The Family of Richard Doyle and Catherine Griffin (of Waterford, Ireland)

Received from Maureen Moore - odubhghaill@gmail.com


Richard Doyle (son of John Doyle and Catherine Power) was born circa 1790 in County Waterford, Ireland. His wife was Catherine Griffin and they lived in the parish of Portlaw and Ballyduff. Family oral history suggests that Richard Doyle was a caretaker on a large estate back in Ireland, and indeed, Lord Waterford's estate was located in Portlaw.

About 1832 Richard Doyle and family immigrated to eastern Ontario. They settled in a town called Ferguson's Falls, which is located in Drummond Twp., in Lanark County. There were already other immigrants from Waterford and elsewhere in Ireland who had arrived in Lanark County during the previous fifteen years.

In Ferguson's Falls there were at least two other Doyle families from Waterford that seem to be closely associated with the family of Richard and Catherine Doyle. They were: Patrick Doyle and his wife, Mary Hays, and Terence Doyle and wife Margaret McCauley. The parents of this Terence Doyle were John Doyle and Catherine Power, which is one of the reasons I believe these to be Richard Doyle's parents.

Catherine Griffin Doyle died before 1839, and may have not made the trip to Canada. There is no known record of her burial in Lanark County. Richard was still living with his son Robert in 1861, in neighoring Carleton County. It's possible that he went with Robert and family to Iowa in 1865, but his death and final resting place are also unknown.

Children of this couple include:

John (b. ca 1812, Ireland), married Elizabeth Darrien (or Dary) in 1837 at Ferguson's Falls. They had ten children and moved to Admaston Twp., in Renfrew County, Ontario.

Mary/Margaret (b. ca 1812 Ireland), married Peter Cummings in Ireland. They had two children there before immigrating to Drummond Township. They had at least five children in Lanark County.

Robert Edmund (b. ca 1815, Ireland: D. 1888 Iowa), married Elizabeth Smith in 1839 in Lanark Co, Ontario. They had five or six of their children in Lanark County before moving to Carleton County where another five were born. About 1865 this large family left Ontario and migrated West to Butler Co. Iowa. Robert Edmond Doyle was a school teacher and a farmer.

Terence (b. 1819 Portlaw Parish) must have died as a child. Another Terence was born in 1826 to the same couple but he may have also died as a child in Ireland.

Catherine (b. 1820 in Portlaw: d. 1859 Canada) married William Cardiff in 1837 at Ferguson's Falls. They had eleven children and Lived in the township of Admaston in nearby Renfrew County, Ontario.

Richard Jr. (b. 1823 in Portlaw) died in 1834 in a drowning accident at Ferguson's falls.

By Joe Kenney (January 2004)


Other Links to Maureen's sites;

Cemetery Markers: http://iowagravestones.org/gs_view.php/id_153544 and http://iowagravestones.org/gs_view.php/id_153607

Maureen's Site: http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=SHOW&db=agatha_1&recno=0

Doyle Descendants: http://mmoore52.tripod.com/FamilyPedigree/index.htm

More information can be provided by Maureen at the e-mail address above.


Posted: 05 July, 2005.