Climbing our Family Tree

John and Elizabeth were probably married at the Catholic Chapel at Holycross, as was their eldest son, Patrick. On their own marriage registrations, all his daughters said he was a farmer; on Patrick's Irish marriage registration, John was stated to be a labourer. Presuming that Julia was his child, John died after 1852-54 when she was conceived and before 8 Feb 1865 when Patrick married.

Eight children have been named as siblings by daughter Mary on Elizabeth's death certificate. They were born from about 1834 to 1854 and their ages vary a on their civil registration documents. Adding to the confusion are the ages given by Mary on their mother's death certificate. It seems that she decided that she was 60 herself, and then all the others in order below her have their ages reduced by the standard two years. I have recorded the age ranges here without Mary's influence, apart for her own age.

Elizabeth and the three youngest girls came out to Australia on the Royal Dane which left Liverpool, England, on the 8th April, 1863. They arrived in Australia on the 27th June, 1863.

Patrick Francis - born 1834-1840, he was aged 25 when he married Ellen Molloney in February 1865 - but was still aged 25 two years later when Ellen registered the birth of their second child in Australia. They emigrated after January 1866 when their first child was born and before August 1867 when Timothy was born in Kyneton. Patrick is Rob's great great grandfather. Patrick died 12th June 1894 and his age was given as 60, a birth year of about 1834 - this would make him over 30 when he married. He predeceased his mother, and was placed first on the list of children by Mary.
Mary - born abt 1836-1840, had arrived in Australia before 12 May 1861 when she married John Paul Carolin at Kyneton, Victoria. Her age was recorded as 21 years old, thus born about 1840. However, she gave herself the age of 60 at the time of her mother's death, thus born about 1836. However, the age of 81 given on her own death would mean a birth year of about 1838. more
Catherine - born 1842-1844 and known as Kate, had arrived in Australia before 24 November 1865, when she married Joseph Stingers at St Peter's Catholic Church, Daylesford, Victoria. Her age was recorded as 21, born about 1844. On death, her age was given as 80, giving a birth year of around 1842. She died 30th December 1922 at the Clunes Hospital and is buried in the Clunes Cemetery. We know of eight children for Kate - Joseph, Elizabeth, Sarah, John, Joseph, William Patrick, Thomas Henry and Joseph Patrick.
John - we have two Johns named on Elizabeth's death certificate, one aged 56 in 1896, the other deceased. Since the second John was placed last in the issue order, some have interpreted this to mean that he was younger than Julia.
John - born before 1845 - only one John has been found in Australia, he died 14th April 1890, aged 45, at the Ryans farm at Carag Carag, near Corop. According to his death certificate, he was unmarried, and had arrived in Australia about 1874. He is buried at the Corop Cemetery.
Elizabeth - born 1844-1849, came to Australia with her mother in 1863, recorded as 14 years old on the shipping record - making her born about 1849. She married John Quirk at Kyneton 7th July 1865, aged 17, consistent with the age given on emigration. Elizabeth died 3rd December 1917, aged 73, and is buried in the Bendigo cemetery. Six known children - Mary Ann (Annie), Robert (John), Thomas william, George Henry, Alexander and William John.
Winifred - born 1852-1854, came to Australia with her mother in 1863, age recorded as 11 years old, giving her a birth year of about 1852. She married Charles Hewitt 25th August 1878, aged 24, a birth year of about 1854. Winifred died 30th June 1934, aged 82. (Mary gave her an age for a birth year of 1844!) Winifred had five children - John (Jack), George, Gerald, Elsie May and Teresa Florence.
Julia Louisa - born 1852-1854, came to Australia with her mother in 1863, age recorded as 9 years, a birth year of around 1854. She married James Maitland Dow on 31st March 1873, her age recorded as 21 years. Aged 31, Julia died 25th August 1884. Julia's children - Ernest Harrison, John James, William Alexander, Elizabeth Jane, David Henry, Mary Jane and Dennis Maitland.

Elizabeth died on the 4th June, 1896 at East Kyneton. She was buried on the 6th June in Kyneton Cemetery, with her infant granddaughter, Frances Lucy Carolin, who had died in 1880.

The Kyneton Guardian, Saturday, June 6, 1896 DEATH OF MRS CORCORAN - On Thursday afternoon at 4 o'clock Mrs. Corcoran, mother of the late Mr. Patrick Corcoran, of East Kyneton, and Mrs Carolin, wife of Cr. J. P. Carolin, of Bendigo, died at the residence of her late son's wife at East Kyneton. The deceased was 88 years of age. Her remains will be deposited in the local cemetery this afternoon.

The grave stone inscription records the incorrect month of death, no acknowledgement is made of the child, it appears by the wording that the monumental work was constructed many years later after the burial.

Sacred to the memory of/ ELIZABETH CORCORAN/ died 4th MAY 1896/ aged 88 years/Born at HOLY CROSS TIPPERARY IRELAND/ erected by/John Paul and Mary CAROLIN/and their descendants

Patrick Francis Corcoran & Ellen Moloney

Patrick Francis Corcoran was born between 1834- 40 in Tipperary, Ireland; the eldest of eight known children to John Corcoran and Elizabeth Spillane.

Ellen Moloney was born about 1846 in Tipperary, Ireland; daughter of Timothy Moloney, her mother's maiden name possibly Sullivan.

Patrick and Ellen married at the Catholic Chapel of Holycross, Tipperary, on the 8th February, 1865. Patrick (as Patt) appears as a 25 year old Labourer; Ellen as a 20 year old Servant. Their residence was Clareen. They signed their names - Patt Corcoran and Eloun Mollony. Both their father's were deceased and the names of their mother was not required for the registration. The witnesses were James Kennedy and Margret Elrard Aylward.

They had nine children. The family emigrated to Australia sometime between the birth of the first and second child. Patrick's sisters and mother were already living at Kyneton, Victoria.

John James born on the 29th January, 1866, at Clareen, Tipperary, Ireland. The family resided in Clareen where Patrick was a labourer. John died at the Kyneton Hospital on the 17th December, 1937, following six months of stomach cancer. He was aged 71, a labourer, and unmarried. He is buried in an unmarked grave at the Kyneton Cemetery.
Timothy Joseph born 30th August 1867 at Carlsruhe, near Kyneton. A doctor did not attend the birth, and Mrs Corcoran Snr, acting as the nurse, was recorded as the only witness. Ellen registered the birth at Kyneton on the 8th November of that year. She got a little confused with time, saying that young John was two years old, and that they married in February 1864. They married in 1865, and John was barely seventeen months old. Patrick was still 25 years old, and a farm labourer. Timothy is Rob's great grandfather.
Denis born at Carlsruhe, his birth was registered in Kyneton 1869. Denis died at the Kyneton Hospital, 19th February 1941. He was recorded as a 71 year old Road Contractor, unmarried. He died from Pernicious Anaemia, after 3 years of this illness. Buried in the Kyneton Cemetery.
William born Carlsruhe, birth registered at Kyneton 1870. William died aged 16, and was buried in the Kyneton Cemetery on 16th June 1887. His grave is marked by an iron cloverleaf marker, engraved W. Corcoran.
Patrick Francis born Carlsruhe, his birth registered at Kyneton in 1872. Patrick died at the Kyneton Hospital on the 16th March 1932, from exhaustion due to 6 months of stomach cancer. He was aged 55 years, a labourer and unmarried. He was buried in the Kyneton Cemetery.
Mary Elizabeth born Carlsruhe, her birth registered at Kyneton in 1874. Mary married Francis (Frank) Lysaght Dixon in 1895. She died 8th May 1951, aged 74, and is buried in the Bendigo Cemetery. Four children.
Ellen born Carlsruhe, her birth registered at Kyneton in 1876. Nellie died, her age recorded as 38, unmarried, in Kyneton 1920.
Winifred Margaret born Carlsruhe, birth registered in Kyneton in 1878. Winifred died aged 8 years old, and is buried with her brother William. They died less than seven weeks apart, and I have not yet purchased death certificates to find the causes.
Michael was born East Kyneton in 1880, and died when only 7 days old after having convulsions for two days. He died 7am on the 28th July 1880, and was buried two days later in the Kyneton Cemetery, his name recorded in the burial register as Patrick.

Patrick died on the 12th June, 1894 at his home in Carlsruhe Rd, East Kyneton. He was buried two days later in the Kyneton Cemetery. He died from starvation caused by cancer of the oesophagus, a graphic description in the local newspaper. He had been ill for a year.

The Kyneton Guardian, Thursday, June 14th, 1894 DEATH OF AN OLD RESIDENT - On Tuesday afternoon Mr Patrick Corcoran, a resident of Kyneton for upward of 30 years, breathed his last. The deceased has been suffering from a growth in the stomach for the past eight months, and for the thirteen days immediately preceding his death he was unable to swallow food or refreshment of any kind. Mr Corcoran was 60 years of age. He leaves a widow and a grown-up family of sons and daughters. His mother is still living. The remains of the deceased will be interred in the Kyneton cemetery to-day. The funeral cortige will set out from the late residence of the deceased at Kyneton East at 2 o'clock. Mr. Ross has charge of the mortuary arrangements.

Funeral Notice

THE Friends of the Late Mr. PATRICK CORCORAN are respectivefully invited to follow his remains to the place of interment, Kyneton cemetery. The Funeral is appointed to leave his late residence, Kyneton East, at 2 o'clock THIS DAY (Thursday) T. W. ROSS, Undertaker, High-street, Kyneton.

The Kyneton Guardian, Saturday, June 16th, 1894 FUNERAL - On Thursday afternoon the remains of the late Mr. Patrick Corcoran, of East Kyneton, were interred in the Kyneton cemetery. The cortege was of respectable length, and contained many of deceased's old friends. The service at the grave was conducted by the Rev. Father O'Brien, and Mr T. W. Ross carried out the funeral arrangements in a perfect manner.

Twenty years later, aged 68, from cancer of the liver, Ellen passed away on the 12th February, 1914, at home in Carlsruhe Rd, Kyneton, and was buried two days later in the Kyneton Cemetery with Patrick - Roman Catholic Section N, Row 29, Grave No 5. The grave is marked with an iron cloverleaf with W. Corcoran engraved upon it, for William who was buried first.

Timothy Joseph Corcoran & Ellen Teresa Dwyer

Timothy Joseph Corcoran was born on the 30th August, 1867 at Carlsruhe, near Kyneton; the second of nine children, and second son of Patrick Corcoran and Ellen Moloney. The birth was attended by a Mrs Corcoran, whom we presume was Timothy's grandmother, Elizabeth Corcoran.

Ellen Theresa Dwyer was born on the 11th October, 1863, on her father's farm at Campaspe Bridge, near Kyneton; the fourth child of fourteen children (including two sets of twins) and second daughter of Patrick Dwyer and Catherine Murphy.

Timothy and Ellen married on the 5th May, 1889, at Kyneton. Timothy was a 21 year old Labourer from Kyneton, and Ellen, no occupation, aged 22 from Glenhope. Timothy made his mark, being unable to sign his name, Ellen signed her name. Ellen had taken some four years off her age, she was actually 26 - perhaps she had told Timothy she was that age. Their first child was registered that same year.

Timothy and Ellen had seven children: Winifred Margaret (1889); William Charles (1891); Patrick Joseph (1893); Catherine Elizabeth (Katie) (1896); Ellen Teresa (Eileen) (1898); Mary Ann (1902); and Bridget Ignatius (1904). As mentioned previously all these births were registered at Kyneton, except for Katie, who was born in White Hills, Bendigo.

Timothy appears on the 1899 Federal Referendum Roll, as a labourer, living in Kyneton.

Aged 48, Timothy died on the 26th January, 1915, at his home in Mitchell Street, Kyneton. He died during a diabetic coma, having been a diabetic for years. He was buried on the 29th January in the Kyneton Cemetery: Roman Catholic Section N, Row 39, Grave No 5. Catherine registered his death, signing the certificate as Katie Corcoran.

This would have been a stressful year for Ellen, sons William and Patrick had enlisted in the AIF, her husband died, and in September of the same year her father died, also at her home in Mitchell Street.

Five years later 20 year old daughter, Ellen, was buried with her father.

Ellen lived until 80 years of age, passing away on the 7th February, 1944 at Kyneton District Hospital. She had Arteriosclerosis for five years, and died suddenly with pneumonia that she had been ill with for two days. Her usual address was 48 Piper Street. Mum can remember visiting her at her home in the main street, it was above a shop. Piper Street was then main road into town from Bendigo and Castlemaine. Ellen was buried in the Kyneton Cemetery on the 8th February, Roman Catholic Section M, Row 39, Grave No 5. She is buried alone.

4th September 2007