Elizabeth was the oldest child of Richard and Rachel Pennell, born May 29, 1853, in Greenwich, England. She immigrated with her family to Canada on the S. S. Niger May 1871, and celebrated her 18th birthday on the ship and remembered having cake. Fourteen months later, Elizabeth married James McNamara, son of John (of England) and Jane (of Lanark Co., Ontario) McNamara, on July 17, 1872. James was a Chef/Hotel Manager.
Elizabeth was confirmed on March 10, 1886 in Renfrew with her son James and her daughter Jane. She was short and stout, had brown eyes and was a happy person.
James found employment in lumber camps as a chef and for years followed the railroad. Sometimes he would have 200 to 300 men in the boarding cards. Around 1890, he bought a hotel in Duluth. In 1902, he came back to Canada and bought a general store on McLeod Street in North Bay, operating it until 1914 when he retired. He had built several bungalows, one being 93 McLeod Street where the McNamara’s themselves lived.
Elizabeth and James had 5 children, only Jane surviving to adulthood. The other four all died of diphtheria and are buried together at St. Margaret’s Anglican Cemetery in Rutherglen. Dolly was the first and she died in her mother’s arms enroute from Renfrew to Rutherglen. It is very solemn to stand at the cemetery and look down at the 3 little grave markers. I’m not sure where John’s marker is as he died in 1883.
| NAME | BORN | DIED | NOTES |
| James “Jimmy” | 1873 (ON) | 1888 (ON) | diphtheria |
| Jane | 1875 (ON) | 1961 (ON) | hairdresser |
| Elizabeth | 1879 | 1888 (ON) | diphtheria |
| John | 1881 | 1883 (ON) | diphtheria |
| Ann “Dolly” | 1884 | 1888 (ON) | diphtheria |
Elizabeth died Mar 28, 1931, North Bay, Ontario, at her daughter’s home.
