This is great information. I have also been researching Matthew and Bridget following a dna match with descendants. If interested, I have recorded what I have found on FamilySearch ID LL7Z-GQH
Place of migration
Migrated to/Born in Australia
Bridget Rahilly married Matthew Gleeson on 22nd February 1835 in Bridgetown in the ecclesiatical parish of Killaloe/O'Briensbridge. Matthew is cited as being from the parish of Doonass. Her father Patrick Rahilly was a landholder in the townland of Ardataggle and Bridgetown is a village in the townland of Ardataggle. Bridget's mother was Mary Ringrose. The other firm information available comes from her death certificate witnessed by one of her sons, Patrick Gleeson. According to this there were two children who predeceased her (Michael and Bridget). Surviving children at that point were all resident in the area around Warrnambool and Koroit were Thomas, Patrick, Matthew, John and Mary (Ryan). There is no information available about the fate of her husband Matthew, somewhat of a family puzzle. There is no grave to be found in the area he lived or any record of his death.
It is very likely that the family resided in Clonlara as Matthew Gleeson was listed in Griffiths valuation circa 1855 as occupying a house and yard in Clonlara (in the parish of Doonass). Clonlara was used as a property name by Patrick and the brothers successfully raced a horse named Clonlara in the Koroit area. According to her death certificate she had lived in Australia for 21 years at the time of her death which put the immigration date somewhere in 1867 or thereabouts.
The only baptismal records that can be found for the offspring are the Baptism of Matthew on 9th October 1841 and John on 3rd September 1844. The family address was given as Ardataggle and Bridgetown respectively. If Matthew and Bridget lived in Doonass then the parish records available here do not commence till 1851 and so there would be no record of the baptism of Thomas, Patrick or Michael. Baptism of Mary Rahilly has not been located.
There is not a lot of information about Bridget after her immigration to Australia. She was living with her daughter Mary Ryan when she died in 1888, and her age was given then as 80 years of age. It was in my view rather amazing that after having 7 children, enduring the famine, sailing to Australia that she lived so long. Her youngest son John lived to be about 95, but husband Matthew does not seem to have made it to 60 years old.
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1st Jan 1808 (circa) | |
| Date of Death | 1st Mar 1888 | |
Comments
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Kathy
Sunday 12th June 2022 06:54AM -
The information on Bridget’s death certificate about her time in Victoria may be wrong - her son Patrick married Margaret Mahony in Victoria in 1862, and Thomas married Mary Lane in 1866.
Alternatively, perhaps the children came out independently and were joined by Bridget later when her husband died in Ireland. This is a plausible scenario as we cannot find the family Gleeson as a whole in the immigration records. There was also a Gleeson reunion document in 1982 mentioning the “family” first arrived in South Australia and moved to Victoria after a time there around the Mt Gambier area ( close to Warrnambool).
More investigation required, but the separate immigration theory may make sense
Phil
Tuesday 27th September 2022 01:50AM -
Hello Phil,
Thanks for your comments. It is very unlikely the information on the death certificate is incorrect as it was filled out by Patrick and he seemed to have a good handle on the family situation, given he identified 2 siblings who were deceased and never made it to Australia. He also witnessed another death certificate with solid information that lead to a DNA test, that in turn confirmed a relative we did not know about who had come as a young married woman.
A couple of us who have been working on the ancestors have Mary coming to Australia in the late 1860's with John and Mary, the youngest two (immigration records). Of this we are pretty sure. The older sons came out previously but the exact dates of arrival(s) are not determined as yet. And they likely came in two or three instances. But the old folk were not strong on written history, and so there is not much to trace. However almost certainly they didn't have much in the way of wordly weatlh in Ireland, but within a relatively short period all 4 sons were farming. and by the time of their deaths were comfortably off, and the next generation were given a good start. I suspect that Mary Rahilly-Gleeson and the youngest 2 were supported to come out by the lads already earning a living in Australia.
Regards.
lozzagee46
Tuesday 27th September 2022 04:36AM -
Well that helps narrow down the options give the split arrivals. It makes sense that Bridget came with Mary and John as the youngest two and probably after Bridget’s husband died. Just need to line up a few more dates and ships. Obituaries provide a few more clues as well. More to come.
Phil
Tuesday 27th September 2022 04:46AM -
Bridget John and Mary G - victoria 1867.png - arriving on the Royal Standard into the port of Melbourne in 1866/67
Royal Standard - Bridget John Mary Gleeson 1866.png
Still looking for the older brothers - Thomas, Patrick and Mathew
Phil
Tuesday 27th September 2022 05:50AM -
Yes that is what we have concluded - Royal Standard. Although the manifest says she was 39, I figure she gave herself a heavy discount to be assured of a berth or whatever as younger women were preferred immigrants.
There is no record of Matthew the elder's death in Ireland, but it would appear that he died somethere between 1855 and 1866. Whether the older sons would have left if the father was dead is an interesting question. I will do some work on the actual death certificates to see if there is any better clues as to arrival in Australia. However it is worth noting that on the database death record on BDM Victoria, Thomas's father is given as Thomas Gleeson, and that is an error. He died in 1918 aged 82 (according to the BDM record).
Seeing as how you seem to be a good detective, what was interesting was that Patrick Gleeson (second son after Thomas), was the witness to the death certificate of Patrick Clune from Blackwater Co Clare, died Victoria 1898 aged 70, and Patrick said his relationship was cousin. Patrick Clune married Margaret Gleeson in Limerick at the age of 29 and he was in Victoria for 41 years, indicating that he and his wife emigrated almost immediatelyt hey were married - that would be in 1857. According to Margaret's death certificate, she died aged 83 in 1918 and was in Victoria for 61 years, and her parents were Thomas and Mary Gleeson of Blackwater, Co Clare. Also puts here arrival in 1857. On finding the preceding information, I arranged for a great grandson of Margaret Clune to be DNA tested - had no idea of this relationship - and results indicate 4th cousins. So it would appear that Thomas Gleeson of Blackwater and Matthew Gleeson Snr of Clonlara were probably brothers. So be worth looking to see what ship Patrick and Margaret Clune came on and if one of these Gleeson brothers might have been with them. Patrick and Margaret Clune lived in Mailor's Flat and I note on the death record of Thomas Gleeson he died in Mailor's Flat, not his usual place of residence. He usually lived about 8 miles away and was widowed many years at the time of his death.
Regards
lozzagee46
Tuesday 27th September 2022 06:40AM
