Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

Michael and Mary emigrated as unassisted immigrants. They departed Plymouth, England aboard the ship 'Hotspur'. The voyage took 90 days arriving in Sydney 5 Dec 1863 with 440 passenger on board.
They first settled at Jamberoo on the south coast of New South Wales where Michael was a farmer. Their first four children are registered as having been born at Kiama.
In about 1870, the family sailed to Ballina and relocated to Duck Mountain which is now known as Alstonville.

The O'Connell's of Duck Creek Mountain
Local History
Margaret Henderson
Everyone has a life story and looking over interesting old photographs you may often wonder about the person or event portrayed. We take so much for granted regarding the people closest to us that we forget that one day their stories will be forgotten, and that details of events will fade. It is important that we try to make notes, keep a diary, or write some of this personal or local history, before its lost.
One family who had an impact on the early history of Alstonville comes into this category. At the Historical Society we have a lovely old photograph of an elderly couple named Michael and Mary O'Connell (nee Carroll) but we know very little about them. We do have their obituaries and a partial family tree, however, and a small mention of them in Foreman Crawford's book "Duck Creek Mountain". What does this tell us?
Michael and Mary were Irish, Michael being born in 1837 in County Meath, Mary in 1838 in County Cavan. Mary's parents were Peter Carroll and Ellen Gallagher and Michael's parents were Michael O'Connell and Julia Halpin. Both families probably had a farming background. Michael being one of 11 children. He was a close relative of Daniel O'Connell known in Irish history as the Great Liberator.
Both Michael and Mary would have grown up during the Great Irish Famine in the 1840s. Many were thrown off their holdings during this period and thousands died of starvation. We can only speculate on the effects of the famine on the young couple. However, it seems likely that it influenced their decision to come to Australia soon after marrying in 1862. They settled initially on the NSW south coast at Jamberoo.
In 1870, having heard great reports of the availability of good land in the Richmond River District, Michael and Mary decided to select land at Duck Creek Mountain, the original name for the Alstonville area. They had four children by this time, all registered under the name of Connell. Apparently over the years the surname moved to and fro between Connell and O'Connell. The reason for this is not stated. However, it is interesting to note that in the 1890 electoral roll, Michael is listed as O'Connell, while the eldest son, Thomas, is listed as Connell.
Foreman Crawford refers to the family as Connell and its from him that we hear a few personal details. Mary, having come from a mountainous part of Ireland, thought little of the so called "mountain' at Duck Creek.
The land selected by the Connells was apparently Portions 41, 42, and 43 on what is now called Ellis Road. Foreman Crawford also tells us that Mary was a very clever cook. When they first arrived their only cooking pot was a camp oven. Everything was cooked in this and it was quite an art to know just when to add each item to the pot so that each would be cooked perfectly when dinner time arrived.
Mary and Michael could not read or write and were very anxious that their growing family should all receive some education. The only schooling available locally at the time was at the Wesleyan Sabbath School. Children attending the Sunday School were taught to read and write so that they could read the bible and sing hymns. Most locals took advantage of this, including the Catholic Connells. However, a few months later, a priest paid one of their infrequent visits, and under duress, Michael removed his children from he school. He was not happy about the situation and we can only imagine the difficulty of the decision he had to make.
The family worked hard and prospered. They cleared the land and grew cane. Michael at one time employed a large number of men. Later the farm became one of the many successful dairy farms in the area. The only real sadness was the loss of their eldest son, Thomas, to consumption in 1905. He had married Bridget McNamee in 189- and they had one daughter and four sons, one of whom was born the year after his father died.
Michael O'Connell died in 1908 and Mary in 1925. They have a large number of descendants, several of whom joined Catholic religious orders and helped to educate generations of other children. Michael would no doubt have approved of this.

13847/1925 O'CONNELL MARY PETER ELLEN LISMORE
13847/1925 OCONNELL MARY PETER ELLEN LISMORE

Died at 31 Leycester Street Lismore, age 87 of acute bronchitis and heart failure, father Peter Carroll a labourer and Ellen. Informant H.G. Flynn, grandson of Lismore. Born in County Cavan Ireland 61 years in NSW, married in Ireland age 25 to Michael O'Connell, children of marriage: Julia 61, Thomas 59, Ellen, 57, Mary A. 55, Katherine 53, Michael 51, Rose 49, Maria 47, Margaret 43, Daniel 40 living, one male deceased.

The gravestone reads:
OF YOUR CHARITY PRAY FOR THE REPOSE
OF THE SOUL OF
THOMAS O'CONNELL
DIED SEPR. 25TH 1895
AGED 39 YEARS
R.I.P.
ERECTED BY HIS LOVING PARENTS.
ALSO IN THE MEMORY OF
MICHAEL O'CONNELL
FATHER OF THE ABOVE
A NATIVE OF CO. MEATH IRELAND
ARRIVED IN N.S.W. 1863
DIED NOVR. 23RD 1908
AGED 71 YEARS.
A LOVING HUSBAND AND A KIND FATHER.
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE.
AFFECTIONS TRIBUTES HERE I RAISE
'TIS ALL THAT I CAN DO.
TILL DEATH SHALL CLOSE MY EARTHLY EYES
OUR FRIENDSHIP TO RENEW.

On plinth:
MARY O'CONNELL
DIED 26 SEP. 1925
AGED 87 YEARS
MAY HER SOUL REST IN PEACE.