Ellen Cecily O'Neill was the second of six children of William O'Neill & Johanna Flaherty. William had been transported to NSW from Co. Kerry, Ireland, in 1822 for a term of 7 years. His wife Johanna had born a son, John, in Ireland the year William was transported, and Johanna and John were given free passage to join William in 1827. Ellen was the first of their children born in Australia. At the time, they were squatting on Crown land in the Brookfield region close to Clarence Town, NSW, and it was not until 1842 that they obtained a lease for a 2,150 acre property adjoining the north boundary of Clarence Town.

Francis McNamara was born in 1823 at Newport, Co. Tipperary, one of a number of children born to Michael McNamara and Margaret Connor. Another of their children, Catherine, later married Ellen's youngest brother William. Francis was known as Frank.

Ellen and Frank married in 1853, the marriage registered in the East Maitland district of NSW, but most probably the Upper Paterson (Mount Rivers) where the McNamara family were residing. The NSW register has Ellen shown as "Helen".

LOSTOCK. — The weather for the last week or more has been most changeable, sunshine and showers alternate days, ending with a steady down pour on Saturday, Saturday night, and Sunday. — It is our sad duty to record the death of an old and respected resident, Mrs. Francis McNamara, of Mount Rivers, for many years postmistress at that place. Her death was the result of pleurisy, from which she suffered for about ten days. Drs. Burton and Richards were called in, but medical skill proved unfortunately of no avail. The interment was in the private burial ground of the Mount Rivers property, and the Funeral was largely attended, many coming from a distance to show the last mark of respect to their departed friend. Fully one hundred and fifty persons were present.

In fact F McNamara is on a list of postmasters and licensed vendors of stamps, who have been appointed stamp distributors under the Stamp Duties Act, as published in The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, Thu 3 Aug 1865 (listed for Lostock).

Francis was also a farmer and grazier in the district. The Maitland Weekly Mercury, Sat 19 Mar 1898, mentions him and his son-in-law (William Kelly) in this adverisement:

T BOGAN will sell by auction, at Beatty's Yards, on Friday, 25th March, at Eleven o'clock, on account of M. Scobie, W. Kelly, F. McNamara, and others,
6 PRIME FAT COWS
25 Head of MIXED CATTLE
30 PIGS, incluuing 25 Store Slips.

Terms cash.

Many other advertisements of cattle sales on behalf of "F McNamara" appeared in the The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser from Thu 28 May 1885. In The Maitland Weekly Mercury on Sat 24 Dec 1904 there also appeared:

F. McNamara's cedar trees at £7 12s 6d

A Frank McNamara also appeared on a list of donors to the Irish Distress Relief Fund on Sat 20 Mar 1880. He died on 31 Oct 1905 in the Upper Paterson (record 13939).

Ellen and Francis had three children:

01. Honorah Ann (b. 1854, d. 1896)

02. Michael Joseph (b. 1858, d. 25 Jul 1904)

03. Mary Maud (b. 11 Nov 1860, d. 16 Jul 1948)

01. Honorah Ann McNamara married William Kelly in 1880 in Glebe, Sydney (record 1760). William was born in 1847, his parents being Dennis Kelly & Jane Shanahan.

They had eight children, all in the Upper Paterson.

01. Mildred Anne (b. 1882, d. 1942)

02. Francis McNamara (b. 1884, d. 1960)

03. Dennis Sarsfield (b. 1885, d. 02 Aug 1937)

04. Phillip V (b. 1886, d. )

05. John (b. 1888, d. )

06. Margaret C (b. 1889, d. )

07. Catherine C (b. 1890, d. )

08. Jane (b. 1891, d. )

01. Mildred Anne Kelly married James Leslie Smith in 1914 in the West Maitland (record 7000). James worked for BHP in Newcastle and the couple lived in Gross St, Tighes Hill. At the time of his death in 1926 (record 14560), James was the Pipe Shop Delegate of the steel workers' union and a member of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows - these organisations all inserted funeral notices in the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate on Sat 14 Aug 1926.

Mildred then married Robert Jones in 1930 (record 3353) in Lambton, Newcastle. She died in 1942 in Wallsend, Newcastle (record 3161).

02. Francis McNamara Kelly was described as a labourer at Mt Rivers when in 1909 he appeared as a witness in the death of his first cousin (once removed), Katherine O'Neill. Evidently they were courting and she became pregnant; she decided to have an (illegal) abortion without his knowledge and had died of complications. From The Maitland Daily Mercury, Mon 20 Dec 1909:

A Young Woman's Death.

INQUEST FURTHER ADJOURNED.

The adjourned inquest touching the death of Katherine O'Neill, who expired on the 8th instant whilst under an anaesthetic, was resumed at the West Maitland Courthouse on Monday, before the Coroner (Mr. J. McKensey, P.M.). Sergeant Wensor conducted the case for the police. Dr. R. G. Alcorn, Government Medical Officer, deposed that in his opinion, deceased had been in a certain condition about six weeks. A certain event took place about six days prior to her death.

Francis McNamara Kelly, a labourer, residing at Mount Rivers, near Gresford, deposed that he knew deceased, who was a second cousin. He resided about two miles from where she lived. He saw her regularly for the last twelve months. He was courting her. He thought deceased left Gresford to come to Maitland about November 30. He last saw her at her own home on November 26. She had told him a day or two before of her condition. She asked him if he would marry her, and witness promised to do so as soon as he could. He told her that he could not possibly marry her then, as he was not in the position. Deceased did not tell him of her intentions, what she intended to do. Previous to telling him of her condition, she told him that she intended coming to Maitland some time before Christmas, but did not tell him with what object. She did not at any time tell him that she was coming to Maitland for a certain purpose. He did not give deceased any money prior to her coming to Maitland; neither did any other person do so on his behalf. He did not know before to-day that deceased obtained a cheque for £5 to come to Maitland with. He could not say by what means or how the event was procured. No person had told him how it was brought about. He had no knowledge of any instrument.

Sergeant Wensor applied for a further extension of time to make additional inquiries, and the inquest was adjourned until Tuesday January 4, at 11 o'clock.

From The Maitland Weekly Mercury, Sat 8 Jan 1910:

A Young Woman's Death.

THE INQUEST.

The adjourned inquest regarding the death of Catherine O'Neill, who died on the 8th December last whilst under an anaesthetic, was resumed at the West Maitland Courthouse on Tuesday, before the Coroner (Mr. J. McKensey, P.M.). Senior-Sergeant Wensor conducted the case for the police, and Mr. W. J. Enright appeared for Nurse Lynch. Ellen Lynch, a midwifery nurse, residing in Bulwer-street, West Maitland, deposed that she did not know the deceased. Witness had been at her present residence about five weeks, and within about a week or ten days of changing her residence she did not see a young woman who went there several times. No female had asked witness to perform an illegal operation, nor had any male person asked her to do so. Deceased had not, to witness's knowledge, been at her place at any time. She had not received any money on deceased's behalf, and no person ever went to her on deceased's behalf. She did not at any time forward an instrument to deceased. — To Mr. Enright: Her business often took her away from home. The Coroner returned a verdict that in con- sequence of the use of a certain instrument abortion was procured, and that in consequence of the said abortion a surgical operation became necessary, and that for the purpose of the said operation it was necessary to administer an anaesthetic. He found that the said anaesthetic was properly administered and that on 8th December, while under the said anaesthetic, at West Maitland, the said Catherine O'Neill died from asphyxia. He further found that the evidence adduced did not enable him to say by whom the instrument was used.

The electoral rolls show Francis living at various addresses in Newcastle: 216 Maitland Rd, Islington, 62 Henry St, Tighes Hill and 17 Cowper St, Waratah. He was always listed as a labourer, and appears at these addresses alone. He died in Hamilton, Newcastle, in 1960 (record 17787).

03. Dennis Sarsfield Kelly married Alma Agnes Ward in 1916 in the Ballina district (record 2904). In the 1933 to 1937 electoral rolls the couple are listed in Kerr St, Ballina, and Dennis is described as a butcher's carter.

Dennis died in 1937 in Alstonville, New South Wales. His death was reported in Lismore's Northern Star on Wed 4 Aug 1937:

DENNIS KELLY

BALLINA, Tuesday.

After a short illness Mr. Dennis Sarsfield Kelly, of Crane-street, died in the Ballina District Hospital yesterday at the age of 50 years. Deceased had been a resident of Ballina for about eight years. He is survived by a widow and five daughters - Clare, Lola, Carmel, Patty and Marcia - and one son, Gerard. Mr. Phil Kelly, of Broadwater, is a brother of the deceased. A service was conducted in St. Francis Xavier Church this afternoon by Father C. J. Cullen, and the funeral moved for the Roman Catholic portion of Alstonville cemetery.

Sadly their daughter Clare died just a week later as reported on Wed 11 Aug 1937:

CLARE KELLY

BALLINA, Tuesday.

Referring to the death of Clare Lenor Kelly, which took place last night, Father C. J. Cullen, at the funeral service to-day, stated that the sympathy of all was extended to the family which had mourned the deaths of two members within one week. "Clare was of a friendly and pleasant disposition and was respected and loved by many," he added.

Deceased, who was 20 years of age, was the daughter of the late Mr. Dennis Kelly, who died last week She is survived by her mother and four sisters, Lola, Carmel, Patty and Marcia, and one brother, Gerard.

After the service had been conducted in St. Francis Xavier Church hy Father Cullen the funeral moved for the Alstonville cemetery, where tne pall bearers were Messrs. H. Daley, T. Daley, M. Dufficy, J. Dufficy, K. Dufficy and Cawley. The wreath bearers at the church were Messrs. C. J. Leonard, A, J. Elliott, T. Wall, K. Dufficy and J. Dufficy, senr.

Lola Theresa Kelly married Stanislaus Lysaght Dent (known as Stan) in Ballina in 1948 (record 20339). Their engagement was announced in the Northern Star on Sat 10 Jan 1948:

A SOLITAIRE diamond, in a platinum setting on a gold band, is sparkling on the third finger of Miss Lola Kelly, whose engagement has been announced to Mr. Stan Dent. Lola is the eldest daughter of Mrs. A. Kelly and the late Mr. Dennis Kelly, of Crane Street, Ballina, and Stan, is the youngest son of Mrs. M. M. Dent and the late Mr. T. H. Dent, of 40 Leycester Street, Lismore.

Stan had served in the airforce (service number 433036) during WWII. He was desribed as a Leading Aircraftman, and was repatriated in Calgary, Canada on 09 Aug 1943. Stan became a teacher, and he and Lola had at least one daughter, Maria Therese Dent, norn 31 May 1949 (Northern Star, Sat 04 Jun 1949).

Carmel Kelly trained as a nurse (Northern Star, Mon 20 Feb 1950).

Marcia Elizabeth Kelly married Bernard James Clarke in Ballina in 1950 (Northern Star, Fri 29 Jan 1954, with a photo of Marcia). Both Marcia and Bernard became teachers: in the 1958 electoral rolls they lived at 16 Gundagai St, Coffs Harbour; in 1963 they taught in Kancoban; in 1966 they lived at 2 Warren Place, Chifley; in 1972 they lived in the schoold residence, Junee; in 1977 they lived at 29 High St, Bellingen.

Patricia Kelly also became a teacher and was first appointed to Wickham Science School in Newcastle (Northern Star, Wed 06 Feb 1952).

Gerard Kelly "received an appointment with the Civil Service" (Northern Star, Fri 03 Nov 1944) and lived in Sydney.

If anyone can assist with information on these families please contact mick@oneillfamily.id.au.

02. Michael Joseph McNamara was a farmer at Mt Rivers in the Upper Paterson. His death was reported by The Maitland Weekly Mercury on Sat 6 Aug 1904:

McNAMARA — Died July 25th, at his residence 'Mount Rivers,' Upper Paterson, Michael McNamara, only son of F. McNamara. R.I.P.

We had thought for many years that he married Frances Mary Lockwood at Moulamein in 1893 (record 4937). However Frances's husband, Michael J McNamara, passed away in 1917 and is clearly a different person. What we had initially on that family can be read here.

As mentioned above, nothing more is known of Ellen Cecily O'Neill and Francis McNamara's children and their descendants, so any information would be welcome (email mick@oneillfamily.id.au).