The name Enright originated in counties
Limerick and Claire in Ireland. It was originally MacEnright but
was probably changed in the early 17th century. Several names
were changed back then for the same reason.
Most families changed their names in the early 17th Century to
avoid the discriminatory violence practiced by the British
invaders who had taken control of the country. The thinking was
that if they dropped the prefix they could appear to be British
thus avoiding the harsh treatment being doled out by the British
rulers.
Some other examples of names changed are McClancy (Clancy), O'Flaherty
( Flaherty), and O'Connor (Connor). Some families later changed
the name back to its original form. This is why you will
sometimes find, for example, O'Connors who are blood relatives of
Connors despite the different names. Some, because of sheer pride,
never changed them in the first place.
This particular Enright family began in County Limerick where
Dennis Enright was born in 1814. In approximately 1835 he left
his homeland and headed for Canada. The Irish potato famine did
not begin until 1845, so whatever his reason for leaving, this
was not it. All that I have learned of his parents is that his
mother's maiden name was Bennett and that she later joined him in
Canada.
He arrived on this continent, most likely through the Port of New
York, and immediately took the short trip across the border
settling near Almonte. Almonte is
located in Northeast Ontario about 45 miles SW of Ottawa, Upon
his arrival there he worked long enough to save some money to buy
some cattle. He was also able to save enough to send back to
Ireland for his mother, a brother, and a sister. I don't know
what happened to his father.
Mary Driscoll was the first of two wives of John O'Neil
They had nine children. Mary O'Neil died in Ontario Canada in 1858.
John then married Margaret Mulloy. The oldest of these children was
Catherine O'Neil. When Dennis Enright went looking to buy some
cattle he appeared at the home of John O'Neil. Here he met
and eventually married John's oldest child, Catherine. John O'Neil, who was born in Ireland in 1799, would eventually follow his daughter to East Grand Forks, MN where he died in 1891 at the age of 92
Catherine O'Neil was born in County Cork, Ireland in May of 1826.
She came to Canada at the age of five when her parents emigrated
and settled near Almonte. She married Dennis Enright at Clayton,
Ontario (near Almonte) in approximately 1845. They ran a farming
operation there until 1855. It was here where their first three (Mary
Ann, Richard and John) of their eleven children were born.
In 1855 the family moved to Plympton Township. Plympton Township is a
rural area located in Lambton County, Ontario near the
southern most point of Ontario just to the east of Sarnia,
Ontario or about 80 miles NE of Detroit, Michigan.
According to the 1861 and 1871 Ontario Census Dennis and
Catherine Enright were living on and operating a 100 acre farm in
Plympton Township. Census figures also reveal that they were
living in a log cabin at the time and growing a variety of
agricultural products. They grew wheat, hay, corn, apples
and potatoes. They also harvested 50 cords of firewood
annually, presumably to heat the cabin. They had one mule, three
plows, two barns, a carriage or sleigh and a flat bed wagon. For
livestock they had five milk cows, seven other cattle, 25 sheep,
two horses and two colts.
Also living in a one story log house on another 100 acre farm in
Plympton Township, just down the road from Dennis, was a Thomas
Enright. This same Thomas Enright also showed up in Polk County,
Minnesota in the early 1880's so I would assume they are brothers.
Dennis was approximately 10 years older than Thomas.
Thomas Enright was married to a Margaret (maiden name
unknown). They had eight children (four boys and four girls) born
between 1858 and 1875. The children (in order of birth): John,
Mary, Edward, Michael, Elizabeth, Dennis, Katherine (Katie), and
Frances (Frank). Thomas ran farms in both Sullivan
and Huntsville Townships until the early part of the century. At
the time he retired and the operation was taken over by his son
Frank. Thomas died in June of 1905, at the age of 80. He
was preceded in death by his wife Margaret who died in 1887.
In 1877 Richard Enright, The oldest of nine sons born to Dennis
and Catherine Enright, left the family farm in Ontario and moved
to Grand Forks, North Dakota to seek employment. In the
summer of 1878 Dennis Enright sold his farming operation in
Plympton Township and moved his family to East Grand Forks where
he joined his son Richard. They went by boat to Duluth and then
by train to Fisher, Polk County, Minnesota. There they got on a
hay wagon and rode to the Sullivan farm near East Grand Forks,
Minnesota.
East Grand Forks is located in Polk County, Minnesota across the
Red River from Grand Forks, ND. The railroad did not extend to
EGF until February 1880. It extended across the river to Grand
Forks later that same year. Naturalization records obtained from
the State Historical Society of North Dakota show that Dennis
Enright and his family entered the country in July and August of
1878.
