George Oakman - arrived about 1845
George Oakman, along with his wife Dorothy Ann Fallon (or Faloon) and infant daughter, Priscilla Isabell Oakman, departed Ireland for Canada sometime around 1845. The passenger list for the Tarolinta which arrived in New York on 5 September 1844, lists a George Oakman (a 35 year old Farmer from Ireland), Ann Oakman (25yrs), Allice Oakman (2yrs) and an Ewd (Edward?) Oakman (20yrs). A note near their names, though difficult to read, looks like "upon Canada". With Ontario was known as Upper Canada in the 1840s this may it very well be proof of George's arrival in North America.
George and Priscilla settled in or near Asphodel Township in Peterborough, Ontario. In 1849 they had a son, Robert George Oakman. The 1851 Census of Canada shows that Dorothy had died in childbirth and two daughters, Jane (1 week old) and Alice (2 days old) had also died. The Census lists George (35 yrs), Robert G (2 yrs) and Priscilla (6 yrs), along with Thomas Faloon (32 yrs - a brother to Dorothy Ann perhaps?).
George remarried shortly after Dorothy Ann's death to Irish-born Margaret Scott. Margaret gave birth to their son William Oakman in 1853.
George died in March 1864 and was buried in the Norwood-Asphodel Cemetery in Norwood with his first wife, joined later by his second wife, Margaret, who died in 1886. Joyce Oakman, who is researching this family in Canada, has visited the cemetery and found George's grave. The headstone is still in reasonable condition.
Daughter Priscilla Ann married Hugh Collins in 1871 and remained in Asphodel Township. Priscilla died on 27 December 1919. She was buried with her husband at the Norwood-Asphodel Cemetery.
For further information on this family, please see Joyce Oakman's Rootsweb Database. Contact details for Joyce are available on her database.
Edward Oakman - arrived 1844
Edward Oakman was travelling with George (above) and his family on the Tarolinta. Where did he go? Did he follow them to Canada or remain in New York? Perhaps he returned to Ireland? If you know the answer I'd be grateful to hear form you! Please .
Jane Oakman - arrived 1840s
Jane was born about 1797 in Ireland and married William English. William and Jane had a son, George who was born in the late 1830s (1901 Canadian Census states September 1839) in Ireland. The family were living and farming in Asphodel Township, Peterborough, Ontario at the time of the 1851 Canadian Census. She died on 25 March 1886 and was buried at Trent Valley Cemetery, Hastings, Ontario. William died about a fortnight later (9 May 1886) and is buried with Jane. See Joyce Oakman's Rootsweb Database for more information. Jane may have been a sister to George Oakman (above) but this has not yet been confirmed.
George married Catherine Elmhurst and continued to farm in Asphodel Township. The 1901 Census finds Hugh Collins and his wife Priscilla Ann Collins (nee Oakman) farming nearby - raising the question of whether Priscilla and George's parents were related. It's possible George and Priscilla were first cousins.
George died in Asphodel on 3 February 1909, aged 71 years. Cause of death given on his death certificate is Rheumatism and Heart Failure.
William and Jane Oakman - arrival between 1845-1848
William and Jane (nee McWilliams) married in Ireland and emigrated to Canada sometime before August 1848 - Jane gives the year 1844 in the 1901 Census of Canada. The same census states their daughter, Margaret, was born in Ireland on 21 June 1844 so presumably they arrived between June and December of that year. I've not been able to find them in the 1851 Census of Canada. Daughters Catherine Jane and Mary were born in Ontario about 1850 and 1855 respectively.
The 1871 Census of Canada lists Jane as a "seamstress" and "head of household" - perhaps William had died by this time. Certainly he was deceased by 1881 when Jane was living with her daughter Margaret and son-in-law Samuel Short in St Vincent, Ontario.
William and Jane's daughters married and lived in Canada. Margaret married Samuel Short in 1860 at Elora, Wellington, Ontario. They had four children - Thomas, William John, May, and George Davidson. Samuel died before 1899 when Margaret married for a second time to James Long. Margaret died in November 1925 and is buried at Lakeview Cemetery, Meaford, Grey County, Ontario. See Glen Carter's Rootsweb Database for more information on Margaret and her family.
Catherine Jane Oakman married Daniel Howard on 7 Jun 1871 at Wellington, Ontario. They had six children - Herbert, Ellen, Percival, Ella May, Emily and Marion Ethel. The 1901 Census of Canada finds Catherine and Daniel operating a boarding house in Manitoba, MacDonald, Portage la Prairie.
Mary married Aaron Harper on 1 January 1874 at Wellington, Ontario. They had five children: Regina, William Emerson, Olive, Wilbert and Eva May. The 1901 Census of Canada finds Mary and Aaron farming in Pilkinton Township, Wellington, Ontario.
Do you know of other Oakmans from Ireland who settled in Canada? Please let me know who they were so I might add their details to this page.
