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THE LUNNEY / LUNNIE FAMILY OF AROOSTOOK COUNTY, MAINE AND CARLETON COUNTY NEW BRUNSWICK
Records for the William and Charlotte Lunnie (a/k/a Lannir) Household of Glassville, New Brunswick Canada:
The 1881, 1891 and 1901 Census records for the William and Charlotte Lunnie household of Aberdeen Parish, Carleton County, New Brunswick provide information that confirms and clarifies the history of the ancestors of the Lunney family of Aroostook County, Maine.
According to the 1881 Census, William Lunnie was born in Ireland around 1821 or 1822. He must have emigrated from Ireland to Canada after 1821 and prior to 1872. One family rumor is that he emigrated from County Cork with two brothers, and had abandoned a wife and eleven children in Ireland, although this rumor has never been confirmed. He was a Wesleyan Methodist, not a Catholic as some family members had believed. He married Charlotte Durost (or Drost) in New Brunswick, who according to another unsubstantiated rumor, had left a husband and children to marry William. The place that William, Charlotte and their children lived was also known as Glassville, located in Aberdeen Parish, Carleton County, New Brunswick. The ages of William (59) and Charlotte (36) and their sons (8, 7, 6 and 5) as stated in the in 1881 Census are consistent with the possibility that their marriage was a second for both. Whether they were legally married or not is not known. Currently available marriage and birth records don't provide any information for Thomas or Charlotte. William Lunnie was reported as being elected a committeeman of the British Lion Lodge L. O. A., of Glassville, NB in a Press Newspaper account dated January 8, 1885.
1881 Census for Aberdeen Parish, Carleton County, New Brunswick, Canada
Name Marital
Status Gender Ethnic
Origin Age Birth Place /
Date Occupation Religion
William Lunnie M Male Irish 59 Ireland Farmer Wesleyan Methodist
Charlotte Lunnie M Female Irish 36 New Brunswick Baptist
Urllace
Lunnie Male Irish 8 New Brunswick Wesleyan Methodist
Robert
Lunnie Male Irish 7 New Brunswick Wesleyan Methodist
Thomas Lunnie Male Irish 6 New Brunswick Wesleyan Methodist
Jacob
Lunnie Male Irish 5 New Brunswick Wesleyan Methodist
1891 Census for Carleton County, New Brunswick, Canada
Name Marital
Status Gender Ethnic
Origin Age Birth Place /
Date Occupation Religion
William Lunnie M Male Irish 70 Ireland Farmer Methodist
Charlotte Lunnie M Female Irish 57 New Brunswick Methodist
Willie
Lunnie S Male Irish 20 New Brunswick Methodist
Robert
Lunnie S Male Irish 19 New Brunswick Methodist
Thomas Lunnie S Male Irish 18 New Brunswick Methodist
Jacob
Lunnie S Male Irish 15 New Brunswick Methodist
1901 Census for Aberdeen Parish, Carleton County, New Brunswick, Canada
Name Marital
Status Gender Ethnic
Origin Age Birth Date &
Place Occupation Religion
Charlotte E. Lannir Widow Head of House
hold Female Irish 66 April 25, 1834 New Brunswick Farmer Baptist
William H. Lannir single
son Male Irish 28 April 29, 1872 New Brunswick farmer's son Baptist
Robert J.
Lannir single
son Male Irish 27 Sept 26, 1873
New Brunswick general laborer Baptist
Jacob W.
Lannir single
son Male Irish 22 April 6, 1878
New Brunswick laborer Baptist
The 1901 Census indicates that the "Lannir" household was then headed by Charlotte, listed as a widow. By 1901, William had died, son Thomas had left the household and emigrated to Maine, son Erllace had changed his name to "William F.", and they gave their religion as Baptist. Two possible explanations for these changes are that the 1901 Census family name was recorded or transcribed in error [The Census was hand written and "Lunnie" and "Lannir" look similar in script] or that the family deliberately provided a different name. There may have been a reason to give a different name. If Charlotte and William had not been legally married, and if William had another wife and other children, Charlotte, by then a widow, may have feared losing her property to other, legitimate heirs. If the property was listed in the ownership of William F. Lunnie, and if Erllace became William F. Lunnie, then he didn't have to worry about other claims to the property. This of course is only speculation. "William" Erllace Lunnie apparently occupied this property until his death in 1938.
There is some discrepancy between the 1881, 1891 and 1901 Census and other public records in ages stated. Charlotte's age was given as 36 in 1881, but 66 in 1901, and the birthdate given in 1901 indicates that she was 66 in 1901. Son Jacob was recorded as being 5 in 1881, but only 22 in 1901, and the birthdate given in 1901 indicates that he was only 22. The birth record for Jacob Wesley Sypher Lunnie in the New Brunswick Archives gives his birthdate as April 4, 1875 at Glassville, not April 6, 1878. Given these discrepancies, son Thomas could have been born in 1874 or 1877. He later gave his birthdate as April 28, 1977, which was probably incorrect. Based upon the relative ages of the brothers given in the 1881 and 1891 Census, and a Lunney family tradition that Thomas later lied about his age, he was probably born on April 28, 1874.
"William" Erllace Lunnie is recorded as having married Bessie (Augusta or Alberta) Victoria Harrington on March 14, 1904. According to the New Brunswick Archives, they had a son named Jacob Arlington Lunnie [Is this "Archie" Lunnie?], born on June 9, 1905 at East Glassville, who married Mary Jane Branscombe on October 20, 1928 at Brighton Parish in Carleton County. There was another Lunnie son named Vincent W. Lunnie who was born in 1912 and died in 1979, and one called "Archie" [of which brother - Robert or "William" Erllace?] for whom there are presently no records in the on-line Archives. According to the New Brunswick Archives, Robert John Lunnie married Susan Amelia Ward on May 8, 1913 in Carleton County. The Archives also list the marriage of two Lunnie daughters [of which brother - Robert or "William" Erllace?]: Erma Gertrude Lunnie married Charles Clayton Bustard on December 24, 1931 at Woodstock Parish in Carleton County and Priscilla Pauline Lunnie married Arthur Harold Rudge on May 17, 1932 at Peel Parish in Carleton County. According to New Brunswick death records, William (Erllace) Lunnie died on December 15, 1938 in Carleton County. According to the New Brunswick Archives, Bessie Alberta Victoria Lunnie ("William" Erllace's widow) married Jacob Wesley Lunnie ("William" Erllace's brother) on November 12, 1947 at Kent Parish in Carleton County. According to oral family tradition, "Uncle" Jacob was very "Irish" and lived in New Brunswick with his wife in an "Irish-style cottage" with dirt floors. Robert John Lunnie died on February 13, 1949 in Carleton County. Bessie Lunnie died on September 6, 1950 in Carleton County.
There are several coincidences of names in the New Brunswick Archives that indicated that the Lunnie family of Carleton County New Brunswick and Lunney family of Aroostook County Maine may also be related to the Lunney family of Queens County New Brunswick.
The Archives show the following names for the Lunney family of Queens County: Alice Maud Lunney (a twin born on May 3, 1884, the daughter of William Lunney), John Robert Lunney (living in Chipman in 1889 and Coal Creek in 1898), Rosella (Lunney) Barton (wife of Zephaniah Barton, living in Cox Point, gave birth to Boyd Barton in 1893), Emily (Lunney) Branscombe (wife of Arthur Manning Branscombe gave birth to Lee Branscombe in 1888), George William Lunney (living in Minto in 1907), and Thomas Lunney and William Lunney (listed as a farmers in Cumberland Bay in 1868).
Coincidences with the Lunnie family of Carleton County are: William Lunnie named two of his sons Robert John and Thomas Andrew, the family name was originally spelled Lunney according to son Thomas Andrew Lunnie who changed the spelling of his name back to Lunney, and Jacob Arlington Lunnie married Mary Jane Branscombe, the daughter of Emily (Lunney) Branscombe.
Coincidences with the Lunney family of Aroostook County Maine: Thomas Andrew Lunney, the son of William Lunnie of Carleton County New Brunswick, had two sets of twins, he named three of his sons John, Leigh (a/k/a Lee) and Boyd Arthur and he named two of his daughters Mary Rosella and Alice. According to Mary Rosella (Lunney) Holmes, her grandfather William Lunnie may have emigrated from County Cork Ireland with two brothers and may have abandoned a wife and eleven children in Ireland. According to Boyd Arthur Lunney, his grandfather William Lunnie may have emigrated from Ireland with two brothers, and he thinks that his great grandfather's name was also William.
The Lunney Family of Aroostook County, Maine:
We know that Thomas Andrew Lunnie emigrated to, Maine USA prior to 1900, penniless and with his feet wrapped in rags. He was taken in by the prominent Flewellyn family in Easton, who hired him as a skilled cabinet maker. Thomas changed the spelling of his last name to Lunney, which he always maintained was the correct spelling of the family name. The name Lunnie is not recorded in Ireland, but Lunney and Lunny are the common spellings of the name recorded in different portions of Ireland. His three brothers in New Brunswick continued to spell their last name as Lunnie. Thomas and his family maintained contact with his brothers in New Brunswick, but had poor relations with his mother, who even had him arrested for stealing one of her horses.
Also working for the Flewellyn family in 1900 was a young woman named Susan Martha Taylor. She was the daughter of David Taylor and his second wife Martha Marilla (Stevens) Taylor of Easton. David Taylor was a descendant of the American Revolutionary War patriot Elias Taylor of Winthrop, Maine. Martha Stevens had come to live with David Taylor and his first wife Susan (her close friend) to care for Susan and her three children (Preston, Ethel and Effie), after Susan was stricken with what was likely Alzheimer's Disease. After Susan died, Martha Stevens and David Taylor married on November 18, 1876. Susan Martha Taylor was born on July 21, 1884 at Easton, Maine. She was named after both of her father's wives.
Thomas Andrew Lunney and Susan Martha Taylor fell in love, and were married on November 6, 1900 at Easton, Maine. Thomas and Susan Lunney were happily married for nearly 43 years, and had a very large family. They had the following children, listed in the order of birth: Philbourn, John Russell in 1902, twins Harold and Harvey, Rita (Benjamin), twins Earl Thomas and Ellery David in 1910, Mary Rosella (Holmes) in 1912, Alice (Gregory), Leigh (a/k/a Lee) in 1922, Avis, and Boyd Arthur in 1926.
According to their surviving children (Mary, Alice and Boyd), Thomas and Susan Lunney were an affectionate couple even in old age, with much tickling and laughter. They were admired for their hospitality and generosity to friends and neighbors. Susan was well loved for her pleasant and gentle demeanor. She was also a midwife, who helped deliver many neighbors' babies. Her own twelve children were all delivered at home, attended by her husband.
Thomas Lunney was a strict disciplinarian and forbade any bad language or drunkenness in the presence of his wife. He is known to have savagely beaten one drunken offender who swore while at his dinner table. Thomas was also known for his Stetson hats. His Stetsons were his prized possessions. On one occasion, when Susan cried out to the farm field where Thomas was working that their house was on fire, Thomas shouted back to her to be sure to save his Stetson hat.
Thomas and his sons were hard workers who were well regarded for their imposing size and strength. Some neighbors complained that Thomas and his sons unfairly monopolized what little work was available in the area. In addition to his physical strength, Thomas was known to have a mischievous sense of humor. On one occasion, while visiting the local general store, Thomas witnessed several men struggling with a heavy barrel, which they couldn't lift to place on its display stand. After watching this struggle for several minutes, Thomas remarked that he knew how to put the barrel on its stand. The other men asked Thomas to show them how to do it. He squatted down, put both arms around the barrel, lifted it on to its stand and then said "that is how it is done". He then lifted the barrel again, put it back on the floor and walked out of the store.
Thomas Lunney was very proud of his Irish heritage, and often told his children that they were descendants of the "Royal Clan" of Ireland. This "Royal Clan" reference became somewhat of a family joke, since they were farmers of very humble means. Apparently, Thomas knew more about his family history than his children then believed - the Lunney's are in fact descendants of the ancient High Kings of Ireland.
Thomas Andrew Lunney died on August 19, 1943 at Easton, Maine.
Susan Martha (Taylor) Lunney died on January 13, 1958 at Mars Hill, Maine.
Dennis Lunney of Winthrop Maine, son of Earl Lunney and a grandson of Thomas and Susan Lunney, recalls visits with his uncles Robert and Jacob Lunnie of New Brunswick as a child:
"I remember so well as a child going with my parents (Thomas and Susan Lunney) to Glasgow and Juniper over in Canada to visit Uncle Robert (Rob) and Aunt Bessie and Uncle Jacob (Jake) and (her name fails me). Indeed, I cannot truly put a face on Uncle Jake's wife. He was either living with or near Cousin Archibald and his family. Archie lost an arm (his left, as I recall) in a sawmill accident, Archie and I looked very much alike, and he really liked to brag on that, laughing all the while at my reaction. Archie was probably your dad's age (Boyd Lunney) or perhaps a little older. We used to love to visit with Uncle Rob and Aunt Bessie at their highland farm. I have no idea how large the farm was, but I do remember that Aunt Bessie would pick wild strawberries and make mouthwatering biscuits to put under them. She did this about every time we visited and always had the thickest whipped cream from their own cows to dollop on top. Uncle Rob always appeared to be a gentleman farmer; we never saw him in "regular farmer clothes" with dirt, grease, and such. Uncle Jake used to walk over to see us when we lived on the West Ridge Road in Mars Hill. Most often one of us kids would see him from afar making his way toward our house. He used to sing Irish ditties to us, and some of them would make mother scowl. He never stayed long, two or three days at a time, and then would keep on walking to another relative's home. He had lost three fingers on one hand to a saw; somebody had done a fine job of suturing what was left, index finger and thumb. I was 19 or 20 the last time I went over to see Archie." Source: Dennis Lunney-2003
D.A.R. Pedigree for Susan Martha (Taylor) Lunney:
[Descendants of Thomas Andrew Lunney and Susan Martha (Taylor) Lunney are eligible for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution or the Sons of the American Revolution. Some chapters of these organizations award college scholarships to their members.]
Susan Martha (Taylor) Lunney was born on July 21, 1884 at Easton, Maine. She married Thomas Andrew Lunney on November 11, 1900 at Easton, Maine. They had the following children, listed in the order of birth: Philbourn, John Russell in 1902, twins Harold and Harvey, Rita (Benjamin), twins Earl Thomas and Ellery David in 1910, Mary Rosella (Holmes) in 1912, Alice (Gregory), Leigh (a/k/a Lee) in 1922, Avis, and Boyd Arthur in 1926. Susan Martha (Taylor) Lunney died on January 13, 1958 at Mars Hill, Maine.
Susan Martha Taylor was the child of David Taylor and his second wife Martha Marilla Stevens. David Taylor was born on July 2, 1833 at New Sharon, Maine and died on January 30, 1887 at Easton, Maine. Martha Marilla Stevens was born on May 3, 1855 at Smithfield, Maine and died on January 23, 1914 at Easton, Maine. Martha Stevens had come to live with David Taylor and his first wife Susan (her close friend) to care for Susan and her three children (Preston, Ethel and Effie), after Susan was stricken with what was likely Alzheimer's Disease. After Susan died, Martha Stevens and David Taylor married on November 18, 1876.
David Taylor was the child of Isaiah Taylor and Mebitable Potter. Isaiah Taylor was born on August 29, 1799 at Smithfield, Maine and was buried at Oakland, Maine. Mebitable Potter was born in 1806 at Smithfield, Maine and died at Smithfield, Maine. They married before 1826.
Isaiah Taylor was the child of Samuel Taylor and Elizabeth Crowell. Samuel Taylor was born on August 22, 1769 at Augusta, Maine and died in June 1856 at Belgrade, Maine. Elizabeth Crowell was born on October 7, 1772 at Belgrade, Maine and died on September 8, 1855 at Belgrade, Maine. They married in 1791.
Samuel Taylor was the child of Elias Taylor and Mary Johnson. Elias Taylor was born on January 16, 1727 at New Bedford, Massachusetts and died on May 29, 1777 at Fort Ticonderoga, New York. Mary Johnson was born in 1730 and died in 1797. They married in 1751.
"Elias Taylor of Winthrop (that part of Winthrop later set off as Readfield), Maine enlisted in 1776, was drafted from Colonel Joseph North's regiment into the Continental Army engaged for the Town of Winthrop, served in Captain John Mills' company of Colonel Jeduthan Baldwin's regiment, army accounts to May 31, 1777, reported deceased. He died at Ticonderoga of smallpox on May 29, 1777. The Town of Winthrop voted to supply the widow Taylor with provisions to the amount of one-half his wages. His son Elias, Jr. (son of Elias and Mary (Johnson) Taylor) enlisted on January 1, 1780 from Winthrop, in captain John Blunt's company, received pension on July 23, 1832."
Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, Volume XV, Page 425.
History of Winthrop, Maine (Stackpole), Page 149.
This genealogy was taken from the D.A.R. records of Mary Augusta (Taylor) White (a/k/a Mrs. Alton L. White), a member of the Kussinoc Chapter D.A.R., Augusta, Maine, National Member Number 164313. Authorities given on Mrs. White's records are as follows:
Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, Volume XV, Page 425.
North's History of Augusta, Pages 444-446.
Lincoln County Probate Records, Page 87.
Were William Lunnie of Glassville, New Brunswick, William Lunnie of Ireland Township, Quebec and William Lunney of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland the same person?
Possibly. The only facts known with reasonable certainty are that "William" Lunnie of Glassville, New Brunswick was born in Ireland in 1821 or 1822, emigrated to Canada, settled in Glassville, New Brunwick and married Charlotte Durost prior to 1872, had four sons, Erllace (a/k/a William), Robert, Thomas and Jacob Lunnie very late in life, and was a Wesleyan Methodist. Either his first name or middle name could have been "William". His son Erllace was also called "Willie" and later gave his name as "William F." rather than Erllace. "William Lunnie" probably changed the spelling of his surname from Lunney in Ireland to Lunnie in Canada. Family rumor / lore is that William Lunnie emigrated from County Cork Ireland with two brothers and had abandoned a wife and eleven children in Ireland.
A William Lunney, the twin son of Daniel Lunney of Ardstraw, County Tyrone Northern Ireland, may have emigrated to Ireland Township, Megantic County, Quebec around 1830 with his parents and other children. This family is known to have changed the spelling of their family name to Lunnie. This William Lunnie or his younger brother also named William married and had eleven children in Quebec. Could this William Lunnie have abandoned his family in Quebec and moved to Carleton County, New Brunswick?
Another possibility is that "William Lunnie" emigrated to Saint John, New Brunswick from County Cork Ireland in 1847 with two brothers named James and Thomas Lunney. William Lunnie's son Thomas Andrew Lunney, always maintained that his father and three brothers in New Brunwick didn't spell their surname correctly and that their real name was Lunney. There are records of the death in 1847 of a James Lunney who emigrated from County Cork Ireland to Saint John, New Brunswick, of farmers named Thomas and William Lunney in Queens County New Brunswick in 1868 and of other Lunney's in Saint John during this same period. If "William Lunnie" emigrated around 1847 at age 25 or 26, he couldn't have abandoned a wife and eleven children in Ireland, but based upon his age (50 or 51) when his first son with Charlotte Duross was born in Glassville, Carleton County New Brunwick, he could have had two families in New Brunswick, abandoning one in Saint John or Queens County. Multiple coincidences of first and middle names in both the Queens County and Carleton County families lend support to this possibility.
A third possibility is that "William Lunnie" abandoned a wife and eleven children in Ireland, emigrated from County Cork with two brothers to an unknown port in North America, and settled in Carleton County New Brunswick prior to 1872. There are no immigration records available on-line for a "William Lunnie". It is possible, though not likely, that a middle age man would have abandoned a large family in Ireland fifteen years after the Famine to start life over as a farmer in New Brunwick by himself.
"Daniel Lunney was born about 1782 in "Wilstraw" (may have been a misspelling of Ardstraw) Parish, County Tyrone, Ireland (supposedly "in or near" the town of Strabane). He was a weaver. He served with the Tyrone Militia. He also served in the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot for 17 years. He also fought in the Battle of Waterloo. He was discharged to pension in 1822 at the Kilmainham Hospital in Dublin. He married Mary Holmes about 1824 and they had a son Daniel Lunney born about 1825, and then sons William and James Lunney who were baptized at Kilrea, Derry in September 1829. William may have died as a child because they also had a younger son named William. Daniel and Mary and their family emigrated to Ireland Township, Megantic County, Quebec, Canada in the early 1830's. Daniel had received a land grant of 100 acres in Ireland Township for his service in the Army. Daniel and Mary had several more children (including a set of twins) born in Quebec. From about the 1850's onward, their descendants spelled their surname Lunnie. Daniel Lunney (1782-1845) may have also had a brother James Lunney, born about 1767 in Oritor Parish, County Tyrone. James also served in the British Army as a private, corporal and sergeant. James enlisted in 1789 and was discharged in Sept 1814. James married Mary Temple and they had a daughter Jane born about 1815 in Ireland as well as 4 more children. About 1830, they also emigrated to Ireland Township, Megantic County, Quebec, Canada and settled on a 200 acres land grant. They had four more children born in Quebec. I believe James died between 1839 and 1845. Daniel and James lived in close proximity to each other (practically across the road) in Ireland Township, Quebec so I am speculating they were brothers. The religion for the above Lunney's was Anglican." Source: Dale Wright
Mary (Lunney) Holmes, daughter of Thomas Andrew Lunney and a granddaughter of William Lunnie, was contacted by a descendant of the above Daniel Lunney/Lunnie named Lunnie Parker of Milford, New Hampshire USA in 1978. He reported that there were other Daniel Lunnie descendants living in Montreal Canada and in Concord, Vermont USA. After a long conversation, they concluded that William Lunnie of Glassville, New Brunswick was related to his mother Addie (Lunnie) Parker. This relationship was never confirmed. Addie Lunnie was the daughter of Daniel Lunnie's youngest child William, who was born in Canada and supposedly named after an older brother who died on the voyage from Ireland. William Lunnie of Quebec married Margaret Ricker and they had eleven children. The account of Daniel Lunney/Lunnie given to Mary Holmes by Lunnie Parker was: "Daniel Lunnie was a British Regular in the wars against Napoleon and was given an inscribed medal (still in existence) and a grant of land in Canada. Daniel and his wife Mary McCleary sailed for Canada leaving one daughter behind in Ireland. Twin sons (William and John) were born at sea. William died at sea after being scalded by hot porridge. John disappeared in Canada and was thought to have been kidnapped by Indians. Daniel and Mary had seven more children in Canada."
Boyd Lunney, son of Thomas Andrew Lunney and a grandson of William Lunnie of New Brunswick thinks that Daniel Lunney's medal and land grant charter may have been in the possession of a female "cousin" of his (named Buckingham) living in Vermont.
There are several similarities or coincidences between William Lunnie of Glassville, New Brunswick and William Lunnie of Ireland Township Quebec. Whether or not they are the same person is not known. The name William and the incidence of twins is very common in the records of Lunnie and Lunney families. Given the stated age and likely birthdate of William Lunnie of New Brunswick, he could have been the eldest son William of Daniel Lunney who was born in Ireland, but is not the youngest son William who was born in Quebec. The fact that all of the Lunney's and Lunnie's mentioned above were Protestants is further indication that it may be the same family, since many Lunney immigrants to North America were Catholic.
Biographical sketch of State Representatives from the Vermont Legislative Directory, Biennial Session, 1902:
"Daniel James Lunnie of Victory, Local Option Republican, was born in Maple Grove, P.Q., Jan. 23, 1860; he is a board sawyer and located in town in 1880; was educated in the public schools; has held the offices of selectman one year, school director two years, overseer of the poor for the last seven years, and lister for four years. Religious preference, English Episcopal."
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