Hello Listers: Thomas Kelly, my Great Great Grandfather (born abt. 1801 & died 28, April, 1891), according to the Ontario Census of 1871 was of Irish origin; of the Anglican {Church of England} religion; and his occupation was that of a labourer. One of his fifteen (15) children; James Kelly, my Great Grandfather, was born 09, September, 1838 in Burritt's Rapids, Grenville County, Ontario, Canada. I have discovered that Thomas Kelly resided just south of Burritt's Rapids in Oxford-on-Rideau Township, Grenville County, Ontario, Canada, according to the Oxford-on-Rideau Township Assessments of 1840 on Lot 6, Concession 4, 100 acres! Because he is buried in Christ Church Anglican Cemetery in Burritt's Rapids, Oxford-on-Rideau Township, Grenville County, Ontario, Canada & beacause he resided on Lot 7, Concession 3, 100 acres, according to the Oxford-on-Rideau Township/Grenville County/Ontario/Canada Census of 1861, I suspect he was one of the Irish immigrants who helped to build the Rideau Canal! John Mac Taggert was sent from Scotland to be the Clerk of Works on the canal project & wrote a book about his experiences ["Three Years in Canada"]. This book included reports to Lieutenant Colonel John By of the Royal Engineers who was selected by the British Government to supervise the building of the Rideau Canal. Colonel By & John Mac Taggert first arrived in Quebec in 1826. The three small settlements of Burritt's Rapids; Nicholsons Rapids; and Merricks Mills were already established along the proposed Rideau Canal route at this time. British Soldiers {Called Royal Sappers & Miners} began working on construction of the canal in 1827 [Each man was given 100 acres of land after their work was completed]. There was a large amount of hand work necessary for this operation and a large labor force was needed for the canal construction. To supply the great bulk of the manpower, large numbers of Irish immigrants were employed! One writer mentions a total working force of 6,000 men, but another estimate of 2,000 men is probably correct. Peter Robinson, founder of Peterborough, brought out two shiploads of Irish immigrants, all of whom staled along the banks of the Rideau. The hazards under which these inexperienced men carried out their work in an unfamiliar setting was vividly described by Mac Taggart: "Even in their spade and pickax business, the [men] receive dreadful accidents; as excavating in a wilderness is quite a different thing from doing that kind of labour in a cleared country. Thus they have to pool in, as the tactics of the art go - that is, dig beneath the roots of trees, which not infrequently fall down and smother them. ...Some of them... would take jobs of quarrying from contractors, because they thought there were good wages for this work, never thinking that they did not understand the business. Of course, many of them were blasted to pieces by their own shots, others killed by stones falling on them. I have seen heads, arms, and legs, blown in all directions; and it is vain for overseers to warn them of their danger, for they will pay no attention. I once saw a poor man blow a red stick, and hold it deliberately to the priming of a large shot he had just charged. I cried out, but it was of no use. He seemed to turn round his face, as if to avoid the smoke; off went the blast...he was killed in a moment." Mac Taggart also describes the efforts which had to be made to prevent such fatal accidents: "At length we got the matter so systematized, that a number of shots were always prepared to be fired at once; a person stood at a distance and kept blowing a horn, so that all quarriers got out of the quarry to a respectable distance before the mine was sprung." Another interesting story which might have involved Thomas Kelly was the "Battle of Merrickville!" There was a stone house {It still may exist} near Nicholsons Locks on the Rideau Canal that was known as the "Kelly Place!" Almost immediately opposite this beautiful private residence was a small gate with a sign inviting visitors to inspect McGuigan's Cemetery, one of the oldest burying grounds in this part of what used to be called Upper Canada{I understand it has recently been restored by the Merrickville Historical Society} . It was within site of McGuigan's Cemetery that the Battle of Merrickville was said to have been fought. During the work at this lock when the Rideau Canal was being built, a rowdy fight occurred. Some timber had been cut on the farm of a Mr. Mosher, but was not paid for as promptly as he wished. He summoned the Sheriff from Brockville, a Mr. Sherwood, to come and arrest the men on a charge of trespass. Mr. Sherwood came to the lock and decided to return to Brockville to get some necessary assistance. He swore in about a dozen deputy sheriffs there and came back to make his arrests. He was met by a large gang of the "naavies" working on the Canal, all Irishmen, whose dander had been aroused by this action. Armed with pick handles and clubs, they were successful in running off the sheriff and his deputies. Captain Burritt, from Burritt's Rapids was called out with a company of the Grenville Militia. They came up the river and made arrests. The whole gang of workers were then taken to Brockville under guard & brought to court to answer for their actions. But, with the loyalty that you might expect from Irishmen, none would testify against the other. It was impossible to get any evidence and the case was thrown out of court. The Irishmen celebrated with a few bottles & returned to their camp to finish work on the canal lock! The construction of the Rideau Canal, officially for military purposes, was completed in the spring of 1832! There was an influx of Irish in Burritt's Rapids, during the 1830's & 1840's & the largely Irish workforce was hired by Philemon, Wright & Sons, contractor of the locks at Burritt's Rapids! Freemasonry was also introduced to Burritt's Rapids in May of 1815 with the first meeting of the Rideau Lodge 25 at the home of Abel Adams on Lot 6, Concession 1 in Oxford Township! Since my uncle Carl Kelly was a mason, it is possible that Thomas Kelly was also a mason. Now, I have some questions, which I hope someone may be able to answer, regarding the above facts: 1. Does anyone know anything more about the history of "Kelly's Place" or the "Battle of Merrickville?" Are there any names {Hopefully including Thomas Kelly} regarding these incidents & locations? 2. Does anyone know where I could access work records of names of Irish workers who worked for Philemon, Wright & Sons Contractors, who built the locks at Burritt's Rapids? 3.Does anyone know where I could access Masonic records of the Rideau Lodge 25 to possibly acquire genealogical information on Thomas Kelly or other Kelly family members? 4.Is there a listing of names of the Irish Immigrants who were transported by Peter Robinson to work on the Rideau Canal? 5.Would there be a listing of names of Irish Immigrants anywhere who worked on the Rideau Canal? 6.What does the word "Naavies" mean? 7.Are there any land records involving those men who worked on the Rideau Canal & where can I access them? 8.How can I get more information on these Irish Immigrants who built the Rideau Canal? 9.Is anyone familiar with McGuigan's Cemetery and its location? 10.Would there be any kind of immigration records anywhere on these Irish Immigrants who built the Rideau Canal? Loren Kelly, An Irish-Canadian American, Living In Texas! ================"Kelly Irish-Canadian Korner"=================== Visit me at my "wee bit" o' a corner on the World Wide Web! Take a minute to stop by, relax, & share some Family History with me in my Virtual Irish Neighborhood! My address is: http://hometown.aol.com/sirkelly3/myhomepage /heritage.html Please leave a message on my Bulletin Board! Loren Kelly, Researching Kelly, Tompkins, Brown, Stateler, Williams, Parish, & Miller! ========================================================