Thomas Sweeney

Thomas Sweeney, was convicted in 1825 for stealing a cow, (as per petition "Leading a Cow for a man across a field at Tempo, and that the man ran off).

In Gaol he petitioned for his wife and 3 children to accompany him and that the potatoes given to eat were rotten, and requested they be given decent food.

Thomas arrived at Port Jackson on the "Regalia" in 1826. Born 1799

http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Thomas_Sweeney_%289%29

As Thomas had advised via petition that he was married and with a family, he and Mary could not marry, his family could not be brought out at the Government's expense, due to his colonial conviction - therefore Thomas and Mary lived together as partners. The children born to them included:

Bridget born 1834; Mary born c1836; Catherine born c1838 John & Patrick (twins) born 1841; Mary's death certificate states that she had 7 children. In 1856 Thomas gave away his daughter Catherine in marriage to John Jackson jnr, (son of John Jackson and Susannah Hall) at West Maitland. He is mentioned as a donor to the R.C.church fund at Black Creek - (Maitland Mercury). In 1865 Thomas died. The coroner brought down "from the conditions of his profession".His death certificate states that he was married, wife and children unknown. Our query is how can a man who only 9 years ago was apart of his family's life, be not known in the community, they were living. The family continued to live in Black Creek long after the 20th century opened.