Two Families, One Story : Covehead
Covehead
In Episode 3, we followed Lawrence Kenny from Newfoundland to Prince Edward Island, where he raised his family on Lot 34. But Lawrence was not alone on that land. Just down the road lived another Irish family—the Connors—who had arrived by a different route but would become inseparable from the Kenny story. This is the story of Hugh Connors, whose children would marry into the Kenny family three times in a single generation.
Lot 34: Geography and Place Names
Lot 34 lies in Queens County, approximately eight miles north of Charlottetown, and was part of Charlotte Parish. Originally awarded to John Dickson in the 1767 lottery that divided Prince Edward Island among British proprietors, it later passed to Sir James Montgomery, 1st Baronet, whose estate would dominate the township for generations. The name "Covehead" refers to the inlet and surrounding area along the North Shore, where a Post Office operated from 1856 to 1913. The township also encompassed communities like York, Pleasant Grove, and Friston Road—names that appear throughout the Kenny and Connors records. Samuel Holland's 1762 survey established the lot system, dividing the Island into 67 townships. Though formally abolished at Confederation in 1873, Islanders continued to identify their land by lot numbers well into the 20th century.
A Marriage in New Brunswick
The story of Hugh Connors on Prince Edward Island begins not on the Island itself, but in the Miramichi region of New Brunswick. On September 26, 1833, Hugh Connors and Mary Crimmens—both described as "natives of Ireland"—were married according to the rites of the Catholic Church at St. Patrice (Nelson Parish). The witnesses were Daniel Sullivan and Margaret Ryan.
and thirty three, after dispensing the publi-
cation of bans, Hugh Connors & Mary Crimmens
natives of Ireland, were married according
to the rite of the catholic church by me the
undersigned Missionary in the presence
of Daniel Sullivan and Margaret
Ryan. — W. Dollard V.G.I.
The officiating priest was Father William Dollard, V.G.I. (Vicar General of Ireland), a significant figure in the early Catholic Church of the Maritime provinces. The marriage entry describes both Hugh and Mary as "natives of Ireland"—a detail that would be confirmed decades later in Hugh's obituary, which specified County Wexford as his birthplace.
The Miramichi Connection
The Miramichi region of New Brunswick was a major destination for Irish Catholic immigrants in the early 19th century, particularly those from the southeast of Ireland. Many Irish families used New Brunswick as a stepping stone before moving on to Prince Edward Island, where land was more readily available under the leasehold system. The marriage in Nelson Parish suggests Hugh and Mary may have spent time in the Miramichi timber trade before settling on PEI.
But there is another piece of evidence that suggests Hugh Connors may have had earlier connections in Atlantic Canada. In September 1832—a full year before the New Brunswick marriage—a baptism was recorded in Newfoundland for "Bridget of Hugh Connor and Mary Henesy." The sponsors were Paul Henesy and Margaret Connors.
Sps Paul Henesy and Margaret Connors paid Hay
Breakthrough Discovery
The name "Mary Henesy" in the Newfoundland record and "Mary Crimmens" in the New Brunswick marriage appear to refer to the same woman. This naming variation—possibly reflecting different family names or phonetic recording—is common in 19th-century Irish immigrant records. The presence of "Paul Henesy" as a sponsor and "Margaret Connors" suggests both families had established networks in Newfoundland before Hugh and Mary formalized their marriage in New Brunswick.
Settling on Lot 34
By 1841, Hugh Connors had established his family on Lot 34 in Queens County, Prince Edward Island. The 1841 census captures the household in its early years: Hugh as head of household, a farmer on land belonging to the Montgomery Estate.
The Montgomery Estate dominated Lot 34. Originally granted to Sir James Montgomery, 1st Baronet, after the 1767 lottery that divided PEI among British proprietors, the estate operated under a leasehold system that would define life for generations of Island tenants. Families like the Connors held land under 999-year leases—effectively permanent tenancy, but never ownership. The roads that crossed the township—Covehead Road, Friston Road, and others—connected these scattered farms to each other and to St. Eugene's Church, the center of community life.
Hugh Connors on Lot 34
on PEI
Friston Road
the Land
According to research compiled by M.E.M. Brady, Hugh was listed as a leaseholder on Montgomery property by 1861, approximately 12 years into a 999-year lease—suggesting the family had settled on their particular plot around 1849. Daniel Hickey's 1850 cadastral survey of the Montgomery Estate—"A Plan of Township No. 34, The Property of Sir Graham Montgomery & Brothers"—records Hugh Connors at No. 236 with 84 acres. The 1880 Meacham's Atlas would later show "Hugh Connors, 105 acres" on Lot 34, Friston Road—an expansion of 21 acres over three decades.
The Children of Hugh and Mary
Hugh and Mary Connors raised a large family on Lot 34. The baptismal records from St. Dunstan's in Charlottetown and later St. Mary's at Indian River document the births of their children across the 1830s and 1840s:
Moses Connors
Eldest son. Married Ann Leary, May 5, 1864. Named executor of Hugh's will.
John Connors
Married Elizabeth Hayes, Jan. 12, 1865, at St. Eugene's Church, Covehead. Father Phelan officiating.
David Connors
Baptized May 19, 1838, St. Dunstan's. Father: Hugh Connors, Mother: Mary Henepy.
Hugh Connors Jr.
Baptized same day at St. Mary's R.C. Mother listed as "Mary H."
Margaret Connors
Married James Kenny, Nov. 26, 1866. Four children: Catherine, Lawrence, Thomas, Hugh.
Edward Connors
Married Bridget Kenny, Feb. 26, 1867. Children: Hugh, Catherine, Mary Monica, Ann.
Ann Connors
Baptized May 31, 1846, St. Dunstan's ("5 weeks old"). Never married; cared for by family per Hugh's will.
Mary Connors
Married Frank Murphy. Son Frank Jr. (1875-1926).
Bridget Connors
Married Lawrence Kenny (widower), Nov. 16, 1868, St. Eugene's. Father Phelan officiating.
Three Kenny-Connors Marriages
Between 1866 and 1868, three of Hugh Connors' children married into Lawrence Kenny's family: Margaret married James Kenny (Lawrence's son), Edward married Bridget Kenny (Lawrence's daughter), and Bridget married Lawrence Kenny himself after he was widowed. These three marriages in three years transformed two neighboring families into one extended kinship network.
Neighbors on the Land
Two historical maps document that the Kenny and Connors families were neighbors on the Montgomery Estate. The earliest evidence comes from Daniel Hickey's 1850 cadastral survey, which records Lawrence Kenny at No. 19 and Hugh Connors at No. 236—both tenants on Sir Graham Montgomery's property. The red ink annotations on the Hickey Map show later ownership transfers, with "now John Connors" appearing below William Riley's entry (No. 21), indicating the Connors family expanded their holdings over time.
Thirteen years later, the 1863 Lake Map—the first commercial map to record property owners across all of Prince Edward Island—confirms what the Hickey survey showed: "L. Kenny" and "H. Connors" appear on Lot 34, their properties connected by the roads that linked this Irish Catholic community.
Two Maps, One Story
The 1850 Hickey Map was a cadastral survey created for the Montgomery Estate, recording each tenant by parcel number with their acreage. It documents the landlord's perspective—who held what land and how much rent they owed. The 1863 Lake Map was a commercial venture, the first to record property owners across all of Prince Edward Island for public sale. Together, these maps provide complementary evidence: the Hickey Map shows Lawrence Kenny at No. 19 and Hugh Connors at No. 236 as tenants on the Montgomery Estate; the Lake Map shows them geographically as neighbors on Lot 34. Both families appear on both maps—proof they were neighbors for at least thirteen years before their children's marriages began in 1866.
This was a tightly-knit Catholic community. The same families appear again and again in the census records and parish registers: Reardon, Fitzpatrick, Whelan, Carroll, Kelly, Tracy, Kenny, Connors. They attended the same church, paid rent to the same landlord, and worked the same red Island soil. In such a world, the children of neighboring farms grew up together, and marriages between families were as much about strengthening community bonds as romantic attachment.
The Covehead Road
A sign on the Covehead Road claims it to be "The oldest road on Prince Edward Island." While this distinction may actually belong to the earlier French cart track linking the Hillsborough River to Havre-Saint-Pierre, the Covehead Road is certainly the oldest road still in continuous use on the Island. For families like the Kennys and Connors, this road was the spine of their community—connecting farms to church, neighbors to neighbors, and ultimately, family to family.
St. Eugene's Church
The Catholic community of Lot 34 centered on St. Eugene's Church in Covehead, where Father Thomas Phelan served as parish priest for much of the mid-19th century. The church was more than a place of worship—it was the social hub where families gathered, children were baptized, couples married, and the dead were remembered.
Both families left their marks in the parish registers. Lawrence Kenny's chapel subscriptions are recorded: 10 shillings toward painting the chapel in January 1861, another 10 shillings for fencing the churchyard in January 1862, and pew rent for pew #17 in the North Aisle in March 1865. Hugh Connors' children were baptized, married, and buried through the same parish.
The Kenny Connection
Jan. 7, 1861: Lawrence Kenny pays 10 shillings toward chapel painting
Jan. 1862: 10 shillings for fencing churchyard
Mar. 19, 1865: Pew rent #17, North Aisle
Mar. 21, 1874: Lawrence sponsors Margaret Connors (child of Moses Connors)
The Connors Connection
Jan. 12, 1865: John Connors marries Elizabeth Hayes (Fr. Phelan)
Nov. 26, 1866: Margaret Connors marries James Kenny
Feb. 26, 1867: Edward Connors marries Bridget Kenny
Nov. 16, 1868: Bridget Connors marries Lawrence Kenny (Fr. Phelan)
The Long Life of Hugh Connors
Hugh Connors lived to see the transformation of his family from Irish immigrants to established Island farmers. The 1881 census shows him at age 78, still on Lot 34 with his wife Mary (age 70), along with several unmarried children still in the household. By this time, his married children had established their own families, and the Kenny-Connors marriages had produced grandchildren who would carry both family names forward.
Hugh Connors died on November 22, 1890, at his home on Friston Road, Covehead. The Summerside Journal published his obituary on December 14, 1890:
"At Friston Road on the 22nd ult. Hugh Connors, aged 90 years, leaving a widow, 4 sons and 5 daughters, besides a large circle of grandchildren to mourn their loss. Deceased emigrated from County Wexford, Ireland to Prince Edward I., where he was favorably known and universally respected, in the year 1832."
His will, filed on December 24, 1890, named Moses Connors and Jones Furlong as executors. The property was left to his grandson Hugh (Edward's son) with one significant stipulation: he must care for his Aunt Ann, who had never married and remained dependent on the family.
From County Wexford to Lot 34
Hugh Connors' obituary confirms what the documentary evidence suggests: he came from County Wexford, Ireland—the same southeastern region that may have been home to the Kenny family as well. The question raised in Episode 2 gains new significance here: Did the Kenny and Connors families know each other in Ireland? Were the three marriages in the 1860s a continuation of older bonds, or a new connection forged in the shared experience of Island life?
The evidence cannot answer definitively. But it can show us two families who arrived in Atlantic Canada through different routes—the Kennys through Newfoundland directly to PEI, the Connors through Newfoundland and New Brunswick before settling on the Island—and who found themselves neighbors on the Montgomery Estate. Their children grew up together, attended the same church, and in a span of three years transformed two families into one.
The Pattern Continues
In Episode 2, we explored a 1776 marriage between John Kenny and Catherine Connors in County Wexford, Ireland. Now, on Prince Edward Island in the 1860s, we see another generation of Kenny-Connors marriages. Whether this represents a continuation of old-country ties or a coincidence of common Irish surnames, the documentary evidence shows that these two families were deeply intertwined—first as neighbors, then as kin.
In this small world of neighboring farms and shared faith, what happened next was perhaps inevitable. The children of Lawrence Kenny and the children of Hugh Connors did not merely live side by side—they became family. The three marriages of 1866-1868 would produce children who carried both names forward, and some of those children would eventually leave Prince Edward Island for new lives in the American Midwest.
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