William Beaghan

71

Robin Sharkey on 10th February 2016

Ship “Martha” arrived NSW 24 December 1818 William Beaghan tried March 1818, in Kings County, native of Athy together with his 23 year old son, Peter Both were TRANSPORTED for 7 years on "Martha" leaving Cork August 1818. Arriving NSW 24 December 1818; Offloaded on 4th January 1819. Ages: 1818 August ships indent says “age 48” 1825 April Cert of Freedom says “54 years” (consistent) 1828 Census says “age 50” - whereas would be aged 58, this is more likely Son Peter aged 23 in 1818 indent, therefore born 1795. Father would have been aged 25 years when Peter was born. Since he was a native of Athy, he may have been the same William Behan who in 1806 (aged 36) was a witness at the marriage in Athy of John Foran and Mary Conner. (17 Feb 1806) (Kildare Genealogy, Church Marriage Record, rootsireland.co) INDENT of “Martha” - William BEAGHAN, native of Athy, KILDARE Labourer aged 48, 5ft 6; fair and ruddy , hair,: brown to grey; hazel eyes, Ticket of Leave 676; Certificate of Freedom 3602 1821 Muster - Parramatta 1822 MUSTER as William “BIHON” Convict, Stockman at Bathurst. 1825, April 21, Cert of Freedom no 119/3602 : “Arrived Martha 1818 “Labourer, native of ATHY, fifty one years, 5 ft 6 in ruddy complexion, sandy brown to grey hair, “Had a ticket of leave no 456/676 reported to be lost. Ticket 2/1017 delivered and cancelled.” 1828 Census William Free by Serv, in 1828 was living closer near Bathurst to the south, at Snake’s Valley with Patrick Burns. Here, the road to Sydney crossed Snake’s Valley Creek, without need for a bridge. In 1828 his son Peter was a hut keeper on a 1,000 acre property of Samuel Marsden’s further east of Bathurst (towards Mudgee) Peter married in 1832 to Margaret Hogan (Colonially-born) whose family all lived at South Creek, but moved to Black Springs near Oberon in the mid 1830’s. Peter’s first children were born near South Creek, however by 1842 a daughter was born at Black Creek, so Peter had moved by then to the Oberon area also. William appears to have stayed on in Bathurst area the whole time. Charge at Windsor Quarter Sessions 1833 William BEHAN Quarter Sessions Cases Item [4/8486] No 8 and No 9, dated November 1833 at Windsor. Was he one of the acquitted people mentione dbelow? The Sydney Herald 5 December 1833 page 2: CATTLE STEALING - Twenty-one persons out of twenty-two charged for this offence, have been acquitted at the Court of Quarter Sessions, at Windsor. Charge in 1835 Another criminal charge in 1835: William in 1835 was put in Parramatta Gaol from Bathurst for trial. He was listed with a Colonial born person named John “Hendrian ..” born at Nepean in 1817 - probably John HANRAHAN who then lived at Black Springs near Oberon with his large family. However it would appear they got off the charge, noted in Sydney Gaol Entrance Book as being discharged from Quarter Sessions on 13th August. Parramatta Gaol Entrance Book 9 July 1835: William ‘BAHAN” Free, ‘Martha’ 1818, native of Kildare, Catholic, Trade: None, Admitted from Penrith, on 9th July for purpose of “Committed for Criminal Court. ”Discharged to Sydney Gaol on 13th July Darlinghurst Gaol Entrance Book 13 July 1835: William ‘BAHAN” Free, ‘Martha’ 1818, native of Co Kildare, Catholic, Labourer, admitted from Bathurst for trial; discharged, QS, 5th August 1841 - Death of William Beahan