Robert McNamara (abt. 1801 - 1870)

Born about 1801 in New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland

Husband of Judith Ann (Gammon) McNamara — married 30 Nov 1828 in Lawrencetown, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Descendants

Died Apr 1870 at about age 69 in Chatham, Northumberland, New Brunswick

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Biography

Robert was born about 1801 in Ireland.

Family tradition says that Robert was born in New Ross, County Wexford and left Ireland to come to North America during the "white boy clearances". Another source states that he was “a soldier in the British Army before coming to Canada”.

On 30 Nov 1828, Robert married Judith Ann Gammon. The ceremony was performed in Lawrencetown by the Rev. W. Croscombe and was recorded in the records of the Brunswick Street Methodist Church.

Ann was born 15 Sep 1810, the 10th child and 2nd daughter of John and Mary Ann (Bissett) Gammon. of Lawrencetown, Halifax County, Nova Scotia. Ann’s maternal grandparents, Jean George and Judith (Metin) Bizet, were "Foreign Protestants" of Swiss origin. Ann’s father was born in Lunenburg, NS, although most of his younger brothers and sisters were born in Lawrencetown, Halifax County, NS.

On 12 Nov 1823, the Colchester County, Nova Scotia land records show that Robert McNamara, shoemaker, Halifax paid Joseph Hobson, hairdresser, Halifax 20£ for 100 acres of land on the “new road leading from Salmon River to River John and Pictou”. Robert evidently lost possession of this land as his name does not appear again except in a judgement that was recorded 6 Jun 1837 in which he “confesses on Indecapitated Assumpsit”.

The 1838 census of Halifax lists Robert Macnamara, shoemaker with 3 females < 6, [Elizabeth, Sarah, Letitia], 1 male 6-14 [Robert], 1 female 6-14 [Rebecca], 1 male > 14 not head of family [?], 1 female > 14 [wife Ann], total 8 in family, including himself.

Robert and his family must have moved from Nova Scotia to Chatham, Northumberland County, New Brunswick sometime between 1839 and 1840.

On 7 Jun 1853, Robert McNamara, Chatham took out a mortgage for 100£ from Oliver Willard of Newcastle. This mortgage was discharged by Robert McNamara, 10 May 1858.

The 1861 census of Chatham lists Robert, shoemaker, 60, b. Ireland, Ann, 50, b. NS, Sarah, 24, b. NS, John, 23, b. NS, Percilla [sic], 20 and William, 19, all Methodists.

Hutchinson’s 1865/1866 directory of NB lists a Robert McNamara, Sr. living on Queen and Wellington in Chatham as a shoemaker. Hutchinson’s 1867/1868 directory of NB lists a Robert McNamara living on Queen and Wellington in Chatham as a shoemaker.

Robert died in Chatham in Apr 1870, age 71.

The 1871 census of Chatham lists Ann, widow, 60 and William, 25.

On 2 Apr 1878, Robert, shoemaker, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Sophia, his wife and Ann, widow of Robert McNamara formerly of Chatham, sold the northerly part of lot 54 to William Stapleton, blacksmith of Chatham for $540. This deed mentions that this lot was conveyed to him by his father Robert McNamara by indenture bearing the date 1 May 1856.

The 1881 census of Halifax, Nova Scotia lists Anne McNamara, widow, 72 living with her son Robert. Annie McNamara, widow, 82, is living with her son Robert in Halifax in 1891. After Robert died in 1899, Ann must have moved to Bathurst, NB to live with her daughter Mary Ann and son-in-law Robert Eddy. She died in Bathurst 14 Jan 1901 aged 93 and is probably buried near her daughter Mary Ann Eddy, although no headstone has been found.

Robert and Ann had 14 children, the first 7 born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the last 7 born in Chatham, New Brunswick.

Children:

1. Robert Young, b. 16 Sep 1829 in Halifax.
2. Rebecca Ann, b. 13 Jan 1831 in Halifax.
3. Maria Elizabeth, b. 26 May 1832 in Halifax, m. William Miller of Bathurst on 3 Dec 1863. The ceremony was performed by Rev. P. Tweedy and the event was recorded by the Methodist newspaper. In the 1861 census of Bathurst, William Miller was listed as a farmer & trader, Church of England, age 55, mar. to Elizabeth, b. USA, Baptist, age 41. There were no children listed. In the 1871 census of Bathurst, William Miller, age 68, farmer, blind, of Irish descent, was mar. to Maria E., age 40, b. in Nova Scotia, Wesleyan Methodist, of Irish descent. There were four children listed with ages between 6 and 1. Elizabeth d. in 1881 and is buried with her husband in the Old St. Georges Cemetery in Bathurst. William, age 78, trader, blind, was listed as a widower in the 1881 census of Bathurst. The marriage certificate of Charles Ross Miller gives his father’s name as William Miller and his mother’s name as Maria McNamara. William and Maria Elizabeth had issue surname Miller: Elizabeth A., Anna Catherine J., Samuel William, Thomas, Harriet Ann, Charles Ross, Jos Henry.
4. Letitia, b. 25 May 1834 in Halifax, d. 26 Nov 1853 in Chatham, NB, bur. St. Lukes Methodist Cemetery. The 23 Nov 1853 edition of The Gleaner and Northumberland Schediasma reported: "d. Chatham (North. Co.) Monday night, Letitia MacNamara d/o Robert MacNamara, age 19 years 9 mos. Funeral this afternoon 3 o'clock"^[1][2]
5. Sarah Jane, b. 27 Aug 1835 in Halifax, m. 1 Aug 1863 in Miramichi Area, Northumberland Co., NB, John Gray, moved to Joilet, Will Co., Illinois ca 1866, d. 24 Mar 1922 in Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois, bur. Oakwood Cemetery, Joilet, Will Co., Illinois.
6. Mary Ann, b. 31 Aug 1839 in Halifax, m. 13 Feb 1857 in Chatham, NB, Robert Eddy, the son of Robert and Jane (Morgan) Eddy of Bathurst. The 14 Feb 1857 edition of The Gleaner and Northumberland Schediasma reported: “m. Chatham (North. Co.) by Rev. Wm. Smith, Wesleyan Minister 12th inst., Robert Eady, Bathurst (Glouc. Co.) / Mary Ann MacNamara fourth d/o Robert MacNamara.”^[3] Robert and Jane Eddy were both born in County Cork, Ireland and immigrated to Gloucester County, New Brunswick about 1825. In 1911, Mary Ann Eddy, widow, 70 was residing in Bathurst with Laura Eddy, daughter, 45 and Sadie McFarlane?, g. niece, 13. Mary Ann d. 16 Feb 1927 in Bathurst, NB and is bur. in the old St. Georges Cemetery. Her occupations, as shown on her death certificate, was "house mistress". Robert and Mary Ann had issue surname Eddy: Robert Chesley, Laura Jane, William Perkins, Susan, George Samuel, Alfred Emmanuel, Relenza, Edmond Somerville, Irene, Thorne Morgan.
7. John, b. ca 1840 in Nova Scotia, d. 2 May 1862 in Chatham, The 10 May 1862 edition of The Gleaner and Northumberland Schediasma reported: "d. Chatham (North. Co.), 2nd inst., John MacNamara, age 22."^[4] "after a long illness which he bore with Christian patience".
8. Marian, b. ca 1841 in NB. In 1861, she was living with her aunt and uncle, Samuel and Elizabeth Gammon in Bathurst.
9. Priscilla, b. 7 May 1840 in Chatham, m. 28 Oct 1863 in Chatham, James Johnson.
10. William Henry, b. 3 Sep 1841 in Chatham, listed as a seaman in the 1871 census. Hutchinson’s 1865/1866 directory of NB lists a William McNamara living on Queen and Wellington in Chatham as a painter.
11. Charles Cook, b. 10 Sep 1843 in New Brunswick, d. 3 Jul 1861 in Chatham, NB. The 22 Jun 1861 edition of The Gleaner and Northumberland Schediasma reported: "A young lad, age 17, Charles McNamara s/o Robert McNamara who resides in Chatham (North. Co.), while assisting in loading a vessel received a severe injury from the effect of which he expired Monday. An Inquest was held Tuesday before M. Cranney, Esq., Coroner on view of the body of Charles s/o Robert McNamara, shoemaker, who came to his death from a stick of timber slicing into the port hole of the barque Sterlingshire in which vessel he worked for a few days."^[5]
12. Benjamin, b. ca Apr 1845 in New Brunswick, d. 7 Jul 1851 in Chatham, NB, bur. St. Lukes Methodist Cemetery. The 23 Jun 1851 edition of The Gleaner and Northumberland Schediasma reported: "d. Chatham, Sunday eve., Benjamin MacNamara s/o Robert MacNamara, age 6."^[6][7]
13. Agnes, b. ca Jun 1847 in New Brunswick, d. 19 Dec 1853 in Chatham, NB, bur. St. Lukes Methodist Cemetery. The 24 Dec 1853 edition of The Gleaner and Northumberland Schediasma reported: "d. Chatham (North. Co.) Wednesday, Agnes McNamara d/o Robert McNamara age 6 and a half years. "^[8]
14. Susan, b. 5 Sep 1851 in Chatham, may have died young.

Research Notes

In an e-mail from Teri McNamara to Greg Bishop in May 2020, Teri writes: "I’ve been doing some research on the white boy clearances in Wexford. In court documents, I found a Timothy McNamara, a shoe maker, who would have been about the same age as Robert. Timothy was put in jail three times for “refusing to work in the poor house”. Maybe Timothy was Robert’s brother? I also found a Mary McNamara, age 60, who was jailed for begging."

Sources

1. ↑ death notice for Letitia
2. ↑ cemetery listing for Letitia
3. ↑ marriage notice of Mary Ann
4. ↑ death notice for John
5. ↑ death notice for Charles
6. ↑ death notice for Benjamin
7. ↑ cemetery listing for Benjamin
8. ↑ death notice for Agnes

• First Families of New Brunswick, Family-McA-McY.pdf
• Daniel F Johnson's New Brunswick Newspaper Vital Statistics
• 1861 census New Brunswick
• New Brunswick, County Deeds, Registry Books, 1780-1930, Northumberland County