Births, Marriage and Death records from Thomas O’Shaughnessy’s Diary (1835 – 1903) with newsoper obituaries and other explanatory notes, for 1846 to 1903.
Part 1 of 5. This page 1846 – 1880
| 1846 | My uncle, John Byrne, married Mary Dowd of Great Kangarooby Creek. He took up a small run on the opposite side of the river to us and lived there. [Reg Bathurst V18463939162B/1846. So his reference to marriage in 1844 is in error. John Byrne 1817-1890 was son of James Byrne of Appin one of the early settlesr at Airds] |
| 1848 | …….About 1847 (sic) My father made up his mind to start to Adelaide. A married man named James Argent, with a team of bullocks, joined us. We made a start and camped on the river about 10 miles below the lake. Next morning some of the working bullocks were missing. Argent and Butler went to look for them. They saw a mob of cattle out on the plain. They galloped out to see if their bullocks were amongst them. Argent’s mare put her foot in a hole and turned over on top of Argent. Butler caught Argent’s mare and got Argent onto the saddle and held him on and started for the camp. Argent kept getting worse. He took him off the horse and laid him down by a tree about a mile from the camp. Butler came to the camp for assistance. When they got to the tree again, Argent was dead. We brought him back to the camp. We sent a man to Phelp’s Station. Phelp was a magistrate. He sent an order back to bury him. We did – by the roadside and fenced in the grave. |
| 23 Jan 1853 | We met Tom Toole on the road. He was going to Bendigo for a doctor for his brother Dan. They had six Bullock teams, carrying on the roads. He could not get his brother any further than the Campaspe crossing place. He got the Dysentery since he left Melbourne. He asked me to camp with him a day or two. We camped close to their camp at the Campaspie. The two Mrs Tools were at the camp. I went to keep them company awhile. Tom was away. Dan Toole appeared to be failing fast. Tom Toole came back some time in the night with medicine. About eleven o’clock the next day about Daniel Toole died. Tom Toole would have him buried in Kilmore. I got four of my Bullocks and put them in my dray. We cut a sheet of bark and put a mattress on it and the corpse on it and put it in the dray. And started at three o’clock for Kilmore. The two Mrs Tooles and my two passengers rode in the dray. Tom Toole rode on horseback. James Holden and I drove in turns. We never stopped until we passed the Pick and Shovel Public House. We turned the Bullocks out for about two hours. We boiled the Billy and had some tea. We made another start. Tom started for Kilmore to get the coffin made and the grave dug. The smell from the corpse was something frightful. We reached Kilmore about ten o’clock next morning. We put the corpse in the coffin and buried him in the Kilmore Burying Ground. I left my two passengers in Kilmore. The rest of us came back out of Kilmore six miles and camped on a small creek. The Bullocks very tired. We had some tea. We laid down by the fire. We did not bring any blankets. We did not awake before clear day. The next night we stayed at the McIvor Public House, and the next evening we reached our camp.[Daniel TOOLE arrived NSW on the ‘Bencoolen’ in 1819.Native Place Wicklow. Convicted Wicklow 1818.. Life. Born 1797. Labourer. Thomas TOOLE arrived NSW ‘Prince Regent” 1821. Native Place Pepperland, Wicklow Co, Convicted Dublin City 1820, 7 years. Born 1802. The headstone was later erected over Daniel Toole’s grave in Kilmore. |
| 24 Jan 1856 | Thomas O’Shaughnessy and Margaret Walsh were married at Cowra by Rev. Father Murphy in the Public house. Stayed with Mrs Neville up to Jun 25th 1856.[At the time, Margaret Walsh, and her sister Ellen were living with their sister Bridget (Walsh) Neville, later Challacombe, who operated the house as the (Old) Royal Hotel. Bridget was the widow of Edward Neville, whom she married in Yass in 1845, and who , died in1852. Edmund Markham of Spring Vale on Milburn Creek, with his wife, Bridget (Slattery) was witness at the marriage. Father Bernard Murphy was known widely as the ‘Parish Priest of the Lachlan’. This was the first marriage performed in Cowra.] |
| 15 Dec 1856 | James O’Shaughnessy was born at the She Oak Log near Gawler Town South Australia. [James (1856-1936) who was the first of their eight children, was born in Gawler, South Australia during their post marriage visit to Thomas’ parents.. He married Eliza Agnes O’Brien from Parkes in 1892]. |
| 4 Sep 1857 | The wife of Patrick Walsh had twin sons. Mrs Neville was with her during her illness. [Two boys Thomas and Patrick. Their father, Patrick Walsh of ‘Kikiamah’ near Young (1817-1892) had on 11 Jul 1846 in St Mary’s Sydney, married Margaret Curry (1819-1891) who had arrived on the ‘Livingstone’ in 1844 along with Patrick’s uncles. It is likely they were related through family in Ireland. Thomas and Patrick Joseph, twins were their fifth and sixth children living until 1944 and 1909 respectively.] |
| 24 May 1858 | James Markham and Ellen Walsh were married at Cowra. [Ellen Walsh (1835-1916) is referred to in the introduction above. James Markham (1836-1913) was the son of Edmund Markham and Bridget Slattery, both from Co. Limerick, Ireland. Edmund had arrived NSW on the ‘Mangles’ in 1822 and settled in the early 1830s on Milburn Creek where James was born. Bridget (Slattery) Markham had arrived in NSW in 1833 on the ‘SURREY’ with her mother Catherine and siblings James and Ellen had ten children – Bridget Mary and Edmund, twins, b. 1859; Thomas Walsh b.1861; James Milburn (Oakey) b. 1863; Patrick Bernard b. 1864; Francis Dusculum (Doll) b.1867; Nicholas J b. 1870; William St Augustine b. 1872; Daniel David Bernard b. 1875; and Margaret b. 1877]. This extract from the Bathurst FreePress in January 1861 give a fair impression of the family settlements around the Milburn Creek/ Lachlan River junction. The Markhams and the Jordans held land there right through from the 1830s to beyond the end of the nineteenth century. Thomas O’Shaughnessy refers to his early days in the area, including his schooling on the Markham property, in the diary extracts copied into the Introduction:- “Making an early start next morning, I pushed on in the direction of Grabine (Mr. John Ford’s station). Climbing a very steep hill in sight of Cassidy’s, I stretched across the mountains for 5 or 6 miles, getting occasional glimpses of the river from some of the more open peaks, until Grabine came in view, at the bottom of the hill there is a reach of the river, probably a mile and a half, or two miles long, one of the best and deepest on the river; it completely fills up the whole extent of the valley, forming almost a perfect lake, lined throughout by the never failing river bank. Here I turned out and had another swim, my horse quietly feing alongside, the animal then took the water and rolled and tumbled about, seemingly in the very height of enjoyment. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. stumbled across a somewhat passable gully which led down from my perch. This I followed for three or four miles, when I came to “Spring Vale” the residence of Mr. E. Markham – here I was at home – so went in and had a tough yarn with the Patriarch of the Vale, ate some of his Sunday dinner – fine goose stuffed with no end of good things. The yarn at end, and my dinner safely stowed away in my own particular paunch, I bid my old friend good bye and started to follow out the object of my journey.
About 3 miles from Mr. Markham’s I came on the Abercrombie again [Lachlan?] round a bend of which I passed came upon Clifton Park, the snugly situated residence of Mr. N. Jordon; another yarn, and another feed, a fresh start and a journey of 3 miles more brought me safely to “Daleys’ Springs” occupied by Mr. Lowe and others. These farms are beautiful , situated on the edge of a small black flat of the richest soil, with high grass hills all around. After a little delay I retraced my steps to the river along which I directed my course, arriving in succession at Rossman’s, Doyle’s, Halpin’s, Whitty’s, and O’Brien’s farms. I passed the junction of the Burrows, and the old Police Barracks, and thence to Paddy’s Plains and Cudgelong. “
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| 2 Jun 1858. | Thomas Walsh wed Hannah Middlemiss of Cowra. [Thomas Walsh (1820-1899) – see introduction –and Hannah Middlemiss b. NSW (1840-1909) had ten children . As licensee of the Court House Hotel he took part in much Cowra community activity, incl the Hospital, Irish Relief, Racing and Agricultural Committees. Hannah was the daughter of David Middlemiss, one of the district’s early settlers. Hannah lived eleven years after Thomas’ death. Her obituary in the Cowra Free Press of 10 January 1910 and is included here as the diary finished before that time.:“The late Mrs Hannah Walsh. The very many old friends in our community of Mrs Hannah Walsh, relict of the late Mr Thomas Walsh, of Cowra, were plunged in deep sorrow on Friday afternoon when the very sad news was wafted here by telegraph that the much lamented lady had breathed her last a short time previously at her residence “Baroda” Albion street Waverley, Sydney. It was known for some days preceding her demise that her state of health was critical, but it was nevertheless hoped that her ordinarily vigorous constitution would enable her to ward off the onslaught of the grim enemy for some years longer. It was however decreed otherwise, the two medical specialists who were in attendance to the end being powerless to prolong a well spent life. The last hours of our good, kind old friend were soothed by the knowledge that those she most loved on earth were at her bedside. These included Mr and Mrs Thomas Ryan, of Northwood near Cowra, Mr and Mrs Philip Kearins of Kildary near Temora, Mrs R Pepper, Cowra , business ties unfortunately prevented Mr Pepper from being in attendance, and Mr Alex Middlemiss, Cootamundra. The remains, encased in a beautiful polished cedar casket with rich silver mountings, the inner coffin being of lead, reached Cowra by train on Saturday night, and on Sunday afternoon the funeral moved from the residence of Mr Pepper, Kendall Street to the cemetery, the solemn dirge like tolls of the Catholic Church adding to the impressiveness of the scene as the melancholy cortege, comprising some ninety vehicles laden with mourners, and several horsemen, wended its way through the town. It was one of the largest and most representative funerals ever witnessed in Cowra, many of the mourners having come from far afield. The coffin waws bourne from the hearse to the grave by the sons-in-law of the lamented lady, viz Messrs Ryan, Kearins and Pepper and some very old friends. Prayers having been recited at the graveside, Mt T Dwyer, the remains of all that was earthly of a good woman were deposited in their last resting place, many tear dimmed eyes in the gathering testifying louder than mere words the intensity of the feeling towards the departed and the deep sorrow experienced at the severance of the bond. “] |
| 15 Sep 1858 | Thomas O’Shaughnessy born at Nanima. [Son of the diarist Thomas O’Shaughnessy and Margaret (Walsh) O’Shaughnessy. Died as an infant.] |
| 1 Sep 1859 | Sarah O’Shaughnessy born at Cowra. [Sarah 1858 – ? daughter of the diarist Thomas O’Shaughnessy and Margaret (Walsh) O’Shaughnessy.married John Hackett 1884.] |
| 25 Sep 1861 | Mary O’ Shaughnessy born Cowra. [Mary. 1861 – ? daughter of the diarist Thomas O’Shaughnessy and Margaret (Walsh) O’Shaughnessy. Married Denis McGrath of Bimbi 1890.] |
| 10 Jan 1864 | Ignatius 0′ Shaugnessy born at Cowra. [Son of the Diarist Thomas O’Shaughnessy and Margaret (Walsh) O’Shaughnessy. Died as an infant.] |
| 26 Jan 1867 | Mrs Neville, Maggie Middlemiss and Dan Neville started for Blayney. Mrs Neville is to be married to Nicholas Challacombe Tom lcely’s overseer. [Bridget (Walsh) Neville, her son Daniel, her sister Margaret (Walsh) O’Shaughnessy, and either David Middlemiss (best man?) or less likely his son Alexander.] |
| 12 Jul 1865 | Annie O’Shaughnessy born at Cowra.[Annie 1865-1867. Daughter of the diarist Thomas O’Shaughnessy and Margaret (Walsh) O’Shaughnessy.] |
| 26 Jan 1867 | Mrs Neville, Maggie Middlemiss and Dan Neville started for Blayney. Mrs Neville is to be married to Nicholas Challacombe Tom lcely’s overseer. [The widowed Bridget (Walsh) Neville, her son Daniel, and her sister-in-law Margaret Middlemiss, (later to be Mrs Moore.] |
| 31 Jan 1867 | Mr & Mrs Challacombe returned after being married. [This was the first marriage ceremony performed by Father Phillip Ryan, who had taken up his appointment in Carcoar in the previous November. Performed at King’s Plains (Blayney) on 27 January 1867.] |
| 8 Feb 1867 | Young Platt brought word from Goolagong that James McInerney’s daughter was drowned at Goolagong in a small water hole near house. A. Middlemiss went down. [Hannah, daughter of James and Elizabeth McInerney. The late Elizabeth (Middlemiss) McInerney was Alex Middlemiss’ sister. She had married McInerney on 27 April, 1864 the witnesses being Alix Middlemiss and Mary Neville. and had died in 1866, prior to this tragedy.] |
| 9 Feb 1867 | Tom Walsh went to meet the funeral. They came to Cowra at 6 o’clock this evening. |
| 10 Feb 1867 | Buried McInerney’s daughter at Campbell’s burial ground. |
| 27 Apr 1867 | We heard of Catherine Nowlan’s death.[Catherine Mary (Markham) NOWLAN 1838-1872 daughter of Edmund Markham and Bridget (Slattery) Markham She had married John Nowlan in 1861 and moved with him to Bimbi nr the Weddin Mountains, Grenfell. She died of tuberculosis at the age of 34 leaving five children – John Michael b. 1862; Mary Josephine 1863; Bridget 1865; Catherine Gertrude 1867; and Margaret Letitia 1872.The widower, John Nowlan later married Mary Ann Grant in 1874.] |
| 27 May 1867 | Old Mrs Duggan died. [Bridget, daughter of Richard and Ellen?] |
| 28 May 1867 | Mrs Duggan buried. |
| 9 Jun 1867 | Annie O’Shaughessy got the Typhus Fever. |
| 22 Jun 1867 | Annie died about 5 o’clock this evening. [Diarist’s sixth child, age two.] |
| 23 Jun 1867 | Buried poor little Annie late evening |
| 18 Jul 1867 | Mrs Russell died at Waugoola at 12 o’clock last night. Thomas Walsh started to Waugoola at 4 o’clock. |
| 19 Jul 1867 | Mrs Russell buried at the Sheet Of Bark. |
| 30 Jul 1867 | River rose very high. Canfield drowned in crossing the Coota Creek near Campbell’s Gate. |
| 1 Aug 1867 | Took Canfield to Hovell’s Creek to bury him. |
| 17 Aug 1867 | John Neville came with a telegram that Pat Neville was not expected to live at Lyndhurst College, Sydney. Mr & Mrs Challacombe started to Bathurst in a buggy. [The first archbishop of Sydney, Dr Polding, was a member of the Order of St Benedict and he was keen to organise his Catholic community along Benedictine lines. To cater for the education of Catholic boys he established Lyndhurst College in Glebe, a suburb west of Sydney. From the outset there were difficulties about obtaining suitable staff from the English Province of the Order, and there was the constant worry of finance. Bitter, acrimonious debate filled the press in those days, as in later years, about the use of government money for the support of Catholic schools. Sir Henry Parkes was adamant that education should be “free, secular and compulsory”. Lyndhurst struggled for some years and was finally forced to close its doors in 1877. The building, designed by Architect John Verge, stands, into the 21st Century.] |
| 19 Aug 1867 | Heard from the coachman that Pat Neville was dead. [Patrick (1851- 1867) son of Bridget (Walsh) and the late Edward Neville (? – 1852), step son of Nicholas Challacombe.] |
| 21 Aug 1867 | Got a letter by post from Lyndhurst College in Sydney to say that Patrick Neville died on Saturday morning at 8 o’clock. Mr & Mrs Challacombe came home. When they got to Bathurst they got a telegram on the 18th to say that Patrick Neville would be buried on the 19th. |
| 24 Aug 1867 | Thomas Walsh’s youngest daughter died at 5pm. Convulsions.[Sarah daughter of Thomas Walsh and Hannah (Middlemiss) Walsh.] |
| 25 Aug 1867 | Buried Tom Walsh’s daughter. |
| 28 Sep 1867 | Tom Booth died. Weather clearing. |
| 30 Sep 1867 | I went to Booth’s funeral. Buried in Campbell’s Burial ground. |
| 6 Oct 1867 | John Whitty got married to a daughter of old Smith of Cocomingla.[John Whitty of Summer Hill married Susanna Smith. Father Philip Ryan performed the ceremony.] |
| 26 Oct 1867 | Richards the blacksmith got a fall from his horse. |
| 27 Oct 1867 | Richards never spoke since he got the fall. |
| 28 Oct 1867 | Richards died at ten o’clock this morning. He never rallied. |
| 29 Oct 1867 | Richards’ friends took him to Carcoar to bury him. |
| 14 Feb 1868 | Kate O’Shaughnessy born this morning. River rising fast.[Daughter of the Diarist and Margaret (Walsh).] |
| 4 Mar 1868 | Mrs Meagher died. |
| 5 Mar 1868 | Father Ryan came, and Mrs Killeargher (Gallagher?), Mrs Meagher’s mother. |
| 6 Mar 1868 | Mrs Meagher buried. Great many people at the funeral. |
| 24 Sep 1868 | P Walsh’s Back Creek child died. |
| 27 Sep 1868 | Buried P Walsh’s child. |
| 28 Apr 1870 | Great rain. William Ryan married Mary Neville at Cowra. [Mary Neville (1847-1885) was the daughter of Bridget (Walsh) Neville, later Challacombe. William Ryan 1840-1889 of Ryansvale, Goulburn, a prominent Goulburn family. They had three sons, one of whom, Daniel Bernard, was killed in action at Fromelles, France in 1916.] |
| 8 Feb 1871 | Grace O’Shaughnessy born. (Daughter of the Diarist Thomas O’Shaughnessy and Margaret (Walsh) O’Shaughnessy |
| 11 Feb 1878 | James Quirk and his intended wife Mary Carroll and Ginger Stewart went in the Broander’s wagonette to Chivers Hotel, Back Creek to get married. |
| 8 Mar 1878 | Hennessy’s youngest son got kicked with a horse and broke his left arm at the shoulder. I saw the horse kick him. |
| 7 Apr 1878 | Old Jackson buried today. |
| 17 May 1878 | David Middlemiss died at 8 o’clock this morning. [David and his wife Hannah arrived NSW from Scotland in 1840. They held land in the Cowra district. They had four children, who married into local families.] |
| 19 May 1878 | I went with Butler in his buggy to David Middlemiss’s funeral. About 200 people at it. He was buried in Campbell’s burial ground. |
| 28 May 1878 | A child of John Hood’s died today. |
| 28 May 1878 | Old Mr Corbett of Grenfell died today.[Cowra Free Press 5 June 1878: “During last week, one of the oldest residents of Grenfell, Mr Corbett, died, and his funeral was largely attended.”] |
| 23 Aug 1878 | Pat Walsh died at half past ten o’clock tonight – inflammation of the heart.[Patrick 1862-1878, son of Thomas and Hannah (Middlemiss) Walsh.] |
| 24 Aug 1878 | I sent a telegram to P Walsh Kikiamah, to W Walsh Gulgo, James Curry Carcoar, and T Bell Young. James went for John Cahill |
| 25 Aug 1878 | We put Pat Walsh in the coffin at 2 o’clock this morning. T Walsh and I went to the burial ground. John Cahill went for Mrs Markham. P Walsh, Bridget, Margaret, Thomas and Patrick Walsh came from Kikiamah. [Cowra Free Press Wed 28 8 1878: “It is with deep regret that we have to announce the death of a son of our respected townsman, Mr T Walsh. The deceased, who was about 16 years of age, was deservedly a general favourite. For some years he had suffered from the effects of a serious accident, by which internal injury was sustained, and although he occasionally a freedom from actual pain, yet the injuries were of such a nature as to preclude ultimate restoration to health. He was a promising young man and his early death is deeply lamented by all who knew him. We need scarcely say that universal sympathy is expressed for the bereaved parents. The remains were interred on Monday afternoon last, a large number of persons from all parts of the district, assembling to pay their last tribute of respect to the deceased. The funeral cortege was headed by 50 boys, under the supervision of Mr W J Quick, the Headmaster of the Public School. There were no less than 50 vehicles of all descriptions and 70 horsemen in the train. The Rev Fr Ryan performed the last religious rites in accordance with the Roman Catholic faith, of which denomination the deceased was a member.”] |
| 26 Aug 1878 | Funeral started at 2 o’clock. 200 people at it. |
| 1 Oct 1878 | B.Monaghan cut his throat at Mandurama. Mrs Monaghan went by coach.[Cowra Free Press Oct 1878: We have been authentically informed that Mr B Monaghan of this town and who has recently been engaged in following his occupation at Mandurama, attempted suicide by cutting his throat with a knife on Tuesday last. The injured man was brought into Carcoar, and subsequently forwarded to Bathurst for medical treatment, but no serious apprehensions asto the dangerous results were entertained. No reason can yet be assigned for the commission of the deed, but rumour has it that drink is the chief cause. Although Mr Monaghan has not the reputation of being a drinking man, we are inclined to believe that this was the primary cause.] |
| 2 Oct 1878 | I sent a telegram to Dr Smith of Carcoar for particulars about Monaghan. A telegram to say that Monaghan will be forwarded to Bathurst for treatment. |
| 11 Oct 1878 | Mrs O’Shaughnessy and Mrs Challacombe went to Grenfell to see Hackett. He has heart disease.[James Hackett was father-in- law of Sarah (O’Shaughnessy) Hackett. ] |
| 13 Oct 1878 | Mrs O’Shaughnessy and Mrs Challacombe came from Grenfell. Hackett no better. |
| 18 Oct 1878 | Hackett died this morning. Sarah O’Shaughnessy and Mrs Challacombe went to Grenfell. [Cowra Free Press 19 October 1878: “Death of Constable Hackett. From a private source we learn that the above exemplary officer, and who was for some time stationed in this town, expired at his residence in Grenfell at noon yesterday (Friday). Prior to entering the Police Force, the deceased had seen much active service in military life, having been through the very thick of the Crimean War in which he earned medals for distinguished service and bravery. Much sympathy has been evinced for his bereaved family in their hour of affliction.”] |
| 24 Dec 1878 | Mrs Wilson, the bricklayer’s wife died very sudden. [Eliza A age 56 NSWBDM 5404/1878.] |
| 18 Jan 1879 | Miss Campbell got thrown from her horse on Mulyan Plain. She had to be taken home in Fitzgerald’s waggonette. |
| 26 Jan 1879 | Child of Bennett, the Lockup Keeper, died. |
| 27 Jan 1879 | Bennett’s child buried. |
| 31 Jan 1879 | Mrs John Kennedy died at Robertson’s Hotel, Cowra at one o’clock today. |
| 1 Feb 1879 | Mrs Kennedy buried at 10 o’clock. |
| 1 Feb 1879 | Mrs Fox Senior died last night at Mr Male’s, Merriganowry |
| 2 Feb 1879 | Mrs Fox buried. |
| 11 Feb 1879 | Mrs John Jones died last night from milk fever. |
| 12 Feb 1879 | Mrs Jones buried at her father’s place on the opposite side of the river to Goolagong. A large funeral |
| 22. Feb 1879 | Martin Cass a free selector at Wattamondara got his leg caught in Rolfe’s threshing machine. It took away his foot from the ankle and part of the calf of his leg.[Martin Cass was killed on Ryan’s Block on the Back Creek near Cowra whilst operating a 4 ft 6 Ransone and Sim steam thresher belonging to a Publican named Rolf (who had been involved in the riots at Lambing Flat). He was said to have been taken back to Boorowa for burial. That’s all I had about Martin until I read the Diary which gave the day of the accident and the day he died. Martin’s brother, Denis, once owned the land where our farm is on the Young Road south of Wattamondara. From John McInerney 4.8.2004.] |
| 23 Feb 1879 | Sunday. Martin Cass died at 2 o’clock this morning. |
| 27 Mar 1879 | A young child of Arnold’s died tonight.[Herbert/Hubert Rudolph, born same year, son of John M and Ruth (Seymour).] |
| 28 Mar 1879 | Arnold’s child buried today |
| 6 Apr 1879 | Monaghan’s child christened.[Joseph Michael, son of Bernard and Ellen NSWBDM 12269/1879.] |
| 8 Apr 1879 | Bill Austin got married. [William A Austin m. Jessie Jane Lane.] |
| 9 Apr 1879 | Billy Boxall got married to Fanny Croft, one of Dennis’ servants |
| 27 Apr 1879 | Mrs John Halpin died at 12 o’clock today at James’ Park. |
| 1 May 1879 | Andrew O’Neill was killed on his way home from Cowra, His horse ran him against a tree. [Cowra Free Press 3 May 1879: “Fatal accident: On Thursday evening last, at about seven o’clock, as Andrew O’Neill, the owner of a brickyard within a short distance of this town, was proceeding in the direction of his home on horseback, from Cowra, accompanied by two other men, his horse carried him against a tree, through which he was thrown to the ground with much violence. Dr Flockton was immediately in attendance, and perceiving that O’Neill was seriously injured, ordered his removal to his place of residence, where he expired three minutes after his arrival. Compression of the brain is the presumed cause of death. A magisterial enquiry bwas held by D Donnelly Esq, JP, at the deceased’s late residence yesterday.” Cowra Free Press of 10 May has a report of the Inquest, including that he was aged 49, married 11 years to Jane, and was a native of Dumfries, Scotland.] |
| 2 May 1879 | Father Dwyer died in Sydney. |
| 10 May 1879 | Whittaker the watchmaker married to George Lawrence’s daughter.[William Whittaker m. Mary I Lawrence NSWBDM 2882/1879. Whittaker died in 1886 and Mary married John HYAMS in 1890. NSWBDM 3247/1890.] |
| 28 May 1879 | One of George Tindall’s daughters married to a boy called Wood. (Enoch C Wood m. Mary Tindall NSWBDM 2883/1879) |
| 12 Jun 1879 | Mrs Rheuben had a young son last night. [Reginald H A, son of SAMUEL A and Phoebe. NSWBDM 12288/1879. The Rheuben Brothers by this time operated the Cowra Flour Mill, built by Patrick and Thomas Walsh in February 1861.] |
| 2 Aug 1879 | Dan Neville not getting any better. |
| 11 Aug 1879 | I went to see Dan Neville. He is a real skeleton. He appears to be failing fast. |
| 21 Aug 1879 | Dan Neville died at 10 o’clock this morning. [Daniel Bernard Neville (1845-1879) was the son of Bridget (Walsh) Neville (1823-1881) and the late Edward Neville, (1815-1852).Dan and his wife Bridget Mary Fitzgerald operated a drapery shop in Kendal Street. Cowra Free Press 23 August 1879: The late Mr D B Neville. At 10 a.m. Thursday Mr D B Neville, storekeeper of this town, expired at his residence at Kendal Street. The deceased had been a considerable sufferer for a protracted period from the effects of that dread disease consumption, and death under the circumstances must be looked on in the light of a happy release than otherwise. Poor ’Dan Neville’ as he was familiarly styled was the very essence of good nature and kind heartedness itself. He had not a single enemy. His death at the early age of 32 is deeply regretted by a very large circle of friends, and much sympathy has been expressed for the bereaved family in this hour of sorrow. We have been informed that the funeral cortege will move from the deceased’s late residence this afternoon at two o’clock.”].] |
| 23 Aug 1879 | Dan Neville’s funeral started at one o’clock.[Cowra Free Press 30 August 1879: The funeral of the late Mr D B Neville took place on Saturday last, and if anything was needed to prove the esteem and respect entertained by our late fellow townsman and his family by all sections of the community, it was manifested on the occasion referred to, by the number that assembled, some from a considerable distance, to tender their last tribute to a kind hearted citizen. Business of every kind was entirely suspended at the various establishments in town as an additional mark of respect to the deceased. The funeral cortege (nearly half a mile in length, and one of the largest yet witnessed in this district moved from the Catholic Church, where a solemn Requiem Mass for the deceased had been celebrated at 11 a.m. The Rev Fr Ryan of Carcoar officiated at the grave and performed the last sad rites of the Roman Catholic Church, of which the deceased was a member.”] |
| 25 Aug 1879 | Pat and Tom and Margaret Walsh and their father, Patrick Walsh, passed, going home to Kikiamah.[Had attended their nephew/cousin’s – Dan Neville – funeral.] |
| 4 Oct 1879 | Bill Jacobs got killed from off his horse today. [The Cowra Free Press of 11 October 1879 has a report of the Inquest. William Jacobs was brother-in-law of Peter Robinson of Back Creek.] |
| 6 Oct 1879 | Bill Jacobs buried today |
| 17 Oct 1879 | A man named Stynes, his horse ran him against a tree near the Cowra burial ground. He died in a few hours |
| 5 Nov 1879 | Bridget Markham married to John Ward yesterday in Sydney. [Bridget Mary Markham (1859-1946) of Milburn Creek was the first daughter, a twin, of James Markham (1836-1913) and Ellen Walsh (1835-1916) She and John Thomas Ward (1848-? b. Merton, nr Singleton NSW,) had twelve children many of whom married into other local families such as Jordan, Whitty, Marks .Waters, Smart. She spent much of her adult life in Darbys Falls.] |
| 19 Nov 1879 | Joe Poole is to be married to Carry Croft today in Cowra. |
| 21 Dec 1879 | Tom Walsh’s son Thomas died at 11 o’clock last night. Mrs O’Shaughnessy , Grace Challacombe and I started off in the buggy and got there at 10 o’clock and buried him at 4 o’clock.[Thomas Alexander 1876-1879 son of Thomas and Hannah (Middlemis) Walsh. Cowra Free Press 27.12.1879: “Sudden Death: On Saturday night last, an interesting boy of about three years of age, a son of Mr Thomas Walsh, our respected fellow townsman, expired suddenly after a series of attacks, stated to have been internal convulsions. Mr Lewin [Cowra pharmacist] was in attendance and did all that skill dictated to combat the fatal result. Dr Smith of Carcoar was telegraphed for but did not arrive until after death had ensued. Much sympathy is felt for the bereaved parents on the death of their idol – their only son.”] |
| 10 Jan 1880 | Old (John) Arkins died at 2 o’clock this morning.[Cowra Free Press of 17 January has an Obituary.] |
| 30 Jan 1880 | Old Mrs Mylecharane died at Cudgelo last night. |
| 27 Jun 1880 | Peter Whittaker died last night at 11 o’clock. (Age 41.) [Cowra Free Press 3 July 1889. On Saturday last, Mr Peter Whittaker, a respected and industrious resident, expired at his residence at Back Creek, after a brief illness, and was interred at the Church of England cemetery, on Wednesday afternoon, in the presence of a large circler of sorrowing relatives and friends. An account of the Inquest into his death can be found in CFP of the same date,] |
| 27 Jul 1880 | Mrs Eugenie Watt died last night.[Cowra Free Press 31 July 1880. It is with feelings of the most profound regret we have to announce the death of Mrs Eugene Watt which took place at her residence, Rocklands, on the Bumbaldry estate, on Tuesday morning. The deceased lady, who was deservedly esteemed for her many amiable and sterling good qualities by a large number of friends, had been suffering for some days past, but latterly some hopes were entertained that the fatal phase had been averted. Alas, for the uncertainty of human life, the change was only premonitory to that death which none of us can escape. The Watt family are extensively connected in this and surrounding districts, and as a consequence a large number of families will be plunged into mourning by this sad event. We deeply sympathise with the much-respected family in their hour of tribulation, and feel assured that the same sentiment is entertained by our entire community.] |
| 29 Jul 1880 | Mrs Eugenie Watt buried at Bumbaldry. |
| 14 Sep 1880 | John Cahill died at ten this morning at Walsh’s Court House Hotel, Cowra. NSWBDM 6332/1880 Age 49[Cowra Free Press of 18 September 1890. John Cahill, a selector, resident in the vicinity of Cudgelo, expired somewhat suddenly after a very brief illness at Walsh’s Court House Hotel on Tuesday morning. Inflammation of the lungs is stated to have been the cause of death. The deceased was a most industrious, steady and respectable man.”.] |
| 15 Sep 1880 | To John Cahill’s funeral at Cowra. |
| 2 Nov 1880. | James Cummings was kiIled at Grudgery below Forbes. The wheel of his wagon ran over his head.[Cowra Free Press of 6 November 1880. Fatal accident. We regret to learn that Mr James Cummings, for some time in the employ of Mr Rigaut of this town, met his death near Forbes on Monday morning last under the following painful circumstances:- Cummings had been employed by Mr Rigaut to convey some wool from the neighbourhood of Forbes, and it is supposed that while in the act of tightening some of the ropes on his load, the horses attached to the wagon moved on, precipitating the unfortunate man to the ground beneath the whels which then passed over his body. The particulars which come to hand are very meagre but the foregoing is the substance. The deceased leaves a wife and family of five young children in an absolute state of destitution. The sympathies of the charitably inclined are solicited on their behalf.”] |