References
James Edward Freel was born in County Sligo in 1811.
He married Bridget McDermott and they had 3 boys in Ireland--MIchael in 1833, Bernard in 1839 and James Michael 1840.
They emigrated to Canada in 1845--John being born on the Atlantic Ocean--and settled first in Pickering and then in Brechin. It was noted that James had an illegal still in the wilds of Mara Township. They had 6 more children in Canada--Thomas in 1846, William in 1849, Anastasia in 1851, Bridget in 1853, Daniel in 1854, and Brian birthdate unknown.
Bridget died in 1861 and James remarried to Bridget Scott in 1862. She was born in Canada in 1837. They had another 7 children--Mary Anne in 1862, Patrick in 1864, Katherine in 1865, Margaret in 1866, and Mary in 1866.
Some time after Mary's birth they emigrated to the oil fields of western Pennsylvania where Elizabeth-1871 and Francis-1872 were born. Some of the children had remained in Canada and James went back and forth to Mara.
At one point Thomas went out to Dakota Territory and was granted land and James followed him. In 1884 a mule kicked him in the head and he died. We don't know where his grave is. In the early 1890s Michael and Thomas emigrated to Bay City, Michigan.
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1st Jan 1811 (circa) | |
| Date of Death | 28th Oct 1884 | |
| Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname) | First wife: Bridget McDermott | |
| Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname) | Second wife: Bridget Scott (in 1862) | |
| Names of Children | MIchael 1833 Bernard 1839 James Michael 1840 Thomas 1846 William 1849 Anastasia 1851 Bridget 1853 Daniel 1854, Brian birthdate unknown Mary Anne 1862 Patrick 1864 Katherine 1865 Margaret 1866 Mary 1866 Elizabeth-1871 Francis-1872 | |
