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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Kerry => Topic started by: Shadrach on Monday 29 August 05 08:56 BST (UK)
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John O'Connor was transported to Sydney Australia
for sheep stealing in 1837 leaving behind a wife, Mary,
and five children. His age is variably given at the time as
40 or 50 so I am not sure when he was born.
He married Mary Lynch in 1819 in Killarney but can anyone
find a birth date or parents names for John please?
Mary eventually made it to Australia in 1850
with her children so someone must have taken
pity on her and given her some help.
Shadrach
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Hello Shadrach,
There are three items you require when searching for Irish ancestors.
1. Denomination.
2. Parish
3. Townland.
You'll have to rely on Church records as civil registration in Ireland was not introduced until 1864. Non Catholic marriages were registered from 1845 onwards. When registration for BDMS started in 1864 some people didn't bother with the registration for a few years after that date. Keep your fingers crossed that church records still exist.
I'm wondering if Mary and the children were able to get assistance from a State-Aided Emigration Scheme such as the one at Castlemaine.
Christopher
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Thanks for your help Christopher, I will definitely keep looking. I have since discovered that John was born in Ventry Dingle County Kerry.
The story of how Mary went to Australia is interesting. By 1847 John was working as a Farmer although still classed as a convict but with a Ticket of Leave. He applied to the Governor to provide passage from Ireland for his family and a local minister testified to his good character. Mary arrived in 1850 with a group of immigrants who were classed by the ship's records as being wives and families of convicts. Next to her name of the ship's records was "John O'Connor transported 1837"
shadrach
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Thanks for your help Christopher, I will definitely keep looking. I have since discovered that John was born in Ventry Dingle County Kerry.
The story of how Mary went to Australia is interesting. By 1847 John was working as a Farmer although still classed as a convict but with a Ticket of Leave. He applied to the Governor to provide passage from Ireland for his family and a local minister testified to his good character. Mary arrived in 1850 with a group of immigrants who were classed by the ship's records as being wives and families of convicts. Next to her name of the ship's records was "John O'Connor transported 1837"
shadrach
Thanks Shadrach,
I'll do my best to remember that assisted passages were available to the wives & families of convicts who were of good character. I knew that in addition to some Irish landlords offering passages to families who lived on their estates there were also a few other schemes for assisted passages but I didn't realise that convicts could apply to Governors.
Christopher.
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Hi Christopher, this is a transcript of John's letter, Francis Flanagan was his employer, finding records such as these is just marvellous!
47/6994 4th October 1847
New South Wales
I John Connor (Ticket of Leave holder) per
(John Connor) this line not written by the prime letter writer
Ship Calcutta by? Respectfully to request that
(Applying for a passage for wife & family) this line not written by the prime letter writer
My wife and children may be provided
With a passage to this colony,
I am at present following the occup
-ation of Farmer at Shannon View in the
District of Broulee, County St Vincent
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your most obedient & humble servant
his
John X Connor
mark
The Principal Supt.
of Convicts &
Sydney
Wifes maiden name . Mary Lynch
Present Residence --- Ventry
County ----------------- Kerry Ireland
Town or parish ------- Dingle
Children
Name Ages
Morris Connor 26 years
Patrick Connor 23 Do
Derby Connor 21 Do
Nelly Connor 16 Do
Margaret Connor 13 Do
Persons to whom applicant family are known
The Rev Thomas Folley Dingle Curate
Chaplain Hickson Do Do
~~~~~~~~-----------------------
We hereby certify that John Connor is a well conducted man
and that he has the means of supporting his family.
Francis Flanagan
? ? Macleane?
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Dear Shadrach
That is an uplifting story.
My wife is John O'Connor's ggggdaughter, and has never seen that transcript before encountering your message.
Is it possible to get an image of it do you know?
We have the family line sussed from Morris (John's son) down, but would be grateful for any leads on John's or Mary's origins and their time in Dingle.
Thanks
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Dear Arataki I am the G grandaughter of a Parick OConnor who arrived in Sydney approx the same time as your Patrick (son of John). My Patrick married a Bridget Creed abt 1852 in Sydney then shifted to Melbourne. Patrick died in 1904 in Melbourne (his fathers name was John) Children Jerrmiah B:Sydney D: infant Melbourne - Patrick B:1856 Ellen B: Melbourne Maryann & Margaret born in Gisbourne Victoria. Sponsors on Bapt had Jerrimiah OConnor Johannah OConnor & Patrick OConnor. Do these facts thus stated connect with your family. If so would like to make contact via email at *
Betty
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Hi there
Mary and the children sailed out to Sydney together 14 years after John. According to my information the children of John O'Connor and Mary Lynch were:
i. Maurice O'Connor, B: Feb 1820 in Dingle Ireland[4], D: 13 Oct 1902 in Nowra NSW, M: 14 Jan 1856 in Parramatta NSW.
ii. Patrick O'Connor, B: 1828 in Dingle Ireland.
iii. Jeremiah O'Connor, B: 1831 in Dingle Ireland.
iv. Ellen O'Connor, B: 1833 in Dingle Ireland, D: 1900 in Rookwood Australia, M: 1861 in Shoalhaven NSW.
v. Margaret O'Connor, B: 1835 in Dingle Ireland.
My wife's side of our family descends from Maurice.
You will see from Shadrach's post above that the names and dates of birth weren't always recorded consistently, and I can't be sure there wasn't a Johannah as well. But I would be reasonably confident that the Patrick and Jeremiah you refer to are the same people as those in our list.
Shadrach is very helpful and has sent me a PM, but I don't have the power to do that. I would be interested to learn more of Patrick's line.
Regards
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Shadrach,
This is probably a shot in the dark, but I just came across your post about John O'Connor, convict from way back. I was wondering if you ever found out who his parents were? I saw you stated he was from Ventry, Dingle, Co Kerry.
For many years I have been trying to find out where my line came from in Ireland. I know they emigrated from Ireland to Canada first, but eventually ended up in Buffalo, NY. Family lore said they came from Co Kerry, but I have yet to find anything to substantiate that. I lean toward that tho as my gr grandfather's middle name was Ventry! Tho maybe the family just had kind thoughts of Lord Ventry (tho reading about him I tend to doubt that), it is the where I tend to look for them. His fathers name was Stephen and mother was Margaret.
Anyway, when I came across your post I thought I would just check with you.
Thanks for any help you might give me,
Eileen
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Sorry Eileen, as far as I know John's father was name John. This name was on his death certificate but the details on death certificates are only as good as the informant and can sometimes just be a guess.
Good luck with your search
Shadrach
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