FOOTNOTES CHAPTER TWELVE

[1] Details from the marriage certificate of Thomas and Caroline; and from an account carried in the "Adelaide Pictorial" of Jan 8th 1856, page 2.

[2] Date of Samuel's death obtained from a copy of his will. The birthplace of Thomas was obtained from the birth certificate of his son Samuel and later confirmed from the baptismal registers for the Church of Ireland parish of Bailieborough now held at Cootehill Co. Cavan.

[3] Details concerning the emigration of Samuel and his family were largely obtained through Eileen Cassidy of Ferntree Gully who arranged an extensive search of the South Australian Library archives. Much information was also obtained through Jack Chisholm of NSW, a descendant of Samuel through Robert. (see narrative). According to the baptismal records referred to in the previous footnote William was baptised on Mar 12th 1826, Samuel on Jul 8th 1827, Thomas on Aug 27th 1829 and James on Nov 11th 1832. There was no entry for John. The abode of the parents Samuel and Mary was recorded as Moybologue in the case of William, but as Killan for the three younger sons. The 'quality, trade or profession' for Samuel was recorded for the three later children only; being 'soldier', 'labourer' and 'pensioner' respectively.

[4] Archives of the State Library of South Australia. Actually Samuel is recorded as being a male under 35 yrs in this census, which means he was not entitled to a free passage under the conditions then applying. It has been suggested however that the British government at the time was supporting so many ex-army personnel that it was happy to help and encourage as many as possible to emigrate. The system was that an Act of Parliament declared that the whole of the funds arising from the sale of lands and pasturage was to form a migration fund to be employed in offering a free passage to the colony from Great Britain and Ireland for poor persons, provided they were as far as possible adult persons of both sexes in equal proportions and not exceeding thirty years of age. With a view to carrying this provision into effect the Commissioners offered a free passage to the colony (including provisions and medical attendance during the voyage). Emigrants had to be able to give satisfactory references to show that they were honest, sober, industrious and of general good character. They were to be real labourers going out to work for wages in the colony, of sound mind and body, and between the ages of 15 and 30. Wives were entitled to a free passage with their husbands. The expense of reaching the vessel and taking their baggage aboard was to be borne by the emigrant but on the day appointed for their embarkation they would be received even if the departure of the ship were to be delayed. Every adult was allowed 1/2 ton weight or 20 measured cubic feet of baggage. Extra baggage was charged for at the rate of 2 pounds 10 shillings per ton. Emigrants had to provide all bedding for themselves and children and take their lighter and tools necessary for their trade. Children under 1 year were taken free, between 1 and 15 were charged 3 pounds and any over 15 were charged adult fare.

"

Ancestry of Robert Henry Cassidy, my grandfather

[5] The details regarding Samuel's Army career were unearthed by a Mrs Fitzpatrick of NSW. on a visit to England and Ireland. Mrs Fitzpatrick is a descendant of Samuel through his son Henry Adams Cassidy. The first entry relating to Samuel was found in the "Alphabetical Long Roll of the European Non-Commissioned Officers and Private Soldiers Composing the Bengal Army for the Year 1814". This was in the "Bengal Muster Rolls and Casualty Returns " Vol.11 (1814-15, L/Mil/10/140, p.12, entry no. 432. The second entry was from the Muster Rolls of 1816-17, Vol.12, no. 288 and the third reference was from the "Alphabetical Annual Casualty Roll of the Regiment of Artillery Under the Command of Major General Thomas Hardwick, Commandant for the year ending 30th June 1821." Dum Dum 1st July, 1821. Entry no. 51

There is a difficulty in identifying the places referred to in Samuel's letter apart from deciphering his writing. In some cases places have been renamed after Indian independence or the spelling changed eg Cawnpore is present day Kanpur, Rajputana is now known as Rajasthan etc. There is also the likelihood that Samuel himself did not know the correct spelling of the places in which he served. I have left the spelling of place names as Samuel wrote them (at least in so far as I am able to determine that) but from a study of a modern map of India I suspect that in addition to the examples quoted earlier 'Nahor' would be Nahar, 'Jaipor' would be Jaipur, 'Agmur' would be Ajmer, 'Madragopoora' would be Madhorajpura, 'Fittiabad' could be Fatehabad, 'Buckana' almost certainly is Bikaner, 'Horrianah' is likely to be Haryana and possibly 'Loodianak' is Ludhiana. Allahabad and Chunar have retained the spelling used by Samuel. All of these places are located in central-west India. I am unable to offer any suggestion re the identity of the remaining places mentioned in the text.

Interestingly Mrs Fitzpatrick also came across several references to a James Cassidy from Baillieborough, Cavan who embarked in an Artillery unit aboard the "Mangles" on May 9th 1816, and landed in Bengal on Nov 7th of that year. He was 18 years of age at the time of his enlistment which would make him about one year younger than Samuel. From a "Register of Recruits - Artillery" (Vol.1, L/MIL/9/29) we learn that he was 5 feet 6 inches tall, with an oval face, brown hair, blue eyes and fresh complexion. He was recruited on April 12th 1816 after being attested on Nov 23rd 1815, and enlisted by a Captain Grange, for an unlimited period of service. His occupation at the time was "clerk" and it was also recorded that he had a wife - Bridget. Perhaps he was a younger brother of Samuel or perhaps a cousin. Unfortunately his death is also recorded in the same Casualty Roll in which Samuel was listed (entry no.89). It took place on April 9th, 1821 at Nufseerabad? (spelling unclear).

During the period 1813-1823 the British authorities in India were mainly concerned with suppressing raids on British administered territory by well-organized brigand groups from neighbouring states. From Nov 1814 till Mar 1816 the British fought a campaign against the Ghurkhas from neighbouring Nepal, which concluded with the treaty of Segauli (1816). After this the British turned their attention to the Pindari and Marathas. In 1818 the Pindaris were destroyed by a British force of 20,000 men and 300 guns and by 1821 through force of arms the British were the dominant power in India. Except for the north-west frontier all Indian states accepted the British ascendancy and from that time began to look to the British for rights and privileges. It would seem likely that both Samuel and James Cassidy would have taken part in these campaigns and so would have played a small part in contributing to the British Empire being able to reach its summit of power and influence during the nineteenth century.

The information regarding Samuel's pension was unearthed by Peter Cassidy of Murray Bridge, a descendant of Thomas Cassidy through his son William, from official correspondence dated Dec 14th 1855 informing the relevant authorities of Samuel's death and that the balance of the pension due (3 pounds 9 shillings) had been paid to his representatives.

[6] From the death certificate of Mary Cassidy (nee Rutherford). Although Cavan is today a county in the Irish Republic it is part of the province of Ulster and contains a significant Protestant population deriving from the reign of King James 1 (1603-1625) when English and Scottish settlers were encouraged to take up land in Ireland. Neither Rutherford nor Doribty are Irish names but Cassidy is a very common Irish name. It is not found frequently in Cavan, but is one of the most common in Co. Fermanagh which borders Cavan to the north. (reference: "Irish Family Names - arms, origins and locations" Brian de Breffny, Gill & Macmillan 1982).

The reference to the Scots origin of the Rutherfords was obtained from Tom Rutherford of Cootehill whom I visited in 1996. As well as showing me around the Killan, Shercock and Skeagh area he informed me that he could trace his ancestry continuously in the district back as far as John and Rebecca Rutherford whose daughter Martha had been baptised at Drumgreen Co. Cavan in 1826. Tom was descended through Robert, a younger brother of Martha, who was his great grandfather. According to Tom the family was the only family of Rutherfords in the area and were originally Presbyterian but had become Catholic through intermarriage. Possibly Mary Rutherford was a sister of John.

One further piece of interesting information linking the Rutherfords with Bailieborough and Australia was unearthed by Jack Chisholm. It concerns one James Rutherford who was born in Baillieborough in 1803 and emigrated with his mother to America. He married and fathered thirteen children one of whom, James Jr, came to Australia at the time of the gold rush and then later bought out some coach lines including those of Cobb & Co.

[7] The initial information concerning the voyage of Samuel, Mary and family to Australia was obtained by Peter Cassidy of Murray Bridge and suggested that the family had sailed aboard the "Diadem". Further research by Lyn and Peter Burgheim of Buderim, Qld raised the possibility that it was the "Mary Dugdale". Lyn is a descendant of Henry Adams Cassidy. Subsequent correspondence between Peter Cassidy of Sydney (a son of Eileen) and Barry Leadbeater of Family History South Australia on this question has resulted in the suggestion that the family may have traveled from Dublin to England (Bristol?) on the "Mary Dugdale" prior to their departure from London to South Australia on the "Diadem". Barry also pointed out that "the large majority of Irish emigrants traveled to England to catch their ship to South Australia; very few ships left directly from Ireland."

[8] All details were obtained through Eileen Cassidy from official records in South Australia. Regarding Samuel's claim to be a pensioner of the Bengal Artillery, the following extract from the "India Register" of Sept 1818 held in the State Library of Victoria is of interest. Referring to the admission of pensioners to Lord Clive's fund, the regulations state:-

"Every petitioning officer and soldier must produce a certificate from his commanding officer of his being an invalid and being incapable of rendering service in India, together with an approbation of such certificate by the governor and council of the presidency where he shall have served....Sergeants of artillery to have ninepence per day, those that lost a limb one shilling per day. Privates of artillery to have sixpence per day, those that lost a limb ninepence per day; all other non-commissioned officers and privates fourpence three farthings per day. Officers and privates to be entitled from the period of their landing in England".

As a former sergeant of Artillery in the Honourable East India Company, Samuel received a pension of ninepence per day. Information supplied by Jack Chisholm.

[9] Archives of the State Library of South Australia. Obtained from Jack Chisholm via Eileen Cassidy. In the book "Colonial Life & Christian Experience" (Hussey) held at the Mortlock Library in Adelaide the following description is to be found on p28. "The Square (Emigration Square) was situated on the parklands west of Hindley St The buildings then constituting the square were of wood and each house consisted of two rooms divided by a 3/4 partition of the same material".

[10] Account appeared in the 'South Australian Register' of Mar 16th 1855, see http://trove.nla.gov.au/

[11] Account appeared in the 'South Australian Register' of Nov 24th 1847, see http://trove.nla.gov.au

There was provision in South Australia for offenders under 16 to be birched with up to 25 strokes at each of two whippings for certain offences including minor larceny, indecent exposure, and "writing obscene words on walls". For boys under 14, for any offence, courts could also invite the parents to administer a caning under police supervision, and then dismiss the charge once it was satisfied that this had been done. Flogging with the cat for adult male offenders, and birching and parental caning for boys, were still in use in South Australia in the 1950s.

[12] Birth certificate of Mary-Ann Cassidy in the possession of Eileen Cassidy. Edwin was baptized on April 14th 1846 and Mary-Ann on March 4th 1849. Both were baptized at St Andrews church as was their brother Robert on July 28th 1843.

[13] The land in question is presently bordered by the main Two Wells - Gawler Rd to the north, Germantown Rd on the west and Hayman and Frost Rds. Other details obtained from Jack Chisholm. Information regarding the Port Gawler school and the permission in regard to the cattle was obtained by Peter Cassidy. Reference to the establishment of the school is also made in the book "Life Around the Light" a history of the Mallala District Council Area, compiled by Two Wells, Mallala and District History Book Committee.

[14] Archives of the State Library of South Australia. Obtained from Jack Chisholm via Eileen Cassidy.

[15] Copy of the will obtained through Eileen Cassidy. Mary Cassidy, Samuel's wife, was appointed executor of the will along with John McCord, a farmer of Port Gawler, and the Rev J S Moir. The will was witnessed by John Carter of Stepney and S F Way, a clerk to Mr Atkinson, an Adelaide solicitor. Mary was granted probate by the acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia, the Hon. Benjamin Boothby, on August 25th 1857. No death certificate of Samuel has yet been located. His date of death was obtained from the probate papers.

[16] An account of the court case appeared in the 'Adelaide Advertiser' of June 3rd 1902, see http://trove.nla.gov.au/
According to a relative with whom I was in contact, it was believed within the family that Edwin was killed by a group of aboriginals, even though the judge recorded the death as 'misadventure'.

[17] Information regarding the paucity of early South Australian records was provided by Jack Chisholm from papers presented at the 4th Australian Congress of Genealogy and Heraldry held in Canberra in 1986. The papers were published under the title "Bridging the Generations"

[18] Death certificate of Mary Cassidy. The children of the marriage are listed in the following order: Samuel, James, Thomas, John, Henry, Robert and Mary Ann - all recorded as living (which is interesting in view of later developments in the story). At the bottom of the list is recorded what appears to be the words "6 (or is it 1?) male(s) deceased" It would seem that there were at least two children dead by this time; the older brother of Thomas who was listed on the application to emigrate and Edwin who is not recorded, although he is mentioned in Samuel's will.

As apart from Thomas, these people will now disappear from our story I will briefly indicate their fate as far as is known.

Samuel Jr's full name was Samuel Rutherford Cassidy. He appears to have married a Naomi Tanner in Sth Australia by whom he had two children, John (b 1852 at Collingwood) and Helen (b 1853). By 1855 the family was living near Auckland in New Zealand. Another daughter Mary, was born at Auckland on 29th April although Samuel is recorded as a farmer residing at Wade River (now Silverdale). In fact both Samuel Cassidy Sr and Samuel Cassidy Jr are recorded as settlers on the Electoral rolls for the City of Auckland and Northern Division from 1855-1858. (It is puzzling that the name of Samuel Sr would appear. If he indeed resided near Auckland at this time it must have been very briefly. Perhaps land was only purchased in his name?). When Mary died of worms on 13 Jan 1857 the family was living in West Queen St (now Swanson St) and Samuel was described as a 'boatman'. Another daughter Mary Ann, was born on 17th August that same year. In 1858 Naomi was involved in a case of larceny when some items stolen by Mary Fleming, a nurse residing with the Cassidys, were found in her house. Later that year another daughter, Georgiana was born (9th October). Samuel is again described as a 'boatman'.

Shortly after this Samuel appears to have deserted his family and returned to Australia, probably taking his son John with him. His next appearance in the public record is on the occasion of his marriage to Emma Taylor in Portland on Dec 18th 1861. On the marriage certificate Samuel gave details of his first marriage and oldest two children but claimed that he was a widower. Both Samuel and Emma gave Heywood as their usual place of residence.

In the meantime Naomi's plight seems to have become rather desperate and from what is known of subsequent events it would seem that her life was a fairly sad and difficult one. In 1860 she was recorded as living with the three girls in Chancery St. The precinct around Chancery Street, particularly the small lanes branching off it, was to become, if it hadn't already, one of the 'dirtiest localities in Auckland where people lived in hovels', and brothels were common. The press in 1873 thought the area should be demolished 'for who could have dreamed of all the filth and sin which rules in so small a space'. Not long after this however Naomi also re-married, claiming to be a widow. Her new husband was William Boatwright and the couple wed in the Methodist Chapel in Edwardes St, Auckland on 2nd September 1862. A further indication that the family found itself in difficult circumstances is that the two surviving younger girls were both admitted to the destitute children's home in 1871. Ellen by then 18 years of age, seems to have escaped this fate.

Naomi married for a third time in 1876, to John Swift. The wedding taking place in the Auckland Registry Office. Naomi died in hospital from cancer of the uterus on 15 Jan 1881 and was buried the following day. She was still living in Chancery St at the time. Naomi's daughters all outlived her and all married, but only Mary Ann (Marion) is known to have had children. A descendant of hers Lynton Riley was the source of all the New Zealand information.

Samuel and Emma had five children:- Mary, Catherine, Frederick, Emma and Ida (who was to later marry her first cousin Arthur Cassidy). The first three mentioned were all born in Victoria and the other two in South Australia. Frederick was born at Seymour in 1874 but died there the following year. Apart from Frederick the other children were still living when Samuel died at his residence 15 Hilton St, Clifton Hill on Nov 3rd 1902. He was buried in the Melbourne General cemetery on Nov 5th - the last survivor of the children of Samuel and Mary. The information was obtained from the marriage and death certificates of Samuel supplied by Jack Chisholm. The date and place of Frederick's death was supplied by Peter Cassidy.

Nothing more is known of Edwin apart from what has already been recorded. No contemporary reference to Edwin's disappearance has been found.

James married a Mary Kenery in Melbourne around 1854. The couple had no children. In June of 1877 he leased his 79 acre portion of Samuel's original land at Port Gawler to Thomas Robinson of Victoria Bridge for a period of ten years at 25 pounds per year. His death occurred at his residence at 213 George St, Fitzroy on Dec 16th 1882. He was 48 years of age and his death certificate records his occupation as "gentleman". He was buried four days later in the Melbourne General cemetery. He was possibly a widower as in his will he directed his entire estate to a Margaret Kenery and her family - possibly a sister-in-law.

John married a certain Sarah Needham Herdegan on August 21st 1884 at Chalmers Mance in East Melbourne. His age was given as 40 and his birthplace as Adelaide South Australia! (both of these pieces of information would seem to be incorrect as he was more likely aged around 46 and born in Ireland.) His usual place of living was recorded as Orange NSW and he was described as a bachelor with no children. His occupation was given as "engine-driver". It was Sarah's second marriage; she was already the mother of ten children of whom six were living. One of her children was Caroline Herdegan (Mrs Robert Cassidy) who had died just two years previously. Sarah had been born in Liverpool, England and before her second marriage was living at Sandhurst, Vic. The couple lived first at Cargo and later at Rooty Hill, but John actually died in Adelaide on Nov 5th 1896. Strangely on his death certificate his usual place of residence was given as Western Australia. As it seems clear that he was just visiting Adelaide when he was taken ill before his death, probably whoever provided the details for the death certificate was not fully informed.

As has already been mentioned, Henry was married at Orange on March 6th 1861, to a Catherine Hasson. Henry was a farmer and he and Catherine appear to have had at least thirteen children. At the time of his death, which was registered at Orange on Feb 28th 1884, one child had died in infancy and at least two daughters had pre-deceased him. Seven of his children are known to have descendants. One daughter, Catherine (born 1879) later married an Edward Ryan in 1897, and a descendant Marilyn Keirle has been in contact with Eileen Cassidy. Marie Fitzpatrick (see footnote 5 above) is also a descendant of Catherine. Tom Cassidy and Valerie Bryant, two other descendants of Henry Adams Cassidy, collaborated in the writing of a book on this branch of the family which I was invited to launch at a family reunion organized at Canowindra in 2003.

Robert was married in 1878 to the Caroline Herdegan mentioned above. He died intestate on June 10th 1885 after being run over by the wheel of a dray, and subsequently his brother John was appointed to administer his estate. As Robert's wife had already died (on 16th Feb 1882 and buried at Cargo), his two children Gertrude and Robert were reared by the wife of John Cassidy, who was in fact both their grandmother and aunt! Jack Chisholm is a descendant of Gertrude.

Finally, Mary-Ann married a butcher named William Taylor at Sale on March 25th 1869. (details from her marriage certificate) Three daughters and a son were born in Gippsland:- Alice (b Bairnsdale, 1870), Maria (b Sale, 1871), Eva (b Sale, 1872) and William (b Sale, 1873) but after this the family moved to Melbourne. William Taylor is listed in the Melbourne Directory as living at 378 Wellington St Collingwood in 1878-79 where another son Charles was born in 1879, but William did not live to see this event as he was accidentally crushed to death by an hydraulic lift in Bourke St in August 1878. Mary-Ann Taylor is listed as living at the Wellington St address until 1900. According to the records of the Kew Asylum now held at the Victorian Public Records Office Mary Ann was admitted to the Asylum on August 24th of that year on the authority of her son C A Taylor. She is described as suffering from "melancholia" the supposed cause of which was "worry resulting from death in the family". (Her daughter Alice had died just a few months previously and possibly this event on top of the premature deaths of two of her other children and her husband was more than she could cope with). It was noted that she was a widow, her state in life was recorded as "domestic" and her religion "Presbyterian". Even though she was said to be in "fair health" at the time of her admission her medical casebook records a steady decline in her health and details the symptoms of her deteriorating mental state which included confusion, anxiety and delusions of conspiracy and impending danger. Despite regular visits from her son she died a rather sad death there a few months later on Jan 27th 1901. She was 52 yrs old. The constable providing the information for the death certificate at her inquest was unable to give any details of her parents, marriage or children and her will mentions only a son Charles Joseph Amphlet Taylor, at that time a clicker in the boot trade. She was buried in the Melbourne General cemetery three days after her death.

The land at Port Gawler was eventually sold to the Thomas Robinson who had earlier leased it, for the sum of 294 pounds 14 shillings and sixpence. The proceeds of the sale were distributed among the eleven surviving descendants of Henry Cassidy, Robert Cassidy and Mary Ann Taylor.