As will be seen on so many of these pages, so many marriages among the Irish diaspora in the central west/southern NSW colony link me even distantly. James Cassidy and his wife Mary Tierney come to mind. They arrived in New South Wales on the “ELPHINSTONE” on 5 October 1840, with their son Peter. Peter married my great grandmother’s niece Mary Ann McNamara. Their daughter Mary Therese Cassidy married J J Cusack, whose next generations are prominent in Canberra’s early history. Other names with whom I have personal connections include Cusack, Kearins and Dawes.
Peter Cassidy married Marianne, sometimes Mary Ann who was was born in Bowning in or about 1842. She grew up at Kings Plains (Blayney) and on 19 September 1860, she married Peter Cassidy, a member of a local farming family. Peter had arrived from Ireland on the “Elphinstone” arriving on 8 October 1840 at the age of one year, with his parents – James Cassidy 28, and Mary Tierney, 22. James was a labourer and Mary a servant – neither could read or write and came to Australia as immigrants.
Their marriage certificate is not very informative, listing Peter as a farmer at Grabine, Abercrombie River (possibly in an area now covered by Wyangala Dam) and Mary Ann as a spinster of Kings Plains. The marriage was on 19 September 1860 at Kings Plains. (Her Death Certificate incorrectly gives the place as Yass.)
Mary Ann Cassidy died in 1929, eighteen years after being widowed. Her death Certificate records her death on 23 February in the Murrumburrah Hospital at the age of 86. Described as a retired schoolteacher, born at Bowning. Father Matthew McNamara, hotel keeper, mother Mary Gleeson, age at marriage 17 in Yass NSW, spouse Peter Cassidy. The children were Mary T 57, Margaret 55, Sarah 53, Katherine M 50, Patrick J 42, Grace 39 and deceased were 2 males and 1 female. The name Marianne was altered on the document to Mary Ann by P J Cassidy, son, as noted by the Registrar
Her obituary:
Mary Ann (McNamara) Cassidy.
The death occurred at midnight on Saturday, at the Murrumburrah Hospital, of Mrs Cassidy, relict of the late Mr Peter Cassidy. The deceased lady was in her 88th year, and had enjoyed good health during the greater part of her long life. For several months past, however, her health was failing. She became seriously ill about a week before her death, and was taken to the Murrumburrah Hospital, but she gradually became worse and passed away peacefully on the date stated. She retained her faculties up to the last. The late Mrs Cassidy was a native of Yass, and was the second daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Matthew McNamara. When quite a young girl she went with her parents to Kings Plains, near Blayney. Some years later, she was married there to Mr Peter Cassidy.
On the death of the latter’s father, Mr Peter Cassidy became the owner of a valuable property known as the Abercrombie Estate, which he subsequently disposed of. He afterwards purchased another property at Woodstock, but after some years he sold this property, owing to unfavourable seasons. Mrs Peter Cassidy then conceived the idea of becoming a school teacher, and passed her examinations with great success. She was appointed to a school at Bathurst and later on to a school at the Blue Mountains, afterwards coming back as teacher at the Good Hope school, her native town.
She retired 22 years ago at the age of 65 years. \A property was purchased near Burrowa, which subsequently was handed over on the death of Mr Peter Cassidy to their son Patrick. The late Mrs Cassidy has been living ever since with her youngest daughter Mrs John O’Neill of “Clevedon” Galong. Mr Peter Cassidy died 18 years ago.
The late Mrs Cassidy is survived by five daughters and a son, namely: Mrs J J Cusack, Mrs John Duffy, Mrs James Duffy, all of Yass, Mrs W Madden of Queenstown Tasmania, Mrs John O’Neill of Galong, and Mr Patrick Cassidy of Burrowa.
Mary Ann’s teaching record was:
Trained two months in Blayney from 1 July 1879
Appointed Wheatfields 17 February 1880
Appointed Lowther 6 November 1885
Appointed GoodHope 21 February 1891
Granted 6 months leave on full pay prior to retirement on 30 June 1909
[Dept of Education Archives.]
Peter and Mary Ann’s first daughter Mary Therese.
Mary Therese “Minnie” married local politician J J Cusack in Yass in 1898. Her marriage was reported in the Yass Courier as follows:
Marriage of Mary Therese (Minnie) CASSIDY.
On 15 April, 1898 an Easter Monday morning, a quiet, but pretty wedding took place at St, Augustine’s Church. In the early morning light, Minnie Cassidy, eldest daughter of Mr. P. Cassidy of Good Hope, arrived at the church on the arm of her father. She was not wearing a white bridal gown, but a grey tailor-made coat and skirt with a cream silk vest and a grey velvet hat to match. On her wrist she wore a golden bangle, a gift from her husband-to-be John Cusack. Her bridesmaid was her sister, Sarah, dressed in electric blue with guipure lace trim and hat to match. She also had received a gift from the bridegroom which she was wearing that morning.
Following the marriage ceremony, the wedding party walked down to the Australian Hotel where light refreshments were served. The married couple then took the 7.10 am train to Sydney where they spent their honeymoon. The bride had come to Yass to establish a dress-making business. She had a flat above Peterson‘s store and it was through the Peterson family that she met her future husband.
Her story, written by her granddaughter Ann (Cusack) Jaeger, is here.
There is coverage of the McNamara/Cassidy family on my McNamara page.
Those interested in the Dawes, Duffy, McNamara/Walsh families should have a look at Joan Dawes’ “The Dawes Family of Good Hope – A Yass NSW Settler’s Story” which is here.
Outline Descendant Report for James CASSIDY
1 James CASSIDY b: 1795 in Co Kildare, IRE, Arr Australia: 05 Oct 1840 in “Elphinstone”, d: 09 Jul
1860 in Carcoar NSW
+ Mary TIERNEY b: Abt. 1818 in Co Kildare, IRE, Arr Australia: 05 Oct 1840 in “Elphinstone”, m: 1838
in Co Kildare, IRE, d: 09 Jul 1860 in Carcoar NSW
…2 Peter CASSIDY b: Abt. 1836 in Kildare, Ireland, Arr Australia: 05 Oct 1840 in “Elphinstone”, d: 21
Sep 1911 in Boorowa NSW
+ Mary Ann (Marianne) McNAMARA b: 1842 in Yass NSW, m: 19 Sep 1860 in Kings Plains, Blayney
NSW, d: 23 Feb 1929 in Murrumburrah NSW
……3 John Bernard (Jack) CASSIDY b: 20 May 1869 in Carcoar NSW, d: 1919 in Glebe, NSW
+ Mary Elizabeth HAYES b: 1872 in Yass NSW, m: 27 Apr 1898 in Yass NSW, d: 1957
………4 Marjorie CASSIDY b: 1900, d: 1922
………4 John CASSIDY b: 1901, d: 1960
………4 Madeline (May) CASSIDY b: 1902, d: 1996
+ Frank PETERSON m: 1930
………4 Ella CASSIDY b: 1905, d: 1982
+ George J HIGGINS m: 1932
………4 Clarence Bernard CASSIDY b: 09 Sep 1909 in Yass NSW, d: 22 Jan 1942 in KIA WW11
(Memorial Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore)
+ Irene Johanna LEE m: 1940 in Waverley N.S.W
……3 Mary Therese (Minnie) CASSIDY b: 20 May 1870 in Carcoar NSW, d: 07 Sep 1962 in Canberra
ACT
+ John Joseph CUSACK b: 1868 in Bellevale, Yass NSW, m: Apr 1898 in Yass NSW, d: 1956 in
Canberra ACT
………4 John Stanley (Stan) CUSACK b: 03 Mar 1899 in Yass NSW, d: 15 Jul 1971 in Canberra ACT
+ Alice May DAWES b: 18 Aug 1904 in Goodhope nr Yass NSW, m: 1928 in Sydney NSW, d: 26
Dec 1947 in Canberra ACT
………4 Gregory Boan CUSACK b: 1903, d: 1981
+ Dorothy ??
………4 Linton Alphonsus CUSACK b: 1901, d: 1955
………4 Ursula Mary CUSACK b: 1907, d: 1986
……3 Margaret Ellen CASSIDY b: 02 Oct 1873 in Cowra NSW, d: 1932 in Petersham NSW
+ John Gregory DUFFY b: 13 May 1867 in Yass NSW, m: Jun 1895 in Yass NSW, d: 31 May 1936
in Lewisham NSW
………4 Kathleen M DUFFY b: May 1896 in Yass NSW, d: 19 Oct 1897 in Yass NSW
………4 Dorothy F DUFFY b: 12 Jul 1897 in Yass NSW, d: 20 Feb 1926 in Ashbury, NSW
………4 John Cyril DUFFY b: 30 May 1899 in Yass NSW, d: 05 Jan 1965 in Rockdale NSW
………4 Marguerite M DUFFY b: 17 Mar 1901 in Yass NSW, d: 13 Feb 1984 in Kensington NSW; Sr
Athanasius of OLSH
………4 Teresa Claire DUFFY b: 1902, d: 1980 ; Rev Mother Bernadette
………4 Irene Bridget DUFFY b: 28 Oct 1903 in Gunning, NSW, d: Sr Margaret Mary
………4 James Terence DUFFY b: 19 May 1908 in Gunning, NSW, d: 07 Apr 1965 in Dapto NSW
………4 Merianne Josephine DUFFY b: 1911 in Gunning, NSW, d: 22 Nov 1981
+ Reginald CONNELLY
……3 Michael CASSIDY b: 1875 in Noyeau Ck, Woods Flat., d: 11 Apr 1876
……3 Peter Patrick CASSIDY b: 1875 in Cowra NSW, d: 18 Jul 1967 in Boorowa NSW
……3 Sarah CASSIDY b: 06 Feb 1877 in Woodstock, NSW, d: 1963
+ James Bernard DUFFY b: 1872 in Yass N.S.W, m: 04 Feb 1903 in Yass NSW, d: 29 Mar 1925
………4 Pauline M DUFFY b: 1904
………4 Mary A DUFFY b: 1906
………4 Bernadine S DUFFY b: 1907
………4 James P DUFFY b: 1910
………4 John J DUFFY b: 1912
………4 Paul E B DUFFY b: 1914
………4 Peter Gregory DUFFY b: 29 May 1917 in Yass NSW
+ Joan Catherine WARD
……3 Josephine Mary CASSIDY b: 1881 in Sofala NSW, d: Jul 1923
+ George (Leslie) WATSON
……3 Katherine CASSIDY b: 23 Feb 1883, d: 1938 in Linda, nr Gormanston TAS
+ William MADDEN b: 1857, m: Abt. 1907 in Tasmania, Australia, d: 1935
……3 Patrick James CASSIDY b: 1885 in East Macquarie, NSW, d: 18 Jul 1967 in Boorowa NSW
+ Charlotte Matilda ROBERTS b: 18 Dec 1885 in Frogmore NSW, d: 24 Mar 1969 in Boorowa,
NSW
……3 Grace CASSIDY b: 1888 in Lithgow NSW, d: 11 Dec 1963 in Harden NSW
+ John Thomas O’NEILL b: 1878 in Galong NSW, Arr Australia: 20 Mar 1858 in “Sea Park”
Melbourne, m: 1912 in Reg Yass NSW, d: 23 May 1921 in Casmingar, NSW
………4 John Neville O’NEILL b: 1912, d: 1972
+ Winifred YATES d: 1960
………4 Mary Therese F O’NEILL b: 21 Feb 1914 in Harden NSW, d: 29 Jun 1993 in Wantima Vic
+ Francis Henry LECKIE m: Mar 1941 in St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney
………4 Neil Bernard O’NEILL b: 1916, d: 1968
………4 Pauline Lena O’NEILL b: 1920, d: 2006
+ William K A HILL b: 1920, d: 1982