Family of Rebecca Dagg and John Spearman, of Goulbourn
From the research of the late Ruth Duncan
Rebecca Dagg, was born about 1802 in Ireland, and died about
1892 in Goulbourn, Ontario. She married
on April 5, 1826, in Goulbourn, Ontario, John Spearman, born about 1786
in Borrisokane, Tipperary, and died Sept 7, 1877 in Goulbourn, Ontario. John Spearman emigrated in 1818 with the
Richard Talbot group, along with his parents and other members of his family. His father, also named John Spearman, was
the oldest member of the Talbot group. 1
Marriage Witnesses: Nancy Dagg and
Andrew Spearman, of Goulbourn.
Children of John Spearman and Rebecca Dagg were:
1. John Spearman Born: Feb. 27, 1827 in Goulbourn
Died: 1883
2. William Spearman Born: About 1832, in Goulbourn Died:
3. Sarah (Jane) Spearman Born:
About 1835/36 in Goulbourn Died:
4. Rebecka Spearman Born:
About 1837/38 in Goulbourn Died:
5. Ann 2 Spearman Bapt: July 1, 1836 in
Goulbourn Died:
6. Susannah Spearman Born: Between 1842 and 1852 Died:
7. Andrew Spearman Born: Between 1844 and 1847 Died:
In her correspondence, Ruth
Duncan points out that Rebecca Dagg and John Spearman were married in
Goulbourn, with a Nancy Dagg as a witness at their marriage; therefore there must have been a family of Daggs then
living in Goulbourn, and that perhaps Nancy and Rebecca were sisters. Further, Jane Dagg ( m. Francis Abbott) who
also moved to Goulbourn could possibly have been a third sister. Bruce Elliot 3 mentions that
several of Jane (Dagg) Abbott’s relatives also
lived briefly in Montreal before
moving on to farmlands elsewhere. [A
close family relationship between these Dagg women is probable, but whether
they were actually sisters is yet unproven.]
Footnotes:
1Parish of Richmond Records
2Parish of Richmond Records
3’Irish Migrants in the Canada’s, a New Approach’
[The late Ruth
Duncan had a dream of being able to pass along her family history to her
children. For years she sought to find
any information on the background of this Rebecca Dagg, and to clarify
Rebecca’s relationship to any other of the Dagg families who emigrated to
Canada. I have presented here just one
generation of this family, although I’m sure that Ruth herself had a much more
extensive amount of research. The
information presented here is from Ruth’s correspondence. If anyone can clarify or expand this family
tree, I’m sure Ruth’s family would love to be able to add to their mother’s
work.]
Jann Callaghan Cullen October
25, 2000