A legacy of resilience: Andrew's story

Early Years

Andrew Joseph Horgan was born on April 14, 1869. He was the second son of Irish immigrants, John Horgan and Honora O'Leary who had married in 1863. They farmed at Linwood, near Tarlee South Australia. Andrew joined the family fold after his sister Johanna and brother Tom. Unfortunately, his older sister Johanna died in 1872 when he was a mere toddler.

Despite the family's grief, Andrew had playmates and companionship with all his siblings, Tom, Catherine, Johanna (named in memory of the departed sister), the younger John, affectionately known as Jack and little sister Nora.  

Tragedy struck the family once more in 1883 when their father John Horgan died. Andrew at just 14 shouldered the weight of responsibility alongside his mother and siblings, hard work now their daily lot.

Marriage and Family

At age 36, Andrew exchanged marriage vows with Elizabeth Smyth in the Tarlee Catholic Church in February of 1906. After enjoying a honeymoon in New Zealand, he moved into the Smyth family home at Alma. This farm was eventually left to Elizabeth when her mother died shortly after their marriage. Together Andrew and Elizabeth raised three children on the farm: a daughter Hanora Mary, and two sons, Edward John and Joseph Andrew.

Andrew on the Alma farm

Andrew's younger sister Johanna died in 1926, and his mother's death followed just a year later. Now there were just his three unmarried siblings left on the Linwood farm, Tom, Kate and Jack. Nora had married in 1909.

Changing fortunes

The great depression of 1933 swept across the land leaving Andrew grappling with hardship. A clearing sale was held on the property with thirteen horses sold but there was little demand for his farm equipment. After such a poor year, the death of his wife Elizabeth in 1934 dealt another blow. 

Andrew and his son Eddie continued to work on the farm trying to navigate life's uncertainties. It appears from subsequent events that they may have concentrated on raising and milking cows.

Eddie's marriage in 1937 brought a new person onboard. Hannah, Eddie's wife was a town girl from Hamley Bridge so the tasks of a farm wife were quite new to her. By now Joe was living back with his father and brother so there were three men who needed household care, meals prepared and cooked and worn clothes mended.

 

By 1939 with a new baby in the house, it was time to plan for the future. The sale of the farm enabled his son Eddie and young family to seek their own farm at Snowtown and Andrew traded the familiar Alma landscape for a dairy farm near Hahndorf. In this venture he was accompanied by son Joe and daughter Mary.

The return to Linwood

Life came full circle with the death of his brothers Tom in 1941 and Jack in 1942. It was time to return to the Horgan family farm at Linwood.  He returned, as did his son Eddie and his family. Through toil and tragedy, Andrew's unwavering faith provided solace. He was an active parishioner attending Mass at both Tarlee and Hamley Bridge.

During the remaining years of his life Andrew enjoyed the company of his young grandchildren. He was back where his life began, where for so many years he had laboured diligently with his siblings. Now he was within visiting distance of his sisters. Kate was in Riverton and Nora was on the McInerney farm, just out of Riverton. In 1949 celebrations were held at the Linwood farm for his 80th birthday with a large group of family and friends present.

80th birthday 1949 at Linwood

Andrew died on May 2, 1951, at the family farm, and was laid to rest beside his beloved Elizabeth in quiet confines of Navan Catholic Cemetery near Riverton.

This post first appeared on earlieryears.blogspot.com by CRGalvin