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Patricia Balkcom,
I have an outline of a descendants chart on a Bridget Flynn who had three husbands-and the families connect with alot of Placentia people husbands Michael costello shamus Dunphy and unknown Power and names such as Murphy, dawson, whelankelly and griffin, sullivan, etc
Archbishop Roche was the son of Edward Roche and Mary O’Reilly. Edward Roche was baptised at the StJohns Basilica-his father Edward came from Ireland. Had several brothers and sisters. Mary O’Reilly was the daughter of John O’Reilly lighthousekeeper, and his wife Hannah Roche.John the lighthousekeeper was son of John O’Reilly (1780-1863) and wife Mary Whelan.
Mary O’Reilly had a brother Thomas O’Reilly teacher and Magistrate, and a brother William-wife Sarah Bonia. William had a business but eventually relocated to Cambridge Mass, where he is buried. Mary O’Reilly Roche died quite young and Sarah Bonia O’Reilly(wife of William) helped to raise Edward (the bishop) and his brother John. Their father Edward Roche also died young. John Roche died at about age 20.
There are strong DNA matches between the families of Garrett O’Reilly-m-Leonard and his brother William-m-Collins. Six people who have significant matches.
Does anyone know why some of the people in Placentia spoke French-sometime only french -in their younger days-say around 1870-1880. Perhaps the Bonia family. Several mentions of it.
It is so wonderful to chat with so many Reilly family members and people with other Placentia families. I have an Ancestry tree-McNeilly Family tree, but I have not posted all of the Placentia info on it. There is a tree contributed by Leo O’Reilly from the US that outlines John O’Reilly/Mary Whelan’s family.Hi everyone,
I am looking for information on Martha O’Reilly. She was my great-grandmother She was born approximately 1886 in Argentia (possibly Fox Harbour). She married Richard Healey in 1907 and they resided in Argentia (Marquise). My grandfather (John (known as Jack) was one of their many children who married Ethel-Doris Byrne from Great Paradise.
The only sibling for Martha O’Reilly that I know of is Tommy (Thomas), a bachelor. Any information would be greatly appreciated. I will use the above information as a starting place. Thanks!Lynn,
I had a look at the records for Martha O’Reilly, and I think I can get her line back to the late 1700s.
I don’t know if you’re familiar with the Argentia parish records at http://www.redislandnf.com/argweb/redixarg.html, but it’s been a helpful resource for me.
Martha and Richard appear in the 1921 census for Argentia, along with their children:
Richard Healey, born Nov 1880 in Fox Harbour
Martha Healey, born Nov 1884 in Fox HarbourThere’s an entry for their marriage in the civil records:
Richard Healey, 28, from Fox Harbour, Placentia Bay
Martha O’Reilly, 21, from Argentia
Married 10 Nov 1907 at the Roman Catholic Cathedral in St. John’s
Witnesses: Patrick J. Healey & Theresa ShanahanThere’s also an entry for Martha in the civil death records, which gives the following information:
Martha Healey
Died 24 Jul 1939 in Argentia
Age 55
Born in Argentia
Buried in ArgentiaThere’s some discrepancy about when and where she was born. I suspect that the 1921 census in in error about her birthplace and that she really was born in Argentia.
There’s a match in the Argentia parish records for her:
Martha Reilly, baptized 2 Dec 1883 at Argentia
Parents: John Reilly & Johanah Power
Sponsors: Patrick McCue & Mary Anne MeadeJohn O’Reilly and Johanna Power’s youngest son was named Thomas, which fits with the info you have. The 1921 census shows Johanna as a widow living in Argentia.
John is probably the same John O’Reilly who died 25 Jul 1910 in Argentia at age 63. If so, then this is presumably his baptism record:
John Rillay, baptized 24 Oct 1847 at Argentia
Parents: Philip Rillay & Marth Millar
Sponsors: Richard McGrath & Jane RillayI found Phillip and Martha’s marriage in the Placentia records:
Phillip Reiley & Martha Miller
Married 12 Jan 1847 in Placentia
Witnesses: Joseph Ledwick & Emma BradshawApparently Phillip was from Argentia and Martha was from Placentia.
Phillip was the son of John and Mary O’Reilly of Pond Head, Argentia. You can find John’s will at http://ngb.chebucto.org/Wills/rielly-john-2-194.shtml. He died 26 Jan 1854, and there’s an obituary for him in the 2 Feb 1854 Newfoundlander: “Died – At Little Placentia, on Thursday last, after a long illness, Mr. John Rielley, aged 75 years, a respectable inhabitant of that district. Deceased was a native of Waterford.”
As far as I can tell, this John and Mary O’Reilly are unrelated to the John and Mary O’Reilly of Great Placentia to whom several of the others in this thread are related.
Thank you very much for this information – really appreciated. My Martha O’Reilly was the daughter of John O’Reilly and Johanna Power (I have found quite a bit of information about Johanna but John remained somewhat of a mystery until now given the number of O’Reilly families in the Placentia Bay area at the time. Thank you again for your information.
Just wanted to add an additional point for others in case they are following my Martha O’Reilly – although upon her death she was originally interned in Argentia, her remains were moved to the Freshwater cemetery along with many others when Argentia became a US navel base in the early 1940s. Her son (my grandfather John (Jack) Healey witnessed the re-internment and for the rest of his life was affected by this experience). This experience was shared by all Argentia families at the time of resettlement.
To Brenda Young —
I’m new here, but discovered my Newfoundland roots a little while ago. My grandmother’s surname was Bonia, from St. Mary’s. I am connected to the Sarah Bonia O’Reilly under discussion–my grandmom was Sarah’s brother Patrick’s granddaughter. I’m also discovering my Power roots.I am interested in your comment: “Does anyone know why some of the people in Placentia spoke French-sometime only french -in their younger days-say around 1870-1880. Perhaps the Bonia family. Several mentions of it.”
Placentia was inhabited by indigenous Beothuk people, then Basques, then French (calling it Plaisance in mid 1600s), then British in 1713. My earliest Bonia trace in Newfoundland is Patrick in 1785. I’ve been trying to determine where my Bonia ancestors originated. The search is complicated by wild variations in the spelling. I’ve seen suggestions the Bonia surname was French or maybe from the Midlands of England. So maybe they came to Newfoundland speaking French, or maybe French was still a dominant language in Placentia. But where did they start?
Any insight you have into why the Bonias spoke French would be much appreciated by this newbie.
–AliceHi all,
I am new to this site and my family research. I am the granddaughter of Valentine Carroll and Bridget O’Reilly; Bridget is the daughter of Wm O’Reilly and Sarah Bonia. My father Richard Carroll was sent from Massachuesetts in 1905 to Mt Cashel when Bridget died, and remained there until 1916 when he joined the Newfoundland Regiment.I am currently in NL and will be spending 2 nights in Placentia (Sat/Sun this week) and meeting Alice (above) in St John’s Aug 23-28). Would love to meet anyone who is a relation or who might have more information.
(Richard was 32 years older than my mother, thus the huge age gap…I am more connected to the generation after me).
John O’Reilly, lighthousekeeper, was my great-great-grandfather. Does anyone know if the O’Reilly House Museum has information on him or his line?
Here’s what I’ve extracted about John O’Reilly the lightkeeper from church records:
[1837 Oct] 23rd Married John Kielly of Placentia to Johanna Bohana of St. Mary’s Witness’s Sylvester Blanch & Daniel Corbon & Dorothea Corbon.
[1837 August 25] Bap’d Thomas of John Reily & Hana Bonea Sponcers Thomas Whealan & Hanah Bradsha
[1840 November the] 15 Bap’d Mary of John Rellay & Hanah Bonea Sponcers Silvester Blanch & Ruth Rellay
The marriage is in the records of St. John the Baptist Basilica in St. John’s. The baptisms are in the records of Holy Rosary Parish in Argentia (which covered Placentia during those years). Although the names in the marriage record are badly misspelled, I’m pretty confident it’s the correct couple. Also, the date at the top of the page for Thomas’s baptism says 1837, but there are some weird discrepancies in the Argentia records, and I think the date should actually be 1838.
I also found John’s estate and probate papers online, beginning with this image: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRN-Z9NN-7?i=1116&cat=788690. The estate file lists Thomas and Mary (by then deceased) as his heirs; there is no mention whatsoever of William. This leads me to believe that William O’Reilly who married Sarah Bonia is not actually a son of John and Hannah, as he would have been listed as a child on the estate papers even if he didn’t inherit anything.
There seems to have been some confusion between the different William O’Reillys. I think William O’Reilly who married Sarah Bonia was actually the son of William O’Reilly and Bridget Whelan. I have down about 5 or 6 more possible children for William and Bridget.
The following is the obituary of William Reilly in 1911- Cambridge Mass. Members of his family have done quite a bit of research in recent years. They also have plenty of stories and records. They believe that William, Thomas and Mary were siblings. Thomas was involved in government and teaching, Mary was the mother of Archbishop Roche and William carried on the business interests in Placentia. William left that behind when he joined his children in Cambridge- after the death of his wife.
There was a vital statistic record in Cambridge which indicated that John Reilly and Hannah Roche were his parents- the American records were a great help in putting this family together. Grandfather and his cousins still visited and corresponded up to his death in 1989- we were able to keep it up until recently with the death of a cousin who was quite a researcher.
Captain William O’Reilly, for a long time a resident of East Cambridge, died on Tuesday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. E. J. Dorney, on Webster avenue, Somerville. He had been In poor health for the past seven months and for several weeks had been confined to his bed. Death was due to old age. Captain O’Reilly was a native of Placentia, Newfoundland. He came to this country 14 years ago and the best part of this time he has been a resident of this city. He had a host of friends here, as well as in Somerville, which was entirely in keeping with his kindly nature. Indeed, he had a kind word for everyone. Tho deceased had been one of the leading fish merchants of Newfoundland, being known from one end of the country to the other. Many persons remember the prosecution of the Bait Act In Newfoundland. At that time Captain O’Reilly was one of the leaders in the fishing Industry there, and the Newfoundland government, In Its efforts to enforce the law and bar the French from gaining access to the shores, met with much At one time in particular, Captain O’Reilly, while out In his little fishing vessel, the “Hero,” was eepled by the revenue cutter “Fiona,” which bore down upon him. Equal to the emergency, Captain O’Reilly immediately made sail and In the face of a northeast gale outstripped the revenue cutter and was soon safely under the French flag. Those who knew him well always rejoiced In the fact that he was newer caught napping. Captain O’Reilly was a charter member In the Star of the Sea Society and kept his membership therein for 65 years. He ls survived by one son, Patrick O’Reilly, who is employed by the city of Cambridge, and three daughters, Mrs. E. J. Dorney and Mrs. W. Wlllworth, of Somerville, and Mrs Henry T. Green, of Cambridge. Funeral services took place on Thursday morning at St. Joseph’s Church, Union square, Somerville, and the burial was In St. Paul’s Cemetery, Arlington.
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