Mary Davis

Level 72

Robin Sharkey on 15th January 2017

Mary Davis was an Irish convict transported on “Minerva” for 7 years, arriving in NSW in 1800. She was 22 years old on leaving Ireland and had been tried in 1798 in Dublin. In the year she arrived, 1800, Nicholas Creagan, who would become her husband, was discharged after his seven years were up and sent to Parramatta where he was employed by the surgeon, Mr Balmain. Mary was also known as “Kitty” (letter 1819 confirming admission of her sons into the male orphan school). No data as to when she met Nicholas Creagan, However presumably it was after 1806 as he had an approval to leave the colony that year, but evidently did not (unless it departing just for purposes of a sealing or sealing trip). The following children of the couple have have been located in the records: abt 1810 - ANN 1825 Ann Craighan, Recorded in 1825 Muster as aged 15, Campbelltown, Arrival status: BC Daughter of Nicholas “Craighan”. Therefore born about 1810 abt 1812 - EDWARD In 1822 listed as being at Orphan School as “Croogan”, Edward aged 10. BC Therefore born about 1812 DIED 1890, Edward Cregan, Braidwood, was a builder, son of Nicholas and Mary. He married Margaret Gray born in NZ in 1830 and they had a large family at Braidwood. 1814 - NICHOLAS Craigan,; From baptismal records of St Matthew's Cof E Windsor, recorded as “Craigan” Born 29 Jul 1814 Abode: Airds. Baptised 30 Apr 1815 Windsor by Rev Robert Cartwright, son of Nicholas Craigan, & Mary. Married 1842 to Eliza and had a son, Nicholas in 1843. Mary’s husband, Nicholas Cregan, must have commenced farming in the Airds district: 1813, Jul 24 Letter (Col Sec’s In letters), Nicholas “Cregan” [Creagan,] On list of persons indebted for stock issued from the Government Herds between 1 Apr 1810 and 24 Jul 1813; Sadly, in the same year that the youngest child Nicholas Jnr was born, her husband Nicholas Cregan died. This left Mary in poverty. We know this because in 1818 she applied to put her two young sons into the male Orphan School at Cabramatta. She herself was described as a washerwoman, which is one of the last employments available to impoverished women with a young family to care for: ORPHAN SCHOOL 1818, July letter - Edward “Creagan” Son of Nicholas and Mary Creagan of Airds; Recommended for the new orphan school; appears as Cragan 1818, July letter - “Michael’ “Creagan” Son of Nicholas and Mary Creagan of Airds; Recommended for the new orphan school; appears as Cragan. Should this be “NICHOLAS”? The boys, Edward and Nicholas, were admitted, and were recorded there in 1819: Letter Dated: 1819, Jan 1; Kitty Creagan, Trade or Calling: Washerwoman; Bunbury Curran; Mother of Edward and Nicholas Creagan. admitted to Male Orphan School Things improved for Kitty since by 1823 she had got herself a government servant by 1823, although he absconded: From Col Sec’s records: Letter 5th May 1823, Mary Creagan, [written as “Cragan”] of Bunbury Curran. Re her runaway servant, Thomas Hammond DEATH of Mary: NSWBDM - Mary Creagan died Campbelltown in 1856 “aged 92” Daughter ANN Cregan - Ann might not have married. On an 1869 list of donees to the “Fund for the Liberated Irish State Prisoners” collected in Campbelltown, (Freeman’s Journal, 4 Dec 1869, p.2) is included “Miss Anne Cregan”.