Sources on Irish Immigrants to Canada and the 1847 Typhus Epidemic
by irishcanadianfamineresearcher
Sources on Irish Immigrants to Canada and the 1847 Typhus Epidemic
Sources on Irish Immigrants to Canada and the 1847 Typhus Epidemic
POSTED ON MARCH 18, 2014 UPDATED ON MARCH 19, 2014
A unique new source of information for some 1847 Irish immigrants to Canada has gone online. The Montreal Sisters of Charity, known as the Grey Nuns, kept a diary of sorts of the Irish immigrants they cared for in the summer of 1847, as well as the Irish widows and orphans they helped find homes.
Typhus felled many of these new immigrants. The typhus epidemic of 1847 was an outbreak of typhus caused by a massive Irish emigration in 1847, during the Great Famine, aboard crowded and disease-ridden ships known as “coffin ships.”
In Canada, more than 20,000 people died from 1847 to 1848, with many quarantined in “fever sheds” in Grosse Isle, Montreal, Kingston, Toronto and St. John.
In Montreal, between 3,500 and 6,000 Irish immigrants died of “ship fever” (typhus) in what were known as “fever sheds” in a quarantine area called Windmill Point in 1847 and 1848. These immigrants had been transferred from quarantine in Grosse Isle, Quebec, the Canadian equivalent of Ellis Island.
Due to a lack of suitable preparations, typhus soon reached epidemic proportions in Montreal. Three fever sheds were initially constructed, 150 feet (46 m) long by 40 to 50 feet (15 m) wide. As thousands more sick immigrants landed, more sheds had to be erected.
The number of sheds would grow to 22. Troops cordoned off the area so the sick could not escape. The Grey Nuns cared for the sick, carrying women and children in their arms from ships to the ambulances.
According to Montreal journalist and historian Edgar Andrew Collard, 30 of the 40 nuns who went to help became ill, with 7 dying. Other nuns took over, but once the surviving Grey Nuns had convalesced, they returned. Priests also helped, many falling ill after hearing the last confessions of the dying. When a mob threatened to throw the fever sheds into the river, Montreal mayor John Easton Mills quelled the riot by himself joining those providing care — giving patients water and changing bedding. He died in November, serving less than a year in office. The Roman Catholic Bishop of Montreal urged French Québécois to help their fellow Catholics. Many travelled to Montreal from the countryside to adopt children, in some cases passing their land on to them.
The typhus outbreak also hit Bytown (Ottawa). With the arrival of over 3,000 Irish immigrants, the fever first appeared in June 1847. The sick were initially cared for by the same community of Sisters, the Grey Nuns. As the numbers of sick swelled, “fever sheds” had to be erected in Ottawa too. Approximately 200 died in quarantine. The Rideau Canal was even shut down in an effort to prevent further spread of the outbreak.
The Digital Irish Famine archive contains the Annals of the Sisters. They are translated into English from the French, and the original French text is also part of the archive. All items are downloadable.
http://faminearchive.nuigalway.ie/
The documents are not indexed but are searchable, and still provide tremendous insight into the circumstances and effects of Gorta Mor — the Great Famine. They offer a stirring tribute to the Sisters of Charity and their care for the sick and dying.
Irish Canadian Famine Research 
1847 list of Quebec orphans from Ireland, held by Grey Nunn’s of Montreal
We believe my wife’s great grand father. Richard Fitzpatrick (1840 -1914) was possibly one of the 1000 orphans on a list held by the Grey Nuns of Montreal. This list is referred to in John O’Connor’s book ” The Work houses of Ireland, the fate of Ireland’s poor.
Richard Fitzpatrick, age 11 is listed on the “1852 census of Canada East and West”. He also appears on Ancestry ‘s – Irish Immigration Records, 1823-1849. On the latter he is shown as one of 11 orphans adopted by Rev Jean Harper, living in Nicolet district, St Gregoire, parish.
The Grey Nunn’s list provides the following orphans’ details: no. Registration, name, age, date of entry, father, mother, parish, country, vessel, adopted by.
We would be extremely grateful to receive this information.
Sincerely,
earlebain@eastlink.ca
Judybain7@icloud.com
Thank for this referenced research, it brings me one step closer and feeling more confident in finding Richard Fitzpatrick’s parents and further details after his arrival in Canada.
The “Irish Famine orphan profile: Robert Walsh” was very revealing, and encourages me to search further to determine how Richard’s parent’s died, where they died and what part of Ireland they immigrated from. Did they die aboard ship, after arrival in Quebec or before leaving Ireland?
Both Richard Fitzpatrick and Robert Walsh lived in the same orphanage in 1847 until 1852, with 8 other orphans. Robert was age 7 and Richard 6. Given the details of Robert Walsh’s parents that were reported on; his adopted parents names, etc., suggests the same may exit for Richard.
I am still reading the volumes of research and history referred to in the “Irish Canadian Research File ” above.If anyone finds the Richard Fitzpatrick’s details being sought before I do, I would be very grateful if you contacted me or Judy.
1847 list of Quebec orphans from Ireland: Finding Orphan Richard Fitzpatrick’s (1840 -1914) Parents, etc.
We believe my wife’s great grand father. Richard Fitzpatrick (1840 -1914) was possibly one of the 1000 orphans on a list held by the Grey Nuns of Montreal.
Richard Fitzpatrick, age 11 is listed on the “1852 census of Canada East and West”. He also appears on Ancestry ‘s – Irish Immigration Records, 1823-1849. On the latter he is shown as one of 11 orphans adopted by Rev Jean Harper, living in Nicolet district, St Gregoire, parish.
The Grey Nunn’s list provides the following orphans’ details: no. Registration, name, age, date of entry, father, mother, parish, country, vessel, adopted by.
Robert Walsh was another one of the 11 orphans living with Richard Fitzpatrick. They were listed under the care of the care of Rev Jean Harper in 1852. Both their names are also listed in Marianna O’Gallagher’s book, “Grosse Ile: Gateway to Canada, 1832-1937 (Ste Foy, Quebec: Carraig Books, 1984, p. 143)” http://faminearchive.nuigalway.ie/eyewitness-accounts/famine-orphans/robert-walsh
When I recently read the article “Irish Famine Orphan: Robert Walsh” I immediately visited the local library to see if further information on Richard Fitzpatrick was available in the Mariann O’Gallager book. To my delight, I found the following on page 138:
Richard Fitzpatrick, age 6 arrived in Grosse Isle, Canada on the Ship Progress in July 1848. He came from the Parish of Knowes in Kilkenny Ireland. He was adopted by Michael Lemay, St Gregoire, Quebec.There were three other Fitzpatrick children’s listed on the on the same list; all were from Kilkenny and came over on the same ship. They were: Catherine, age 10; Ellen, age 6; and John, age 13. Could they be all related? Dr Rouseau, Nicholet , Quebec adopted Catherine and John.
Ellen was adopted by Mrs Doyer, Faubourg, St Jean, Quebec.
I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone having further information on: Richard Fitzpatrick and his possible relationship to Catherine, John and Ellen. Richard’s parents and grand parents names, DOB, etc.