Greetings,
I am researching Maria Bridget Flanagan born around 1836 in County Clare to father Martin Flanagin according to her death certificate, which also states that she immigrated to Victoria and married unknown there before 1864. They had no issue. I don't know whether he died before or after she left for New Zealand but she married John Johnston on the 14th April, 1864 in the home of Richard Pilkington, Dee Street, Invercargill. According to the marriage certificate, Maria, a widow, was aged 23 and John, aged 32. This places her year of birth as closer to 1841.
It is not clear whether Flanagan was her maiden name or the surname of her first husband. Maria and John moved around the goldfields. They had
Angus 6th Jan, 1865 Dunedin, NZ died unknown Pre 1897
Margaret Ellen 1865? Greymouth, NZ
Mary Ann 1868 Reefton, NZ
Catherine Campbell 1870 Greymouth NZ
John Alexander 1873 Reefton, NZ
Elizabeth Theresa 1875 Reefton NZ
Around 1879, the Johnstons emigrated to NSW. By this stage, John's brother was a rising building contractor and perhaps he helped bring the family to Australia.
In the 1880s, both Johnston families moved to Queanbeyan while Alexander"s firm built the Gouburn to Cooma railway. Meanwhile, John owned the Union Hotel in Queanbeyan.
This is where things start to get interesting. Two of the John Johnston & Maria Bridget Flanagan's children married children of John McNamara and Margaret Walsh/Welsh from Feikle, County Clare.
Elizabeth Johnston married John "Jonathon" McNamara at St Gregory’s Church, Queanbeyan 24th June 1887.
John Johnston married Ellen McNamara in 1897.
Maria Bridget Johnston (Flanagin ?) died on the 19th November, 1915 in North Sydney aged 79 years.
It came to me recently that also being from County Clare, Maria Johnston could well have known the McNamaras back in Ireland and might've come from the same area.
This is difficult to prove, especially when I'm not sure whether Flanagan was Maria Bridget's name at birth or that of her first husband.
It all does get rather tricky and perhaps I should just leave it as a hunch, but there's enough information out there to support it, just not enough to confirm. That is, assuming that Flanagan was her name of birth.
I'm now hoping this might ring bells for other reseachers out there who might be able to shed some light on this conumdrum for me.
Many thanks and best wishes,
Rowena
