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Transcribed by Shirley Mooney Aabjerg,

Letters between Mooneys of Peakes, PEI and Mooneys of Inverness, QU. (all originally from County Monaghan.)

Letter 1:

(Written by a granddaughter of John Mooney of Inverness, QU who immigrated from Glaslough, County Monaghan in 1835..)

London, Ont.
Nov. 28, 1950

Dear Relatives:
This letter is introducing to you Florence Rebecca Mooney, great granddaughter of Daniel Mooney and Rebecca (Gillis) Mooney. They were married in 1816. Great grandfather died in 1819 and great grandmother came to her father’s home to live in Armath (sic) Ireland with her small son, John. Six months later a daughter, called Kate, was born.

John migrated to Canada when he was in his teens, making his home with his Uncle William Gillis of Inverness, Quebec. His mother and sister later came to Inverness. The latter married Johnnie George. Grandfather Mooney married Eunice Todd Wright, of Vermont, U S.

As for myself I am a victim of Rheumatoid Arthritis spending my time in bed. I thought that it would be a good idea to make a family tree to keep my mind occupied, and for the benefit of future, as well as the present generation.

I have in my possession a copy of a letter written by great uncle Henry Mooney of Peake’s Road, PEI to his nephew John, my grandfather. My great uncle Henry was seventy-four years old, and the letter was written in 1873. It is a most interesting letter – telling of his family, of public affairs, too.

Now I wonder if you, his descendants, know more about the Mooney clan that I do? I only know that great grandfather was a sailor. Do you know the names of his parents? Their occupation? How many children there were? Where they lived and their occupations?
Florence R. Mooney.

Letter 2

(Written by John A. Mooney (husband of Ann Kenny) a son of John Mooney and Catherine McMahon.)
Letter to Florence R Mooney from John A Mooney ca. 1950/51

Now regarding the Mooney clan, I know very little more than you do, but I do know that the Henry Mooney referred to in your letter was my grandfather and that he was born in Ireland, I think in the County of Monaghan, in the parish of Drumsnat. He was a miner by trade. He had one brother, your great grandfather . He also had two sisters, Mary and Ann. Mary was married to Owen Trainor - they came to this Island with my grandfather - they took up farming here. Their grandchildren are settled in this parish. The other sister married a man by the name of McCabe. I do not know where they were married but they lived in Liverpool, England where McCabe's business was, which was "steamboating". Mr. McCabe was here for a visit once and my grandfather and my aunt Rose went to the old country with him and remained for 6 or 7 months, that would be about 1850. McCabe's had no family and we understand he died shortly after Grandfather's visit, and rumour had it that he had left all he owned to his wife who died without making a will.

Grandfather had a family of five, three girls, Rose (b 1828), Ann (b 1834?) and Agnes and two sons, John, my father and Henry. Rose and Henry never married. Agnes married Duncan Carmichael They had one daughter - Mrs. C. died young. Ann married H.R. Mooney and had a family of four who are all dead but his youngest son who is now over 80.

My father married Catherine McMahon and had six sons and one daughter. Henry J., the oldest, is still living in Boston and my sister lives in Boston. My sister has two daughters, both nurses. H .D. had one son whose son is a master mechanique. As for myself, I am a widower. My wife, Annie Kenny, died ten years ago. I live alone while I am on the Island, but sometimes I spend the winter in Montreal where my three sons live - one is a city fireman, one teaches school and one is an MD - he is leaving Montreal in a few weeks for New York where he is going to specialize on the heart. My daughters are in New York - the youngest, Margaret, is a nurse and Kathleen is an accountant. Now I will close.

(The submitter speculates this reference to his grandfather Henry Mooney must be to the Henry Mooney, Jr. of whom references have been found. What is not known positively is that Henry Mooney Jr. was the son of Henry Mooney and Mary Murphy, who settled on the Island with their family in 1830. )

Letter 3:

(Written by a son of John A. Mooney and Ann Kenny to George R Mooney, a great-grandson of John Mooney of Inverness, QU.)

Letter from John K Mooney to George R Mooney
Sr. Dunstan’s College,
Charlottetown, PEI
April 27, 1938

Mr. George Reginald Mooney,
R R No. 2
Inverness, P.Q.
Dear Sir:
No doubt this letter from an unknown source will make you wonder a little, but possibly the source will be a little better known.

I received your address from the Post Mistress of Inverness, as I wanted to get in touch with Mooney’s in Quebec for the sole reason that I have relations by that name in Inverness, or near there. They were formerly interested in asbestos. A few branches back they were brothers to one of my grandfathers – I don’t know how great. My grandfather’s name is John Mooney – he married Catherine McMahon. I think they both came from Ireland. If you can throw any light on the connections, kindly let me know.

Yours truly,
John K Mooney

Submitted by Shirley Mooney Aabjerg – [email protected]