Dear Ann,
Thank you so much for getting back to me. I definitely think that this is the genealogical link that I've been searching for. In fact, last week I was in Westport, Co. Mayo and was able to see the old house, talk to the family that has owned it since William Robert sold it to them. Regrettably, I'm enroute back to Canada so will have to wait until a future date to return and continue my research.
Here is why I think we're talking about the same person:
On the night of the 1901 census William Robert Hawkshaw was listed as the owner of 3 houses in Toberrrooaun. One of them was occupied by his mother Jane and her 5 year old granddaughter Lucy McAdam.
We have a picture of the family standing in front of their house that was probably taken in 1901. The location is actually the south east corner of the main intersection in Mace, Co. Mayo. The current owner of the house has a sundial that was inscribed Hawkshaw - Aille 1846
Part of the challenge that we've been having accessing information has been because of inaccuracies in census record entries and online transcription. For instance, my wife's grandmother (William Robert's 3rd child) was incorrectly identified in the census as Eliza Louisa and her brother as Donald. Her name was actually Emma Lucy and the brother was Oswald. William's mother is listed online as Hawkhaw and his wife was in Mount Talbot that night with her father William English
The family, which by then included a 4th child Martha, emigrated to Canada in 1910 aboard the Athenia and arrived in Quebec city on May 31st. They settled outside of Calgary, Alberta. Oswald was killed in World War 1 (1916) shortly after his 18th birthday.
If you would like to correspond more directly, I can be reached at
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Sincerely,
Brian
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