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| James O'Donnell Photo contributed by Terry and Carmel O'Donnell |
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| Toowoomba, early 1880s. Item held by John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. In the public domain. |
James O'Donnell was born in October 1887 in Toowoomba, Queensland. His birth certificate records his birthplace as 'The Showgrounds', which I suspect is not commonly sighted on birth records. What exactly does that mean?
Back then, I think the old showgrounds was a place where itinerant workers, poverty stricken, unemployed or homeless people could live, and it's highly likely they would have lived in tents or temporary shanty structures. Perhaps there were actually little houses erected around the edges of the showgrounds, but I doubt that. I'm intrigued to know what it would have been like, living at the showgrounds.
James's older brother and younger sister were all born at the Toowoomba Agricultural Showgrounds, but not his oldest sister or youngest brother, so it seems there was definitely a period of about five years when the family appears to have been in dire straits.
My grandpop James's parents, Edmond O'Donnell and Bridget Burke, were Irish immigrants who had both arrived in mid-1883. They had come from County Kilkenny, disembarked at Brisbane and had then travelled on to Toowoomba. At that time my great grandfather Edmond had an older brother somewhere in Australia, and my great grandmother Bridget had a much older brother in Toowoomba; so there was some family here when they arrived. It doesn't seem though that any of those family members were doing well and were in the position to help set up Edmond and Bridget.
When my grandpop James was born, his father Edmond was aged 25 and his mother Bridget Burke was 36.
That, even now, could be considered a bit of an age difference, and I assume it might have been considered unusual back then as well. Whilst it was not unheard of for the man to be considerably older, the woman being over 10 years older may have raised some eyebrows. Perhaps it escaped anyone's notice. Edmond might have looked older than his years, or Bridget may have looked younger than hers!
James was the third of five children born to Edmond and Bridget.
James was the third of five children born to Edmond and Bridget.
Catherine (known as Kate), the eldest child, was born in 1884, just outside Toowoomba in a place named Aubigny.
The second child, John, was born in 1886 at the showgrounds. He died in 1888, when my grandpop was less than a year old. On the death certificate John's name was recorded as 'James Patrick' which was an error. Parents don't usually give two sons, born one after the other, the same first name.
Mary Margaret was born in 1890 at the showgrounds, when James was 3 years old.
Mary Margaret was born in 1890 at the showgrounds, when James was 3 years old.
Maurice Patrick was born in 1892 at James Street, when James was aged 4.
In a cruel twist of fate James's father died the following year, in January 1893, having only been in Australia for 10 years. His demise is a sad tale, which I've written about in this post:
In a cruel twist of fate James's father died the following year, in January 1893, having only been in Australia for 10 years. His demise is a sad tale, which I've written about in this post:
At the time of his father Edmond's death, James was 5 years old.
James's mother, Bridget, was now widowed with 4 children aged between 1 and 9; having already lost a son. She became the licensed victualler of a hotel, not long after the death of her husband, obviously in an attempt to provide a fairly stable source of income so she could take care of her family. She re-married the following year, in 1895, so James had a step-father at the age of 7. Then nine months later, James's step-brother, Morgan Joseph, was born.
Two years later, in 1898, James's eldest sister Catherine (Kate) died at the age of 13. The causes of death recorded on the death certificate included: Bright's disease (which is a kidney disease), general dropsy and coma. Kate had been ill for at least 6 months, so that must have taken its toll on all the members of the family.
You would think that the death of his father and eldest sister within five years, must have had a profound effect on James. Experiencing such losses at such a young age would have resulted in so many raw emotions, which in those days you were not encouraged to articulate! It would probably have been a case of "chin up and carry-on".
In the years between the death of his father and his early adult years, I can only suppose what James's life would have been like as I never had the opportunity to know him well and listen to his stories. I would think James would have spent most of his time working in the hotel (which was quite a considerable establishment) helping out his mother. He would have developed all sorts of handyman skills.
When researching your family tree, census data can be very helpful sometimes, and that was certainly the case when I began researching my Grandpop many years ago. At that time, I had very little knowledge of him, other than a few memories from my childhood.
As I researched and dug deeper, I found quite a number of census records for him over a very long period of time. These records helped me put together a rough outline of his movements and profession from the age of 25. I was then able to build a picture of a man I didn't have the opportunity to get to know well.
The census record for 1912 shows James was still living in Toowoomba, his birthplace, at the Southern Hotel on Ruthven Street. That was the second hotel run by his mother, Bridget. She had re-married many years before this, and was now Bridget O'Brien.
At this time James was aged 25, and his occupation was recorded as 'plumber'. Whilst he had learnt many skills working around his mother's hotel, he had obviously gone on to learn a trade.
A fascinating fact that emerged from this record was the number of O'Donnells in the 1912 census who seemed to be living and probably working at hotels in Toowoomba. There are 6 (old enough to vote) who were living at the Engineers' Arms Hotel.
I wonder about the relationships amongst all these O'Donnells. Were they related?
The 1913 census records appears to be similar, except that there are now more O'Donnells of voting age in the Toowoomba hotel business. Irish immigrant O'Donnells running pubs! What a notion!
By 1916, James had already left Toowoomba and had moved quite a way up north, close to a tiny little spot named Kyburra. More wondering! I wonder what it was that led him to that location?
The answer may lie in the advertisements printed in newspapers in Queensland between 1915 and 1916. These ads stated that there was crown land available for selection and occupation in several areas to the north of Bowen, around Guthalungra.
Kyburra was a railway siding at Broadlands, close to Guthalungra, on the rail line between Ayr and Bowen. I don't think there was ever a township there, just farms dotted around the area. The 1917 census records showed that James and his younger brother Maurice appeared to have taken up the offer to select and occupy a parcel of crown land in the area close to Kyburra.
Along with census records at this point in time, I also came across an intriguing notice in the September 23rd edition of the 1916 Telegraph newspaper (out of Brisbane).
The notice showed that a man named James O'Donnell of Kyburra, via Bowen; was applying to bring a parcel of land under the Real Property Acts of 1861 and 1877. This meant he was making an application to have a deed or title over a parcel of land changed from crown leasehold to freehold.
James was making this claim for land at Aubigny, near Toowoomba. How did he end up with the deed or title over this land? Aubigny was the place where his oldest sister Kate had been born, but the family had moved on and didn't appear to have returned.
Was he attempting to secure the property for himself? That seems unlikely as he was already living on property further north. Was he securing the freehold lease for another member of his family? It certainly wasn't for his eldest sister who had been born there, as she had died 18 years before this. Was it for his mother? That also seems unlikely as she was still running the Southern Hotel in Toowoomba. Could it have been for his younger sister, Mary Margaret? Again, unlikely as she was helping her mother.
Was he successful in his claim? Who ended up settling on that land? It's all a mystery, yet to be solved.
The 1917 Census records show that James, aged 30, and his brother, Maurice aged 25, had established a farm together at Armstrong Creek. They were both still there in the 1919 census records.
You will see James and his brother Maurice in the photo below, taken on the day of James's wedding. After this event, Maurice is no longer recorded as living at Armstrong Creek, Kyburra. It's likely he left the farm he had begun with his brother, and moved back down south. Many, many years later, the 1950s census records show Maurice living back in Toowoomba, and his occupation is listed as 'farmer'.
In 1921 James married Sarah Mary Josephine McCane. The wedding party included James's brother Maurice (seen behind the seated groom) and Sarah'a sister Susan (seen standing behind the bride). The bride Sarah was the daughter of Owen and Margaret McCane who had a farm nearby at Molongle Creek. James was aged 33 and Sarah was 26.
Sarah moved into James's property at Armstrong Creek. There is mention of what James was growing at this time in an article in The Bowen Independent, dated December 17, 1921.
The article discussed the need for particular growers close to Kyburra to have their own railway siding so they could load their crops and ship them off to market. Mr. J. O'Donnell is described as a "new beginner" who has about "20 acres of cane to be cut" the following year. Obviously one of the crops James was growing at this time was sugar cane.
James and Sarah settled into family life on the farm and they went on to have a family of 8 children over a period of 15 years.
Edmond James was born in 1922.
Margaret Brigid (my mother) was born in 1923, when James was 35 years old.
Maurice Owen was born in 1925, when James was 38.
John Joseph (known as Jack) was born in 1926, when James was 39.
James Thomas (known as Jim) was born in 1928. James Snr. was aged 41.
Edward Martin (known as Eddie) was born in 1931, when James was 44.
Marcella Therese was born in 1934 when James was aged 47.
The youngest of the family, Terence William (known as Terry) was born in 1937, when James was 50 years old.
Census records show that James and wife Sarah lived on the farm at Kyburra until the mid-1940s. I knew that the family moved to nearby Bowen, but just last year I was told of the circumstances surrounding the move by my Uncle Terry. Grandfather James and Grandmother Sarah made the decision to walk off the farm, leaving the property as it was, unable to be sold, after many years of toiling on the land.
Then just last week, an interesting piece of information surfaced when I was scouring the Trove online digitised newspaper resource. A very small 'For Sale' item surfaced. It appeared on page 2 of the Townsville Daily Bulletin, dated Thursday, 24th of May, 1923.
The item began with the number 800 ...
"800 ACRES, Improved cane farm; joining siding and dip. Horses, harness, implements.
Particulars, J. O'Donnell, Kyburra, Ayr, Bowen Line."
Now there weren't many J. O'Donnells living on a property at Kyburra in 1923, so I think I can safely assume it was an item placed by my Grandfather James O'Donnell. He was putting his property up for sale, not long after the birth of his first child, and only two years after his wedding. It seems that eking a living out of the property to provide for his growing family was proving to be very difficult right from the start of his married life. Obviously he wasn't able to sell the farm at that time, and amazingly stayed there for another twenty years or so!!!
Census records for the years between 1925 and 1934 show a few O'Donnells living in the area near Bowen. Again, I wonder! What was the relationship between these O'Donnells ? Was there any relationship at all?
1925 James and Sarah ... and someone called Michael.
1928 James and Sarah ... and two others named Eric James and Flora Jane.
1930 James and Sarah ... and that couple, Eric James and Flora Jane again
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| Bridget O'Donnell's Free Selector's Hotel, Toowoomba 1894 - that's probably Bridget, daughter Kate and son James standing in front of the sign (Photo contributed by Terry and Carmel O'Donnell) |
James's mother, Bridget, was now widowed with 4 children aged between 1 and 9; having already lost a son. She became the licensed victualler of a hotel, not long after the death of her husband, obviously in an attempt to provide a fairly stable source of income so she could take care of her family. She re-married the following year, in 1895, so James had a step-father at the age of 7. Then nine months later, James's step-brother, Morgan Joseph, was born.
Two years later, in 1898, James's eldest sister Catherine (Kate) died at the age of 13. The causes of death recorded on the death certificate included: Bright's disease (which is a kidney disease), general dropsy and coma. Kate had been ill for at least 6 months, so that must have taken its toll on all the members of the family.
You would think that the death of his father and eldest sister within five years, must have had a profound effect on James. Experiencing such losses at such a young age would have resulted in so many raw emotions, which in those days you were not encouraged to articulate! It would probably have been a case of "chin up and carry-on".
In the years between the death of his father and his early adult years, I can only suppose what James's life would have been like as I never had the opportunity to know him well and listen to his stories. I would think James would have spent most of his time working in the hotel (which was quite a considerable establishment) helping out his mother. He would have developed all sorts of handyman skills.
When researching your family tree, census data can be very helpful sometimes, and that was certainly the case when I began researching my Grandpop many years ago. At that time, I had very little knowledge of him, other than a few memories from my childhood.
As I researched and dug deeper, I found quite a number of census records for him over a very long period of time. These records helped me put together a rough outline of his movements and profession from the age of 25. I was then able to build a picture of a man I didn't have the opportunity to get to know well.
The census record for 1912 shows James was still living in Toowoomba, his birthplace, at the Southern Hotel on Ruthven Street. That was the second hotel run by his mother, Bridget. She had re-married many years before this, and was now Bridget O'Brien.
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| Ruthven Street, Toowoomba, circa 1910 |
At this time James was aged 25, and his occupation was recorded as 'plumber'. Whilst he had learnt many skills working around his mother's hotel, he had obviously gone on to learn a trade.
A fascinating fact that emerged from this record was the number of O'Donnells in the 1912 census who seemed to be living and probably working at hotels in Toowoomba. There are 6 (old enough to vote) who were living at the Engineers' Arms Hotel.
I wonder about the relationships amongst all these O'Donnells. Were they related?
The 1913 census records appears to be similar, except that there are now more O'Donnells of voting age in the Toowoomba hotel business. Irish immigrant O'Donnells running pubs! What a notion!
By 1916, James had already left Toowoomba and had moved quite a way up north, close to a tiny little spot named Kyburra. More wondering! I wonder what it was that led him to that location?
The answer may lie in the advertisements printed in newspapers in Queensland between 1915 and 1916. These ads stated that there was crown land available for selection and occupation in several areas to the north of Bowen, around Guthalungra.
Kyburra was a railway siding at Broadlands, close to Guthalungra, on the rail line between Ayr and Bowen. I don't think there was ever a township there, just farms dotted around the area. The 1917 census records showed that James and his younger brother Maurice appeared to have taken up the offer to select and occupy a parcel of crown land in the area close to Kyburra.
Along with census records at this point in time, I also came across an intriguing notice in the September 23rd edition of the 1916 Telegraph newspaper (out of Brisbane).
The notice showed that a man named James O'Donnell of Kyburra, via Bowen; was applying to bring a parcel of land under the Real Property Acts of 1861 and 1877. This meant he was making an application to have a deed or title over a parcel of land changed from crown leasehold to freehold.
James was making this claim for land at Aubigny, near Toowoomba. How did he end up with the deed or title over this land? Aubigny was the place where his oldest sister Kate had been born, but the family had moved on and didn't appear to have returned.
Was he attempting to secure the property for himself? That seems unlikely as he was already living on property further north. Was he securing the freehold lease for another member of his family? It certainly wasn't for his eldest sister who had been born there, as she had died 18 years before this. Was it for his mother? That also seems unlikely as she was still running the Southern Hotel in Toowoomba. Could it have been for his younger sister, Mary Margaret? Again, unlikely as she was helping her mother.
Was he successful in his claim? Who ended up settling on that land? It's all a mystery, yet to be solved.
The 1917 Census records show that James, aged 30, and his brother, Maurice aged 25, had established a farm together at Armstrong Creek. They were both still there in the 1919 census records.
You will see James and his brother Maurice in the photo below, taken on the day of James's wedding. After this event, Maurice is no longer recorded as living at Armstrong Creek, Kyburra. It's likely he left the farm he had begun with his brother, and moved back down south. Many, many years later, the 1950s census records show Maurice living back in Toowoomba, and his occupation is listed as 'farmer'.
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| James O'Donnell and Sarah McCane on their wedding day Contributed by Terry and Carmel O'Donnell |
In 1921 James married Sarah Mary Josephine McCane. The wedding party included James's brother Maurice (seen behind the seated groom) and Sarah'a sister Susan (seen standing behind the bride). The bride Sarah was the daughter of Owen and Margaret McCane who had a farm nearby at Molongle Creek. James was aged 33 and Sarah was 26.
Sarah moved into James's property at Armstrong Creek. There is mention of what James was growing at this time in an article in The Bowen Independent, dated December 17, 1921.
The article discussed the need for particular growers close to Kyburra to have their own railway siding so they could load their crops and ship them off to market. Mr. J. O'Donnell is described as a "new beginner" who has about "20 acres of cane to be cut" the following year. Obviously one of the crops James was growing at this time was sugar cane.
James and Sarah settled into family life on the farm and they went on to have a family of 8 children over a period of 15 years.
Edmond James was born in 1922.
Margaret Brigid (my mother) was born in 1923, when James was 35 years old.
Maurice Owen was born in 1925, when James was 38.
John Joseph (known as Jack) was born in 1926, when James was 39.
James Thomas (known as Jim) was born in 1928. James Snr. was aged 41.
Edward Martin (known as Eddie) was born in 1931, when James was 44.
Marcella Therese was born in 1934 when James was aged 47.
The youngest of the family, Terence William (known as Terry) was born in 1937, when James was 50 years old.
Census records show that James and wife Sarah lived on the farm at Kyburra until the mid-1940s. I knew that the family moved to nearby Bowen, but just last year I was told of the circumstances surrounding the move by my Uncle Terry. Grandfather James and Grandmother Sarah made the decision to walk off the farm, leaving the property as it was, unable to be sold, after many years of toiling on the land.
Then just last week, an interesting piece of information surfaced when I was scouring the Trove online digitised newspaper resource. A very small 'For Sale' item surfaced. It appeared on page 2 of the Townsville Daily Bulletin, dated Thursday, 24th of May, 1923.
The item began with the number 800 ...
"800 ACRES, Improved cane farm; joining siding and dip. Horses, harness, implements.
Particulars, J. O'Donnell, Kyburra, Ayr, Bowen Line."
Now there weren't many J. O'Donnells living on a property at Kyburra in 1923, so I think I can safely assume it was an item placed by my Grandfather James O'Donnell. He was putting his property up for sale, not long after the birth of his first child, and only two years after his wedding. It seems that eking a living out of the property to provide for his growing family was proving to be very difficult right from the start of his married life. Obviously he wasn't able to sell the farm at that time, and amazingly stayed there for another twenty years or so!!!
Census records for the years between 1925 and 1934 show a few O'Donnells living in the area near Bowen. Again, I wonder! What was the relationship between these O'Donnells ? Was there any relationship at all?
1925 James and Sarah ... and someone called Michael.
1928 James and Sarah ... and two others named Eric James and Flora Jane.
1930 James and Sarah ... and that couple, Eric James and Flora Jane again
1932 James and Sarah ... but Eric James is no longer living with Flora Jane! What happened to Eric?
1934 James and Sarah ... and Flora Jane is still around.
1936 and 1943 (the war years) James and Sarah ... are the only O'Donnells in the division of Herbert.
So James and Sarah stuck it out on the farm at Armstrong Creek for quite some time. I imagine their children would have had a wonderful time growing up on the property. The freedom and adventure associated with living there was probably a source of great delight for the six boys and two girls.
I know that my Uncle Terry, the baby of the family, has very fond memories of living on the farm. Exciting, unexpected things happened.
One of Terry's fondest memories:
"Jim and the elder boys often had the job of helping travellers negotiate the boggy crossing on Armstrong Creek, using the work horse to pull the vehicles through to make the crossing. On one such occasion,the job was so difficult that the owner of the Buick declared he had had enough, and left the bogged Buick in our hands. After much effort, the vehicle was towed back to the farm. As no one in the family could drive, it was a slow process with many circuits of the family home completed before the Buick was driven on the road. This vehicle was used by the family when we moved to Bowen, and served us well for many years. Eventually it was purchased for restoration by a car enthusiast from Sydney."Uncle Terry recalls the final decision to walk off the farm after many very difficult seasons with lots of hard work, and very little return to support the family.
"Pumpkins were sent off to the southern markets with great expectations for a reasonable return. However, the payment received by the family after all expenses were covered was a 3-pence stamp. That certainly influenced the decision to finally leave the farm and seek work in Bowen in the plumbing industry, a trade that Dad (James) had learnt in his earlier years, and one that enabled him to support his family until his retirement."
The photo above was taken about 1945, soon after the move from the farm to a rented house on Richmond Road, in Bowen.
Back row L to R: James Thomas (Jim), John Joseph (Jack), Margaret Bridget (my Mum), Maurice Owen (Morrie), Edmond James.
Front row L to R: Terence William (Terry), mother Sarah O'Donnell (nee McCane), Marcella Therese, father James O'Donnell, and Edward Martin (Eddie).
By 1949, census records show that James was living at Dalrymple Street in Bowen, with his family. He was aged 62, working as a plumber. His three eldest boys had begun working for the railway by this time, and his eldest daughter (my Mum) was still living at the home with the family. The four younger children were not of voting age at the time - Jim would have been 20, Eddie 18, Marcella 15 and Terry 12.
Here's a great shot of James and his boys, taken at Dalrymple Street in the early 1950s.
The 1958 census record shows that James (now aged 71) and Sarah are still living at Dalrymple Street; along with two of their sons, James Thomas and John Joseph; and their two daughters, Margaret Brigid (Mum) and Marcella Therese.
There seems to be other O'Donnells who've now also moved to Bowen ... Sidney William and (perhaps) his wife Helen Louisa Eliza, who are living at Gillies Street. Relatives?
James lost his youngest daughter Marcella, in early 1961, when he was aged 73. His half-brother, Morgan Joseph O'Brien died in 1965.
In 1968, James lost his second daughter, (my Mum) Margaret. He was aged 80. His wife Sarah died just two years later in 1970, after they had been married for 48 years. On the same day that he lost his wife, his brother Maurice also died. His sister Margaret Mary died the very next year, in 1971.
Within the space of 10 years he had lost his wife and both his daughters, along with all of his siblings.
James O'Donnell died in 1974, when he was 86 years old, according to the death certificate. (The age on the headstone appears to be incorrect). The certificate stated that he died of cancer and complications of bronchopneumonia. He was survived by his six sons.
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| Grandpop, at my Mum's wedding in 1959, at the age of 71. |
All my memories of Grandpop are attached to the home at Dalrymple Street in Bowen. It was a big old Queenslander, with a closed-in verandah around the sides and front. Underneath the house was Grandpop's domain.
There was a room down there that was his workshop, and I vividly remember him pottering around in there fixing up old push bikes. There were old broken bike frames hanging from the beams under the house. Old fridges, car bodies and other bits and pieces were all stored under the house. It was a great place for a child to explore, and the best place ever for a game of hide-and-seek!
I also remember the chook pen out in the back yard, and the fruit trees growing everywhere, especially custard apple trees, and the banana plants. I'm pretty sure there was a choko vine and rosella plants growing out there as well, and I think Grandpop was the gardener!
Grandpop was 72 years old by the time I was born, and I have only a few memories of him. I remember a quiet, gentle but rather robust old man. There were no lengthy conversations with Grandpop whenever I visited. You had to head off downstairs to find him, and very often he was secreted away in his workshop, where you dared not enter!
My brother's memories are very similar:
"I'm like you and don't have many memories of Grandpop. One thing I do remember is Dad saying that Grandpop replaced all the plumbing in the house not long after he and Mum had bought it. Most of it is still here.
I remember all of the stuff under the house. Sometimes he would be working at the work bench using an old kerosene-filled heater gun and an (iron) soldering iron to join pipes, and sometimes to replace the spokes on the old bike wheels. I remember the smell of old oil in the tool room, and around the work bench.
One time Mum took us over to Grandma's and Grandpop's place in the old Morris, and Mum couldn't turn the motor off (pre-firing). After a while, Grandpop came down, lifed the bonnet, took one of the wires off a terminal, closed the bonnet, then went back upstairs ... all without saying a word. (Grandpop was a man of few words!)"
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| Contributed by Mark Connors |
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| Contributed by Mark Connors |
Special Note to any family members: If you have memories to add, photos or information to share, can I graciously ask that you do so. If there are events that are not quite correct, do please let me know. Please use the comments box below or email me. All contributions are invaluable and will provide future generations with a story to truly treasure.
Extra note: I'm joining the 2018 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project / challenge.
The prompt for Week 5 is 'In The Census'.
You can join by blogging or posting on social media with the tag #52ancestors.
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I have included your blog in INTERESTING BLOGS in FRIDAY FOSSICKING at
ReplyDeletehttps://thatmomentintime-crissouli.blogspot.com/2018/02/friday-fossicking-9th-february-2018.html
Thank you, Chris
Your detailed research and presentation is inspiring.
I appreciate your share, thank you Chris.
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