looking 4 family

Hi,

Thank you for your message.

Unfortuantely it may be quite dificult to get information on James without knowing the specific location he came from. Most Irish record sources- parish records, land records, census records- are based on specific locations. Until you know a specific location within Ireland, preferably a parish, it may be difficult to do anything more with these records.

Do you know much about why he left Ireland for Australia? Was it a voluntary emigration or was he sent there for being convicted of a crime? 

Transportation from Ireland for crimes committed in Ireland, lasted from 1791 to 1853. The records of the Chief Secretary's Office, which had responsibility for the Penal system, are the major Irish source of information on transportees. Not all of the relevant records have survived, particularly for the period before 1836, but what does exist can provide a wealth of information. These records were microfilmed and a database was presented to the Australian government and can now be found in many State archives. The NAI retains copies and the database, in particular, can save a great deal of time and effort. www.nationalarchives.ie

If James was transported for a crime and if you can find his transportation records it may be possible to find an exact place of origin in Ireland. If you can find this things will open up and you will then be able to search further.

If James was a voluntary emigrant you may be able to find his immigration records in Australia, whcih also may contain an exact place of origin. The University of Woolongong has produced, on microfiche, a complete index and transcript of all information concerning immigrants of Irish origin recorded on ships' passenger lists between 1848 and 1867. These are useful for finding out an exact place of origin as well as parents' names. The Public Record Office of Victoria has good online databases of settlers at www.prov.vic.gov.au Otherwise, other records may be found in the Colonial Office Papers of the UK National Archives, class reference CO 201.

Some other websites which may be helpful are:

The National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/

The National Library of Ireland http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx

The National Archives UK ? genealogy search: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/

The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history.htm.

Family Search: https://familysearch.org/  

I hope that this helps you get started. Remember to post any new information that you come across. The more information you post, the more likely it is that one of our volunteers will be able to advise or assist you. Also include information concerning which sources you may have already used so others may further your search.

Kind regards,

Genealogy Support

Hi

Have you checked NSW and Australian records for more information about James O'Neill?

State Records NSW holds microfilm copy of the Convict Registers kept in the UK. You can view these at the State Records facility in The Rocks, Sydney; or you can search online for basic details:

http://srwww.records.nsw.gov.au/indexes/searchform.aspx?id=65  

There were some James O'Neill who arrived on convict ships. However their year of birth does not appear to match your James; this could be due to transcription error from the handwritten Convict Registers into type-text. 

Have you checked the NSW online BDM, for Deaths and Marriage?

http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/Index/IndexingOrder.cgi/search?event=…

A James O'Neill died 1891 in Qbn district, parents John, Ann. It will cost you $ to obtain the full Death Certificate from NSW BMD. That is one way to ascertain his approximate birth year.

If his age at death is not on the Death Certificate, and you know the name of his wife, a search NSW BDM for Marriages will give you opportunity to purchase the Marriage certificate. That may contain ages of bride & groom.

There is an 1859 marriage in Qbn District (Gundaroo likely within Qbn District) to Mary AFFLECK; and subsequent birth of an Anna M. O'Neill (parent James & Mary A.) in 1864 registered Qn District. Is this your family?

However, a search via TROVE Newspapers online (trove.nla.gov.au) from 1890 to 1891gives a very positive outcome:

Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954) Thursday 19 November 1891 p 2 Family Notices

DEATH. O'NEILL.-November 9, at his residence, Monaro- street, Queanbeyan, James O'Neill, Esq., of Tubercurry, county Sligo, Ireland. " Weep not : he is not dead, but gone before."  

Unfortunately the newspaper death notice does not state his age at death, but it does provide his address in Qbn and location within Co. Sligo.  The good people at XO can identify "Tubercurry" for you. Using Post Office Directories, and other public documents should enable you to establish whether your James lived in Monaro St.  If you can do so, then you have Tubercurry, County Sligo, Ireland. as his place of origin.

If you can establish your James was the one who live in Monaro St Qbn, married in 1859 to Mary Affleck, fathered Anna M O'Neill and died in 1891 in the Qeanbeyan District, you have his place of origin. Researching the convict records, assuming he was a convict, will give details such a colour of hair, eyes, height and physical features. These are in Prisoner Descriptions, see State Record NSW. ...  or if you're in Qbn, pop over to the National Library in Canberra which houses many  searchable records and microfilm reels.

Going back to the Convict records for a moment: The County where the Court Trial took place is recorded, and this is NOT necessarily the place of origin of the accused.

If not a convict, I believe there is data (State Library NSW or NLA + other family history centres) which provides names of immigrants to Australian Colonies.  State Records now has this ONLINE  (brilliant!)  And there are 4  outcomes. Knowing James' age at death, marriage or another event will help you know which  of the 4 James is most likely yours.

http://srwww.records.nsw.gov.au/indexes/searchhits.aspx?table=Assisted%…

Of interest: If James was a convict, then searching through the digitised newpapers (trove.nla.gov.au) enable you to locate his movement throughout NSW: where he arrived (Sydney Barracks), the name and location of his appointed 'master'; where he was when granted a Ticket of Leave, if he applied for permission to marry, if he 'escaped from a master' and was recaptured. All this was reported in the newspapers. Convicts are referred to by Surname (Name of Ship). You will obtain a vision of his life-journey from Ireland to Qbn

If a convict, there is a data of the names of families who applied to the Govt. for the rest of the family back home, to join them in Australia.  At the moment, I'm not sure of the years this scheme of family re-uniting occurred. 

State Records NSW also gives An Index to Unassisted Arrivals NSW q842 - 1855  see 

http://srwww.records.nsw.gov.au/indexes/searchform.aspx?id=43.   

If some of this is helpful, I'm glad to have helped.

Regards,

Eire2Go.(in NSW)