"Nepaul" 1852 Passenger List

[Suzie_Australia]

Dear gck02

This is amazing.  So many questions for you, so I hope you don't mind.

1.  Where do you fit in with James Kearney?  My line comes from James Kearney's son George Kearney who married Mary Ann Smithwick, and their son (my grandfather) is Christopher Kearney.

2.  Interesting about the book as there is a "family story" that I cannot confirm that there was a Kearney who was a master mariner - will ask my cousin more about that.  But if he was how does he once be a mariner then a "rate collector/property valuer?"

3.  I too would have thought they were Catholic, maybe guessing as his parents were from Ireland and the children were baptised at St Patricks in Liverpool.

4.  I'm having difficulty tracking down the Kearney family after the 1851 census.

 I have a possibilty that James's sister Eliza came out to Australia some time later, but just looking into that at the moment.

I am having trouble with James's parents William and Rose.

1.  Don't know where they came from in Ireland.

2.  Rose's maiden name is confusing - sometimes Callaghan (spelt different ways) but also "Fagan"?  Have you come across this?  I do have a marriage of a William Kearney and Rose Fagan in 1837 in Liverpool, 5 years after our James is born) but this may not be our Rose. 

I can email you through "pm" an individual summary that I have put together for James if you like.

Regards,
Suzanne

[gck02]

Suzanne
James is my great great grandfather down the same line as yours- James then George then Christopher then my father John(dec)- are we therefore cousins? If so this says something about the fragmentation of families!
"Nories Epitome" is evidence beyond doubt but Im not sure of what, the inscription is James Kearney, Liverpool 1846 which is the only hard fact. Im aware of a Captain James Kearney whos claim to fame was he visited the Titanic before its maiden voyage but its not the same James Kearney, as ours died in 1986. He does show up in TROVE here as he was Master of a ship that visited these shores. My theory is James  purchased the book to practice his mathematical skills on the long journey across, his multiple involvements in multiple causes in North Melbourne suggest he was a bit of an over achiever who liked to have his finger in any pie going. A note of caution, there is also a James Kearney who was alive at almost the same time as ours who lived in Walsh Street South Yarra, the author of a famous map on Melbourne.
James was totally Catholic, he was heavily involved in setting up St Michaels school in North Melb, and one of his Daughters, Hannah Elizabeth, became a Dominican nun in South Australia. I cant imagine this family being anything but Catholic, so Im not sure how his Anglican marriage fits in (nor Warnambool)
Would love to see your individual summary for James and compare it to mine, as Im tentative about so much of this, will get back to you with more thoughts.
Gerald

[Suzie_Australia]

COMPLETED:  Thank you RootsChat for putting me in touch with a long lost family member

[pgrimmer]

Hi!  How nice to see you find each other!  I descend from Hannah and Elizabeth's brother George.  Although we know a bit, there is a lot we have never really found out about their line in the family which is a shame.  I have lots of info on the Grimmer ancestors if either of you are interested.

Cheers, Pauline

[pgrimmer]

If you Google James Kearney, Melbourne Planner you will be able to see maps he drew designing Melbourne.

[Suzie_Australia]

Hi Pauline

Wonderful to meet you.  As you have probably worked out, Hannah Grimmer, who married James Kearney, is my great-great grandmother.

Checked my Family Tree Maker and don't have a birth or death for your George Grimmer and his sister Harriet.  If you could help me out with those that would be great.

Also, don't know about you, but I am having great trouble finding Elizabeth Lee's mother.  I know her father is Robert Lee (not Alfred as on her death certificate), exhausted all avenues for this one.

The James Kearney who was the Surveyor/Planner for Melbourne is not our James Kearney.  Our James Kearney came from Liverpool, then to Warrnambool, then to North Melbourne.  He was the Rate Collector/Valuer for North Melbourne (Hotham in those days).  I wish he was the Surveyor as I found his shipping record but again have exhausted all avenue for our James Kearney (must have got here some how) and of course his brother William came and married Hannah's sister Elizabeth Grimmer.

I found an email address for you on another site but you may have changed your email since then, so great to be in touch with you now.

Kindest regards, maybe we could liaise via personal message.

Suzanne