This Saint Patrick’s Day, I’m posting about a very notable Irish ancestor from my grandma’s paternal side…

Michael O’Mahoney was born to a presumably well-off family in 1787 in Limerick, Ireland. He was a part of the 86th and 97th foot regiments during the Napoleonic Wars. On Sunday, 18 June 1815 he fought with the Anglo-allied Seventh Coalition in the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon’s final defeat which marked the final large-scale battle for the Napoleonic Wars and effectively ended Napoleon’s reign as Emperor of the French.

O’Mahoney left Ireland for Canada following the death of his first wife, landing in Montreal before making his way to Oxford, Ontario. There he met Salina Gilbert, the daughter of a United Empire Loyalist, while they were both working for the same employer. The two married although he was close to 40 and she was a mere 17 years old.

The couple were devoted baptists who parented 12 children and seem to have maintained a pleasant marriage despite their age difference. Salina never remarried after her husband’s death in 1862 and lived to be 101. The couple are buried in Springford Cemetery located in Springford, South Norwich, Oxford, Ontario, Canada.

52 Ancestors #10: Elijah Swift was born June 5, 1850/1 in Ross County, Ohio to Mary and James Swift, their first born child. He is my fourth great grandfather on my maternal side.

The photograph above shows Elijah Swift and his infant brother Thomas from around 1857 or 1858. I noticed that the bottom (which is half missing) said “…Floating Palace.” After a lot of research the photo was most likely taken on the Spaulding and Roger’s Floating Palace in Cincinnati, which was a showboat that toured along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers from 1849-1865. This photo is the oldest family photo in my personal collection. It serves as an amazing piece of family history and record of Americana.

In 1860, ten year old Elijah was living with his parents and five younger siblings in Twin Township, Ross County, Ohio.

19 year old Elijah was recorded again in Twin Township in 1870, along with his parents and six siblings.

Elijah grew up and married Sarah E. Mongold on October 1st, 1873 in Pickaway, Ohio. According to the 1880 census Elijah (now 29 and working as a farm hand) and Sarah (also 29) made their home in Marion, Fayette, Ohio with their three children aged 6-2.

In 1900, they lived in Deerfield Township Clarksburg village, Ross, Ohio