Research reveals 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.

On this day - 21st April

1890 - Birth: Georgina Ellen BENNETT - Maternal grandmother

Sometimes research leads one to very local sources. My mother's birthday book recorded not only her mother's date of birth but also her date of death. While I have been unable to locate a birth record for her in any Australian state, she always claimed to have been born in Broken Hill. I have previously written about her life here Georgina and family leave Ngallo and here 50 years on.

Tombstone in Murray Bridge, SA.

1899 - Birth: James Leo BYRNE, Lameroo, South Australia, Australia 1st cousin once removed

Research in newspapers provided rich details about the Byrne families.

James Byrne had married my paternal grandmother Elizabeth's younger sister Margaret Smyth in 1898. Their first three children including James Leo were born in the mid north of South Australia. They then took up land  at Lameroo in South Australia for some years before extending their interests into Queensland north of Dalby at Apunyal in about 1910. 

In 1922 the marriage of James Leo Byrne and Catherine Emily Humphreys was recorded in this newspaper notice.

1922 'Byrne-Humphreys.', The Dalby Herald (Qld. : 1910 - 1954), 18 August, p. 3.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/215444556

This couple had 10 children and eventually moved back to the Lameroo farm. In 1947 this photo of James Leo and his wife was published in the Southern Cross newspaper.

1947 'FAMILY GROUP No. 45', Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1954), 14 November, p. 5.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/167717543

James Leo Byrne died in 1969 and both he and his wife are buried at Lameroo.

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