Person:James Freel (3)

Cousin Connect post 11/2003

I'm looking for James Freel, born about 1814 in either Co. Sligo or Co. Donegal. Family lore has it that he came from Co. Donegal, but his death record says Co. Sligo. He married Bridget McDermott about 1835 in Ireland. She was born about 1815, again either in Co. Sligo or Co. Donegal. I have no information on either of their parents. James and Bridget immigrated to the US/CAN about 1840. Supposedly he was a stone cutter in the homeland and a member of a vigilante group. Family lore has it that he was forced to leave Ireland after a row in which James cracked a constable over the head. He supposedly sent for Bridget and their four or five small sons after he got settled. One son, James, is said to have been born while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. I am descended from one of those elder sons, Micheal, who was born about 1836. James and Bridget settled for a time at the northern tip of Lake Simcoe in Ontario, Canada. They lived first in Pickering Township and later in the town of Mara. They were members of the parish of St. Columbkille in Uptergrove. They raised at least 11 children in that small community and when Bridget died in Apr 1861 most of her children were already grown. James is said to have been a stone cutter and a bootlegger. We're lead to believe that he was well known throughout the area for the quality of the whiskey he produced. In Feb 1862, James married Bridget Scott, the daughter of James and Ann Scott. They had 6 children, the last two of which were born after the family immigrated to Oil City, Venango County, Pennsylvania in the late 1860's. They were members of the parish of St. Joseph in Oil City. James died in Oct 1884 after being kicked in the jaw by a mule while visiting his son in the Dakotas. It's not clear whether he survived long enough to make it home to Pennsylvania or not, but his sons "took his body to Uptergrove, Ontario" where he was laid to rest beside his first wife. James was my GGG grandfather and I have been trying to locate the family in Ireland for a number of years with no success. Any information you might be able to share with me would be greatly appreciated. I am particularly interested in parish records and immigration/ship passenger lists, etc.

1. ↑ Census Records
   1861 Census of Mara Twp., Ontario Co., C. W.;p. 36 # 25.

   QUAY 3 Stated age was 49 at census.

2. ↑ obituary
   The Canadian Post, Lindsay; 31, Oct., 1884.

   QUAY 3 Partial obituary from 'they came to Mara', p. 313:
   "UPTERGROVE -- Obituary: Mr. James Freel, Sr., of Oil City, Pa., formerly of Mara, was buried here on Tuesday, having been brought over by his sons and others. Mr Freel left a large and prosperous fa mily...Mr. James Freel of Moorehead Da.[kota]; Dominick Freel of Oil City, and Michael Freel of Mara."

3. ↑ obituary
   The Orillia Times, 30 October, 1884.

   QUAY 3 "Uptergrove - Still another - Mr. James Freel, Sr. of Oil City, Penn., formerly of Mara, was buried here on the 28th inst. His sons brought his remains here by request of the deceased. The funeral w as not one tenth of what it would have been had there been sufficient notice, but the time was too short."

4. ↑ obituary.

   no tombstone recorded