Looking for William Doyle & family (New Brunswick / Oshkosh, Wisconsin)

Question

I've been following the maternal side of my family tree, and have gotten completely stumped on a relatively recent branch in Wisconsin.

My great-great grandmother, Elizabeth Doyle, was the matriarch of the Doyle family in Escanaba, Michigan. As best I can tell from her Michigan death record, she came from St. John, New Brunswick, and she emigrated with her father William to the states in 1868 (according to notes in 1900 and 1930 censuses). It looks like they settled in Oshkosh, Wisconsin first, and were there until 1879.

I come up with both Helen Flynn, Nora Doyle, and Bridget Doyle as possible names for the mother, but am unsure whether they're the same person or not.

I think I may have located them in the 1861 census in Derby, Northumberland, New Brunswick, but have been unable to find more, or go back any further with either William or his wife, and would love any assistance or pointers that may help in tracking them down.

Comments

Hi Christopher, 

Not all of the Canadian records are available on Ancestry, so I'll give you some links to direct resources, and a few thoughts that may help.  

Here is the direct link to your 1861 Census record: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1861/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=182296

If this is the right family, they also appear in the 1851 Census: http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1851/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=408833

It is a puzzle, because I don't see any records for any Doyles who settled in  Northumberland in the NB Genealogical Society files online, or in the Provincial Archives (where you can find birth, death, cemetery, land records, and a useful newspaper index).  

But I do see a couple of clues in the 1851 Census. First, it indicates the family was Catholic, so William's wife likely had more than one name. Its possible that she used her formal name for formal purposes, and gave the Census her everyday name.  My own mother did that!  Its also possible that Bridget died and he remarried.

Second, it indicates he and Bridget were both born in New Brunswick, which can rule out some Doyles who emigrated after he was born.

The earliest Doyles were in Restigouche, and he doesn't seem to be connected to them, either. They had a William much older, and another much younger, all accounted for.  

Finally, in the 1851 Census, the Doyle family is living right next to the Flynn's, who may be related to William's wife, based on your information.  I see beside them a Pickles family, and NBGS First Families shows a William Doyle (born in Sussex, the son of Hugh Doyle and Nancy Sheck), who married Sarah Pickle June 16, 1818. The Pickle/Bickel family were Loyalists from NJ.  Please remember that I'm speculating here, and the listed source is simply an archival reference "MC1/Doyle", which is not available online.  (Feel like a trip to NB?)

In Old North Esk, Hamilton notes a Francis Flynn who came to Northumberland and was contracted to work on some roads in 1821. He may be the one in the Census, but Hamilton doesn't give any information about Francis' family, so I can't tell if Bridget, or Helen or Nora could be related.  But the son named Francis suggests it may be possible.

If you can access through your library, these books may provide clues for the Doyle, Flynn and Pickle/Bickel families: 

*http://www.worldcat.org/title/ancestors-and-descendants-of-the-sherwood-and-pickel-ue-loyalists-in-canada/oclc/21504696

*https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/005793475

*http://www.worldcat.org/title/arrivals-99-our-first-families-in-new-brunswick/oclc/60886864/editions?referer=di&editionsView=true

That's all I can think of :)

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Here Laurie, is Nora Doyle in the 1900 Census 

*McDermott, Edward, born April 1849, 51, married 28 years, born Canada Eng, parents born Ireland, immigrated 1866

*Lizzie, born March 1855, 45, mother of 6 children, 3 still living, born Canada Eng, parents born Canada Eng, immigrate 1868

*Nellie, Maggie, George

*Doyle, Nora, mother-in-law, born June 1821, 78, widowed, mother of 9 children, 5 still living, born Canada Eng, father born Ireland, mother born England, immigrated 1868

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Laurie - I also managed to find a death cert for a 'Hellen Dayle' in Escanaba which lists parents as Francis Flynn and Mary Dean in New Brunswick, so it looks like that's the neighbors from the 1851 census! I think I may have found one of the sons from that family in Oshkosh a couple decades later as well, so the whole family or more of it than just Helen may have made the move. I can't thank you enough for pointing me in that direction. I still haven't found any records on where the Doyle's come from but I'm definitely closer with the Flynn family. Maybe a trip to NB really is in order!

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That's exciting Christopher!  I'm glad you're moving forward. Many of my ancestors migrated in extended-family groups, so it makes sense to me that this family may have done the same.

I've also cracked some brick walls by letting go of the family name and considering the whole family: the sisters and daughters often married men who were already known in some way: neighbours, business associates, members of the same church, distant cousins and step-sons. I suspect that tracing the Flynn, Pickles, McDermott (see Christine's clue above) and other associated names in Oshkosh and NB might shed more light on your Doyle ancestors who are still in the shadows.

Its a good excuse for a genealogical vacation, lol.

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That's exactly how it seems to be shaking out. I haven't gotten any further back in family history yet, but I've discovered other links between the NB family and those that ended up in Oshkosh. Looks like other folks in those families were intermarried, and in other generations. Tbh, I'm kind of looking forward to a genealogical vacation once I've got enough info to make it worthwhile.

Answer 1

There are lots of Doyles in NB.  This one settled in Northumberland County.

DOYLE: Maurice Doyle b. c1807 in Ireland, d. 12 Apr 1862: came to NB in 1827

and settled in Renous, Blackville Parish, Northumberland County: m. 2 Oct 1836 in

NB, Catherine Mary Walsh b. c1816 in Kilkenny, Ireland, died after 1891:

Children:

1) Thomas Doyle born 1838, married 29 Apr 1874 Ann Singleton: had five children:

2) Patrick Doyle b. c1839:

3) John Allan Doyle born c1840, d. 29 Jun 1927, married 23 Sep 1869 Ellen

Donovan: they had ten children:

4) Margaret Doyle b. c1841:

5) Frances Doyle born 1844, m. 1866 John Hackett:

6) Michael Doyle b. Feb 1848:

7) Hanna Doyle b. Jun 1856:

8) Catherine Doyle b. Feb 1852.

Source: MC80/2689 Miramichi Branch of the NBGS, Some first families of the

Miramichi, 1 page.