The O'Connor Family

Michael O'Connor came to Australia with his parents, Patrick O'Connor and Mary Palmer. The family left Plymouth as immigrants, bound for Australia on board the ship 'ALFRED' on the 24 October 1851. Michael had three siblings with on this voyage. They were John, Gerald and Sophia. Three more were born after their arrival in Australia. They were Mary, Jane and James.

The ship arrived here on the 29 January 1842 and the O'Connors went to the Hunter Valley and took up farming at Old Bank, Paterson, New South Wales.

On the 24 August 1866, Michael married Mary Ann O'Neill, daughter of Patrick O'Neill and Susan Hannah, at Clarence Town, New South Wales. They moved to Harwood Island, New South Wales, where they began cane growing.

Michael and Mary Ann had seven children.

1. Patrick Henry, born 1868 at Grafton, New South Wales. He died on the 7 August 1935 at Murwillumbah, New South Wales.
2. Sophia Susan, born 1869 at Grafton. She died on the 14 June 1940 at Murwillumbah, NSW.
3. Albert James, born on the 16 August 1872 at Harwood Island, New South Wales.
4. Gerald Charles, born in 1874 at Maclean, New South Wales. He died on the 15 October 1950 at Murwillumbah, New South Wales.
5. John Herbert, born in 1876 at Harwood Island, New South Wales.
6. Clara Elizabeth was born on the 13 April 1878 at harwood Island, New South Wales. She died on the 27 August 1898 at Wickham, New South Wales. She is buried at Raymond Terrace, New South Wales, with her grandparents, Patrick and Susan O'Neill.
7. Ernest Michael was born on the 28 August 1879 at Harwood Island, New South Wales. He married Mary Teresa Garvey on the 14 August 19?? at Warick, Queensland. Ernest died on the 23 December 1957.

Mary Ann died on the 17 December 1880 at Harwood Island, New South Wales. She is buried at The Romam Catholic cemetery section at Maclean, New South Wales. Michael died on the 4 March 1919 at Murwillumbah, New South Wales. He is buried at the General Cemetery there.

After Mary Ann's death the family was cared for by Sophia.