Newfoundland's Grand Banks Message Board

Hi I'm looking for my husband's Ronan family that lived in Newfoundland. Leo James Ronan, born October 4, 1904 in Newfoundland. He married Ann Alice Mc Cormick; their children were Barbara Marie Ronan; Donald Michael Ronan and Leo James Ronan, Jr. Ann died early and Leo then married Marie Ronan (Wilson). He had moved to MA before 1928, his first child was born in MA. Leo died circa March 1969 in Middlesex Co., MA, US. I haven't been able to find earlier information on Leo or Ann. Another relative is William Ronan http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cg ... id=5818247. "Mr. William J. Ronan, Sr. was born in Carbonear, Newfoundland on May 24, 1886. As a young man he was a fisherman, sailing out of Bona Vista Bay and harvesting the Great Banks. "
I think he could be Leo's uncle or cousin. Family of Leo Ronan recognize William's children's names, remember visiting their "cousins".
Thanks for any help!
Jill

From the Book "Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland" by E.R.Seary;
RONAN, RONAYNE, surenames of Ireland (O)Ronan, Ronayne, O`Ronain, and of Scotland. "The wellknown personal name Ronan may from r`on - seal" or for (O)Roughneen,O`Reachtni`n. (MacLysaght,Black)
Traced by MacLysaght chiefly in Co. Cork and also in Dublin and Mayo.
In Newfoundland: Early instances: John Ronan, of St. John's, 1804 (Nfld. Archives BRC); Mary, of Harbour Main, 1806 (Nfld. Archives BRC); John, from Ross (unspecified)(Co. Wexford), married at St. John's, 1806 (Nfld. Archives BRC); William, of Harbour Grace Parish, 1807 (Nfld. Archives HGRC); James Ronay, of St. Mary's Harbour, married at St. John's, 1820 (DPHW 26D); Anastasia Ronan, from Sutherland, Scotland, married at Tilton Harbour (now Tilting), 1823 (Nfld. Archives KCRC); Joanna, of Joe Batts Arm, 1823 (Nfld. Archives KCRC); Mary ? Ronan, of Trinity (unspecified), 1828 (Nfld. Archives KCRC); Francis, from Carrick-on-Suir (Co Tipperary), of Harbour Grace, 1830, 1844 )Indicator 27 July 1844, Nfld. Archives HGRC); Bridget, servant of Job's Cove, 1835 (DPHW 54); John and William, of Tizzard's Harbour, 1871 (Lovell).
Modern status: Ronan, rare, at St. John's; Ronayne, at Marystown, Tors Cove (Electors 1955), Witless Bay and St. John's.


I looked in Carbonear church records (C of E, Methodist and RC) and some Twillingate (Tizzard's Harbour) church records (C of E and Methodist) for William J. Ronan but did not find him. before 1892 it was voluntary for the churches to provide records to the government and some did, some didn't, some did but are not in the online records. The online records after 1892; births stop at 1898, marriages stop at 1922 and deaths stop at 1949.

Thank you for your reply with all the Ronan information! I will have to check and see what I can connect to our Ronans.

Most of the records indicated RC so I went through the RC records (not many) for that area, Northern Bay RC Parish, Bay de Verde;
James Roynane and Elizabeth King
married 10 Jan 1881, Northen Bay
children; (all records are baptism only dates)
Elizabeth, 13 Mar 1882, Small Point, also 21 May 1882
Thomas, 1 May 1883, Small Point, also 15 Dec 1883
Mark, 4 Oct 1885, Small Point
Elizabeth. 25 Nov 1889, Job's Cove (first one died or was sick and recovered?)

Michael Roynane and Mary Butt
married 19 Nov 1882, Northern Bay
Children; (all records are baptism only dates)
John, 03 Nov 1883, Job's Cove
William, 24 May 1886, Broad Cove (Yours?)
Elizabeth, 21 April 1888, Gussets Cove
Bernard, 14 May 1891, Adam's Cove

Also, John Fahey and Elizabeth Roynane married 9 May 1880, Northern Bay
witnesses, James and Julia Roynane (brothers and sisters, daughter and parents???)

Government Birth records 1891-1897, Bay de Verde District;
Michael and Mary Ronayne, daughter Ellen Frances, b. 27 Jan 1895, bapt. 7 June 1896, Adam's Cove.
Spelling from church records is Roynane or Ronayne, other records have it as Ronan.
There is a Michael Ronan age 67 died 21 Nov 1919, Adam's Cove, Stomach troubles.

Unable to find any death for Ann Alice Ronan/Roynane/Ronayne in 1920-1930 death
register records for Newfoundland.
Unable to find marriage for Leo James and Ann Alice in Carbonear or Bay de Verde District
Government 1917-1922 records.

Looking on Ancestry.ca I found a number of Ronan family trees. They indicate that a Leo Anthony Ronan, son of Michael and Mary Jane (Butt) Ronan, married Ann McCormack in 1928 in Massachusetts. A passenger list dated Nov 1920 has a Jane Ronan (62) and a Johanna (15) and a Leo (11) going to St Albans, Vermont on their way to East Boston. The 1930 US Census has a Leo A Ronan (25) from Newfoundland, wife Ann A Ronan (25) from Massachusetts and a daughter Barbara M Ronan (2) from Massachusetts living in Medford, Middlesex, Massachusetts. You might need to check your facts.

Here is some more info on Ronan family.
In the Nov.1920 Passenger list Jane Ronan, her daughter Joanna and her son Leo and her grandaughter Mary Ronan are all listed as being from Adams Cove,Nfld. She is going to stay with her son Bernard on a permanent basis. Her health condition is listed as having organic disease of heart. Jane is listed as being 5'2" in height. In the listing for race of people she put down English. The listing for landing date is 11/11/1920. In the 1925 City Directory for Boston,Mass. is the following listing for Jane Ronan. Ronan,Jane widow of Michael died July 21,1924.