52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 17 - At Worship - Michael O'Brien

This year I am taking part in Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks blogging prompts.

The theme for Week 17 (April 22-28): At Worship.

For this week's theme, I have chosen to write about my 2 x great grandfather Michael O'Brien.

Michael O'Brien's name appears as the donor underneath one of the Stations of the Cross in St Joseph's Catholic Church, Rochester, Victoria. Whenever I attend Mass at that Church, I like to sit in the pew nearest to that particular Station and remember Michael O'Brien, his family and his descendants in my prayers.

The Eleventh Station - XI - Jesus Is Nailed To The Cross.
The plaque states "Gift of Mr M O'Brien"
St Joseph's Catholic Church, Rochester, Victoria, Australia.

Michael O'Brien was born about 1833 at Drumintee, County Armagh, Ireland. Michael was the son of Owen O'Brien/Breen and Bridget (Finegan) O'Brien/Breen.¹

In 1851, Michael, with his parents, Owen and Bridget, and siblings Thomas, Bridget, John and Hugh resided in the townland of Aghadavoyle, Killevy Civil Parish, Armagh, Ireland. ²

Michael emigrated from Ireland to Australia sometime in the 1850s.

On 29 January 1865, Michael O'Brien, a labourer aged 31 years, married Eliza Carew, aged 21, at St Francis' Catholic Church, Melbourne.¹

Michael and Eliza had the following children:

• Helena (O'Brien) Seiersen (1865-1934)
• Owen O'Brien (1867-1937)
• Thomas O'Brien (1869-1920)
• Mary (O'Brien) Reardon (1870-1946)
• Michael O'Brien (1873-1901)
• John O'Brien (1874-1945)
• Elizabeth O'Brien (1876-1960)
• Donald O'Brien (1878-1968)

In 1872, Michael O'Brien lost his sight in a blasting accident. On 16 August 1872, the Geelong Advertiser reported on the accident:

"A serious blasting accident occurred at Mount Gellibrand, on Wednesday afternoon, to a laborer named Michael O'Brien, while at work with some others on a contract let by the Colac Shire Council, for the formation of a road between some paddocks belonging to the Hon. Mr Strachan. They were cutting through some barriers of rock, and having made a bore about twenty inches deep, O'Brien was engaged tamping, when the blast suddenly exploded in his face. The injuries resulting were of a painful, as well as serious character, the whole of his face being closely perforated with the powder, his eyes swollen to such an extent that since the occurrence he has been completely blind; two of the fingers of his right hand smashed, and the palm of the left badly hurt. He was at once conveyed to Geelong, and yesterday (Thursday) morning admitted to the hospital. Hopes are indulged that the unfortunate man will be able to regain his sight, but as yet, owing to the inflammation that has supervened, the extent of the injuries to his eyes cannot be definitely ascertained. O'Brien can only attribute the explosion to the friction of powder, for although he used an iron rod, there was fully ten inches of the tamping material, composed of the outside crust of the rock, above the charge at the time it ignited. Fifteen years ago, while digging a well on a farm, he met with a similar accident, and on that occasion narrowly escaped being deprived of his sight."³

A follow-up article in the Geelong Advertiser on 2 November 1872 detailed how fellow contractors donated money to help Michael and his family:

"A very praiseworthy act was done on Friday by a contractor, named Dixon, who applied to the Winchelsea Shire Council to allow him payment for ten yards of surplus metal, and promising, if they did so, to give the amount, £2, to his unfortunate fellow contractor, Michael O'Brien, who about six weeks ago lost his eye-sight through a blasting accident. This is indeed brotherly feeling, Dixon being only a poor man, and as the unfortunate man, O'Brien, has a large family, whom, owing to the accident, he can in no way assist, a hope has been expressed that more wealthy men, who have not yet done so, will forward contributions to the surveyors of the Winchelsea or of the Colac Shire Council. We understand that Mr G. F. Belcher will be happy to receive subscriptions in Geelong." ⁴

At that time Michael and his family lived at Karngun, near Winchelsea, Victoria, on land adjoining that held by good friend James Watson. In 1873, both Michael O'Brien and James Watson selected adjoining blocks of land in the parish of Pannoobamawm and moved their families north in 1874. Michael and Eliza spent the rest of their lives in that area of northern Victoria. ⁵

Dr Mark O'Brien (1913-2010) (son of John O'Brien, grandson of Michael O'Brien) wrote of Michael's later years in an O'Brien family history in 1987:

"The Seiersen girls spent much time with the old people and Josephine Renfrey (O'Brien) as a young girl did accompany them in this task. Josephine told me that Michael remained a very upright Irish Catholic - he loved his mother, had disagreements with his father who may have been a 'north' man and was hostile to his sister Bridget for marrying in the Presbyterian Church. During his last years his routine was: early morning Mass if somebody could take him, light the fires at home, gather the eggs, have breakfast and then walk around his surrounding verandah saying the Rosary - probably 15 decades."⁵

In his Will, dated 8 October 1924, Michael gave

"to the Parish Priest of St Joseph's Church Rochester, a sum of twenty pounds for masses for the repose of my soul...To the Parish Priest of St Joseph's Church, Rochester, a sum of twenty pounds for masses for the repose of the soul of my said wife"⁶

A Codicil to the Will dated 26 November 1924 changed this bequest slightly,

"I direct that the two legacies of twenty pounds each left to the Parish Priest of St Joseph's Church Rochester shall be reduced to fifteen pounds each and I bequeath ten pounds to the Mother Superior Brigidine Convent Rochester."⁶

Other bequests show a charitable nature and a concern that Masses be offered for the repose of the souls of others in his family:

"To the Parish Priest of Werribee a sum of ten pounds for masses for the repose of the soul of my brother Thomas O'Brien and my sister Mary O'Brien late of Werribee To the Treasurer or other proper officer of the Order of Crusaders of the Holy Land Commissariat, The Friary, Waverley, Sydney, a sum of nine pounds being one pound each for masses for the repose of the souls of the following persons - my father Owen O'Brien my mother Bridget O'Brien, my brother Hugh O'Brien, my brother John O'Brien and his wife Margaret both late of Bendigo, my sister Bridget Shaw late of Bunbury Western Australia, my wife Eliza O'Brien, and myself Michael O'Brien - and my son Michael late of Pine Grove. To the Treasurer of the Broadmeadows Orphanage a sum of six pounds ten shillings To Charles Gleeson of the Presbytery Rochester Student a sum of five pounds."⁶

Eliza (Carew) O'Brien died on 10 November 1924 at Rochester. ⁷
Michael O'Brien died on 21 December 1925 at Rochester. ⁸
Both Michael and Eliza are buried at the Pine Grove (Pannoobamawm) Cemetery. ⁹

Grave of Michael O'Brien and Eliza (Carew) O'Brien. Pine Grove (Pannoobamawm) Cemetery, Pine Grove, Victoria, Australia. Photograph by A. O'Brien, 4 July 2017.

References

1. Victoria, Australia, marriage certificate 572(1865), Michael O'Brien and Eliza Carew, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Melbourne.
2. National Archives of Ireland, "1841 / 1851 Census Search Forms," database, National Archives of Ireland.
   (http://censussearchforms.nationalarchives.ie/search/cs/details.jsp?id=18612 : accessed 28 April 2019), entry for Mary Breen or O'Brien, 1851, Aghadavoyle, Armagh.
   
3. "Town Talk," Geelong Advertiser, 16 August 1872, p. 2, cols. 5-6; image copy, National Library of Australia, Trove (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147371869 : accessed 27 April 2019), Newspapers.
   
4. "Town Talk," Geelong Advertiser, 2 November 1872, p. 2, col. 6; image copy, National Library of Australia, Trove (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article150400113: accessed 27 April 2019), Newspapers.
   
5. O'Brien, Dr M. Mark, Early O'Brien History, 1987, p.5. Photocopy held by A. O'Brien, 2019.
   
6. Will of Michael O'Brien, late of Rochester, retired farmer; PROV, VPRS 7591/P2, Unit 733, File 208/145.
   
7. Victoria, Australia, death certificate 15979(1924), Eliza O'Brien, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Melbourne.
   
8. Victoria, Australia, death certificate 15263(1925), Michael O'Brien, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Melbourne.
   
9. Eliza O'Brien | Died: 10 Nov 1924 | Grave Site | BillionGraves (https://billiongraves.com/grave/Eliza-OBrien/23805286 : accessed 20 August 2018)
   Michael O'Brien | Died: 21 Dec 1925 | Grave Site | BillionGraves (https://billiongraves.com/grave/Michael-OBrien/23805285 : accessed 20 August 2018)
   

© 2019. Australian Genealogy Journeys. This post was originally published at
https://ausgenjourneys.blogspot.com/2019/04/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks-week-17-at.html
52 Ancestors in 52 weeks © Amy Johnson Crow

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 11 - Large Family - Edmund and Mary (Mulhall) Joyce Family

This year I have decided to take part in Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks blogging prompts. 

The theme for Week 11 (March 11-17): Large Family.

I am late again with week 11, my NBN Internet connection has been very poor for the last week, unfortunately. 

For this week's theme, Large Family, I have chosen the family of my great-great grandparents Edmund Joyce and Mary (Mulhall) Joyce. 

Edmund Joyce was born in about 1833 near Whitegate, Galway, Ireland (now located in County Clare), in the Catholic parish of Clonrush, the son of Edmund Joyce and Catherine (Goonane) Joyce. Edmund's father is supposed to have died during the Famine in about 1846. Edmund's widowed mother, Catherine, immigrated to Victoria, Australia with five of her children, including Edmund, in 1855. They followed daughter Mary Joyce who had immigrated to Victoria in 1853. 

Mary Mulhall was born in about 1844 in the Catholic parish of Tubberclaire, Westmeath, Ireland, the daughter of Matthew Mulhall and Margaret (Coghlan) Mulhall. Mary immigrated to Victoria, Australia in 1863. 

Edmund Joyce and Mary Mulhall were married on 2 March 1867 at St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church, Geelong, Victoria. Edmund and Mary lived at Napoleons near Ballarat until 1873 when they selected land at Pannoobamawm in Northern Victoria. 

Edmund and Mary had a family of 15 children - 7 sons and 8 daughters. 

1. Edmond Thomas Joyce (1867-1950), married
2. Margaret Mary (Joyce) O'Brien (1869-1925) my great grandmother
3. Patrick Joyce (1870-1934), married
4. John Matthew 'Jack' Joyce (1871-1954), married
5. Annie (Joyce) Turner (1873-1933), married
6. Catherine 'Sister Monica Mary' Joyce (1875-1948), a twin, a Sister of St Joseph
7. Mary (Joyce) Brennan (1875-1960), a twin, married
8. Elizabeth (Joyce) Brennan (1876-1956), married
9. Julia 'Sister Marie Bernardine' Joyce (1877-?), a Sister of St Joseph
10. Jane Ellen (Joyce) Kearney (1879-1951), married
11. Rev. Fr. Matthew Joyce (1880-1950), a Redemptorist Priest
12. Rose Alice 'Sister M. Edwin' Joyce (1884-1961), a Sister of St Joseph
13. Rev. Fr. William James Joyce (1885-1966), a Redemptorist Priest
14. Walter Henry Joyce (1887-1968), married
15. James Joyce (1888-1971), married

Edmund and Mary lived at Pannoobamawm until they retired to Rochester in 1913. 

Edmund died at Rochester on 1 September 1916. Mary continued to live at Rochester, cared for by her daughters Mary and Rose, and she died there on 3 November 1923. 

Sources: Joyce, Patricia and Margaret Thomas, Joyce - Descendants of Edmund and Catherine Joyce in Australia 1885 to 1975 (Australia: Joyce Descendants, 1975). Please see Joyce Wikitree profiles for further sources. 

© 2019. Australian Genealogy Journeys. This post was originally published at https://ausgenjourneys.blogspot.com/2019/03/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks-week-11-large.html

52 Ancestors in 52 weeks is © Amy Johnson Crow. 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 7 - Love - O'Brien / Joyce Wedding

This year I have decided to take part in Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks blogging prompts. 

The theme for Week 7 (Feb. 11-17) is: Love.

For this week's theme, I have decided to share a newspaper report from 1896 of the wedding of my great grandparents Owen O'Brien and Margaret Mary Joyce. 

"WEDDING AT TENNYSON.

A very interesting ceremony took place at the Tennyson Roman Catholic Church last Monday, when Miss Maggie Joyce, eldest daughter of Mr. E. Joyce, of Pannoobamawm, was married to Mr. O. O'Brien, a well-known resident of the Tennyson district. The church was tastefully decorated for the occasion, and as the day was all that could be desired it tended in no small way to make the surroundings of the wedding pleasant and enjoyable. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. Father Mulquin, The bride was attired and looked well in cream crepon, trimmed with passementerie and lace, with the usual wreath and veil, and her travelling dress was brown serge, with hat and cape to match, The bridesmaid, Miss Annie Joyce, sister to the bride, wore a neat costume of brown serge, trimmed with passementerie, with lace hat to match. Mr. M. O'Brien acted as best man. After the ceremony was concluded, a large number of friends drove to the residence of the bride's parents, where the wedding breakfast was laid out in a sumptuous manner in a large marquee erected for the purpose. The Rev. Prior O'Hanlon presided, and in proposing the toast of "The Bride and Bridegroom," referred to them in complimentary terms and wished them a long and happy life. The toast was suitably responded to by the bridegroom. The other toasts proposed were—"The Bridesmaid," by Mr. Seierson; " The Bride's and Bridegroom's Parents," by Cr. Allan; "The Ladies," by Mr. T, O'Brien; and "The Clergy," by Mr. P. Joyce. They were responded to respectively by Mr. M. O'Brien, Mr Joyce, senr., Mr. O'Brien, snr., P. Joyce and the Revs. Prior O'Hanlon and Father Mulquin.
After the wedding breakfast the happy couple departed amid the cheers and good
wishes of the bystanders to catch the evening train at Prairie, en route to Gippsland, where the honeymoon is to be spent. None of the ordinary accompaniments to such a departure were forgotten - rice and old shoes being thrown after the retreating couple. The presents were numerous and handsome, testifying to the high esteem in which they are held by their many acquaintances. As is usual on such occasions the guests indulged in dancing and other customary amusements until the early hours of the morning reminded them that it was time to be journeying homewards."

Wedding at Tennyson. (1896, August 10). The Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic. : Moama, NSW : 1869 - 1954; 1998 - 2000), p. 2. Retrieved February 11, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article114993682

A shorter version of a similar notice had appeared in the Bendigo Advertiser on 8 August 1896.

"ROCHESTER, Friday. 

Matrimonial - A wedding took place at theRoman Catholic Church, Tennyson, on Monday, the contracting parties being Miss M.Joyce, eldest daughter of Mr. E. Joyce, of Pannoobamawm, and Mr. O. O'Brien, of Tennyson. The church was beautifully decorated for the occasion, and the ceremony was performed by the Rev. Father Mulquin,of Rochester. The bride's dress was of cream crepon trimmed with passementerie and lace, and the usual wreath and veil completed a most charming toilet. The bridesmaid, Miss Annie Joyce, sister to the bride,wore a very becoming costume of fawn serge trimmed with passementerie, with lace hat to match. Mr. M. O'Brien officiated as best man. After the ceremony a large number of friends drove to the residence of the bride's parents,where the wedding breakfast was partaken of in a large marquee erected for the occasion.The Rev. Prior O'Hanlon presided, and the usual toasts were duly honored. The happy couple left Prairie by the evening train for Gippsland, amid the hearty wishes of a large number of friends who assembled to see them off."

OUR COUNTRY SERVICE. (1896, August 8). Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918), p. 5, column 5. Retrieved February 11, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88989739

© 2019. Australian Genealogy Journeys. This post was originally published at https://ausgenjourneys.blogspot.com/2019/02/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks-week-7-love.html

52 Ancestors in 52 weeks is © Amy Johnson Crow.