THE WALSH FAMILY – CHAPTER TWO – MARY.

MARY WALSH/PETER MALLON – JUGIONG

 

The Walsh family had arrived in New South Wales four years after the end of transportation but there were still many convicts serving out their sentences in 1844. The colonies wanted British settlers but the English and the Scots were not forthcoming so the emigration commissioners in the British Isles were compelled to send Irish, mainly the poor and destitute. Typical Irish immigrants to Australia in the 1840s tended to be semi-skilled farm workers forced off the land by the contraction of tillage in the rural areas. The result was a succession of colonial complaints that New South Wales was being flooded with the ignorant, uncivilized, degraded Catholic paupers. The loudest and strongest critic was the Scots Presbyterian minister, Rev. J.D. Lang of Sydney.

The Irish moved into the Goulburn and Yass areas and encouraged their friends and relations to join them, either paying their passages or sponsoring them for government assistance. The immigrants tended to settle close to the Irish they knew, were often employed by them and frequently married within the group. They were usually met on arrival.[1]

In 1844 when the Walsh family arrived there was controversy in the colony between the squatters and the wealthy pastoralists. Governor Gipps was friendly with the leaders of squatterdom and was convinced that outside the limits of location there was a population of 4885 people stretched over an area of 11,000 square miles. These squatters were beyond the influence of civilization, without ministers of religion or school teachers. In those areas a race of Englishmen was springing up in a state of untutored barbarism because these squatters had no inducement to make permanent improvements on the land to which they had no legal title. While there was a high minimum price for land it was not economic for the sheep men of the inland to purchase freehold in their runs. So long as the squatters’ only title to their runs was the annual ₤10 licence fee and the stock tax, they had no incentive to build permanent homes, schools and churches.

Governor Gipps wanted to devise a scheme for improving the conditions of the squatters by giving the occupier of a run or station a ‘property in his own improvements’. The Governor proposed that any person who had occupied a station for not less than five years might demand to purchase as a homestead any part of his run at ₤1 per acre provided he did not purchase less than 320 acres. Gipps was opposed by the wealthy land owners and squatters such as Wentworth, the Boyd Brothers and the Pastoralists’ Association who did not want to see small squatters obtain title to land although the wealthy did not want to buy land or pay extra licence fees for each of their huge runs.[2]

By 1846 Patrick Walsh had left the McNamara property and purchased a holding in the Yass district known as Dunderaligo. This station was previously owned by Dr Harris and was mentioned by Captain Sturt in November, 1829, when on his way to follow the course of the Murrumbidgee River from the Jugiong Plains. On 11 July 1840 Patrick married Margaret Curry who had emigrated on the Livingstone with the McNamara family in 1841. They were married in St Mary’s Church, Sydney, by Father Vickery in the presence of Patrick Walsh of Campbelltown and Bridget Cahill of Sydney. Their first daughter (Mary) was born on 17 October 1847 with uncle Thomas and aunt Mary Walsh as sponsors.[3]

In 1848 Mary Walsh (aged 24) married Peter Joseph Mallon of the Murrumbidgee. They were married at Yass with Father Lovatt officiating at the ceremony. Peter Joseph Mallon was born in Co. Longford, Leinster, probably at Ballymahan, c. 1809. He was the son of Garrett Mallon (1788-1838) and Winifred Costello (1786-1866). Garrett Mallon was transported for life in 1829 for ‘entering house’ and is buried at Jugiong.

Peter Joseph Mallon, his mother (Winifred), four brothers (William, Garrett, John and Phillip), and a sister (Bridget) went first to America from Ireland and became naturalised American citizens before coming to Australia about 1842 to settle at Bundarbo. William went to Western Australia and John died in 1848 aged 25 years as the result of a fall from a horse. He is buried at Jugiong cemetery with his father.

Peter Joseph and Mary Mallon in 1851 took up South Chidowla and later purchased land on the Murrumbidgee near Jugiong where they raised a family of six. In 1872 this property was sold and Peter took up Geranjula, a free selection. Although Peter had a good holding at Jugiong with cattle, horses and crops, he sold this and moved to Cowong near Cootamundra.

According to Anne (daughter of Peter and Mary Mallon) the Walsh family were comparatively well off in Ireland but were persuaded by their uncles McNamara to sell up the family farm in Co. Limerick and invest the proceeds in land in Australia. The six members of the family who arrived in Australia in 1844 brought with them ₤1,200 . If this story is correct, the Walshes probably sold their farm at Castle Erkin to Robert O’Dea, husband of the eldest Walsh (Sarah) who remained at Castle Erkin.  The Tithe Applotment Book 1825-27 shows only that Patick Walsh 1st  leased 23 acres in the Townland of Castle Erkin. In 1852 Robert Dea (sic) leased 50 acres at Castle Erkin from Lady C. Wolfe.

 It is a fact that the Walsh family travelled on a Bounty Immigrants’ ship in 1844. They took up Dunderaligo station in the Yass district and Mary Walsh was married from there. Peter Joseph and Mary Mallon had six children: Thomas (b. 1851), Mary (b.1854), Peter (b.1856), Anne (b.1859), Winifred Margaret (b.1862) and Ellen Agnes (b.1870). Mary (Walsh) Mallon died at Branlin in 1884 and is buried at Jugiong. Her husband (Peter Joseph) died in 1899 and is also buried at Jugiong.[4]

On 7 February 1849, John McNamara of Bowning was buried in Yass cemetery at the age of 51 years and in the same year, Catherine (Walsh) Hartigan decided to emigrate to New South Wales. It seems likely that her young sister (Ellen) also came with her, leaving Sarah O’Dea as the only known member of the family to remain in Ireland. Catherine (aged 35) and her husband Jeremiah Hartigan, aged 38 and their children: Mary (14), Catherine (11), Bridget (5) and James (2) arrived on the Lord Stanley on 27 August 1850 as ₤2 assisted immigrants.[5]

MARY WALSH DESCENDANTS

….. 1 Mary WALSH b: 1824 in Castle Erkin, Co Limerick IRE, Arr. Australia: 31 July 1844  “St Vincent”, d: 11 Oct 1884 in Cootamundra NSW

….. + Peter Joseph MALLON b: Abt. 1809 in Co Longford IRE, Arr. Australia: Abt. 1842 Via USA, m: 1848 in Yass NSW, d: 15 Dec 1899 in Jugiong NSW

……….. 2 Thomas I MALLON b: 11 Dec 1851 in Jugiong, NSW, d: 20 Jun 1910 in Box Holes near Bourke, NSW

……….. + Catherine A McCORMACK b: 1859, m: 1879 in Cootamundra N.S.W, d: 1922 in Newtown NSW

…………….. 3 Patrick MALLON b: 1880 in Cootamundra

…………….. + Frances E ALLEN m: 1904 in Engonia NSW

…………….. 3 Sarah A MALLON b: 1882 in Cobar NSW, d: Bef. 1910 in Box Holes, Bourke NSW

…………….. 3 Mary E (Mollie) MALLON b: 1884 in Bourke NSW

…………….. + Herbert B MORGAN m: 1906 in Bourke NSW

…………….. 3 Thomas MALLON b: 1886 in Bourke NSW

…………….. + Mary EGAN m: 1914 in Bourke NSW

…………….. 3 James J MALLON b: 1888 in Bourke NSW

…………….. + Elizabeth NEWBOLT

…………….. 3 Marcella Katherine MALLON b: 1891 in Bourke NSW

…………….. + Richard EGAN m: 1915 in Bourke NSW

…………….. 3 Garret P M J MALLON b: 1896 in Bourke NSW

…………….. + Winifred MINOGUE b: 1887 in Hillston NSW, m: 1919 in Hillston NSW

…………….. 3 Ellen B MALLON b: 1898 in Bourke NSW

…………….. + James P EGAN m: 1930 in Bourke NSW

…………….. 3 Richard MALLON b: 1902 in Boomi NSW

……….. 2 Mary MALLON b: 04 Jun 1854 in Yass NSW, d: 21 Apr 1927 in Canowindra NSW

……….. + Thomas CALLAN b: 22 Feb 1847 in Jugiong NSW, m: 1873 in Emu Creek, Canowindra NSW, d: 21 Jun 1931 in Emu Creek, Walli NSW

…………….. 3 Mary Teresa CALLAN b: 17 Apr 1874 in Gundagai NSW, d: 11 Dec 1888 in Carcoar NSW

…………….. 3 Margaret CALLAN b: 23 Sep 1876 in Gundagai NSW, d: 02 May 1956

…………….. + Patrick O’NEILL m: May 1910 in Woodstock NSW

…………….. 3 Catherine Bridget CALLAN b: 09 Mar 1879 in Gundagai NSW, d: 22 Jun 1965

…………….. + James CUTCLIFFE m: 24 Apr 1905 in Forbes NSW

…………….. 3 Ellen Ann CALLAN b: 14 May 1881, d: 03 Feb 1949 in Canowindra NSW

…………….. 3 Thomas Patrick CALLAN b: 07 Jun 1883, d: 22 Jun 1965

…………….. + Millicent Sarah DAVIES m: 11 Nov 1915 in Canowindra NSW

…………….. 3 Annie CALLAN b: 07 Dec 1885 in Cowra NSW, d: 19 Mar 1971

…………….. + John LYNCH m: Canowindra NSW

…………….. 3 Ita Jane CALLAN b: 12 Apr 1888 in Cowra NSW, d: 12 Apr 1974

…………….. + John D ROBISON m: 22 Dec 1909 in Holmwood NSW

…………….. 3 Angela Mary CALLAN b: 15 Jan 1890, d: 04 Jan 1916

…………….. 3 Elsie Eileen CALLAN b: 15 Sep 1892 in Canowindra NSW, d: 07 Aug 1898

…………….. 3 Jane Gertrude CALLAN b: 1895 in Canowindra NSW, d: 05 Apr 1958

…………….. + Denis Eugene FINN b: 27 Jan 1894 in Canowindra NSW, m: 04 Mar 1924 in Canowindra (or Kensington?) NSW, d: 22 Feb 1961 in Sydney NSW

…………….. 3 James Vincent CALLAN b: 20 Apr 1898 in Cowra NSW, d: 20 Apr 1957

…………….. + Kathleen M KIRKLAND m: 1921 in Canowindra NSW

……….. 2 Peter MALLON b: 08 Nov 1856, d: 12 Aug 1900 in Mandurama NSW

……….. + Mary Ellen RIGNEY m: 1882 in Cootamundra NSW

…………….. 3 Mary R MALLON b: 1886

…………….. 3 Catherine A MALLON b: 1889 in Cowra NSW

…………….. 3 Margaret J MALLON b: 1891 in Cowra NSW

…………….. 3 John T MALLON b: 1893 in Woodstock NSW

…………….. 3 Laura E E MALLON b: 1896 in Cowra NSW

…………….. 3 Julia M MALLON b: 1898 in Carcoar NSW

……….. 2 Anne MALLON b: 21 Sep 1859 in Binalong NSW, d: 1945

……….. + Edward J (Ned) BERMINGHAM m: 1884 in Gundagai NSW

…………….. 3 Mary E (Poll) BERMINGHAM b: 1886

…………….. 3 Ellen A BERMINGHAM b: 1907 in Cootamundra NSW

…………….. 3 Annie G BERMINGHAM b: 1907 in Cootamundra NSW

…………….. 3 Frances BERMINGHAM b: 1907 in Cootamundra NSW

…………….. + Michael L (Leo) LONG m: 1928 in Marrickville NSW

……….. 2 Winifred Margaret MALLON b: 03 Jul 1862 in Binalong NSW, d: 1932

……….. 2 John M(ichael?) MALLON?? b: 1865 in Gundagai NSW, d: 1868 in Gundagai NSW

……….. 2 Ellen Agnes MALLON b: 11 Jan 1870 in Binalong NSW

……….. + Thomas Patrick GRANT b: 20 Oct 1861 in Hartley NSW, m: 1888 in Reg. Cootamundra NSW, d: 01 Oct 1936

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Footnotes    (↵ returns to text)

  1.       Patrick O’Farrell, The Irish in Australia, (1987) pp.70, 86.
  2.       Manning Clark, A History of Australia, Vol. III, p.302.
  3.      J. Cullinane, Walsh Family Notes.
  4.       Mallon Family History Notes.
  5.      NSW Archives Office No. 4/4918 ‘Lord Stanley’