MAURICE FITZGERALD FAMILY - CANADA PROJECT 150

Another family ancestor who lived in Canada at the time of confederation in 1867. Maurice Fitzgerald is my 2x great grandfather.

Maurice Fitzgerald Family

The family belief is that Maurice Fitzgerald (1803- 1881) came from Tralee, Kerry, Ireland.  He married his wife, Ellen Pendergast/Prendergast (1803-1872) in Ireland as their first daughter Nancy was born there.

As Nancy Fitzgerald's date of birth is listed as 1828 Ireland and the next daughter Mary was baptised on 14th December 1833 at St. Paul's Basilica in Toronto,  the family came to Canada between 1828 and 1833 and settled in the Toronto, Ontario area.

Ellen and Maurice Fitzgerald began a family that consisted of at least seven children including: Nancy, Mary, Bridget, Michael, Ellen, Johanna and David.  The baptisms of  five of the Fitzgerald children were found  in the Baptismal Records at St. Paul's Basilica, in Toronto.   These records range from 1833 to 1844.  On the 11th May 1850, their daughter Anne/Nancy Fitzgerald married Michael Stedman / Steadman at St. Paul's Basilica.

St. Paul's Basilica, Toronto, circa 1910 - Photo Courtesy of the Toronto Public Library

For some reason the family moved to Hornellsville, Steuben county, in New York State for a short period of time.  The family is listed on the 1850 US Census and their daughter Nancy and her husband Michael Stedman were also living nearby.

By the 1852  Canada Census, enumerated in January 1852, Maurice, his daughters Mary, Ellen and Johanna are listed as living in York, Ontario along with an Ellen Studman (?Stedman), aged 4.  His wife Ellen, son Michael and David are not listed with the family and perhaps they stayed in Hornellsville.

By the 1861  Canada Census, David Fitzgerald, the youngest son was listed as born in Upper Canada in 1851 and Ellen, Michael  are back with the family. 

Maurice and his son Michael owned land at Concession 1, Lot 6 , in the Southeast part of York County, Ontario.  According to the history of the Toronto Golf Club 1876-1976, Michael Fitzgerald owned approximately 65 acres that extended from Woodbine Avenue to Coxwell Avenue and north to the Grand Trunk Railway Tracks  and south to Queen Street in 1869.  In 1876 the Toronto Golf Club rented a vacant portion of the farmland to play golf.  This informal agreement lasted until 1894 when the Toronto Golf Club sought more permanent accommodation.

The Fitzgeralds also sold some of that land to the St. John The Baptist Norway Anglican Church.   The Church History of St. John indicates the church property was extended south of the Church circa 1880. "This lot was the site of the home of Mr. Fitzgerald, father of Mr. Michael Fitzgerald whose farm began north of St. John's and ran up to the Grand Trunk tracks"  This is in the Woodbine and Kingston Road area of Toronto.

 

Goad Insurance Map showing Fitzgerald Property

Ellen Fitzgerald died 5 June 1872 and is buried in St. Michael's Cemetery in Toronto.  Maurice remarried in September of that year.  He married a widow Ann Altridge O'Neill at St. Paul's Basilica.  Maurice's parents were listed as Patrick Fitzgerald and Annie Walsh.

Maurice died in 1881, and he was living at 20 Water Street in Toronto.  He is buried with his first wife Ellen in Plot 128 North of Bridget St.

Their children Michael Fitzgerald born 1838 married Fanny Down and Ellen Fitzgerald born 1841 married John Busby.  I have previously written about Richard Down see Richard Down Family  and John Busby see John Busby Family
in my previous Canada Project 150 posts.