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, 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
