Dive in and deliver the details

This series of posts focuses on an A-Z theme for April in 2025. I have chosen events that occurred On This Day in April of years in the past. These events are recorded in my genealogy database.

D - Dive in and Deliver the details

A deep dive into newspaper notices delivers the details of many family events, some sad and some joyous.

On this day - April 4th

1928 - Death of a 3rd cousin - Sylvester Sebastian Francis RYAN

So many infants died early deaths. This sad notice details the short life Sylvester lived. Sylvester was the second of seven children born to James Sylvester Ryan and Ivy Bandt between the years of 1925 and 1948. He was a gt-gt-grandson of the O'Deas who had arrived in South Australia in 1854.

RYAN.—On the 4th April, at Freeling Hospital. Sylvester Sebastian Francis, dearly loved
infant son of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Rvan, age 5½ months. Rest in peace.

1928 'Family Notices', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), 5 April, p. 12.  

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49368717

His funeral notice appeared in the same paper.

RYAN - THE FRIENDS of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Ryan, of Freeling, are respectfully notified that the Remains of their Infant SON (Sylvester) will leave the residence of Mr. and Mrs. J. Ryan, sen, at 11 o'clock a.m. for St. John's Cemetery.

1928, The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), 5 April, p. 6.  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page2485915

*********************

1935 - Marriage: Charles Kevin MOY and Mary Julia HORGAN, Spalding, South Australia

2nd cousin once removed

Mary Julia Horgan was the eldest of six children born to Daniel Horgan and Honorah Murphy. Her father died in 1919 just before her 10th birthday leaving her mother with six young children. 

Mary Julia known as Maisie is misnamed in this picture as Miss J Horgan when she was teaching at Bundaleer School. The photo was published with several others as a promotion by the Education Authorities.

EDUCATION IN THE COUNTRY.

Every consideration is given by the Education Authorities to the needs of children in the outback districts, school facilities being provided wherever possible. (1)

Maisie Horgan, centre front, with her 17 pupils at Bundaleer in 1933

Looking at the school in the background it appears that it was corrugated iron, oh so hot in summer with just one small window for ventilation. It must have been very cold in winter too.

Maisie was also a member of the North Bundaleer Literary Society.

Maisie was engaged to Charles Kevin Moy when she turned 25 in May of 1934. (2)

A farewell at the end of March 1935 was held for Charles but no mention in the report is made of his upcoming nuptials. The ladies in the report are relegated to providing entertainment and supper.

1935 'MR. CHARLES MOY WILL LEAVE FOR QUEENSLAND.', The Areas' Express
(Booyoolee, SA : 1877 - 1948), 22 March, p. 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article218881538

St Augustine Catholic church Spalding - now a private home

The wedding in April 1935 was reported in the Burra Record.

MOY— HORGAN.

On 4th of April a quiet wedding was celebrated at St. Augustine's Church, Spalding (Father Whealan officiating) between Charles Kevin, son of Mrs. M. A. Moy of Kensington Park, and the late Michael Moy of Bundaleer, and Mary Julia (Maisie) eldest daughter of Mrs. H. and the late Daniel Horgan, of Booborowie. 

The bride entered the church on the arm of her uncle, Mr. J. Murphy, who gave her away. She looked very charming in a frock of grey corded wool-de-nil, finished with cream velvet with hat, shoes and gloves to tone. She carried a beautiful bouquet of lilies of the valley and maiden hair fern. Her sister, Miss Nora Horgan, who attended as bridesmaid chose a frock of a dainty blue shade, and carried a lovely bouquet of pink carnations, dahlias and maiden hair fern. Mr. Frank Moy, bridegroom's nephew, was best man. 

After the ceremony the bridal party adjourned to the hotel, where the wedding breakfast was partaken of, only a few of the near relations being present. The usual toasts were honored. The happy couple later left by motor amid showers of confetti and good wishes for their future home in Queensland. (3)

In 1936 Maisie and Charles were living at 43 Railway Terrace, Milton in Brisbane where Charles was listed as a labourer.

Maisie died in Brisbane in January 1950. Her death notice acknowledges the names of her husband, their five children and her siblings.

MOY (nee Horgan). — On January 5 at Brisbane (late Booborowie). Maisie, beloved wife of Charles, and loving mother of Michael, Mary, Kath, Joan and Peter, and the loved sister of Eileen, Dorothy, Dan, Jule and Nora. R.I.P. (4)

 

1. 1933 'EDUCATION IN THE COUNTRY.', Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), 11 May, p. 36.  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/90884694

2. 1934 'Family Notices', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 19 May, p. 18. , http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47559435

3. 1935 'Weddings', Burra Record (SA : 1878 - 1954), 10 April, p. 3.  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36076025

4. 1950 'Family Notices', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 6 January, p. 16. ,  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50208530

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

Collect and Collate

This series of posts focuses on an A-Z theme for April in 2025. I have chosen events that occurred On This Day in April of years in the past. These events are recorded in my genealogy database.

C- Collect and Collate

I collect as many facts as possible for each person - births, marriages, membership of organisations, any census data and so much more to build a picture of a person's life. At times information is limited to the newspapers of the day. There are sometimes surprises when a known person from the past turns out to be a relation. Sr M Stanislaus was one of those surprises.

On this day - April 3

1907 - Marriage: Thomas Benjamin COCKSHELL and Catherine Frances (Kitty) O'DEA, 

COCKSHELL—O'DEA.—On the 3rd April, at St. Michael's and St. John's Church, Terowie, by the
Rev. W. Doyle, Thomas B. Cockshell, of Broken Hill, to Catherine F., second daughter of T.
O'Dea, Terowie

1907 'Family Notices', The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA : 1867 - 1922), 23 April, p. 1. (4 o'clock.), viewed 02 Jan 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208908730

Kitty O'Dea as she was known, a 2nd cousin once removed, was the fifth child born to Thomas and Margaret O'Dea in Terowie, South Australia. Two of her older siblings had died as babies. Three more children were born after Kitty. Thomas, a younger brother only lived for 4 days, so Kitty grew up with four siblings. 

When she married in 1907 Kitty was 23. The Catholic Church in Terowie had originally been built as a Wesleyan place of worship in 1877 but in 1882 was sold to the Catholics when the Wesleyans built a new church.

 

St. Michael and St. John Catholic Church, Terowie

Thomas and Kitty had five children but the two baby girls died in their infancy leaving three boys. In 1939 Kitty, her husband and the two older boys were all still living at Terowie.

Kitty died in 1959, her husband Thomas had predeceased her in 1945. They are both buried in the Terowie Cemetery.

**********************

1907 - Johanna Horgan - Reception into the Dominican Order as Sister Mary Stanislaus

Johanna Horgan, a first cousin twice removed, was born in 1883. She was the sixth child of eight born to Thomas Horgan and Mary Carroll. Johanna's family were devout Catholics who lived at Manoora in South Australia. Johanna was named after her grandmother Johanna, who had brought her father and his two brothers John and Daniel to South Australia in 1852.

When she joined the Dominican nuns in April 1907, Johanna took the religious name Stanislaus. Eighteen months later she took her final vows.

The impressive ceremony of the reception into the Dominican Order of three young ladies took place at St. Mary's, Cabra, on Wednesday, April 3. The Right Rev. Monsignor Byrne, V.G., assisted by the Very Rev. Archpriest Nevin, presided. The names of the young ladies received are Miss Kinnane, in. religion Sister M. Francis; Miss Horgan (Sister M. Stanislaus); and Miss Ryan (sister of Rev. J. Ryan, Snowtown), of Limerick, Ireland, in religion Sister M Vincent de Paul.

During my years at Cabra Convent in Adelaide in the late 1960s, we viewed her as a very old nun, but I had no idea she was related to me on my paternal side. After many years of teaching, Mother Stanislaus as she was then known, died at age 94 in January 1978.

1907 'Reception at Cabra Convent.', Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1954), 12 April, p. 11. , viewed 02 Jan 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167038162

1908 'Profession at Cabra.', Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1954), 23 October, p. 11. , viewed 02 Jan 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166973318

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

The building blocks

This series of posts focuses on an A-Z theme for April in 2025. I have chosen events that occurred On This Day in April of years in the past. These events are recorded in my genealogy database.

B - The building blocks of genealogical research 

Throughout this series there will be many births, deaths and marriages, the building blocks of genealogical research. Immigration, marriage and residence records provide additional details. 

On this day - April 2

1855 - Immigration: Lucy Elizabeth JAMES, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia - my children's 3x gt. grandmother

Lucy Elizabeth James was 8 years old when she arrived in Tasmania on the ship "Whirlwind" with her parents and 2 sisters and a brother on April 2nd 1855. 

The James family had migrated from England. Lucy's parents, Jacob James and Lucy Statham are my husband's 3x gt-grandparents on his maternal side. They had paid $82 for the passage on the ship in steerage conditions. 

It had been a stressful journey, first leaving London in January but delayed by sickness and deaths, the passengers suffered from scarlatina. Many deaths were recorded in newspaper reports. The ship finally left Plymouth and arrived in Launceston on April 2nd but the passengers did not disembark until April 5.

Two more children were born to Lucy's parents in Launceston, Walter in 1856 and Ellen in 1858. By 1860 Lucy's parents moved their family to New Zealand, where land was gradually being released for white settlement.  Another child Alfred was born in 1860 in New Zealand. 

Lucy’s first marriage

Lucy may have remained in Launceston, perhaps by then she had paid work. Here her marriage to Jacob Pickford is recorded in Launceston, Tasmania in 1863. Lucy is recorded as being 17 years old with Jacob eight years older than her.

12 Dec 1863 marriage of Lucy James and Jacob Pickford
https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/RGD37-1-22/RGD37-1-22P267

By 1866 Lucy was in New Zealand where her first daughter Amy Ada Pickford was born in August.

The Pickford marriage must have been short lived as she was soon reunited with her parents.

Lucy’s second marriage 

By 1864 Hokitika had become a centre for those who flocked to the New Zealand West Coast goldrush. It was there in Hokitika that Lucy (now Pickford) married Cornelius Gothard on 2 March 1869. 

Cornelius Gothard at age 18 and his brother Ebenezer, who was 3 years older, had arrived in Victoria in 1857. Ebenezer established a butcher's shop at Kyneton in Victoria. After it was sold he advertised a grand opening for the Albion Hotel in Taradale, Victoria in 1862.  By January 1863 the hotel was advertised for sale.  Like many others, the brothers migrated across to New Zealand. In 1870 they dissolved a partnership in Nelson, where they had been  butchers together since 1867.

Adelaide Gothard's  birth to Cornelius and Lucy in August 1869 was just a few months after their marriage in March of that year. Four more girls were born to the couple in the next few years. Maud my children’s 2x gt grandmother, in 1871, Eva in 1872, Cornelia in 1874 and Jane in 1875.

Tragedy struck in 1877 when Lucy died leaving behind six girls under the age of 11.

This notice appeared in the Grey River Argus on 24 July 1877.

A report of the funeral funeral details appeared in the Inangahua Times on the 25 July : 

The remains of Mrs C. Gothard were interred in the Reefton cemetery yesterday afternoon. The funeral moved at 4 o'olock) and was very numerously attended. The members of the Loyal Reefton Lodge of Oddfellows attended in mourning regalia and marched to the place of burial. The burial service was performed by the Bishop of Nelson, assisted by the Rev. Mr Rutherford.

Line of descent to Galvin from Lucy James

1855 'MISCELLANEOUS.', Launceston Examiner (Tas. : 1842 - 1899), 3 April, p. 2. (AFTERNOON), viewed 02 Jan 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36292212 

1860 'Advertising', The Kyneton Observer (Vic. : 1856 - 1900), 27 December, p. 5. , viewed 02 Jan 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article240850851 

1862 'Advertising', Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917), 6 June, p. 1. , viewed 02 Jan 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197094168

1863 'Advertising', Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917), 13 January, p. 3. , viewed 02 Jan 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200379640

1877 Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 46, 25 July, Page 2 

 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/IT18770725.2.7

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

Associate names and places

This series of posts focuses on an A-Z theme for April in 2025. I have chosen events that occurred On This Day in April of years in the past. These events are recorded in my genealogy database.

A - Associate Names and Places

Many of my relatives lived and died in a small area within South Australia. When researching family history, one way to bring ancestors to life is by connecting their names to the places they lived. Streets, towns, and landmarks that may seem ordinary today were once the backdrop of their daily lives, shaping their experiences and stories. Here we have Minnie from Freeling, and Margaret who lived in Riverton and was buried in the local Catholic cemetery.

Lower mid-north, South Australia

On this day - April 1

Birth 1922 - Minnie Patricia MEANEY 2nd cousin once removed 

Minnie was the eleventh child born to Catherine Peters and Thomas John Meaney near Freeling in South Australia. Freeling in 1922 was still a small town with the surrounding farms growing mainly cereal crops, wheat, oats and barley.

On October 24, 1946 at age 24 she married Michael Collins. 

MEANEY—COLLINS.—The marriage of Minnie Patricia, youngest daughter of Mr. T. J. and the late Mrs. Meaney, of Freeling, to Michael Francis, youngest son of Mrs. E. and the late Mr. D. Collins, of Mallala, will be solemnised with Nuptial Mass at St. Peter and Paul's Church, North Adelaide on Thursday October 24, at 3 pm.

1946 'Family Notices', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 24 October, p. 16   http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35762902 

Death 1992 - Death: Margaret Mary CALLERY 1st cousin once removed

Margaret Mary Callery was the second child of five born to Catherine Smyth and John Callery in Riverton in December 1901. Her mother died of acute meningitis before her ninth birthday leaving John with five young children. The youngest was only five months old. 

When Margaret’s eldest sister Ann became a nun in 1924 it would have been up to Margaret as the next eldest daughter to take responsibility for the household. Her brother Edward married in 1926 then her father died in 1928. By 1941 her two younger sisters had married Shanahan brothers. 

In 1950 when she was 48 she married Donald Bascombe. They were to have 34 years together.

CALLERY — BASCOMBE. — The marriage of Margaret Mary Callery, second daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Callery, of Riverton, to Donald Allan Bascombe, second son of Mrs. and the late Mr. James Bascombe, of Streaky Bay, will be solemnised at Sacred Heart Church, Hindmarsh, on April 17, at 9 a.m. Reception at Berkley Hotel.

1950 'Family Notices', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 8 April, p. 24.  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50201944

Donald died in 1984. After her death on 1 April 1992, she was buried alongside him in the Navan Cemetery near Riverton.

Tombstone in Navan Catholic Cemetery

The Callery Family

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