Raftery, John Snr

DESCRIPTION

NameRaftery, John SnrDate of Birth1811 Last edited by: June Hockey

Date of Death1887 Last edited by: June Hockey

OccupationOverseer, Farmer.Place of ResidenceAlbion Park.BiographyJohn Raftery born to Patrick and Ellen in Ballinasloe Ireland in 1811.He married Bridget Cleary and after her death married Jane Quinn nee Brownlee.

Bridget and John arrived in the colony 12th of February 1841 on the ' Champion ' and came to live at Johnston’s Meadows, Albion Park, where he took the position of overseer and General Manager for David Johnston Esquire until the estate became subdivided into farms.
Shipping records show John was a farm laborer and Bridget was a 'dairy woman'.
John had 8 children with his first wife Bridget and 5 with his second wife Jane.
John died on 30th December 1887 and was buried at Dapto.

Children of John and Bridget were:
Patrick bn.1843 died 1931 married Hannah Mundy.
William bn 1844 died 1913 married Mary Ann Brownlee (sister of Jane Brownlee)
Catherine bn 1848 married Tom Cronan
Margaret bn.1851 died 1936 married Edward Riley
John bn 1852 died 1898 married Ann Crowley
Charles bn. 1855 died 1923 married Johanna Carroll
Timothy bn. 1858
Mary bn 1863 died 1939 married Jim Downes.
It is possible that Bridget and John had another son Gerald however further research is needed to confirm this.

Children of John and Jane:
Thomas bn 1867 died 1922 married Charlotte Ann Sawtell.
Ernest bn.1869 died 1943 married Eliza Jordan
Alfred Herbert bn. 1871 (Herbie)
Michael Henry bn. 1874 died 1938 (Harry) married Elizabeth Brodie
Jane bn. 1876 married Mc Carthy.

Jane (John's second wife) had married John James Quinn in Ireland and they both emigrated to Australia in 1856 on board the James Ternie on the 2nd of February and according to the immigration record Janes mother. father and siblings were already in the colony.

When John became unable to perform heavier duties of farming life, a representative of his late employer Mr David Johnston gave him a farm rent free for the remainder of his life.

Johns Raftery’s son, William was born in 1844. He married Mary Ann Brownlee (sister of his Stepmother) in 1877 and operated the mail and passenger coach from Albion Park to Robertson, Nowra and Wollongong, and later the Commercial Hotel at Albion Park, which he purchased from James Condon, who had built it in 1885.The Raftery family ran the hotel until it was destroyed by fire in 1954.

Many official functions were held at the Commercial Hotel including the banquet for the opening of Macquarie Pass in 1898, with Mrs. Mary Ann Raftery preparing the meal.
After William Raftery’s death in 1913, his wife Mary Ann continued on at the hotel. Later her son, John Augustine Raftery, took over the license with the help of his sister Blanche who lived at the hotel.

John Augustine Raftery married Mary Lousia Daubeny Bateman, daughter of Dr. Arthur Bateman of 'Ravensthorpe', Tongarra Road, Albion Park and John and Mary’s five children were born in the hotel.

The Commercial Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1954 and the site remained vacant until purchased by Shellharbour Council and renamed L.R. Mood Park in 1969 in honor of the former Mayor and coach builder, Louis Robert Mood.

Sources:
Tongarra Heritage Files.
Birth. Death and Marriage.
Immigration Records.
West Dapto Cemetery - Wendy and Terry Nunan.

External LinkDeath of Mr John RafteryDeath of John AugustineRaftery statement re. cattleCommercial Hotel.John Raftery Death Last edited by: June Hockey

CONNECTIONS

CollectionPeopleFamilyBrownleeLocalityAlbion ParkPlaceJohnston's EstateRavensthorpeCommercial Hotel

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Raftery, John Snr