The Armstrong clan is very difficult to untangle. The following table shows how data from various sources is in conflict

Armstrong Facts and Fiction

Own DeathOwn MigrationOwn MarriageCheryl MarshalMidlands Ancestry

CertificateRecordCertificateEmailReport

Phoebe(Phebe)

NamePhoebePhebePhoebePhoebePhebe

Date of Birth1841184024 March 1838

Date of baptism5 April 1838

Place of birthKings County, IrelandMilltown, Kings County

FatherWilliam ArmstrongWilliamWilliam

MotherHannah LucasElizabethNot Rec

Migration when186427 March 1864

Migration perMontrose

Married toJames McMahon

Married atSydney NSWSydney

Date married186620 Oct 1866

Date of death10-Oct-18

Place of death297 Forbes St Sydney

Offspring

Lucas

NameLucasLucasLucas

Date of Birth183727 Dec 1834

Place of birthIreland

Date of baptismNo Rec

FatherWilliam ArmstrongWilliam

MotherLucy EllisEliza

Migration when1852 June 1857

Migration perAlgiers

Married toMary BraggettMary Braggett

Married atCassilis NSWC of E Mudgee

Date married18716 Jan 1865

Date of death14-May-15

Place of death188 Queen St Woollahra

OffspringWilliam, Thomas

Senior Warren

NameSenior WarrenSenior W

Date of Birth18421846

Date of baptism

Place of birthDublin IrelandKings County

FatherWilliam ArmstrongWilliam

MotherPhoebe LucasPhoebe Lucas

Migration when1863June 18621862

Migration perLightningLightning

Married toDorah DoolanDora Dolan

Married atSydney

Date married1868

Date of death19-Sep-23

Place of deathBingara NSW

OffspringLucas, Joseph, GeorgeGeorge ,William, Lucas, Joseph

William

NameWilliam

Date of Birth2 Jan 1837

Date of baptism29 Jan 1837

Place of birth

FatherWilliam

MotherElizabeth

Migration when

Migration per

Married to

Married at

Date married

Date of death

Place of death

Offspring

After long consideration I believe that the Armstrong clan goes like this.

William was married to Elizabeth(AKA Eliza) and they had 3 kids Lucas in 1834, William(AKA John) in 1837 and Phoebe(AKA Phebe) in 1838. These three were born in Shinrone Parish Kings County. For reasons unknown, William then had Senior Warren in 1842 in Dublin with Phoebe(Possibly AKA Hannah) Lucas. Elizabeth may have died between 1838 and 1842 or William may have left her and headed for the big smoke.

Email on Armstrong from Cheryl Marshal

From: Grahame Marshall [ajax10@bigpond.com]

Sent: Monday, 17 October 2005 3:16 PM

To: jmcmahon@actewagl.net.au

Subject: Armstrong Family

Hello John,

              I saw your post on Phoebe Armstrong(1842 _ 1918) in Genealogy. My Greatgrandfather Senior Warren Armstrong was born in Kings County ( now Offaly ) Ireland in 1846. He came to Australia on the ship Lighting in the year 1862. His father's name was William & his mother's was Phoebe Lucas.

            My greatgrandmother was Dora Dolan, she came out from Ireland on the ship called Montrose on the 27th March 1864. I think your greatgrandmother & my greatgrandfather could have been related. My grandfather was Greoge and his brothers were william, Lucas, Senior (died as a baby) and Joseph.

                         Hoping to hear from you.

                                                             Cheryl Marshall

I am convinced that despite confusion creeping in from unreliable sources such as death certificates, there was only one pair of parents for the 5 Armstrong children and they were William Armstrong and Phoebe/Elizabeth Lucas. Even though Hannah and Senior Warren do not appear in the Midlands Ancestry report, they are siblings. I cannot yet explain why they were not in those records. There is evidence that Hannah and Senior claimed tro come from the Kilballyskeas area. It is possible that the family was out of that area when they were born.

Email from Cheryl Marshall dated 17 October 2005 states that Phoebe's mother's name was Phoebe

Eddie Braggett's notes Chapter 1862-1866

Maintaining law and order was always a difficult task in outposts such as Cassilis despite the presence of police and the escorts that accompanied the coaches conveying gold to Maitland and Sydney. Cassilis was the local headquarters of the police and the Court House was also the scene of many criminal trials that resulted in convictions and the removal of offenders to major jails.

As a fourteen year old, Mary Braggett watched Benjamin Moore perform his duties as Chief Constable at Cassilis particularly when he had to deal with absconding convicts and troublesome bushrangers in the district. The same difficulties were met by William John Weston who succeeded him as Chief Constable from 1859 to 1862. Then Mary heard of Constable Knight, who escorted a Chinaman to Muswellbrook for robbing Mr Piper's store, and was fatally injured when his horse fell and threw him heavily to the ground.

With a need to enhance police provisions in the area, the police establishment at Cassilis was reorganised and a Senior Sergeant was appointed at the end of 1862 – Lucas Armstrong. Mary Braggett heard of his exploits as he rode into the scrub, hunted criminals, apprehended the wanted, and brought them to justice. The 25-year old Senior Sergeant captured the noted bushranger, Thomas Dillon, and escorted him under a strong guard to Mudgee; was involved in the apprehension of ‘Mudgee Jimmy’ in April 1862 for horse stealing; and pursued Lloyd Valentine, the boy who escaped from the Muswellbrook lock-up, and found him hiding in a chest in his family's home at Sandy Creek, 80 miles from Cassilis. On one occasion when Armstrong arrived in Mudgee with a prisoner named O'Connor, he heard of another wanted person and, together with an Aboriginal trooper, went in pursuit of the man and apprehended him after three days between Merriwa and Scone. Both the Western Post and the Maitland Mercury reported Armstrong’s meritorious work and praised him for his efforts.

Mr Armstrong, during the short period he has been stationed here [at Cassilis] has put everything to rights … [That] we have now got 'the right man in the right place' is admitted by all classes.

As Mary learned more about Lucas, she was attracted to the ‘horseback’ policeman. She also loved horses and was a very competent horsewoman, helping her father to care for the family horses and groom them well. Lucas had been born in Ireland in 1837, preferred to be known as Luke, had heard of Australia as a young man, and had eventually migrated for a better life. He told Mary that his father, William Armstrong, was a man of ‘independent means’ and that his mother was Lucy Ellis. Having crossed from Dublin to England, he had eventually sailed from Liverpool on 27 March 1857 in the ship Algiers and had arrived in Melbourne after a voyage of less than three months. The passengers were a varied group of 307 immigrants, 175 of whom came from England, 47 from Scotland, and 85 from Ireland. Significantly, 192 of them were single men who were setting out to start a new life in Victoria, New South Wales or Queensland.

The romance between 20-year old Mary and 27-year old Luke blossomed over time and, when he eventually proposed, Mary was happy to accept. They were married on 6 January 1865 at the Church of St John the Baptist in Mudgee. It must have been a happy occasion as the whole family took the 70 kilometre journey to Mudgee in drays or on horseback. ‘William Braggett of Cassilis, father of the bride’ gave consent to the marriage, Mary ‘being under 21’ and Maggie Mack signed as a witness to the marriage. The other witness was Mary's younger brother, Thomas.

Chapter 1867-1870

Mary and Luke Armstrong still lived in Cassilis where Luke was the Senior Sergeant of Police. Despite the acclaim that Luke had won for himself and the positive comments he received in the press, he was not satisfied with his work. Perhaps he was worried by the close calls he had with criminals and was increasingly concerned with the mounting tide of hold-ups by bushrangers, who displayed open arrogance of the law. It was only after three years (1862-1865) of ‘powerlessness of the police to capture or shoot’ the Hall Gang that Ben Hall was finally cornered at Forbes and shot fifteen times by a posse of police, bringing some respite to western communities. Frederick Ward [Thunderbolt] was still at large, however, causing outrage and fear in isolated towns, dread to stage coach drivers and their passengers, and continuing frustration and alarm to the constabulary. The task of the police who travelled on horseback in isolated areas was enough to cause even a Senior Sergeant to reflect on his future, particularly if he had a wife and young son to support.

Because of the inherent dangers in his work and the possibility of a forced move from Cassilis when required by the Police Department, Luke Armstrong discussed his job prospects with William Braggett and canvassed the possibility of buying a hotel of his own. Whatever the reason, Luke finally decided to leave the police force and applied for a licence as the innkeeper of the Green Hills Hotel at Curry Curryal Creek, a very small village twelve kilometres from Cassilis on the road to Mudgee. This was an area in which gold had been discovered in 1860 and, when a new rush occurred to the Cooyal Mountains in 1865, Luke was swayed by the prospects of operating an inn in the area. His application for a licence was successful and by mid-1867, Luke and Mary Armstrong (with baby William) moved their belongings to the inn and commenced a new phase of their life. Less than a year later, their second son was born on 15 April 1868. He was named Thomas Lucas Armstrong, Thomas after his mother's brother and Lucas after his father. The Armstrongs retained close contact with the relatives in Cassilis, eventually sending their children to the Cassilis school.

Chapter 1870-1876

The third family group, the Armstrongs, were well ensconced in their hotel at Green Hills (or Cooyal) in 1870 and profiting from the increased business that accompanied new gold strikes in the area. When gold was discovered near Stoney Creek, ten miles north-east of Mudgee, 2000 people descended on the site within a few days and were quickly ‘engaged in pegging out’ their claims. Such discoveries in the immediate vicinity of Cooyal and those further down the road at Gulgong increased Luke’s sales and allowed him and his family a comfortable living. The establishment of the flour mill ’close to Armstrong's Inn on the main road to the Gulgong Diggings’ further assisted business and increased the importance of the village.

In most small towns, the publican did not rely entirely on the passing trade but took active steps to create additional income. And so, it was not long before Luke had cleared an area for a racetrack and was advertising Race Meetings ‘at Armstrong's Inn on the Gulgong Road’. When he donated a number of saddles and bridles as prizes for a meeting on Boxing Day 1873, ‘a great many visitors put in an appearance’ and ‘many local cracks’ contested for the prizes. In the evening, Luke and Mary hosted a supper and ball at which the ‘dancing was kept up until day light,’ and when the visitors eventually ‘made tracks to go home, one and all seemed to [have] enjoyed themselves’.

Like Thomas, his brother-in-law, Luke was also attracted to the turf and found his way to the Busbys' stud at Dalkeith where he looked out for suitable horses for racing. One of his purchases was Friendless, a ‘splendid looking mare’ which was well-known in the district and which was trained together with Thomas' horse, Olive.

There was no local school in Green Hills and Mary and Luke's oldest son, William, enrolled at the Cassilis School when he was ten years of age and entered First Class in November 1875. As his brother, Thomas Lucas Armstrong, did not attend school until he also was eight, it may have been too far for young boys to ride each day – a 24 kilometre ride each way. When young William was eleven years of age (one at which most children completed their education), his parents allowed him to leave school and commence work. The teacher recorded that he left school in October 1876 in order to ‘mind sheep’. The Cassilis area had developed into a major pastoralist area by the mid-1870s with over 300,000 head of sheep being grazed, and the Armstrong family probably acquired a flock of sheep in addition to operating the hotel. Hence, young William may have been required to tend his family’s flocks or may have found employment on one of the numerous sheep farms nearby. Pastoral interests eventually led to Luke's decision to become a full-time grazier after 1881. Luke, Mary and their two boys kept in close touch with the Braggetts and the Macks despite living a two-hour's ride away and an extended family atmosphere continued.

By the start of 1876, therefore, the original settlers in the Cassilis area were ageing and the next generation was assuming active roles in the area. These were the children of the pioneers, their friends and their relations, those who would see the village into the twentieth century.

William Braggett’s Will (1876)

I nominate and appoint Thomas Braggett of Dalkeith Cassilis and Lucas Armstrong of Green Hills Cassilis as trustees and request them to faithfully administer this my last will and testament and should a division become necessary to prudently provide for and carry in trust such moneys and property as shall fall to any child aforesaid under twenty one years until such child shall attain that age.

Thomas Braggett and Luke Armstrong were to be the executors and trustees for at least the next nineteen years until the last of William and Annie's children turned 21 in 1895, or even longer if Annie lived beyond 1895.

Marshal McMahon's letter dated 30 march 1994 states:

" I am the grandson of James McMahon who arrived in Sydney in 1864. Though born in Red Hills County Cavan, he and his family, being his father James, (born Scotshouse County Monaghan), mother Ellen(nee Finlay from Red Hills) and his two older brothers, Patrick and Bryan and Catherine moved to Aghadreenan Parish Donaghmoyne [C. Monaghan] where James' father was a vetinerary. Each of them had a block of land there.

About 1863 his father died and he and his mother Ellen returned to Red Hills. In 1863 his mother arranged for a relative, William Anderson who was already in Sydney, to sponsor James as an immigrant and he arrived here in 1864 aged 26 years. His mother Ellen died at Red Hills in 1885. There were no other McMahon deaths registered there since 1864."²²

The Griffith Valuation includes these entries:

County of Monaghan

Barony of Farney

Union of Castleblayney

Parish of Donaghmoyne

Townland of Aghadreenan (ordnance Survey Sheet 25)

OccupierImmediate LessorDescription of TenementArea

Patrick McMahonMarquis of BathHouse, office and land6 acres

James McMahon jnrSameHouse, office and land8a 3r 30p

Bryan McMahonSameHouse, office and land8a 1r 15p

James McMahon snrSameHouse, office and land9a 2r 10p

Ellen McMahonSameHouse and Garden6a 3r 25p

Catherine McMahonSameHouse, office and land6a 1r 0p

Were the Aghadreenan family really our Ancestors

Late in the piece I have discovered an anomaly which could negate or at least modify the history of our clan in Aghadreenan. The event causing this anomaly is the discovery that James (snr) had a sister Rose who with husband James Buchanan begat Mary(later Ball then Palmer) in 1862 and James in 1864 in Red Hills.It is possible that the family in Aghadreenan and the occupants of the house in Red Hills leased by Ellen Finlay are the same family but it is also possible that the whole story about the family in Aghadreenan is an assumption by Marshal having found a family with parents James and Ellen McMahon in Griffith. However, the evidence that James had a sister Rose is now extremely strong.Therefore, I have no option but to show Rose as a sibling of James but I am now not sure whether Catherine, Bryan and Patrick are also siblings. To explain the evidence I include the following draft chapter from my book:

The Palmer Story

Just as I thought my days of family history research were over and I could finalise this booklet and forget it content that I had done as much as possible to uncover the secrets of our McMahon ancestors, I was getting some old photos together to copy before our visit to Marshal and Christine McMahon and Lyn noticed the writing on the back of one of the photos. It referred to Mary Palmer and other Palmers. The writing described Mary as “cousin of E.A. McMahon”.

Lyn checked the NSW online BDM records and found the death of a Mary Palmer. We ordered the certificate and when it came, we were excited to find that Mary's maiden surname was Buchanan, solving the mystery of Joseph McMahon's second name, and her mother's name was Rose McMahon.

A quick check on Genes Reunited uncovered a Palmer family and by a stroke of uncommon good luck, gave me a contact with the person who originated the Genes Reunited entry, Raymond Palmer. We had an exchange of emails with Raymond and a few weeks later met him in person along with his wife Anne, daughter Cecilia and Raymond's sister Diane and brother in law Robert.

I dug out the usual records for Mary's migration and found she had arrived per Kapunda in February 1877 at the age of 15. Her migration was sponsored by James McMahon of St Albans described as “uncle”. The journal entry for James's sponsorship of Mary's migration gives the name of “a person of note who can give a reference” as E. B. Venables Esq. J.P. Guess who was the “Immediate Lessor” shown in the Griffith Valuation for the property occupied by Ellen Finlay in Red Hills; Rev. E. B. W. Venables. According to the immigration records, her father was James Buchanan and her mother was deceased. Raymond's records also say that she ”went to live at Windsor with James McMahon and Phoebe Armstrong. He was a sergeant of Police”. By the way. Venables was Edmund, Burke, Whyte Venables a probable source for the Edmund names of E.A. McMahon and myself.

It is a bit debateable when Mary was born. The death certificate says she was born in 1865 in Red Hills County Cavan. The certificate of her marriage to James Ball says she was 21 in 1881, a birth year of 1860.The certificate of her marriage to Henry Palmer in 1888 gives her age as 24, a birth year of 1864. But the records of the Immigration Board, the shipping company and the Migration Deposit Journal have her born in 1862 meaning she was aged 15 when she migrated. I have chosen 1862 as her birth year on the weight of evidence.

Mary married James Ball in 1881 and gave birth to William in 1884. James Ball died in 1886 and Mary married Henry Rolfe Palmer in 1888. The second marriage resulted in 5 children, Harriett born 1888, Annie born 1890, Gladys born 1893, Stephen born 1897 and Amy born 1904.

After the death of James Ball, his son William was adopted by Henry Palmer and William became William Palmer and his descendants are Palmers to today.

Where does all that get us? I think the reference to “cousin” and “uncle” make Mary's mother, Rose the sister of my great grandfather James. The relationship is supported by his sponsorship of her migration at such a young age and her going to live with him, a guardian-type relationship you would expect from a close relative.

I had thought that Rose may have been James' half sister. This would be consistent with the theory in Raymond's records that Rose's mother was Harriett not Ellen. It turns out that the basis for Harriett being Rose's mother is not strong so I am happy to assume that Rose's mother was Ellen.

Cavan Genealogy did not find baptismal records for any offspring of James Buchanan and Rose McMahon. They have found the civil birth record for James in Red Hills on 15 Sept 1864, the year civil records began. I now have a copy of that record. Nor did they find record for the death of Rose or James Buchanan. Their email said “The birth entry for James is recorded in the Superintendent Registrar's District of Ballyhaise.  A search in the remaining birth records for this district did not reveal any further children born to the same parents.  Civil Death Records for Ballyhaise District were also searched from 1864 up to 1900 for any entries for the surname Buchanan, no entries located. If I can uncover any further information on the Buchanan family I will advise you.”. Nor is there a trace of them in the Griffith Valuation in Red Hills or anywhere near it. Another mystery.

Raymond's records contain the following:

“Mary's parents previously had a boy who died at birth. Mother died when Mary was born. [she] went to live with mother's parents James and Harriett McMahon on the Isle of Man at Douglas.”

This is inconsistent with the above assumption that Mary was born in 1862 and her brother James in 1864. We know James Buchanan was born in 1864. Raymond's records suggest Mary was born in 1865. My assumption based on the above, is that Mary was born in 1862. Either way, Rose seems to have died in childbirth, the boy child also died at birth and Mary was supported by the family of her mother Rose McMahon, first living with James (snr) and Ellen(Harriett) and then with James (jnr) and Phoebe. The point of uncertainty is whether that support began when she was 2 years in 1864 or infancy in 1865.

We cannot find census or any other records which might validate the story about James and Ellen(Harriett) being on the Isle of Man. We have believed that James (snr) and his family were the same family that turns up in Griffith at Aghadreenan (Parish Donaghmoyne in Monaghan). I have been unable to find any evidence which validates that belief. Further, I have always found it hard to understand that the names of James(jnr)'s brothers in Aghadreenan, Bryan and Patrick were not used when naming the sons of James (jnr). There is also the anomaly that James (jnr) was still a tenant at Aghadreenan after he migrated. Now we find that James (jnr)'s sister Rose was nowhere to be seen when the family was in Aghadreenan. The conclusion I draw is that the Aghadreenan family were not our ancestors.

RIC - Helen Kelly(Genealogist from Dublin) researched Royal Ulster Constabulary records in Irish Archives for me and reported:

"Name: McMahon Jas

Age when appointed: 19

Height: 5'8"

Native County: Cavan Co.

Religion: C. (Catholic).

If married - Date and No. of Authority granting permission: - -

Native County of Wife: -

Recommendations: J or I Thompson J.P.

By whom recommended.

If by a magistrate - add J.P.

If by a Protestant Clergyman - add Clk.

If by a R.C. Clergyman - add PP

Trade of Calling: Farmer

Appointment or Re-appointment date of: 15 ..............

Allocation - To what County (in the order of service to each):

Mon. (Monaghan) 11th Dec '56

Westmeath 1/1/63

Ros (Roscommon ?) 1/5/63

Resigned 4th December 1863.

RIC - In The New Zealand Genealogist July/August 2010 Geraldene O'Reilly writes:

" Small perties of young unmarried constables lived in barracks under the command of a Chief Constable. About 75% of the RIC were Roman Catholic. Among the RICs first duties was the forciblre seizureof the tithes during the "Tithe War" (1831-1838) on behalf of the Anglican Clergy, from the mainly poor rural Catholic population as well as the Presbyterian minority. The new constabulary demonstrated its efficiency against civil agitation and Irish separatismduring the Young Ireland campaignled by William Smith O'Brienin 1848.

In 1867 an armeed uprising by the Fenians saw attacks on the more isolated police barracks and smaller stations. The police had infiltrated the Fenians with local informers and this rebellion was put down with ruthless efficiency. The loyalty of the Irish Constabulary during the Fenian outbreak was rewarded by Queen Victoria who granted the force the prefix "Royal" and the right to use the insignia of the most Illustrious Order of St Patrick in their motif.....................

............A recruit was not permitted to serve in his home county or in the home county of his wife. Plicing generally became a routine of controlling misdeamenours such as moonshine distilling, public drunkeness, theft and willful property crimes. The task of enforcement of tens of thosands of eviction orders in rural Ireland by the RIC caused widespread distrust among the Irish Catholic population during the 19th century."

NSW Police - Beryl Chesterman's report on James' employment history as a policeman in NSW includes

"The records show that James McMahon served as a constable with the Mounted Police in the Eastern District from 23 August 1864 to 24 January 1894. His starting wage was 4/- per day, and he retired on a pension of 5/7 per day. His previous calling had been with the Irish Police."

Deposit Journal Entry

Denise Hutchinson writes: "William Anderson received deposit number 227 for the passage of 4 people:

Mr William Napier 29 Labourer from Tipperary

William's wife Eliza Napier 26 from Meath

Their child Frances 4 months

James McMahon 26 Labourer from C. Cavan⁵

NSW Police

Denise Hutchinson writes:

Register of Police Records show that a James McMahon, b. 1838, of Ireland, was first appointed 23 August 1864, Service No. 1477, as a constable at the District Depot, he was descriibed as single, Roman Catholic, 5 feet 8 and three quater inches tall, blue eyes, brown hair, fair complexion. His general appearance was smart. After his initial appointment as Constabel at the District Depot, he is appointed as 1st Class Constable to the Eastern District on 29 October 1866. The column "Mounted or Foot" records him as mounted.⁵

Local Newspaper References

Denise Hutchinson writes: "...and the local newspaper has 4 references to J. McMahon between May 1874 and May 1883:

9 may 1874 P5 column 1 Windsor Quarter Sessions at St Albans: James is definitely the police constable at St Albans - the article concers the abduction of a young girl, who then accompanies her beau to the St Albans police station to explain the situation to James.

25 July 1874 P2 column 2 Man found hanging St Albans. James investigates.

31 December 1881 P2 column 3 Man missing - Jmaes searched for 2 days through bush

5 May 1883 p2 Column 4. Windsor Police Court - J McMahon juryman

Source Windsor Richmond Hawkesbury Advertiser⁵

Transcribed from Windsor & Richmond Gazette 18 July 1908 Page 3 - Held by Nat Library of Aust, Copy held by John McMahon

The death took place on Sunday night of a well known Windsor identity, Mr James McMahon, who for the past 15 years has been a police pensioner. He was 70 years of age, a native of County Cavan, Ireland, and came to this country when about 19 years old, after serving a short period in the Dublin constabulary. He married in Sydney Miss Phoebe Armstrong, from Kings County, Ireland, and his first colonial appointment was on the Blue Mountains - at a place then known as Eighteen Mile Hollow, now Springwood. He was transferred to St Albans, and was there 15 years, his next appointment being to Windsor. Before joining the colonial forces, however he was for a time an orderly to one of our early Governors, to whom he had a letter of introduction from a relative in Ireland. He was well connected, some of his people having gained distinction in the legal profession in the Emerald Isle. About 15 years ago he was thrown from his horse in George Street, Windsor, and sustained serious injuries to his head. This brought about his retirement, and he was never the same smart and energetic man after the accident. He did good work in the force, and in the early days of outlawry was often called upon to do some intrepid things, for which he got but scant recognition from the authorities. Some of his widow’s relatives are large pastoralists in this State, and her late husband has left her comfortably provided for. His family numbered seven children, the youngest being dead. Those living are Edward A. (headmaster of Concord Superior Public School), William F. (assistant postmaster at Junee), Marshal J. (Police Magistrate at Wentworth), Senior W. (assistant teacher, West Leichhardt S. P. S.), Lucas (teacher, La Perouse), and Joseph (night officer at High Street railway station, Maitland). The funeral took place on Tuesday, and was largely attended, all the sons being present except the one at Wentworth, who was unable to get home. Mr Lucas Armstrong (Mrs McMahon’s brother), and Mr E. Braggert [probably Lucas’ brother-in-law], another relative were also present. Rev Father McDonnell conducted the service and Mr Chandler was undertaker.

Comments:

This is the only reference to a letter of introduction. The Governor at the time was Sir John Young who had been member of the House of Commons representing Cavan. He lived at Bailieborough.

It is quite probable that "people of distinction in the legal profession" referred to the Finlays who lived at Brackley House near Bawnboy. I haven't yet established the connection but it appears that Ellen Finlay was related to the Bawnboy Finlays.²²

Transcribed from Hawkesbury Chronicle 22 Septmeber 1883 Page 3 - Held by Nat Library of Aust, copy held by J McMahon

St Albans

You don’t often get a line from our distant town, but it may not be out of place to acquaint you of a matter of more than ordinary interest that has lately taken place among us – and that is, the departure of our respected friend and fellow-townsman, Mr. James McMahon. Mr. McMahon left here on Monday last for your town, after a long and honourable term of service among us, extending over fifteen years – during which time he has made hosts of friends by his upright and stanch conduct, and acquitted himself faithfully in the execution of his duty, to the satisfaction of his superior officers. Although this worthy officer left us as plain constable McMahon, it is hoped that his shift to your larger field of operation will soon give him a lift up the ladder of promotion. ; the humble rank of our friend did not, however, prevent us from rallying round him at the last moment to show our appreciation of his long service at St. Albans. Accordingly, on Saturday night he was entertained at a supper by a number of gentlemen, and quite a pleasant evening was spent in thus showing our old townsman how much we admired and respected him. Mr. Joseph Walker, J.P., presided, and Messrs. Henry Wilson and John Fernance, J’s. P., were vice chairmen. During the evening an address signed by the worthy chairman, and Mr. T. J. Thompson, was read and presented. Several very complimentary speeches were made, and, as it was known that Mr. McMahon was leaving for the benefit of his family, all wished him and them every success in the future. Should Constable McMahon’s successor walk in his footsteps, he may rest assured that he will find the right sort of people about here to make good friends, and whose friendship is well worth having.²

Email from Patrick Finlay 30 October 2014 with a pic of old RIC Station

Hello John,

I hope you and your wife are keeping well.

My recollection is that you were trying to locate the site of the Royal Irish Constabulary Police Station in Roscommon Town. I have been doing some research and have located a photograph of same, which I have attached for your information. The Station was located where the current Garda Station is.

I hope that this is of assistance to you.

Regards,

Pat Finlay

Divisional Detective Inspector

Roscommon / Longford Garda Division.

Roscommon Town.

Office Ph: 090 6638324.

Mobile: 086 8281938

Deposit Journal Entry

Denise Hutchinson writes:

John Coglan received Deposit Number 229 for 4 people:

James Stanley 24Labourer

Susan Stanley21Servant

Phoebe Armstrong20Servant - Certificate No 347

Dorah Dolan21Servant

All seem to be from Shinrone Kings County Ireland

Referee Protestant Clergyman Shinrone⁵

The Longfellow birthday book (seemingly of James McMahon) says birth o f Phoebe was 25 March 1839

Email from Cheryl Marshall dated 17 October [ in Family History Stuff folder ] says Senior

Warren migrated aboard "Lightning" in 1862.

death certificate of Senior Warren Armstrong (b. 1842) says 3 sons Lucas 50, Joseph 44, George 41 and 2 deceased.

Email from Cheryl Marshall 25 May 2010 says Senior was in the Royal Irish Constabulary. He joined at 19 in December 1860 and resigned due to poor health on 7 March 1861. His county of origin was Kings and his religion was Presbyterian, he was 5ft 9in and was a labourer prior to joining the RIC. His marriage certificate gave occupation as policemen.

Regarding Deposit Journal Entries, Denise Hutchinson writes:

John Cogla received Deposit Number 229 for 4 people:

James Stanley 24Labourer

Susan Stanley21Servant

Phoebe Armstrong20Servant - Certificate No 347

Dorah Dolan21Servant

All sem to be from Shinrone Kings County Ireland

Referee Protestant Clergyman Shinrone¹⁷

Fathers name according to Dora and Senior's Marriage Certificate was Peter Dolan. Which buries another theory that the Dolans may have known the Armstrongs in Offaly. In Griffith In Killballyskea, a Kieran Doolan occuped a property 2 doors from the Armstrong propertry.

Extract from Concord Public School Centenary Booklet.

"When Edmund McMahon arrived to take charge of the school in August 1904 he denounced the residence as unsuitable, unsightly and unhealthy. ....................................There was a change of atmosphere at Concord Public School after 1904. This was partly because of Mr McMahon, who had the Knack of getting the community involved in the school, so that in 1906 Concord Council ploughed part of of the schoolground so the pupils could begin experimental agricultural plots. ......................................The year 1910 was rather chaotic at Concord Public School . Much to the regret of everyone, Mr McMahon was replaced as Headmaster by Thomas Cambourne just as the building work began."

Edmund's employment history from report by Beryl Chesterton, genealogist

Transcript of History Sheet

For Edmund McMahon

Voice - 8 )

Power to teach - 7 ) Vide McAlpen's Report 1888

Age 15 years in 1882

Employm't on prob'n as Pupil T'cher at Wilberforce P. Auth 28 Mar 1883

Removed from Wilberforce to Windsor to act as Pupil T'cher 29 Sept 1883

Promoted to Class III1 April 1884

Promoted from Class III to Class II1 April 1885

Promoted from Class II to Class I1 April 1886

Exempted from attaendance at examination13 Dec'r 1886

Passed examination for admission to Training School13 June 1887

Admitted to Fort St Training School11 July 1887

Trained from July 1887 to June 1888

Unable to complete examination on account of illness

Temp. att'ce at Botany P. auth. 4 July 1888

Completed exam. Awarded Class IIA prov. With honours(passed with honours in alternate subjects Geometry and ????)

Allowance increased to £100 a year from1st Jan 1889

Allownce increased to £120 a year from1st July 1889

Temp. Att'ce at Summer Hill P. auth. £1209 July 1890

Instr. To act as T'cher of Dunbar P.24 Sept 1890

Provisional certificate of IIA confirmed. Inf'd22 July 1891

Instr'd to act as Ass't at Forbes Pub. £1507th Jan'ry 1893

Marriage, on 22nd December 1894, to Amy Thomas, notified8th Jan'y 1895

Instr'd to act as Ass't at Mudgee Pub. II £171 27th Aug 1895

Failed to gain promotion at exam of 27th June 1898

On re-consideration of the case the Minister decided to declare Mr McMahon eligible in point of attainments for Class IB (subject to passing in Drawing)

Passed in Drawing (exam June 1899)(still to be reported on) Eligible for IB.

Promoted to IB (Skills sufficiently satisfactory) from1st July 1900

Inst'd to act as 1st Ass't at Stanmore Pub. £2253rd Sept 1900

Inst'd to act as Tchr of Boggabri Pub V £2042nd July 1901

Inst'd ro act as Tchr at Concord V £2168th Aug 1904

classification IB Concord class 4th £228

[Hornsby substituted for Concord 28/2/10 £260

1910 classification IA [date of award 1.1.14] class 3 £267

Retired under section 66 of the Public Service Actb 1902

Last day of service 7.1.29

Re-employed IB Rate

Ass't petersham 6.3.31 class 1

T Teachr Rhodes 28.4.31 class 5

T Teachr Putney 12.8.31 class 4

T Teachr Warrawee 11.9.31 class 4

Services terminated 14.8.32

Deceased 19/6/53

Extract from Concord Public School Centenary Booklet.

"When Edmund McMahon arrived to take charge of the school in August 1904 he denounced the residence as unsuitable, unsightly and unhealthy. ....................................There was a change of atmosphere at Concord Public School after 1904. This was partly because of Mr McMahon, who had the Knack of getting the community involved in the school, so that in 1906 Concord Council ploughed part of of the schoolground so the pupils could begin experimental agricultural plots. ......................................The year 1910 was rather chaotic at Concord Public School . Much to the regret of everyone, Mr McMahon was replaced as Headmaster by Thomas Cambourne just as the building work began."

Teaching career

Denise Hutchinson writes:

By the end of 1891 there was a severe depression in NSW and not until 1900 did the Education Dept have the same funds as 1891, and so had large backlog to make up. 1893-94 rigorous retrenchment reduced numbers of schools and teachers & other staff, and cut building expenditure, teachers' s salaries & a range of education facilkities, yet Edmund held his position.

Denise goes on:

1906 Sands Directory shows Edmund A McMahon at Salisbury Street Concord. Also an A.E. McMahon, headmaster, Concord Public School. In 1918 Edmund lived at Peats Ferry Road Hornsby. Source Sands Directory.

In 1930,33,36, 37 & 1943 he and Amelia lived at Lynwood, 16 Bridge Rd Hornsby. He was a teacher until 1933, after which he is shown as no occupation. Source - Electoral Rolls⁶

Date: 20 JUN 1953 Place: Northern Suburbs General Cemetery, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia [3] Note: I have the little card showing that Edmund is in Lot 42 Section U Row 2 of the Catholic section. Deniise Hutchinson writes: On Saturday 20 June 1953 at 7am Requiem Mass was celebrated at Rosary Church Waitara and after prayers commencing at 9.45am the funeral left for the Catholic Cemetery Northern Suburbs

Birth registration 12673/1869

Visits to USA and Canada

Denise Hutchinson writes:

On 1 August 1937 Marshal is shown arriving in USA from Southhampton per ship "SS Georgie". He is rfetired and travelling with his brother Lucas Howe, who is a civil servant. They state their place of birth as St Albans Australia and they describe their race as Irish. The address they supply is Bridge St Hornsby, the home of their brother Edmund.

Marshal is described as 5 feet 9 inchesfair complexion, brown hair and blue eyes.

In 1939 Marshal sails from Sydneyto Vancouver arriving 7th April. The only addition to his description is that his hair is grey and he has had a broken left thigh.³

1943 Electoral Roll

denise Hutchinson writes:

1943 Electoral Roll shows Marshal James as living at 112 Mowbray Road Willoughby with his sister-in-law Ellen Violet McMahon widow of Joseph Bucahanan McMahon and his brother Lucas Howe McMahon³

Narandera Argus And Riverina Advertiser (NSW)

Publication: Nov 15 1946 - Narrandera Region, New South Wales, Australia

Also published in: Riverina Region, New South Wales, Australia

Text: "...H. John son, eenr., of Narandera. ? , Mr. Marshal James McMahon The death occurred at Gloucester House, Sydney, on Wednesday last of Mr. Marshal James McMahon , former ly C.P.S. at Narandera, and latterly..."

About this sourceDescription: 1 online resource : illustrations Notes: Title from title screen. Digitised as part of the "Digitised newspapers and more" which allows access to historic Australian periodicals. Publisher varies. Also available in print and on microfilm. Jan. 9, 1892 issue available on microfilm : Ebco, Artarmon, N.S.W. Life Dates: No. 892 (December 30, 1893)-vol. 76, no. 102 (December 31, 1953) Also Titled: Narandera argus Place: Australia New South Wales Narrandera Region. Australia New South Wales Riverina Region.

Windsor And Richmond Gazette (NSW)

Publication: Nov 22 1935 - Windsor, New South Wales, Australia

Also published in: Richmond, New South Wales, Australia

Text: "...concluded a very pleasant even MRS. ISABELLA McMAHON rjTHERE passed away at her residence, No. 1 32 Arlington-street, Dulwich Hill, on November 13, Mrs. Isabella McMahon , wife of Mr. Marshall James McMahon..."

About this sourcePublisher: Windsor [N.S.W.] : Hawkesbury Press, 1888-1983. Notes: Digitised as part of the "Digitised Newspapers and more" which allows access to historic Australian newspapers and periodicals. Also available in print and on microfilm. Electronic reproduction. Canberra, A.C.T. : National Library of Australia, 2010- (Digitised Newspapers and more). July 21, 1888-Dec. 21, 1955. Mode of access: World Wide Web Life Dates: Vol. 1, no. 1, (July 21, 1888)-v. 91, no. 42 (May 11, 1983). Later Title: Hawkesbury gazette 0812-1893 Former Title: Hawkesbury herald 1838-9376 Place: Australia New South Wales Richmond. Australia New South Wales Windsor.

Lizzie McElligott cousin of E A McMahon

Email from Paul Wilson 13 June 2011. I found Paul on Ancetsry.com

Hi John, I was able to piece most of everything together today. If you have some pictures from the 20s that would be great. Elisabeth is buried at St Catherines Church of Ireland at Ballymaccormack in Co Longford. The old house at Ferefad is gone, it was demolished in the 80s. Let me know when you are over. Mum (Phyllis McCormack) still lives there as do both of my sisters. Mum will remember her. As far as I can recall she suffered from Alzheimer's in later life. I will get a bit more detail for you.³

Railway employment

Denise Hutchinson writes:

Railway Employment Crad shows

1909Night OfiicerEast Maitland

1910Officer in chargeHermindale

1912StationmasterHermindale

1914StationmasterBlandford

1918StationmasterRaglan

1919 StationmasterCondoblin⁴