On 2020-11-08 10:52, Elizabeth Crow wrote:

Hi Ian, 

I have some queries regarding information in the Monaro Pioneers Database, and am not sure who to contact, so have chosen to try you first (lucky you).  I realise that as you probably are not related to this family, most of it won't be of much interest to you, but maybe you can tell me who I should be contacting.

Margaret BRENNAN and Peter BYRNE are in the Database for this site, but I am querying some of the details, and am hoping someone can help me.  I may have my information all wrong, so am happy to be corrected.

I have attached my personal notes that I have written up on the family of Margaret BRENNAN and Peter BYRNE, but it does go on a bit, so below I'll write more briefly my queries – further details of each are included in the attachment.

Peter BYRNE arrived aboard the Convict Ship 'Almorah', and was still alive in the early 1830's – but, the Database says he died in 1827 (there was another convict, Peter BURNS, who died 1827, but he arrived aboard 'Guildford'). 

Margaret & Peter's son in the Database, also named Peter BYRNE, is in the Database as having died 31^st July, 1884 – I think this 'Database Peter' actually died in 1878?  Even though 1884 is the date on a Peter's headstone, I think it might have been engraved wrongly and mixed up with his son's death year. 

The Database says that Margaret & Peter's daughter, Mary, died in 1853.  I have found some record for the death of a Mary in that year, but can't find any evidence that she was their daughter.

Margaret & Peter's son, James BYRNE is in the Database as having died 1889, but the only James I have found that died then had different parents, so I am doubtful that is him.

Margaret BRENNAN and Peter BYRNE did have children names Peter, Mary and James, but I haven't been able to find any evidence to link those children to the ones in the Database.

My 3g Grandfather was John BRENNAN, who married Johanna CROWLEY.  It seems to be taken as a given by many that his mother was Margaret BRENNAN who later married Peter BYRNE.  I haven't found any definite connection linking the John who married CROWLEY to Margaret – but, Margaret did have a son named John, and his birthdate and some other details do seem to fit with 'my' John.

Kind regards,  Elizabeth Crow

BURNS JAMES

11333/1889 

AGE 60 YEARS

DIED COOMA

COOMA

Hi Ian,

Thanks for replying.

My head is spinning trying to work out who the parents of my 3g Grandfather, John BRENNAN were, and I am more then happy for someone to prove my theories wrong – I just want to know who they were.

My reason I started researching was to find out when and why my ancestors came to Australia, and I have traced most branches back to their arrival, but the BRENNAN's are still a bit of a mystery.

I have a lot of certificates and records, I've been tracing my Family History since the 1980's.   As I mentioned in my notes, for a long time I thought my 3g grandfather, John BRENNAN's parents were John BRENNAN and Elizabeth SEAGRAVE, so I haven't been researching Margaret BRENNAN and Peter BYRNE for that long.  

I still haven't found anything solid to confirm just who 3g John's parents were, the only definite information I have about him starts with his marriage to Johanna (Hannah) CROWLEY.

I have copies of all those 'sources' that I have listed in my notes that I attached to you.  Unfortunately, my file of 'Probably not related to Margaret/Mary BRENNAN/BYRNE and Peter BYRNE' is much larger than my 'Possibilities/Definites' file.

I did wonder if there was an error made with the date when Peter and Thomas Headstone was engraved, that perhaps whoever did the engraving mis-printed Thomas' 1884 death date as both Thomas and Peter's dates?  I do already have pictures of their Headstone.

I have not been able to find a Death Certificate for the Peter BYRNE that died 31^st July, 1878 (it doesn't seem to be in the NSW BDM, unless it is spelt some unusual way), but I will attach to this email the following information about him (listed in date order) – 

• Marriage Certificate for Peter BYRNE and Ann LEACOUNT – 16^th August, 1857
• Manaro Mercury and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser, Saturday 3^rd August, 1878: 'OBITUARY – Mr Peter BYRNES, a selector at Billyrumbuck, died on Wednesday last.  Deceased had lived

in the district of Manaro about forty years.'

• NSW Government Gazette, 27^th August, 1878: 'Ecclestiastical Jurisdiction Estate Peter BYRNE late of Billyrumbuck near Cooma.....granted to Ann BYRNE, the widow of the deceased.'
• Birth Certificate for son, Thomas BYRNE – 12^th November, 1878 (states on it that Peter was 62 years old and born in Ireland)
• Maranoa Mercury and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser, Saturday, 7^th December, 1878:  Ann BYRNE (widow of Peter BYRNE) v John HEANEY, Claim for Plough ....
• Marriage Certificate for Peter's Widow, Anne BYRNE and William McCARTHY – 23^rd April, 1881
• Death Certificate for son, Thomas BYRNE – 16^th June, 1884

 I will also attach a couple of Shipping Records for a Peter BYRNE, son of James and Johanna, that I have found on Ancestry.com that could possibly be the above Peter (I've no idea if this is right, but the dates of Age and Arrival into NSW seem to fit). 

• I will also attach a couple of Shipping Records for a Peter BYRNE, son of James and Johanna, that I have found on Ancestry.com that could possibly be the above Peter (I've no idea if this is right, but the dates of Age and Arrival into NSW seem to fit).  

 I have also attached the Death Certificate for the Peter BURNS from the Newspaper Clipping you included in your email – Died: 11 July, 1878

• I have also attached the Death Certificate for the Peter BURNS from the Newspaper Clipping you included in your email – Died: 11^th July, 1878

As for James BURNS – I will attach his 

• NSW Death Certificate dated 07^th October, 1889 – states he was married to Mary LOWE
• Qld Marriage Certificate dated 18^th November, 1866 – he was married to Mary LOWE, and his parents were Samuel BURNS and Anne McLAREN (I think McLAREN, the writing is a bit hard to read?).

 I look forward to your thoughts on all of this.

 Kind Regards,  Liz