Curran Wright History

Category: Family

  • Phillip ‘Peter’ Maguire & Catherine Brady

    Phillip Maguire, my maternal great, great, great grandfather, was born in 1768 in Lavey, County Cavan, Ireland. 

    The Maguire families came from the Cross Keys, Lavey, Ballyjamsduff, and Virginia areas in County Cavan, Ireland. 

    First Marriage of Phillip

    Phillip first married in about 1790. The name of his wife is unknown. She was born about 1770.

    Their children were Bernard (1800-1862), Michael (1817-1877), Patrick (1809-?), Eleanor (1813-1888), Catherine (1816-1883), Samuel (1819-1896),  and Margaret (1819-1871).

    Phillip’s first wife died in 1826.

    Second Marriage of Phillip

    Phillip remarried in 1827 to Catherine Brady who was 17 years old. He was 59 years old.

    Catherine was born in 1810 in Lavey, County Cavan, Ireland. Her parents were Thomas Brady (1771-1820) and Bridget Smith (1778-unknown).

    Catherine and Phillip had two children: Bridget Maguire (1828-1922) and Mary (1835-1906), my maternal great, great grandmother.

    Phillip died in 1839 in Lavey, Ireland.

    Second Marriage of Catherine

    Catherine remarried in 1841 to Patrick Weathers (1816-1876) in Lavey, County Cavan, Ireland. 

    Their children were Anne (1842-1925), Catherine (1845-1871), John Joseph (1850-1899), Daniel (1852-1889), Margaret Magdalene (1856-1941), and Patrick (1859-1899). 

    Anne and Catherine were born in Ireland. Daniel, Margaret, and Patrick were born in South Australia. It is not known where John Joseph was born. It would seem then that Catherine and Patrick emigrated to South Australia before 1852.

    Catherine Brady
    The Graves of Catherine Weathers nee Maguire, and Patrick Weathers, Farrell Flat, South Australia

  • Philip O’Mealley & Ann Kearns

    Philip O’Mealley, my great, great, great grandfather was born around 1805 in an unknown location. His date of death is unknown. 

    Ann Kearns was born in 1800 and died around 1841. 

    Their wedding date is unknown. 

    One of their children was John O’Mealley (1832-1918), my great, great grandfather. Other children are unknown. 

  • Thomas Larkin & Margaret Carolan

    Thomas Larkin, my great, great, great grandfather (maternal side) was born around 1810 in Monaghan, Ireland. His death date is unknown.

    Thomas is the father to my great, great grandmother, Bridget Larkin (1837-1925). His parents are unknown.

    Thomas married Margaret Carolan who was born around 1815 in Carrickmacross, Ireland. The date of their wedding is unknown.

    Margaret’s father was Thomas Carolan (1790-1815). Her mother is unknown.

    Thomas and Margaret’s children were: Ann (1828-1906), Mary Ann (1836-1901), Patrick (1835-1894), Bridget Larkin (1837-1925), Agnes (1840-1917), and Bernard (1842-1874). 

  • John O’Mealley & Bridget Larkin

    John, my maternal great, great grandfather, was born in 1832 in Kurrajong, New South Wales. His parents were Phillip O’Mealley (Malley, 1805-?), and Anne Kearns (1800-1841).

    Information source: Helen Smith

    Bridget Larkin was born in 1837 in Monaghan, Ireland. Her parents were Thomas Larkin (1810-?) and Margaret Carolan (1815-?).

    John married Bridget Larkin (1837-1925) in St John’s, Kapunda, South Australia on July 14, 1862.

    John’s Working Life

    John farmed in the Wonna region of South Australia

    • 1882: 243 acres + 350 acres (Sections 42 and 45). Properties were joined and divided into 3 paddocks with 2 dams. This was not successful.
    • 1886: Seriously injured driving a mining shaft at Ulooloo Diggings on the Barrier Highway near Hallett. He found gold worth 30 pounds in a week.
    • 1887 sold section 45
    • 1888: Drought at Wonna
    • 1889 (February 28): Lodges mineral application (for copper, silver, lead and limestone) with PJ Jonas for 20 acre parish at Bray.
      Source: Barrier Miner
    • 1892 (May 19): 40 acre mineral lease approved for John O’Mealley at Silverton.
    • 1892 (August 9): Auctioned mineral lease due to a warrant. 
      Source: Barrier Miner
    • Prior to 1914 John had been a Cobb and Co Coach Driver. Moved to Mildura from White Cliffs to retire.

    Family

    John and Bridget’s children were: Agnes (1863-1890), Annie (1865-1957), Honora (1868-1947), Ellen (1872-1872), John Charles (1872-1933), Mary Josephine, my great grandmother (1874-1954).

    Death

    John died on April 22, 1918. He was 86 years old. Bridget died on September 30, 1925 in Mildura. She was 88 years old.

    John’s Obituary in the Adelaide Advertiser, May 2nd 1918

    Mr John O’Mealley who died at the residence of his daughter (Mrs B O’Connor, Mildura) last week was a native of New South Wales, having been born at Kurrajong near Windsor. He came to South Australia in 1860 and married in 1862. His wife survives him. He spent many years in South Australia following farming pursuits and he afterwards went to Broken Hill, and later to the White Cliffs opal fields where he resided for twelve years He had been living at Mildura for six years. He was 86 years of age and leaves one son, three daughters,21 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

    Retrieved December 16 2009 by Helen Smith.

    1918 Ivy O’Connor Family Group – Ivy and baby Ida, Bernard O’Connor (boy), Benjamin O’Connor standing next to Frank. Mrs Bridget O’Mealley is the elderly woman

    This is the area that John O’Mealley farmed.
    John O’Mealley found gold here and was seriously injured driving a mining shaft

  • Michael Smith & Mary Maguire

    The Smith family were from Ballyjamesduff in County Cavan, Ireland.

    Michael Smith, my maternal great, great grandfather was born in 1832 in County Cavan, Ireland. His father was Patrick Smith (1795-?, a carpenter) and his mother, Annie (1810-?).

    Information Source: Helen Smith and Keri Barber notes.

    Early Life in South Australia

    20 year old Michael Smith arrived in South Australia in 1857 on the ship ‘Marion’ from Plymouth. 

    He married Mary Maguire (1835-1906) in Mintaro, South Australia on August 15, 1859. Witnesses were Bernard and Honora Brady. Bernard was on the Marion ship with Michael.

    Michael and Mary spent their early life together farming at Mintaro, on the road to Farrell Flat (7 kms from town).

    Residences

    • 1859 Mintaro (time of marriage)
    • 1866/72 Farrell Flat (Section 143, Farmer 1870)
    • 1873 Black Springs
    • 1874/1882 Mintaro
    • 1885/1888 Cavanaugh – Leased for 21 years – sections 175-6 Hundred of Cavanaugh, County Herbert (781 acres). Sold land on December 6, 1890 for 75 pounds. Lease was with his son, Michael.
    • 1888/1889 Silverton
    • 1906/1917 Broken Hill

    Farming

    Most farms at this time were owned by English descendants with Irish tenant farmers .

    1880 A land scheme (around Peterborough and north to the Flinders Ranges) was introduced whereby people could pay off the land at a low price on the basis of being “good and capable workers.” Michael Snr, Mary, Michael Jnr hired purchased 500 acres in 3 lots.

    Michael made additional income during the summers 1886 to 1889 by carrying water to the Tee-Tul-Pah Goldfields.

    Farmers initially had 2 bumper years then drought hit the region. Many farmers left the land, including Michael Snr, Mary and Michael Jnr, who owed debt but escaped this debt by moving to New South Wales.

    Family

    Michael and Mary’s children were: Bridget Smith (1860-1886), Patrick Smith (1862-1863), Michael Joseph Smith, my maternal great grandfather (1863-1928), Mary Magdalene (1865-1953), Philip Neri (1866-1902), Catherine (1868-1944), Ann (1870-1910), Charles Francis (1871-1906), Margaret Jane (1873-1957), Theresa (1875-1966), Patrick Joseph (1879-1914), John Baptist (1880-1889).

    Their first child Bridget was born at Walkey’s Creek, in Clare, South Australia. All the rest of their children were born at Farrell Flat, South Australia. 

    Final Residence

    Michael’s final residence with Mary was at 325 Chapple Street, Broken Hill. They lived in the 4 room house which they had moved by jinker (and Michael reconstructed) from Silverton. According to Doug Carruthers, this home was purchased from Sir Sidney Kidman. 

    Mary died on 11 October, 1906 in Broken Hill, New South Wales. She was 71 years old.

    Michael died on 17 October, 1919 at 325 Chapple Lane, Broken Hill, New South Wales. He was 87 years old. He is buried in Broken Hill cemetery in the Roman Catholic section Grave No. 42, Row C-, Ref. 15370.

     

    Mary Smith nee Maguire
    Michael Smith’s Death Certificate

     

    Michael and Mary Smith. John and Bridget O’Mealley graves