1849 Events:
St. John's University was founded at Winnipeg, Manitoba.

In Killarney, District of Kerry, Province of Munster, in the southwest of Ireland, a Gothic cathedral and bishop's palace was designed by English architect Augustus Puglin.

Map of the area where the Summers family lived in Newfoundland
Click on photo to enlarge


The Summers house was on the northeast arm at a point called "The Jerseyside". Just a bit down where the road curved up the arm, lived the Powers, the Barrons, and the like. Near the end was the one room school house.

Philip was born C1849. Family lore states the birthplace was Holyrood, although no proof as yet has been found. Holyrood is located on Conception Bay, Newfoundland. One sister died before he came to the Placentia area. As yet, we know little more of his family, although they came from Ireland.

He married first, Margaret Mary/Mary Margaret Power, widow of Mr. Green,
Five children were born of this marriage.
See Margaret's biography for details about these children.

After Margaret died C1884, Philip married Ellen Mary Houlihan, widow of Peter Smith, They were blessed with four children, baptized at Sacred Heart RC Church in Placentia by Parish Priests Fr. Michael A Clancey and Fr. J.J. St. John. Anastasia born 1890, married Bernard Mason; Rose born 1892, married David Murphy and Ned Hayes;
Margaret born 1895, married Thomas Fleming, widower of half-sister Mary Emma;
James Joseph 1897, married Catherine Mary Butler.

Ellen Mary passed away in 1906. Philip moved the family to Sydney, Nova Scotia C1909. He married C1912 Mary Ann O'Reilly, widow of Mr. Lyons. Son Jim said Mary had children from her marriage to Mr. Lyon. Mary Ann died in 1917.
Little else is known about Mary Ann's life.

For a time, Philip was a fisherman. He came to Placentia to get work on the railway spur line being built from Whitbourne to Placentia, working as a brakeman and then a cook. Wages were $1.00 to $1.25 per day. This job was lost about 1909 after the election of Prime Minister Edward Patrick Morris, and is no doubt the reason Philip took the family to Sydney.

Philip died at age 78 years, 1 June 1927, and is buried in the Old Holy Redeemer (Calvary) Cemetery at Whitney Pier, Lingan Rd., Sydney, Nova Scotia. We were unable to find a marker for Philip during our visit in August 2002 and the funeral home that handled the arrangements is no longer in Sydney. See photo of the cemetery taken by Fr. Jim Mason. To enlarge, click on photo.


* Note:
Baptism data verified by Fr. Jim Mason

See also Margaret Power, Ellen Houlihan & Anastasia Summers
biographies for more details about Philip's life.