Family O'Brien

Joseph O'Brien, blacksmith, married Janet Graham [no other details are known, at this stage]. They had issue:

Joseph Richard O'Brien born (c) 1846 New London, Ontario, Canada. Arrived Melbourne 1866, aged 26 years of age, on "Red Jacket" from Liverpool. According to the shipping records, he travelled alone. He married on 4 November 1870 at Branxholme, Victoria Australia, Christina McPherson born 1844, Argylesgire, Scotland (daughter of Donald McPherson, lawyer, and Flora McInnes). Flora is the daughter of Peter McInnes and Ann McCallum; and Ann is the daughter of Gilbert McCallum and Margaret Campbell, whose family history (the Campbell's) has been traced back to the mid 1600s.

Christina died 1928, Merino, Western Victoria. Joseph died in 1873.

The McPherson family emigrated to Australia, when Christina was 8 years of age.

NOTE: ages on shipping records & on birth/marriage certificates vary, hence the apparent error of dates above.

The children of Joseph Richard O'Brien and Christina McPherson and their families are listed below. However, it might seem a bit confusing as to who belongs to who, so an outline is provided here:

• 1. Joseph O'Brien, born 1869 (twin), married Isabella Hart
• 2. Peter O'Brien, born 1869 (twin), married Elizabeth Mullarey
• 3. James Dugald O'Brien born, 1871, married Alice Mary Burke
• 4. Florence O'Brien born, 1873, married Charles Austin

A more detailed genealogy of Joseph O'Brien and Christina McPherson starts here:

1. Joseph O'Brien born 15 April 1869, married 1892 to Isabella Hart who died 20 November 1938. They had issue:

I. Florence Isabella O'Brien born 12 June 1893, died 13 June 1968, married John Hodson. They had issue:

[a] Lindsay Hodson

[b] Alan Hodson

II. James Dugald O'Brien born 1 January 1895, died 29 April 1937, married May Broadwood who was born 8 October 1911. They had issue:

• [a] Philip [Gerald] O'Brien

[b] Rita O'Brien

[c] Bernice O'Brien

[d] Shirley O'Brien

[e] Elaine O'Brien

III. Christina O'Brien born 28 March 1896, died July 1966, married Edgar William Hope. They had issue:

[a] Ian Edgar Hope

[b] Lindsay Halbert Hope

[c] Ronald Armstrong Brien Hope

IV. William Joseph O'Brien born 10 July 1897, died 24 January 1941, married Grace Burges who was born 11 May 1904. They had issue:

• [a] Neil O'Brien

[b] Isabell O'Brien

[c] Kevin O'Brien

[d] William O'Brien

[e] Lynette O'Brien

V. John (Jack) Stanley O'Brien born 29 May 1899, married Mary Waters. They had issue:

[a] Trevor O'Brien

[b] Patricia O'Brien

VI. Gordon O'Brien born 24 September 1901, died 28 November 1923, married Della Hadden. They had issue:

[a] Iris O'Brien

VII. Charles Rellam O'Brien born 10 June 1903, died 7 April 1928 [no issue]

VIII. Joseph [Murray] O'Brien borm 15 July 1908, died 16 November 1960. [unm]

IX. Lindsay O'Brien born 3 October 1909, died 23 December 1972, married Maud Rogers who was born 30 October 1912. They had issue:

[a] Geoffrey O'Brien *

[b] Norman O'Brien

[c] Joan O'Brien

[d] George O'Brien

[e] Beverley O'Brien

[f] Maureen O'Brien

[g] John O'Brien

[h] Dianne O'Brien

• A letter from Jim (Geoffrey) O'Brien dated 7 August 1985 "A pleasant surprise to receive your letter. I am related to you. Lindsay being my father. I am the eldest (52 years) of a family of 8. I took over the Merino Newsagency on 1 March 1981. ... The grandfather got a promotion from being a labourer, he finished up with a soldier settlement block at Paschendale after W.W.I. When he died in 1939 Uncle Murray and Auntie Maggie took over the farm. Uncle Murray was a terrific bloke and I always regarded him as my favourite uncle. The farm was about 4 miles from Merino."

X. Maggie O'Brien born 10 May 1911, married Hector Walker. They had issue:

[a] Heather Walker

[b] Joseph Walker

[c] Gordon Walker

[d] Jessie Walker *

[e] Isabella Walker

2. Peter O'Brien born 15 April 1869, married Elizabeth Mullarey. They had issue:

I. Thomas O'Brien

3. James Dugald O'Brien born 4 September 1871, married Alice Mary Burke [daughter of Patrick Burke & Katherine Doyle]. They had issue:

I. Kathleen Alice O'Brien born 26 July 1898, married on 30 January 1936 to Denis Fitzgerald who was born 27 March 1903, died 14 June 1978. They had issue:

• [a] Carmel Fitzgerald

[b] Maurice Fitzgerald

[c] Maureen Fitzgerald

[d] Leo Fitzgerald

II. Margaret Christina O'Brien born 2 March 1900, died 1900 [aged 3 months]

III. James Patrick O'Brien born 22 February 1901, died 28 December 1968, married on 20 September 1922 to Irene McMillan who was born 1 June 1898. They had issue:

• [a] George O'Brien

[b] Francis O'Brien

[c] Elizabeth O'Brien

[d] Irene O'Brien

[e] Lawrence O'Brien

IV. Mary Ellen O'Brien born 14 February 1903, died 12 June 1964, married on 18 May 1933 to Sydney James Woodruff. They had issue:

• [a] Brian Woodruff

[b] John Woodruff

[c] Veronica Woodruff

[d] Brenda Woodruff

[e] Robert Woodruff

[f] Gerard Woodruff

V. Joseph Thomas O'Brien born 23 June 1904, died 25 April 1971

VI. Anne Florence O'Brien born 12 February 1906, died 10 December 1977 [unm]

VII. Peter Francis O'Brien born 20 October 1907, died 3 July 1975, married on 14 December 1939 to May Long. They had issue:

• [a] Dorothy O'Brien

[b] Leslie O'Brien

[c] Beverley O'Brien

[d] Terry O'Brien

VIII. Agnes Christina O'Brien born 28 July 1909, married Charles Andrews [no issue]

IX. Margaret Veronica O'Brien born 17 May 1911, married on 24 April 1939 to Edward [Ned] Watt who was born 2 July 1902, died 2 August 1968. They had issue:

• [a] Gerald Watt born 11 April 1941, married on 14 March 1970 to Patricia Edgucombe

[b] Lawrence Watt

[c] Margaret Watt

[d] Monica Watt

[e] Dannis Watt

[f] Damien Watt

[g] Brendon Watt

[h] Geneveive Watt

X. Gerald Dugald [Don] O'Brien born 13 October 1914, married on 14 November 1953 to Marge Goode. They had issue:

• [a] Donna O'Brien

[b] Michael O'Brien

[c] Stephen O'Brien

XI. Leo Murray O'Brien born 13 October 1914, married on 29 June 1947 to Lilla MacCallum. They had issue:

• [a] Sally O'Brien

[b] Timothy O'Brien

[c] Robert O'Brien

XII. Eleen Maude O'Brien born 2 January 1917. [unm]

4. Florence O'Brien born 3 September 1873, married Charles Austin. They had issue:

I. Charles Austin [born USA]

II. Murray Austin [born USA]

Genealogy source: Brian Woodruff via Maureen Cook of Victoria