The modern history of our branch of the Callahan family begins with the arrival in Australia in 1842 of Phillip, the son of John Philip Callahan, shoemaker and farmer of County Cavan Ireland and his wife Bridget Frances Moore. Phillip’s brother Patrick also left Ireland in October 1843 and another brother William followed.
About September 1848, John Phillip’s fourth son James left Glasgow on the ship Martin Luther. Following in the footsteps of his brothers Phillip, Patrick and William, young James sailed to Australia with his cousin Patrick Fox and his sisters Susan and Anne Callahan. They settled in the state of Victoria.
worked there from 1842 until 1850. In that year he and Patrick went to Top Station on the Moorabool River. Then in 1856 Patrick moved to manage Phillip’s property at Barwon Downs, while Phillip and his wife Ann (nee Chisholm) ran the Carrington Hotel in Geelong. After James married, he worked for his
James’ eldest brother Philip Callahan worked there from 1842 until 1850. In that year he and Patrick went to Top Station on the Moorabool River. Then in 1856 Patrick moved to manage Phillip’s property at Barwon Downs, while Philip and his wife Ann (nee Chisholm) ran the Carrington Hotel in Geelong.
In August 1854, the year of the Eureka Stockade and only five years after arriving in Australia, James (who was then twenty-four) married nineteen year old Mary Anne Meaney at St Mary’s Church in Geelong. Fr. Patrick Dunne, who said the first mass at Brown Hill East Ballarat in October 1851 near where St Alipius Church now stands, officiated at the ceremony.
James and Mary had six children, the eldest being John who was born in July 1855 in Geelong. The Callahan family lived around Geelong managing a number of hotels and became involved in carting and farming.
