Michael Hartigan : Short Biography

Michael Hartigan 1829

County Clare

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Place of migration

Migrated to/Born in Australia

Additional Information
Date of Birth	1st Jan 1829
Date of Death	2nd Sep 1878

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Michael Hartigan arrived in Australia in 1863. On the ship were Mary, Catherine and briget trousdell/Townsell. From memory Michael was sponsored by his uncle HEHIR to arrive. There seemed some great Clare connections here in Australia where friends and family reunited and supported each other. Michael Hartigan married Mary Townsell in 1871. Catherine and briget appear on the passenger list into Australia as Townsell, but they both assume the name Hartigan- reasons unknown at this stage. They moved to Western Australia around 1866. Catherine married Arthur Isaac Johnson in 1870. She is my gg grandmother. Briget married around 1875. I will need to refer to my records for more info. Catherine and Arthur had a lot of children. In 1890 Catherine took strychnine and ended her lif3 with her children around her. Newspaper recorded it as a temporary bout of insanity. Always puzzled me. But Patrick her brother had arrived in Australia years before Catherine, Bridget and Mary. Patrick died 31 October 1890 and I wonder if Catherine took her life after the losses she’d suffered. We believed she was a famine orphan- she said she was an orphan…… Her mother passed away in Ireland but her father was alive. I assume he was caring for his children and as they reached 16, they went to Australia. But Catherine was 20, Bridget 17 and Mary 16 when they arrived. Mary worked in Sydney and I believe Catherine also. There are ship lists with other Townsell girls arriving when they are 16, sponsored by Catherine and Mary. I draw the conclusion that the sisters sponsored their siblings to come to Australia with Patrick the patriarch here. Their father Michael died in the 1870s, which meant Catherine’s parent both deceased by then, giving her the status of orphan. But we believed they were Hartigan. Only Mary was by marriage

Lilly

Friday 23rd December 2022 06:41PM

Michael Hartigan born in Killaloe Clare Ireland about 1829 and died in Sydney (Surrey Hills) on 2 September 1878 (NSW BDM ref 1593/1878).

Michael was my great great grandfather. Michael married Margaret Morgan on 7th January 1855 in Killaloe Clare Ireland (record # 1186/1855) Fr Nicholas Power (priest) Witnesses included Patrick Minehan & Sally Carroll.

Both Michael & Margaret migrated to Australia, arriving in Sydney on 16 June 1855 aboard the "Golden Era"

Michael's farher was Patt (Patrick) Hartigan and mother was Margaret (Minehan? ). Michael had 2 brothers I know of, John & Denis, both brothers migrated to Australia. John arrived on 28 August 1857 aboard the "Vocalist", married Margaret Cooney and had 3 children. Denis arrived in Sydney on 18 Jan 1864 aboard the "Ocean Empress", he married Margaret Kennedy and also had 3 children.

Michael & Margaret had 9 children, including Dennis Hartigan (1859-1936), my great grandfather, Dennis had 10 children including my grandfather David Hartigan (1894-1964). David had 4 children including my father David William (aka Bill)