The Family Detective

I have already written of the Michael Cotter manslaughter of John Carroll, but I often wonder who John Carroll was and how he may have been connected to Michael, other than as a friend. Carroll is my brother-in-law's family so it's often intrigued me if he might be related to John Carroll. Also in delving into Richard Kelly's family trying to make a connection to Mary Ann Kelly, I've noticed his grandmother is noted as Catherine Carroll.  Who was John Carroll and who mourned his loss when he was gone? John's death was not registered (via BDM) and little information is gathered from the coroner's report of his inquest. A search of Trove, 1850, relays accounts of a John Carroll in the Bathurst area who was a trouble maker of sorts. He was described as a "Port Phillip vagabound" having recently arrived in Australia and a number of accounts of trying to get alcohol under false prentences. He claimed to be a thrasher from Dunn's Plains (near Rockley, an...

 Do you have titbits of knowledge that you feel must connect somehow but don't know how? I  never know where to place them or keep track of them, but I'm going to try here. I shall try and keep them in family names. PHILLIPS - KELLY - EACRET In 1842 Richard KELLY & his wife Mary (nee EACRET) migrated with two of their children aboard Duke of Roxburgh and had in their care Anne PHILLIPS (20 year old from Leahy, Laois Queens County, Ireland) (Records show an Anne Phillips married Joseph Goodwin and settled at  Tangmangaroo) PHILLIPS - CONNOLLY - DODD Michael PHILIPS wife was Mary CONNOLLY. Ann CONNOLLY married Patrick DODD who was involved in stealing meat with her brother Michael CONNOLLY. Could there be a relationship? KELLY - DODD - COTTER Catherine KELLY married Michael DODD, son of Patrick DODD (she became Catherine DODD), her sister-in-law Catherine DODD married Michael COTTER (becoming Catherine COTTER). A number of Catherine KELLY's relatives are named Mary Ann...

It only struck me today that Michael Dodd's (Son of Patrick Dodd and brother to Catherine Dodd, who married Michael Cotter) was married to Catherine KELLY and in our search for Mary Ann Kelly, perhaps we have missed a cousin line that would connect Mary Ann Kelly to Edward Cotter. Today's venture will be to trace some of Catherine's siblings families for residential locations and to see if there were any Mary Ann Kelly's born.  FIRST - A quick look at Catherine in Ancestry Trees and what sources are there: Birth:  Marriage: Catherine Kelly (spinster, Narrawa) married Michael Dodd (farmer, bachelor, Narrawa) 11 January 1861, St Augustines Catholic Church in Yass. Witness Patrick Dodd & Bridget ? (possibly Kenna, Hanna, Hona, Krina or maybe even Hans). No age was given for either. [source: Marriage Certificate] Death: 26 Dec, 1921 at "McHenrys Creek" Young aged 84 years. (Parents named as Patrick & Catherine on BDM). Children still living Michael, Alfred...

This is my convict case study I completed for University of Tasmania in 2021. For some reason the word document has disappeared, but I have a PDF with full intext referencing for those who might be interested. I've included the bibliography at the end of this post.