Samuel Cassidy was born in Cavan around 1797.
According to the Muster Rolls and Casualty Returns of the British East India company, he enlisted in the Bengal Artillery from Cavan in 1809, and arrived in India aboard the 'Union' in March 1809. He served for around 12 years before becoming a casualty in 1821. He was invalided to Chunar from Hufsingabad and presumably sometime after this returned to England where he was admitted as an Out-Pensioner at Chelsea Hospital on Sept 19th, 1821. He continued to receive a military pension for the rest of his life. (Interestingly a James Cassidy from Bailieborough also enlisted in an artillery unit and arrived in Bengal in 1816. He was 18 years old at e time and had a wife Bridget. He died while on service in India in 1821. Perhaps a relative?)
Samuel returned to Cavan and married Mary Rutherford sometime around 1826. They had five sons whose baptisms are recorded in the Church of Ireland parish of Bailieborough. In 1840, while living at Skeagh lake near Bailieborough, Samuel applied for a free passage to South Australia for himself, his wife and children.
Four more children (3 sons and a daughter) were born to the couple in South Australia. The family lived at Emigration Square in Adelaide, then at Cowandilla (now a suburb of Adelaide) until 1853 when Samuel obtained 316 acres of land at Port Gawler. He died at Port Gawler in Nov 1855.
More information can be found in the family history I wrote and posted online. The story of Samuel commences in Ch 12 see https://bpbond.ucoz.com/CH12.htm
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1st Jan 1797 (circa) | |
| Date of Death | 2nd Nov 1855 | |
| Townland born | Cavan | |
| Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname) | Mary Rutherford | |
| Number of Children | 4 | |
