In a message dated 8/13/98 10:31:14 AM, you wrote: <<Teressa Kirwain, female, age 55, lodger, born NS, parents born NS, catholic, pauper, unsound mind. ------------------------------------------------->> By jiminy!! Now I know where the family "problem" comes from -- all the Kirwin women are slightly wierd --or so I have heard. And before you all jump on me -- I, too, am a Kirwin woman. Regarding the convicts -- I've seen these lists at the library and it struck me as very sad to see young people who were, no doubt, poor and very hungry -- being sentenced so harshly for stealing bread or clothing. It is also good to note that our parole system is nothing new -- prisoners have always been released early and/or pardoned. On the very bright side -- being shipped off to America(if they survived the trip)was probably the luckiest thing that could have happened to them -- those who went to Bermuda ?? well!! For Kirwins of note (Kirwans, etc.), please look at the state of Kansas. There is a town and a reservoir and a wild life preserve, all named for an officer in the Union Army named John Kirwin(Kerwin/Kirwan). The wild life preserve, etc. were probably named for the fort which once stood there -- I believe they drowned everything with a dam (lake). This John Kirwin was a professional soldier and made quite a name for himself. This is all off the top of my head, so will look up facts and send them on. I thought he might be my John Kirwin, but -- don't think so. Check it out! For real fun look at the spellings on the map -- Kirwin dam and Kirwan wildlife preserve. Love it, love it. Carole (Kerwin)Shanahan