William Kernohan, 1832, London Township, Ontario, Canada
Robert Kernohan, 1847, London Township, Ontario, Canada
"Records of the Canada Company at the Canadian National Archives in Ottawa reveal that Kernohans were in the London, Ontario area as early as 1818. The Canada Company had been formed by a Colonel Talbot under royal charter to settle virgin land in what was then the far west of Canada. An entire boatload of settlers was quickly subscribed, sailed from the Irish port of Cork, and made the overland trek to what is now London Township. When they arrived in 1818, Colonel Talbot assigned to each a 100-acre parcel of land which had been surveyed the previous year. Most of those who tried this venture found it took many years to meet the crown deed requirements which included making a 10-pound deposit, building a house, clearing and cultivating the land, and paying certain fes to Canada Company. Unlike homesteading in the United States, there was no specified deadline. However, "free" grants were abolished in 1827 with exceptins for loyalists from the American Revolution and those with military service in the royal forces. Petitions for land grants continued for many years and the area involving Kernohans became London Township of Middlesex County, Ontario.
A crown deed was awarded on December 11, 1832 to a William KERNOHAN for 100 acres described as the "north half of Lot Number 3, Second Concession" of London Township. In his petition this William Kernohan stated that he had been born in County Antrim, Ulster. Another Kernohan petitioner was awarded a crown deed in 1847; his name was also William and his land was described as the "south half of Lot Number 5, Second Concession" of London Township. This 1847 Kernohan petitioner did not mention where his family was from. The earlier-mentioned 1832 William Kernohan died in the year 1838 and is buried in the Grove Cemetery (formerly Webster Cemetery) quite near his land. The inscription on his tombstone reads: "William Kernohan / b. Co. Antrim, Ireland 1798 / d. Nov 1838 / aged 40 years." His property passed to his wife and was recorded for the first time at the Middlesex County Courthouse in London in 1838. This is the site of the present-day Kernohan Orchards. [Note - Kernohan Orchards is operated by descendants of Kernohans who came from County Antrim in the 1870's.]"
A note to Len from Donald Kernohan of Kernohan Orchards says that the Kernohans of the London Area were from Ahoghill, County Antrim.
Robert KERNOHAN was born in Dundee, Scotland on 03 June 1815. Dundee is located in Angus County on the Firth of Tay, the North Sea side of Scotland. His family moved to County Antrim, Ulster at the age of four. In October of 1843, at the age of 28, Robert married Martha BARR, age 18, of Cullybackey, County Antrim, Ulster, daughter of James Barr II and Jean MacPherson, also of Scots descent. The Barrs were originally styled Dunbar and came from the Glasgow region of Scotland as did the MacPhersons. It is believed that Robert was from the town of Ahoghill in County Antrim as were most of the Kernohans. Ahoghill is only about five miles from Cullybackey where Martha lived.
Robert and Martha's first child, Elizabeth, was born in 1845 in Ireland. In 1847, they decided to make the move to Canada. This was during the height of the potato famine in Ireland. During the crossing, Martha gave birth to their second daughter, Martha, but she did not survive and was buried at sea. Robert and Martha remained in London, Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada for eight years. No record has been found of them on the 1851 Canadian census as Part 1 of London Township has been lost.
Robert and Martha had three sons in Canada, James Patrick, Thomas, and Joseph, and then immigrated to Ingham County, Michigan in 1855. The port of entry was Detroit, Michigan. It is believed that Robert and Martha moved there to be close to her brothers who had moved there in 1853 and 1854. Martha's sister, Ann had married and moved to Michigan in 1849 also. Robert and Martha expanded their family after moving to Michigan. Two daughters, Mary J. and Margaret A., were born but died very young and finally Martha Ann was born in August of 1862 and Frederick H. was born in December of 1865.
Robert applied for U. S. citizenship and became a citizen on 06 Oct 1858 at the Ingham County Courthouse in Mason.
A tragic carriage accident would claim Martha's life in 1874. Robert died at the age of 75 on 14 Jul 1890, at the home of his daughter from tuberculosis. Both Robert and Martha as well as several other family members are buried at Felt Plains Cemetery, Bunkerhill Township, Ingham County, Michigan.