The Sadler family; From Ireland to Fitzroy Harbour

As with all the pictures, click to view full size

The Sadler family crest

     The Sadler surname is an English occupational patronym. It was given to people who made or sold harnesses and saddles. It is a derivative of the pre 7th century Olde English word "sadol". It is first recorded in 1296 in Yorkshire, England. It was an important occupation being horses were the primary source of transportation and power prior to the Industrial Revolution. Funnily enough, our forefathers who came to Canada were blacksmiths. The motto is " Servire Deo sapere", To serve God is to be wise.

     I thought I had this family all figured out until recently. I came across another tree with conflicting information. As it turns out the other tree is correct, well documented and traceable. It shaves a couple of generations off of the family tree. The confusion started with Robert Sadler born in 1815 in Ireland. There are two in Canada at the same time, one in Upper and one in Lower Canada. Our family is not directly related to the family from the Ormstown area of Quebec. We may be cousins a couple of generations back in Ireland but no one has a link as of yet. I put it in bold because there is a family tree loose in the WWW that is incorrect and it has been incorporated into a lot of other people's work.

     You have heard me moaning about how hard it is to research Irish records, so here is a perfect example. There are four Sadler families I have information on, all are from the counties of Roscommon or Leitrim in Ireland.

County Roscommon parish map

County Leitrim in dark green

County Leitrim civil parish map, green and white

     Are you with me so far? There is the county division, then the civil parishes, not to be confused with the church parishes then finally the townlands. In looking for Drumshanbo, there are three listings; north, south and the actual town.

 Townland of Drumshanbo north

 in the civil parish of Cloon/e

in the county of Leitrim

 in the country of Ireland

highlighted in green

Drumshanbo south, oh so close to the north one

     Finally, Drumshanbo the town is in the civil parish of Kiltoghert, not Cloone, and not in either townland. I'm sure if I was Irish and familiar with the system it would all make sense, but I'm not and it doesn't, not to me anyway. To top everything off, pre civil registration around 1865, you need the church parish and ancestors religion as well. The Irish records were burned in 1922 in the rebellion so surviving early records are from individual churches who kept copies. All of my ancestors are pre civil registration. Hopefully now you all understand my complaining, LOL.

     As an aside, for future genealogists to puzzle over, Warren's family is from Castletenison, ours supposedly from Drumshanbo less than 15 km apart, a two hour walk.

     The following is what I have been able to piece together from Warren Sadler, the Canadian census records and references from a book of Eganville history by Ernest Llloyd Lake, called "Pioneer Reminiscences, a history of Eganville".

     Our direct family starts ( I think) with William Sadler/Sadlier born about 1777-1847 in Ireland and his wife Elizabeth.They had three children.

Mary 1811-1871

     married Robert Hamilton

Robert March 2, 1815

     married Catherine Booth

Patrick

     I don't know for sure that the above is correct. I can't find records for anyone but Robert . There is a Patrick Sadlier in Griffith's Valuation of Ireland in Drumshanbo in 1856 leasing various parcels of land from the Earl of Bessborough but I have nothing to be sure it is Robert's brother. To add to the speculation, it is the only place Booth and Sadler are listed together. Joseph Booth leased a forge from the Earl in Drumshanbo.

     Now on to Canada.

     The Sadlers of Mink Lake and Eganville are a little difficult to tease out. They are grouped together in history and are related. From what I understand, there are three families, all cousins who came to the area. From what I have read they remained a close knit bunch, marrying into each other's families in later generations.

   

      Susannah, who married Henry Poole, Edward and George are the children of Edward Sadler later to be joined by John, Jane, Ellen and their mother. Another brother William was lost at sea. Susannah and Edward are believed to be first in 1845. This family is from Newtown, Roscommon

     Robert, son of William, and Samuel are George's first cousins but there is no mention of their relation to each other and Robert is not listed as having a brother Samuel. According to Robert's children's birth records, he came to Canada between March 26, 1843 and Oct. 1, 1844.

     That makes Susannah's father, Edward, Robert's father, William, and Samuel's father brothers, or all three mothers were sisters.

  

     Robert Sadler born March 2, 1815 married Catherine Booth around 1835-40 in Ireland. Catherine was born March 1, 1815. Both are credited as being born in county Leitrim.The 1851 Wilberforce census is very detailed, giving birth dates and locations  for everyone listed. Robert was a farmer. They had seven children.

James Dec. 25,1840-1925 listed as born in Ireland (Drumshanbo)
     married Susan Hamilton

Susan March 26,1843-1916 born in Ireland
      married Robert Byers

Edward Oct.1 1844-1891 born in Pakenham, Ont.
     married Eliza Ann Price, Edward's family moved to Brooklyn NY

Robert Booth May 9, 1846-1931 born in Wilberforce
     married Susannah Jane Johnston

John  Booth April 11? 1948-1919 born in Wilberforce
     married Susannah Prentice/Prentiss

Ephraim Booth 1853-1929
     married Catherine Price

Rebecca 1858-1938
     married George Byers

John Booth Sadler

     These are the only pictures I could find for Robert and his family, copies of a photocopy. If anyone has the originals or more photos of the family, feel free to pass them along.



     Robert Booth Sadler married Susannah Jane Johnston March 23, 1871. Robert moved to Fitzroy Harbour and was a blacksmith. His wife, Susannah, is the daughter of Martin Johnston and Jane Sadler. I haven't quite figured out where Jane fits into our family tree. Robert and Susannah had eight children according to the Eganville history but I have ten according to census records from 1881 and 1891. The 1891 records are all in shortform so only initials are showing for the children and Johnston is not recorded. I found him visiting his Armstrong cousins in North Gower while looking for the Craig family.

Katherine "Kate" Jane Dec. 14, 1871-1945

     married William Coe Feb 8, 1893

William John July 13, 1873-1960

     married Theresa Wallace- one child

     married Margaret Ellen Sadler Dec. 31, 1913- one child

Johnston 1875-1962

     married Mary Emma Craig

James A.  Dec. 4. 1876-1943

Margaret Caroline "Carrie" July 8, 1878-1950

     married Ira Albert Owens Feb.27, 1915

Thomas W. May 6,  1880

     married Margaret ?

Albert Booth Aug 3, 1882

Wilbert W. 1884/5-1895

Ethel Florence Feb. 23, 1887-1972

Robinson Craig April 15, 1889-?

     The only picture I have for Robert and Susannah's family is my gr grandfather Johnston/Johnson which I will post with his family. If anyone has any photos, please pass them along.

     There is a note in Susannah's Ancestry.com file that says the poet John Matthew's was quite taken with her and wrote a poem for/about her. I have not been able to find the poet or the poem, but would love a copy if anyone is familiar with it.

     Robert Johnson Sadler married Mary Emma Craig Feb. 26, 1902. That is from his marriage record and it is the first place I have seen his first name as Robert, to everyone who knew him he was Johnson.  He farmed in the North Gower area, west 1/2 of  lot 3 and part of 4, concession 3. Johnson and Emma had eight children. I have information on five of the eight, four from the 1911 census and my grandmother, Beatrice.

Charles Wilbert Jan 20, 1903-Jan. 8, 1981
     married Edith Pearl Meredith

Orval March 6, 1905-

Lola Mabel Nov. 8, 1906
     married Roy Carmon Todd

Milburn Craig Oct. 6, 1910-Sept. 13, 1989
     married Mary Pollock

Percy

Edwin

Beatrice Elizabeth Sept. 24, 1918-Jan.8, 2010

Gordon

     My mother and her sisters will fill me in on the rest of the details of Johnson and Emma's family when I am home next. I'll raid the albums for any pictures as well.

Beatrice, Johnson and Lola

Johnson in front of the family house in North Gower

Beatrice as a girl

The Sadler Family

I don't have everyone identified yet

Bea and Herb are in the back and Lola is up front

     Beatrice Elizabeth Sadler married Herbert Leach Fisher December 16, 1942. Together, they had eleven children.

Marlyn

Barb

Joan

Jean

Rita

"Bob"

Susan

"Butch"

Gordon

Leonard

Deb

     For more information on the family, look at the page for Grandma and Grandpa Fisher. I have been updating the information there for the current family, all my aunts, uncles and cousins.

Herbert and Beartrice with Marlyn, their first child

The whole clan in the 70's

Bob, Gordon, Barb and Rita all inherited my grandmother's Irish red hair

A later shot of Herb and Bea

     So ends my connection to the Sadler family. The story of the family is far from finished. Please feel free to pass along any stories, pictures or information about the other branches in the tree. I'll be more than happy to post them. To contact me, click on my profile, About Me, on the right. It will take you to an email link.

I look forward to hearing from the other Sadlers out there. Take care, Paul.