John Hurley of the Hurley Family of Peterborough

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JOHN HURLEY

John Hurley, son of Denis and Catherine Hurley, was eight years old when the family arrived in Canada in 1825.

On December 12, 1832, Denis wrote a letter to Peter Robinson asking that lot 12, Concession 10, Asphodel be given to his son John (who would have been 15 years of age at this time.) However, this request was apparently not granted as John’s name does not appear in the census rolls of Asphodel Township. (1851, 61, 71)

In my attempt to trace the whereabouts of John after he left Asphodel, I shall attempt to piece together isolated pieces of information that I have unearthed or that have come my way.(BH)

Early records for St. Paul’s Church, Toronto show the marriage of John Hurley and Catherine Farley on August 15, 1847, by Rev. J. O’Reilly - witnesses being John O’Connel and Ellen McCauley (Ontario Public Archives MS 248 RG 8 Series 1-6 C Reel 20). A letter written by D M J. Hurley and dated Ottawa, Feb 29, 1870 and held in the Public Archives of Canada (Call No MG 29, D19) aroused my interest and curiosity. This letter written to the author’s parents in Toronto, names family members Nellie, Joe, Jim, Tim, Tom and Bill. In the course of the letter, the writer states that he has ‘the best of prospects--first from Hon. J. O’Connor in past office at Toronto and again in the new Museum in Ottawa.’ He is working on a large painting of Sir J. Macdonald to be disposed of in the Library, the proceeds to go to my art education abroad. Some gentlemen have proposed to distribute 250 tickets at $5.00 making over $1200.00. His plans were to sail to Antwerp about June 1 and enter school there.‘

JOHN - THREADS TO DATE:

John, son of Denis Hurley and Catherine was eight yrs. old when the family arrived in Canada in 1825. (born probably 1817) If the threads that I have been following in the Toronto directories are the right ones, I am assuming that John died in 1893 or 1894 and his wife Catherine in 1904 or 1905. In 1893 a John Hurley was living at 71 Lewis (first street east of of Broadview, running n. from Easter to Queen)

Catherine (wife of John) appears for the first time in the Directory as living at 159 Parliament St. and was still there in 1897. In 1903 and 1904 Catherine was living at 565 Sherburne St, the house being in the name of Joseph E. Hurley.

An autograph book in the possession of John Carbonneau, Tampa Florida (great grandson of Michael Hurley) contains the following inscription: “Good luck, Maggie, my cousin, Toronto, Ont. with Love, July 2, 1882.” The following names are signed: Jos E, George W., James, Bella, Tom, Nellie, D’inz (Maggie was Michael’s daughter and these cousins I assume are her uncle John’s family). These names correspond for the most part with the family names Denis has mentioned in his letter to his parents from Ottawa.

The 1883 Toronto Directory lists Hurley Bros (Den. J and Thos A) under Retail Booksellers and Stationary at 39 King W.
The 1882 Directory lists the McKittrick Family at 161 King W.

     1884 - Den J. Hurley was at 122 John St - house was in the name of James McKittrick.

    1885, 1886 - Denis J. is listed as an artist living at 48 Carlton St and 91 Seaton St.

In 1906 - Kate (wife of Denis) reappears in the Toronto Dir.

    - listed as optician at 12 Richmond E. and living at 1371 King St w. (home of Jos. McKittrick)

Descendants of John Hurley, Generation No. 1
© January 2006
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John Hurley (Denis Hurley¹) was born 1820, and died 26 JAN 1893 in St. Michael's Cemetery, Toronto. He married Catherine Farley 17 AUG 1847 in St. Paul's, Toronto, daughter of William Farley and Isabella McJunckin. She was born 1826 in Dungannon, Tyrone, Ireland, and died 12 JAN 1904 in Toronto.

Children of John Hurley and Catherine Farley are:

2   i. Denis Joseph M Hurley was born 1850, and died 8 SEP 1886 in Toronto. He married Catharine Mary McKitterick 25 OCT 1883 in Toronto, York County, daughter of Martin McKitterick and Jane.

3   ii. Joseph Eugene Hurley was born 1855, and died 28 MAY 1905.

+ 4   iii. George Washington Hurley was born 1865 in Ottawa, and died 13 MAY 1904 in Toronto.

5   iv. James Hurley died 1905.

6   v. Timothy Edward Hurley was born APR 1858, and died 24 MAY 1881 in Toronto.

7   vi. Isabella Bella Hurley was born 1849 in Toronto, and died 24 AUG 1932 in Toronto.

8   vii. Theresa Helen Nellie Hurley was born 1868 in Toronto, and died 28 MAR 1952 in Toronto.

9   viii. Maria Hurley was born 1848.

10   ix. William John Hurley was born 1852 in Toronto, and died MAY 1905 in Cochrane.

11   x. Michael Joseph Hurley was born 1853, and died 1904 in Chicago, Cook C., Illinois..

12   xi. Thomas Albert Hurley was born 1862, and died 1905.

Descendant Register, Generation No. 2

George Washington Hurley (John Hurley², Denis Hurley¹) was born 1865 in Ottawa, and died 13 MAY 1904 in Toronto. He married Mary Ellen Gaynor 14 JAN 1890 in Toronto, daughter of Patrick Gaynor and Bridget Gleason. She was born 17 DEC 1864 in Toronto, and died 30 MAY 1933 in St. Michael's Cemetery, Toronto.

Children of George Washington Hurley and Mary Ellen Gaynor are:

13   i. Gertrude May Magdaline Hurley was born 3 FEB 1892 in Toronto, and died 13 JUL 1967 in Toronto. She married Dennis Randall McCarthy 12 JUN 1923 in Toronto.

14   ii. Aileen Catherine Margaret Hurley was born 2 FEB 1894, and died 1990 in Toronto. She married John Wigglesworth 20 FEB 1917 in Toronto.

15   iii. Gaynor John Hurley was born 12 MAR 1896 in Toronto, and died 26 JUL 1965 in Toronto.

16   iv. Norma Ellen Marie Hurley was born 21 JUN 1899 in Toronto, and died 3 JAN 1981 in Toronto. She married Living Walsh.

17   v. Basil Peter Hurley was born 27 APR 1901, and died 8 JAN 1909.

18   vi. Adrian Hurley died 1933.