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1790 : Michael Nowland & Elizabeth Richards : Wilberforce, NSW

Michael Nowland (c1761-1828) – from Dublin?, IE
Elizabeth Richards (c1775-1852) – from Ireland
Children: William (1792), Michael (1794), Henry (1796), Elizabeth (1798) all born on Norfolk Island; Ann (1802), Edward (1806), William (1808), Mary (1809), Sarah Jane (1814) born in NSW

Michael Nowland (c.1758-1828) was tried on two charges on 26 February 1783 at the Old Bailey, London. He was found not guilty of a highway robbery on 13 February but was sentenced to death on the charge of stealing a black gelding. On 4 October 1783, his sentence was commuted to transportation to America for life. However, in April 1784, being among the prisoners who mutinied on the convict transport Mercury, he managed to escape. Recaptured at Bath on 4 May, he succeeded in escaping once more but again was recaptured on 27 May. Remanded to his former sentence on 10 December 1784 , Nowland was sent to the Fortunee hulk (a decommissioned ship serving as a floating prison) where he spent the next 4+ years before embarking for New South Wales on the Scarborough in November 1789, arriving in the colony in June 1790 as part of the Second Fleet.

Elizabeth Richards (c1775-1852), Michael’s future wife, arrived in Australia in 1790 on the “Lady Juliana” having been sentenced to 7 years transportation

Michael Nowland was sent to Norfolk Island on the Surprize, arriving in August 1790 and by about February 1791 he and Elizabeth Richards were living together on the island; they were married in the mass wedding ceremony held in November 1791. In December 1794, Michael received a conditional pardon and became a successful pig farmer, supplying 165 lbs of pork to the Commissariat.

Sometime around 1798, Michael and Elizabeth moved with their three surviving children (one had died on the island) to Sydney, Australia; over the next few years a further five children would be born to the couple. In August 1799, Michael was granted 30 acres at Bankstown, followed by 130 acres at Toongabbie. He either sold or leased the smaller farm and lost the larger farm having failed to cultivate it.

In September 1802, Michael was appointed superintendent of convicts at the Castle Hill Public Agricultural Settlement.

In December 1805 Michael was leasing 37 acres in the Hawkesbury district and within the year a further 15 acres.

Starting in 1812 Michael operated a punt on the river between Wilberforce and Pitt Town. However, financial difficulties forced him to sell his ferry and other effects in 1814.

In May 1820 Michael was appointed a district constable and records show that, at the time, he was holding 167 acres.

Michael Nowland died on 31 October 1828 at Wilberforce aged 67 and was buried next to his 17-year-old daughter Ann who had died in 1819. Elizabeth died several years later in 1852 and is buried alongside Michael. It is believed that Michael may have been the son of a William and Ann Nowlan whose son Michael was baptised in Dublin on 31 December 1758.

Children of MICHAEL NOWLAND and ELIZABETH RICHARDS:

  • William (1792-1792) died as an infant
  • Michael (1794-1854) m. 1846, Jane Greentree
  • Henry (1796-1863) m. Harriet Farlow (1805-1880)
  • Elizabeth (1798-1878)
    m1. 1814, Henry Richardson,
    m2. 1850 James Rochester
  • Ann (1802-1819) died young
  • Edward (1806-1842) m. 1829, Christiana Farlow (1811)
  • William (1808-1884), Cattle Breeder,
    m. 1831, Mary Ann Farlow (1813-1895)
  • Mary (1809-1881) m. 1828, Alexander Johnstone
  • Sarah Jane (1814-1878) m. 1831, William Adnum

References:

1822 : James Nowland & Ellen McCarthy : Concord, NSW

James Nowland was born in Ireland, possibly in Co. Cork, sometime around 1784 and died in Concord, New South Wales, Australia. Ellen McCarthy was born around 1798 in Co. Cork, Ireland, and also died in New South Wales in 1849.

It is not known if James and Ellen knew each other before marrying on October 3, 1822, in Sydney, New South Wales. James and Ellen had one daughter they called Ann (1826-1892) who married William Barclay on 28 Oct 1841 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

RN NOTE:
Two Catholic Nowland families with connections back to Co. Cork settled in Canada in the early 1800s, namely the family of Peter Nowland who settled in New Brunswick around 1818 (my family) and that of John Nowland who settled in the area of Sarsfield, Ontario, around 1851. A Y-DNA comparison might reveal a family connection.

1839 : John Nolan : Sydney, NSW

John Nolan (1791 – ????) – from Limerick, IE
Mary Glynn (1801 – ????) – from Limerick, IE
Children: Bridgette, Mary (1821), Michael (1823), Margaret (1825), James (1826) and John (1828)

John was born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1791, the son of Patrick and Bridget Nolan.

Around 1818 still in Limerick, John married Mary Glynn who, like him, had also been born in Limerick. After their marriage, John and Mary stayed in Limerick where their 6 children were born. In 1838, the family set sail from Limerick bound for Australia on the Barque Charles Kerr, arriving in Sydney, Australia, on January 8, 1839.

Children of JOHN NOLAN and MARY GLYNN:

  • Bridgette (1819-1901)
    m. William Wales in 1840 at Bowning, NSW;
    they had 8 children; in 1843, Bridgette was living in Waregal Creek, NSW and,
    in 1901, at her death, she was living in Wambanumba, NSW.
  • Mary (1821)
  • Michael (1823)
  • Margaret (1825-1897)
    m. John Horton (1805-1877) in 1843 at Yass, NSW;
    they had 1 child; in 1897, at her death, she was still living in the area of Yass, NSW.
  • James (1826)
  • John (1828)

1840s : Christopher Nowlan : Cassilis District, NSW

Christopher Nowlan (c1806-c1860) – from Trim, Co. Meath
Mary Edwards (c1824-c1870) – from Ireland
Children: Thomas (1842)

Christopher NOWLAN (aka Nolan, Nowland) was born in Ireland sometime around 1806 and, as a young man of 20 or so, is believed to have been tried in Trim, Co. Meath, for murder or manslaughter.

Sentenced to life, Christopher was transported to New South Wales, Australia, arriving on the convict ship PHOENIX on 25 December 1826.

Mary EDWARDS was the daughter of Matthew EDWARDS, a convict who had been transported to Australia from Co. Roscommon in 1833, on the ship PORTLAND. She, her two sisters and their mother Came Free to Australia some time after 1833.

Mary became Christopher’s partner and was thought to have married him, though no proof has been found as yet. Together they had one known son, Thomas, born in 1842 in New South Wales. There may have been others but none have been found so far.

1841 : Matthew Nowland : Hawkesbury area, NSW

Matthew Nowland (???? – ????) – from Rathsallagh, near Dunlavin, Co. Wicklow
unknown-wife (???? – ????) – from Unknown
Children: ???

Matthew Nowland and his brother John arrived in Australia in 1841. They were the sons of Martin and Bridget Nowland of Rathsallagh townland, Co. Wicklow. Matthew settled in the Hawkesbury region,and John at Palmers Island, in northern New South Wales. Another brother(Edward) arrived later.

1842 : James Nolan : Braidwood, NSW

James Nolan (1814-1893) – from Tyrone, Co. Fermanagh, IE
Roseannah O’Brien (???? – ????) – from Co. Fermanagh, IE
Children: Peter, John, Thomas (1841), Patrick (1846), James (1847) and Mary (1848)

James Nolan was born in 1814 in County Fermanagh, Ireland, the son of James and Bridget Nolan.

As a young man, while still in Ireland, James married Roseannah O’Brien and their first two children, Peter and John were born there. However, before the birth of the third child, Thomas, the family moved to Glasgow, Scotland, and, from there, in 1841, sailed for Australia on the ship “Broom” arriving in 1842. In Australia, James and Roseannah initially settled in New South Wales and had three more children, Patrick, James and Mary.

At one point the family moved from NSW to the goldfields of Victoria and many of their descendants still live in this area. On the other hand, Thomas Edward, one of the sons, returned to NSW settling in the area of Braidwood, NSW.

Children of JAMES NOLAN and ROSEANNAH O’BRIEN:

  • Peter b. in Tyrone, Co. Fermanagh;
    m. Julia Quinlan (1834-1911);
    Children: Mary Ann (1861-c1893), Julia (c1862) m. William BROADHURST
  • John b. in Tyrone, Co. Fermanagh
  • Thomas Edward (1841) b. in Glasgow, Scotland;
    m. Susan Mary Smith b. 1860 in Wellington, NSW;
    Children: William Frederick, Susan Patricia, Ellen Mary, Thomas, Albert, Roseannah m. Arthur BOURKE, John m. Kathrine Marion PARSONS, Patrick, James and Edward (1877).
  • Patrick (1846) b. NSW
  • James John (1847) b. in Braidwood, NSW;
    m. Eva Walden (1851-1934) of Windsor, NSW;
    Children: Elsie Ellen (c1895) b. in Burren Junction, NSW, m. Ernest John CONNOLLY
  • Mary (1848) b. Goulburn, NSW

1843 : John Nolan : Sydney, NSW

John Nolan (1820 – 1885) – from Co. Wicklow, IE
Bridget Doherty (1823 – 1893) – from Ramelton, Co. Donegal, IE
Children: Bridget (1844), Frances (1845), John (1847), Mary (1848), Catherine (1849), Ann (1850), Catherine (1852), Ellen (1853), Susan (1854), Rosanna (1856), Martin (1857), Philip (1860), Mathew (1861), Margaret (1863)and Elizabeth (1865)

John Nolan, son of Martin Nowlan and Bridget Young, born 1820, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. John arrived in Sydney aboard the “Berkshire” on March 13, 1844, and died October 1, 1885, at age 65.

John married Bridget Doherty, daughter of Philip and Mary Doherty nee O’Dougharty, in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, East Maitland NSW on the 14th May 1843; Rev. Edmund Mahony officiated and witnessed by Bernard Doherty of Williams River and Mary Gallen of Millers Forrest. Bridget born 17th April 1823 in Ramelton, Co. Donegal, Ireland, arrived in Sydney, with her parents, aboard the “Herald” on the 15th July 1841 and died 28th March 1893, age 70, at Maclean NSW.

Children of JOHN NOLAN and BRIDGET DOHERTY:

  • Bridget Nolan, b. 1844
  • Frances ‘Fanny’ Nolan, b. 1845
  • John Nolan, b. 2-Jan-1847; d. 2-Feb-1847
  • Mary Nolan, b. 17-May-1848
  • Catherine Nolan, b. 8-Oct-1849; d. 18-Jan-1850
  • Ann Nowlan, b. 3-Oct-1850
  • Catherine Nolan, b. 1-May-1852
  • Ellen Nowlan, b. 16-Dec-1853
  • Susannah Nolan, b. 14-Nov-1854, Williams River, NSW;
    m. Thomas CAVANAGH, a farmer from Cowper, in 1878 in St Mary’s RC church, Grafton, NSW; one of the marriage witnesses was Susannah’s sister, Rosanna.

Sometime before 1849 Thomas’ father, Edward Cavanagh, b. 1803 in Ireland, was accused of sheep-stealing in Co. Wexford and sentenced to 7 years transportation arriving in Australia in 1849 on the ‘Havering’. Thomas’ mother, Catherine, born 1813 in Co. Wicklow followed 4 years bringing with her Thomas and two siblings James and Sarah, all born in Parkmore, Co. Wicklow, according to the immigration document. Thomas’ parents settled in Clarence River, close to the Grafton/Maitland area and, sometime around 1881 moved to the Ulmarra area. In 1916, during the First World War, Thomas and Susan seem to have been living in Grafton proper, on Queen street. In 1920, when Thomas died in Brisbane, it is likely that he and Susan lived with their daughter Catherine at the corner of Water and Hipwood streets. This is where we find Susan, in 1925, helping with ‘home duties’, according to the electoral role. It is also likely that she was still living there when she died in Brisbane on November 29, 1927.

CHILDREN of SUSANNAH NOLAN & THOMAS CAVANAGH:

  • Catherine CAVANAGH (1879-1891 , Ulmarra)
  • Sarah Mary CAVANAGH (1881-1939, Grafton)
  • Edward CAVANAGH (1882-1942, Brisbane)
  • Susanna CAVANAGH (1887-1901, Ulmarra)
  • John James CAVANAGH (1892-1973, Adelaide)
  • Catherine Bridget CAVANAGH (1897-????)
  • Rosanna Nolan, b. 9-Jul-1856
  • Martin Nolan, b. 16-Nov-1857; d. 10-May-1860
  • Philip Nolan, b. 1-Mar-1860
  • Mathew Nolan, b. 22-Aug-1861
  • Margaret Nolan, b. 7-Sep-1863
  • Elizabeth Nolan, b. 1865

1845 : Edward Nowlan : Paterson & Singleton areas, NSW

Edward Nowlan (c1810-1880) – from Dublin, IE
Mary Anne Cunningham (???? – ????) – from Unknown
Children: Thomas Edward (1846), Ellen (1847), James (1850), Francis (1852), Edward (1854), John (1855), Mary (1857), Patrick (1859), Frances (1861), Elizabeth (1863), Margaret (1866) and Catherine (1868).

Edward Nowlan was born in Dublin Ireland c1810 to Thomas Nowland & Frances Duffie. He was a blacksmith for 6 years before being sentenced to 7 years for house breaking. Arriving in Sydney, Australia on the convict ship Andromeda II on 18th December 1830, he was assigned to W. Ogilivy of Hunter River “Merton”. In 1835 he received his ticket of leave and on 12th October 1839 his Certificate of Freedom.

On the 21st of April 1845 Edward married Mary Ann Cunningham at St. Mary’s Church in Sydney and sometime thereafter they moved to Paterson in NSW.

As a young man, one of Edward and Mary Anne’s sons, Patrick, went to work at Goorangoola near Singleton where he married Katherine Sattler. There are many descendants of Patrick living all over Australia.

In the late 1870s, Edward moved to the Singleton area where he lived with his son Patrick at Goorangoola.

Many descesdants of Edward and Mary Anne Nowlan live throughout Australia and there is a park in Singleton named after the family. Cherie Nowlan, a descendant, is a renowned film director in Australia, the UK and the US.

1852 : David McCool Nolan : Bathurst, NSW

David McCool Nolan (1828 – ????) – from Londonderry, Co. Derry
Mary Burnside (???? – ????) – from Co. Derry
Children: James Wrey (1854), Robert Howard (1855) and Sophia “Cushla”

Born February 9th 1828, the eldest son of Robert Howard Nolan and Martha Adams of 16 Fountain St., Londonderry, Northern Ireland, David McCool Nolan, joined the Merchant Navy as a young man and worked in the service of the East India Comnpany before marrying in 1852.

On June 29th 1852, David McCool Nolan married Mary Burnside at Fanghanvale, Co. Derry, and shortly thereafter set sail with his wife, three sisters and a brother for Melbourne, Australia.

On May 24th 1854, David and Mary’s first child, James Wrey, was born in Bathurst, NSW. Two other children would soon follow, Robert Howard born in 1855 and Sophia, also born in Bathurst, NSW.

Sometime between 1865 and 1867, David and his family relocated to Auckland, New Zealand.

This Nolan line is perhaps best known for David’s second son, Sir Robert Howard Nolan (1855-1923), K.B.E., who became an auctioneer, racing administrator and patriotic worker in New Zealand.

NOTE: Matt Crowther, the contact person for this Nolan line, is a descendant of Sophia “Cushla” Nolan, daughter of David, who married Arthur Sydney Tonks. If you know more about this Nolan line please do not hesitate to contact him.

1853 : Owen Nolan : Sydney, NSW

Owen Nolan (1826 – 1899) – from Trooperstown, Co. Wicklow, IE
Ann Gosling (???? – 1854) – from Ireland
Children: ???

Owen and Ann were married in Ireland in 1850, in Co. Wicklow or in neighbouring Co. Wicklow. In 1853, they emigrated to Sydney, Australia, aboard the Earl of Elgin, leaving behind a young son. Ann was pregnant at the time and, after giving birth aboard ship, both she and the baby died and were buried at sea.

Owen stayed in Australia and eventually remarried, marrying an older women, and sometime around 1865 returned to Ireland to bring back to Australia his son and another male called Andy Lyons.

Owen’s parents were Matthew Nolan and Marcella Byrne of Trooperstown, Co. Wicklow (see Leinster webpage for more information) and he had two known siblings, Ellen and Simon. Ellen (1831)married a Marcus William Lyons and also emigrated to Australia in 1853. Simon (1834) remained in Ireland and resided in Dublin.

1855 : Peter and Jane (Sarah Jane) Nolan : Doughboy Hollow, NSW

Towards the end of 1854, as part of an Assisted Immigration initiative, several migrants seeking a better life for themselves, boarded the “Nabob”, a ship anchored in the port of Liverpool, being made ready to sail to Australia. The ship set sail in late 1854 and arrived in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), Australia, on the 2nd of February, 1855.

The ship was carrying 313 persons in all: 85 married persons, 138 single persons and 70 children. Among the married were Peter and Jane Nolan, a couple from Dublin, Ireland, accompanied by their two young children, William and Peter Jr.

The still extant 1855 passenger list for “Nabob” provides us with a few more details about the young family.

Peter was described as a “farm servant”, aged 33, born in Dublin to parents listed as a William and Mary Nolan, both deceased. As for Jane, aged 35,, her profession is not given but we learn that her mother, Jane Duffy, was still alive and living in the area of Darragh, Dublin. Their children who accompanied them were William, aged 13, and Peter Jr., aged 10. The family was Roman Catholic and all could read but only Peter and William were able to write.

Genealogical research by a Peter Nolan [pcpnol1955(at)gmail.com], a modern-day descendant living in Australia, has also recently uncovered that:

Peter Nolan and Jane Duffy were married on November 10, 1839, in St Andrews Parish, Dublin City, and their son William Nolan was baptised in the same parish on 30 November 30, 1840. Their son Peter Nolan was baptised on November 19, 1843, Rathmines parish, Dublin city.

Peter is trying to find more information about the parents of his ancestral pair, Peter Nolan and Jane Duffy, who immigrated to Australia in 1855. Peter’s parents are known to have been a William and Mary Nolan/Nowlan living in Dublin around 1822 (Peter’s birth year). Jane’s parents were an Edward and Jane living in Dublin around 1820 (Jane’s birth year).      

References:

1860 : Elizabeth Nowlan : Balmain, NSW

Elizabeth Nowlan (???? – ????) – from Baltinglas, Co. Kildare, IE
Patrick Whelan (???? – ????) – from Unknown
Children: Anne (1830)

Elizabeth and Patrick were married on June 18, 1828, in Baltinglas, Co. Wicklow, close to the borders of both Co. Kildare and Co. Carlow. Given that Elizabeth and Patrick’s daughter, Anne, was born in 1835 in Co. Kildare, it is quite likely that the family lived in Co. Kildare.

Anne (1835) emigrated to Australia around 1860 and married Patrick HOGARTY (1830) of Co. Kildare in Balmain, NSW, on October 7, 1861.

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