| Notes |
- Rebecca was the daughter of Robert Gillis and Catherine McDole Gillis . She eloped with Daniel Mooney (b. Drum Parish, County Monaghan, Ireland; d. Abt. 1820), a Roman Catholic.
NOTES FROM Mrs. Shirley Aaberg APRIL 2001, AS RELATED BY THOMAS GILLIS OF OTTAWA TO HIS SISTER KATIE BROWN (GILLIS) IN 1943:
"Rebecca got going out with Daniel Mooney, a Roman Catholic. Her father opposed this, so they eloped. One child, John was born. Daniel died suddenly - was accidentally killed so we hear. Grandfather Gillis took Rebecca home with her child and a few months later a daughter was born, called Kate. They lived and were brought up at Grandfather Gillis' farm."
Why did the family oppose the marriage to a Catholic? To know at least one reason why, one must re-examine the 'Penal Laws' which were introduced in 1690 after the Catholic supporters of James II were defeated by the Protestant forces of William of Orange. These were laws that banned Catholics from an education, religion, professions, forbade Catholics from possessing arms or owning a horse worth more than ?5 etc. The majority of Irish did not have money to purchase food and were fundamentally human slaves to their landlords.
One child, John , was born in 1818 and shortly thereafter Daniel was accidently killed. Rebecca's father, Robert, took Rebecca, then a young widow of 19, and her son back into the family home. A few months later a daughter Kate was born. They lived and were brought up in their grandfather's home in Ireland.
Rebecca's son John emigrated to Canada in 1835. After spending a year with his uncle William (Rebecca's brother) and some time in Vermont, John returned to Inverness in 1847. John was a progressive young man. He started buying cattle and shipping them to Quebec. As business expanded, he bought in the U.S. and while there, sent for his mother and sister Kate.
Rebecca secured a position with General Butler as nurse to his small duaghter. Later, Kate (who had been working in the mills in Vermont) married John George, of Inverness, Quebec, Canada, and Rebecca went to live with them.
Rebecca Gillis Mooney buried in Boutelles Cemetery in Inverness , Megantic County, Quebec, Canada, where her brother William and his family is buried. The family plot includes her son, John Mooney, his wife Eunice T., Samuel C. his son, & "Rebecca Gillis Mooney, wife of Daniel". Rebecca died in 1876.
NOTES FROM Mrs. Shirley Aaberg APRIL 2001, AS RELATED BY THOMAS GILLIS OF OTTAWA TO HIS SISTER KATIE BROWN (GILLIS) IN 1943:
"John and Kate were brought up in their Grandfather's home in Ireland, and John emigrated later to Canada at about age 25, where he stayed a while with his uncle William. He settled in Inverness, Quebec."
Per Rebecca Gillis file - Desc. Rpt. (GBarry) 3/06: Granted two lots, Mill Range, (Route de Moulin), St. Slylvestre in 1831.
The following text was obtained from the kind generosity of Mrs. Shirley Aaberg (a Rebecca Gillis/Daniel Mooney descendant), 21 April 2001:
--Rebecca's brothers (John, James, Andrew) at one time had a farm known as the Donagh Farm in Ireland. Andrew's son Robert Gillis was born in Glasslough, Ireland, c. 1843, who married Isabel Haire in 1870. Robert (Andrew's son) died in 1923 and is buried at St. Marks Church of Ireland in Tandragee, County Armagh, in the same grave as his brother James. One of Robert and Isabel's grandchildren (dau. of Walter Gillis, their son) is Valerie May Gillis Harvey, who in 1996 was living in Australia.
Q. Is the family farm the original home of all of the Gillis's in Northern Ireland, or were there others of our name in Ireland as far back as 1641?
A. Prior to the Battle of Drumbansher, Robertus Gillis, resided at Tullagee, situated at Glasslough, about 1/8 mi south of the village. It then was 3 times as large as it is now, consisted of many public works and factories. In my early days, there were as many as 1600 inhabitants.
Q. Can you give the first name of our line back to 1641?
A. On the authority of your blood relative, Mr. Fred V C. Mc Kean, or McKay, 84 years of age, hale and active, your great grandfather's name was Robertus, as named by his immediate family, or Major Gillis. He resided a short distance outside the village recognized at that time as a young man of means. He married Olive Rebecca, daughter of Fred K. McNabb, protorater, Fishle or tax collector for the Barony of Trugh. He was a very important man at that time. A Quaker. The young lady's name, our great-grandmother was Rebecca Olive. Mr. McKen says that Olive and the Major were the best specimens that he ever had of grafting together, Their offsprings (sic) were three boys and one girl -- William, Samuel and Robert - the girl died young. William became a very wealthy man, by the linen trade. Raised a mill on the Colleen River, Armagh and made a large fortune. He retired and went by the name of Mc Crumbs, but to this day, that mill, though four times the size is known, goes by the name of Gillis' Spinning Mill. At his death the bulk of this mill went to the McMasters, McKens and Mc Crumbs - people overloaded with wealth. He never married.
Samuel disappeared.
Robert, your grandfather and mine, stayed home dabbling in linen in a small way, his father having got or bought some land in the town of Donagh for accommodation in grass purposes. Our grandfather got married to the only daughter of Alexander McDole, Damask manufacturer. Their offspring were Andrew, John, William (he was Miss Gillis' father, or Rebecca's, who was our great grandmother who married Daniel Mooney) and James. William and James came to Canada. Andrew purchased a small holding. Andrew married Elizabeth Riddle, my mother.
There were five sons and two daughters in our family, sister Anne, a fine young woman and more than good, died early in l877. Brother's John and Thomas got good educations. John was employed by the government as a flax growing inspector. Thomas went to England, rose almost to the top of the ladder. I was neglected always in youth - ploughed and took care of the horses. However I launched out in the world and here I am 77 1/2 years old and never a severe turn of illness that I remember of until l911 and the beginning of l912.
The present occupant is the writer, Robert H. Gillis, his wife was Isabelle Maire of Dublin. Their offspring - Thos. Andrew Oliver Gillis, Robert Walter Ernst Gillis of the Ipswich Times office, Queensland, Australia; Anna Eva Isabella, now Mrs. Jos Anderson, Market St;, Sandragee Park merchant; Sydney Alfred Noble Gillis of Mesent or Moscut in the States, unsettled and I forgot to say that my brother James resides on the Donagh farm and spends the winters with us.
Q. What do you know of the other branch of our family, such as the children of the first occupant of the home farm, and their children?
A. Your grandfather Robert Gillis was the first to reside on it. After his marriage your great grandfather occupied as accommodation to his residence in Tullagree, Glasslough.
Q. I frequently meet people of our name, whose people come from the north of Ireland but we can trace no relationship except that the family names are similar - John, James, William, Andrew etc. and that they come from the same part of Ireland as our people. Any other facts about your own brothers. etc?
A. In Ireland, at the present moment, there are quite a number of our name but no relation to our family who at all times associated only amongst themselves, or near relatives.
(Shirley's comment: "I hope that you enjoyed the above as much as I did. Every time I read it I laugh out loud at some of the wonderful Irish turns of phrase from "associated among ourselves" to "best specimens he?.grafting together" or "as for myself - the ploughman!"
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Continuation of text provided by Mrs. Aabjerg:
--The following was told by Tom Gillis of Ottawa to his sister Katie in l943. I presume this was the above mentioned Katie Brown?SMAa.
Our great grandfather's name was Robertus or Major Gillis. He married Olive Rebecca, daughter of Fred K. McNabb. He was raised at Tullaree, Ireland, situated about an 1/8 mi. south of the village of Glasslough. They had three boys and a girl - the latter died young. Robert, our grandfather, married the only daughter of Alexander McDole, Damask manufacturer, and their children Andrew, John, James, William and Rebecca were born in Glasslough. Andrew remained in Ireland. John, our father used to tell us, was a great sport, ball player, etc. who left home and joined Wellington's army. He marched with the army and would have been in the battle of Waterloo the next day had not Napoleon been defeated on June 1, l815. The group was disbanded and he was sent home, but fell ill and died just 20 miles from his father's home.
Rebecca got going out with Daniel Mooney, a Roman Catholic. Her father opposed this, so they eloped. One child, John was born. Daniel died suddenly - was accidentally killed so we hear. Grandfather Gillis took Rebecca home with her child and a few months later a daughter was born, called Kate. They lived and were brought up at Grandfather Gillis' farm.
William, our father, was born August 15, l806. He came out to Canada on the good ship "Bolivar" which landed at Quebec July 12, l826, after being six weeks and three days at sea. On this ship also came Samuel Robinson, born 1782, and died June 14, l872, age 92. His wife, Ellen McCammon died Apr. 20, l852, age 70 and they had six children- William, who later went to Ohio; Thomas who stayed on the 5th range, Inverness and died March 5, l917 at age 105; James, who went west; Martha who became Mrs. McCammon and our mother Nancy who married William Gillis. Mother was born August 5, l826 after the ship landed in Quebec. William Gillis had intended to go to western Canada but he met some people who told him many people were dying of fever and ague and the country was low and swampy. He stayed four years in Quebec, worked for Bonnom Ray, a tobacco manufacturer.
Our grandfather in Ireland had a farm and several looms and more linen raisers, lots of flax on his farm. That is where our father learned to weave. He moved up from Quebec to Upper Ireland, P Q where he bought 200 acres of land, about six miles from Thetford Asbestos Mines. He built a log house which he gave to his son Robert, who sold it to Ben. Ben sold it to Tom who sold it to Charlie Canning. They then bought the 100 acre farm which was given to John, who sold it to Mr. Granklin.
James Gillis (John Mooney's uncle) came from Ireland about this time and bought the farm we lived on. Before selling this, father had 600 acres and seven sons. Father got all this land for very little money.
William Gillis and Nancy Robinson were married in the home of Alexander Learmouth at Craigs Road, Megantic County by Rev. Alexander, a Church of England minister on March 4, l832 with Mrs. Deraney as bridesmaid. They had 15 children, one dying in infancy. Uncle Andrew, the eldest son had two sons, Robert and Thomas. Robert was the man who trailed and caught Crippen on a boat at Quebec. He was the Inspector of Scotland Yards and either he or Thomas recovered with the "queen's Gold Lace." In l9l9, Edgar (Kate Gillis Brown's son) visited them when on leave at Tandragee. Robert's son Sidney, invalided home, badly wounded. Both Robert and Thomas traveled extensively in Canada and Australia. Robert was in Toronto when it was still called York. His son stayed one winter with Marsha Gillis in Inverness.
After father settled in Inverness, when John Mooney was about fifteen, father sent him money to come to Canada. All John had he packed in one little box. When a short way out, a storm at sea wrecked the boat. Later, father again sent money and John arrived safely. He stayed with my father a year or more.
John Mooney was a progressive young man. He started buying cattle and shipping them to Quebec. As his business extended he bought in the United States and while there, he sent to Ireland for his mother and sister. His mother secured a position with General Butler as nurse to his small daughter, Blanche. Later his sister married John George of Inverness. His mother lived with the George's.
John Mooney met and wanted to marry Eunice Todd Wright, but her father wouldn't allow this until a husband was secured for his older daughter, Hannah. John went to Canada and took Uncle Tom Robinson back with him. Tom married Hannah, so John got his Eunice. They returned to Canada and settled on what has been known as the Mooney homestead.
John Mooney was a very successful man, both as a farmer and as a drover. He and Johnny George were the only two drovers there. There were just four families living there when John put up the Methodist Church in Inverness. The four families were William Lambly, John Mooney, John George and the Gillis family. They decided to build the church. Later William Lowry's family arrived. Some years later, when John Mooney's family was pretty well grown up, a farmer by the name of Johnson from Thetford Mines brought him a sample of asbestos which he had found on his rocky, barren farm near Thetford. Not knowing what it was, John advised him to go to Quebec and show it to Hon. George Irwin, then the MP for Megantic County. Mr. Johnson wanted Mr. Mooney to go with him, but Mr. Mooney said he was too busy haying. Mr. Johnson left to go alone. A few minutes later Mr. Mooney relented and left for the station, arriving there at the same time as Mr. Johnson. Both went to Quebec and interviewed Irwin who advised them to form a company, which they did. This company was composed of the three Johnson brothers - Andrew, John and William, John Mooney and Hon. George Irwin who served as legal advisor to Johnson Asbestos Mining Company.
Andrew Johnson married Maria McCammon and afterwards became MP for Megantic County. This mine is said to produce one half of the worlds asbestos from the largest deposit ever discovered. This mine is still in possession of the original owners and has been working since its inception 60 years ago.
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In l996 Donald Mooney made contact with a descendant of Andrew Gillis (3.1) , Valerie Gillis Harvey (3.1.1.2.1.4) of
Rockhampton, Australia. She submitted the following about her family:
The Gillis Family as I know it:
Robert Gillis married Isabella Haire, who was a milliner, on the 22 Dec. l870 at Navan in the County of Meath, Eire. Isabella (known as Bella) was the daughter of Thomas and Jane Haire. Thomas, a Royal Irish Constabulary member was Head Constable in Navan at the time of the wedding. Thomas Haire died in l874 after a fall from his horse, and is buried, together with a daughter Malda, who died in her teens, in the graveyard of St Mary's Church of Ireland in Navan.
A little time later Jane (nee Noble) whose family were jewellers in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, N.I., took her children Sadie, Emily, Lucy, Minnie, James, Alfred and William to the U S to start a new life. They settled in Maynard, Mass. Two of the boys later moved to Canada - William to Montreal and Alfred to Toronto. Bella, Margaret (known as Maggie) and Joseph stayed in Ireland. Joseph later went to live and work in England.
According to Maggie, our Haire and Noble ancestors came from Ayrshire, Scotland in the 17th century. This ties in with the Plantation of Ulster.
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Descendants of George Mooney and Mabel Grace Jamieson have held a biannual Mooney reunion at Minter Gardens since the mid-nineties. Don Mooney of Brockville discovered that Mabel's descendants, who attend the reunion as well, are related to us through the Gillis side. William Gillis who emigrated to Megantic county in l829 had a daughter Ellen who married Robert Kean. One of their children, Mary, married William Alfred Jamieson and their daughter was George Mooney's wife.
Thomas Gillis, son of William John Gillis, talked in a letter in 1943 about his grandfather Gillis (who married Miss McDole). He describes the Robinson and Gillis families, the Gillis farm in Ireland, the weaving trade, etc. Source: Aabjerg, Harvey, 2001. Mrs. Harvey's address: Mrs. D. Harvey; 6 Smith St., Rockhampton, Queensland 4700, Australia. [4, 5]
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Ernest Benjamin Gillis Family History
1799 - 1876 (77 years)
[4, 6]