mary WILSON (b.1867 Ascension Island - she was a British Subject as her father gggrandfather Henry Morton Dyer WILSON was paymaster for the Royal Navy - the guard ship on Ascension Island was HMS Flora - hence her name!) They lived in South Africa from 1883 until 1891 when they returned to the UK and lived in Devonshire. Thomas William FARRELL (who described himself as a mining expert in the 1891 census) then went back to South Africa and was never heard of since........or so the story goes....how can I find out more???????....many thanks.
Tracer
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Hi Tracer,
Do you think Thomas Farrell maybe went back to Canada instead if he had family there?
Karen
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Maybe.. now that's a thought...will try that angle. Thanks.
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Do you know what part of Ontario was his family from?
Karen
In Ontario :)
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Perth, but just outside of Perth.
Maggie / aka Tracer
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So then the Lanark County area of Ontario. Do you know who is parents were?
Karen
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Dear Tracer,
Thomas William Farrell was my great uncle (his sister Letitia Farrell my great grandmother). Although the English census record says he was born in Canada, he was actually born in Castlebar, Mayo, Ireland, and came to Canada with his parents and siblings around 1849. His father was Thomas Farrell (1795-1970) and mother was Ellen McIntyre (~1812-1884) and the family lived in Bathurst Township, Lanark County, Ontario. The rest of the family stayed in Ontario but Thomas left (as you know) for South Africa sometime after 1871, the last time he shows up on Canadian census. I, also, would like to know where he went after leaving Flora. Do you have any confirming records of their marriage? I would certainly like to have a copy if you do. If you are on a site where you can get access to Canadian census recs, look up Thomas W Farrel (born 1849 Ireland) in the 1861 census for Bathurst, Lanark, Ontario to see the family.
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Got your message tracer and will be sending email soon. Turns out I cannot use the Personal Message facility of RootsChat until I post 3 times and I only signed up yesterday! So this is post 2.
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Me again for post 3