A Canadian Family

The Irish Aylwards of Shippagan, New Brunswick

Finally a chance to take part in Small-Leaved Shamrock’s

Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture

My family tree is almost exclusively Acadian and French-Canadian so I’ve never taken part in Irish Blog Carnivals but when I looked through my family tree for Irish surnames (the theme for the 13th Edition) I came across the Aylwards of Shippagan, New Brunswick. They are on the far edge of my family tree on a branch that connects me to the Witzells.

Background of the Shippagan Aylwards

In his local history book “Le Grand Chipagan: Histoire de Shippagan“, Msgr. Donat Robichaud breaks the earliest settlers down into three groups of origin: French, Jersey Channel Islanders and English. Some Irish readers may be somewhat disconterted to see themselves described as English – but of course Robichaud was really referring to the language that they spoke and he realized that these settlers came from different areas of the British Isles. Among these “English” pioneer families, Robichaud named three who descended from men of Irish origin: Michael Aywlard, Walter Bateman and Thomas Morissey.

Beyond some genealogical information, Robichaud is unable to tell us much about Michael Aylward – not even his exact place of origin from in Ireland. I thought his surname might be a clue to that so I did a bit of research and found that Aylward is in fact an Irish surname. The Irish Times Family History site states that Aighleart was a variant name for Aylward and that the names were fairly common at the time of the 1848 Irish property surveys. This site states that Aylwards were “fairly numerous in S.E. Leinster, Waterford etc. whiel Aighleart was found in  cuiosach lionmhar, Oir-Dheisceart Laighean, Port Lairge, Sasanigh, 14 cead, Dluth-bhaint acu le Cathair Phort Lairge, Ar son dul le Ellard” (see link below).

Miscou Island's only link with the Mainland.By Ferry and Ice Bridge.circa 1960s(?)

Genealogy of The Irish Aylwards of Shippagan, New Brunswick

(This Aylward genealogy data is based on census returns and secondary/tertiary sources)

First Generation

Michael Aylward was born in 1800 in Ireland and died after 1861.  He arrived in New Brunswick after first passing through Prince Edward Island (Canada). In the 1861 census for Shippegan, Michael’s occupation was “farmer”. Michael married Elisabeth Doucet. Children from this marriage included: +2 F i. Marguerite Aylward was born about 1827 in Canada and died in 1855 in New Brunswick, Canada. +3 M ii. John Aylward was born about 1828 in Prince Edward Island (PEI) and died after 1881.  + 4 M iii. Sylvanus Aylward was born in 1834 in PEI  and died after 1881.  +5 M iv. William Aylward was born in 1837 in NB and died after 1860.  +6 M v. Joseph Aylward was born in 1825 in NB and died after 1901. +7 M vi. Patrick Aylward was born on 8 Sep 1843 in Shippagan, Gloucester County, NB  and died after 1901. + 8 M vii. Peter Aylward was born in 1845 in NB and died after 1881.

Second Generation

2. Marguerite Aylward (Michael1) was born in 1827 in Canada and died in 1855 in NB. Marguerite married John J Witzell, son of William Witzell and Matilde Topham. John was born in 1829 in NB  and died after 1881.  Children from this marriage included: 9M i. Frederick Witzell was born in 1853 in NB  and died after 1901 in Canada.  + 10 M ii. James T Witzell was born on 22 Mar 1853 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1911. 11 M iii. George Witzell was born in 1850 in Shippagan Gloucester NB.

10 3. John Aylward I (Michael 1) was born about 1828 in PEI and died after 1881. John married Virginie Duguay. Virginie was born in 1832 in NB  and died after 1881.Children from this marriage included: 12M i. John Aylward was born in  1859 in Shippagan,  and died after 1881.  13M ii. Guillaume Aylward was born in 1862 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1881. 14 F iii. Henriette Aylward was born in 1866 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1881. 15M iv. Pierre Aylward was born in 1868 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1881. 16M v. Francis Aylward was born in 1870 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1881. 17F vi. Marianne Aylward was born in 1872 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1881. 18 M vii. Joseph Aylward was born in 1874 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1881.  19 M viii. Andre Aylward was born in 1877 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1881.  + 20 F ix. Marie Aylward1 was born in 1855 in NB and died after 1911.

4. Sylvanus Aylward (Michael 1) was born in 1834 in PEI CAN4 and died after 1881. Sylvanus was listed as Irish on census forms. He married Prudente David in 1858 in Shippagan, NB. Prudente was born in 1837  in NB  and died after 1881. Children from this marriage included: 21 M i. Guillaume Aylward was born in 1863 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1881.  22 M ii. Charles Aylward was born in 1864 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1881. 23 F iii. Basiline Aylward was born in 1866 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1881. 24 F iv. Catherine Aylward was born in 1872 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1881. 25 M v. Francois Aylward was born in 1874 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1881. 26 M vi. Alfonse Aylward was born in 1878 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1881. 27 M vii. Jean Aylward was born in 1880 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1881.

5. William Aylward (Michael 1) was born about 1837 in NB and died after 1860.  William married Natalie David on 5 Nov 1860 in Shippagan, NB. Natalie was born about 1837 and died after 1860.

6. Joseph Aylward (Michael 1) was born about  1838 in NB  and died after 1901.  Joseph married Genevieve Roussel on 12 Apr 1858 in Shippagan, NB. Genevieve was born in 1825 in NB and died after 1901.

7. Patrick Aylward (Michael 1) was born on 8 Sep 1843 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1901. Patrick married Marie. Marie was born in 1842 in NB  and died after 1901.

8. Peter Aylward I (Michael 1) was born on 21 Jun 1846 in NB  and died after 1881. He was a fisherman. His first wife was Was Angele Duguay and they were married in 1868. Peter then married Romaine Plourde on 8 Nov 1870 in Shippagan, NB.  Romaine was born in 1849 in NB  and died after 1881. Children from this marriage included: 28 M i. Stanislas Aylward was born in 1873 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1881.  29M ii. Pierre Aylward was born in 1875 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1881.  30 M iii. Joseph Aylward was born in 1879 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1881.

31M iv. Patrick Aylward was born in 1881 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1881. Peter next married Angele Duguay on 27 Apr 1868 in Shippagan, NB CAN. Angele was born about  1845 in NB CAN and died after 1875.

Third Generation

10. James T Witzell (Marguerite Aylward 2, Michael 1) was born on 22 Mar 1853 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1911. James spoke Dutch. In 1901 James and his wife had two grandchildren living with them – Allan and Elizabeth A McGraw. James married Ann McMahon ca. before 1874. Ann died after 1901. Children from this marriage included: 32 F i. Margaret Witzell was born on 20 Dec 1874 in NB and died after 1901. 33 F ii. Elizabeth Witzell was born on 19 Dec 1876 in NB  and died after 1881 in Canada.  + 34 M iii. Alfred James Witzell was born on 26 Apr 1879 in Tracadie, Gloucester, NBand died after 1912. 35 F iv. Elizabeth Witzell was born on 19 Dec 1876 in NB  and died after 1901.

20. Marie Aylward (John I 2, Michael 1) was born in 1855 in NB C and died after 1911.  Marie married Fabian Roussel on 25 Nov 1877 in Shippagan, NB. Fabian was born in 1856 in Shippagan, Gloucester ,NB  and died after 1911. Children from this marriage included:  36 F i. Melonie Roussel was born in 1878 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1881. 37F ii. Victoire Roussel was born in 1880 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1901. 38 F iii. Marie E Roussel was born on 2 Mar 1886 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1901. 39F iv. Elizabeth Roussel was born on 8 Oct 1889 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1901. 40M v. Jean Baptiste Roussel was born on 2 Apr 1892 in Shippagan, NB and died after 1911. 41M vi. Raphael Roussel was born on 18 May 1894 in Shippagan, NB  and died after 1911.

Fourth Generation

34. Alfred James Witzell (James T Witzell 3, Marguerite Aylward 2, Michael 1) was born on 26 Apr 1879 in Tracadie, Gloucester, NB and died after 1912.  In 1911 Alfred Witzell was lodging in the household of a George and Marghitte. Alfred married Ellan Ferguson on 18 Jun 1912 in Gloucester County, NB. She was the daughter of Georges P Ferguson and Catherine Duke. Ellan was born on 3 Oct 1887 in Saumarez, Gloucester, NB, and died after 1912.

Source Citations

1. Robichaud, Donat (Mgr). Le Grand Chipagan. Histoire de Shippagan, Beresford,, N.B.Gagne, 1976, page 355.

2. Churney Sylvia. Genforum: Aylward Family Genealogy Forum. Message 163. Online: http:genforum.genealogy.com/.

3. Canada Census 1881. Online: www.familysearch.org, Gloucester/Shippegan/36G/pg.26.

4. Ibid, Gloucester/Shippegan/36G/pg.11.

5. Canada Census 1901. Online: http://automatedgenealogy.com, Gloucester/Saumarez/H-2/pg.16. Read more »

May 24, 2009 Posted by Evelyn Yvonne Theriault | . | Aighleart, Aylward, blog carnival, Genealogy, Irish, Miscou, New Brunswick, Shippagan | 10 Comments