John O'CONNOR - convict 1837

[Shadrach]

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

[Christopher]

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

[Shadrach]

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

[Christopher]

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. 

[Shadrach]

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?

[Arataki]

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

[anderzee]

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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[Arataki]

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

[eileentn]

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