Nathaniel Connolly
| First name | Nathaniel |
|---|---|
| Last name | Connolly |
| Country of Origin | Ireland |
| Date of Birth | 1828 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1830 |
| Submitted by | Margaret Toohey |
Story
NATHANIEL VINCENT CONNOLLY.
Landholder/Magistrate
1828-1894
Nathaniel Vincent Connolly was born at Mallow, County Cork, Ireland in 1828. At the age of two, he arrived in the colony of New South Wales with his father, also called Nathaniel, his mother, Maria, and baby sister Ellen, who had been born on board the ship ‘Nithsdale’, en-route to the colony.
The ‘Nithsdale’ had sailed from Sheerness, England, on 1st January, 1830 and had sailed directly to Sydney, arriving at Port Jackson on 12th May 1830 Ð the voyage taking 131 days.
The ship carried 184 male convicts (only one died during the voyage) and twenty nine troops of the 17th Regiment Ð the troops travelled as guards over the convicts.
The young Nathaniel Vincent\’s father was a meritorious, non-commissioned officer in the 17th Regiment, and was stationed at Parramatta and Bathurst. Nearly five years later, in early 1835, the soldiers of the regiment were ordered to return to Sydney for immediate transfer to the East Indies. Nathaniel Sr. immediately sought discharge from his company, as the East Indies (and also the West Indies) at that period in time, were known as the graveyards of the Redcoats.
Nathaniel Sr. was granted his discharge on 31st May 1835 and he subsequently moved his family back to Bathurst, NSW, where he became a publican for a few years before engaging in rural pursuits in the Carcoar district, south of Bathurst; thus setting the pattern for future descendants.
On leaving school Nathaniel Vincent joined his father on the land at Carcoar, where he held large leasehold areas. He soon established himself as a prominent public man in the Carcoar community.
On the 18th May 1852 Nathaniel Vincent was appointed by the Government of the day as Crown Lands Commissioner and he performed the responsible and arduous duties of that important office for many years in a most efficient and exemplary manner.
The marriage of Nathaniel Vincent and Sarah Boland (who was born in Sligo, Ireland) was celebrated at St Mary\’s Cathedral, Sydney in 1852. The couple lived at ‘Werajel’, Carcoar. Sarah subsequently gave birth to eight children: Nathaniel Boland, Bertha, Christina, Sarah, Elizabeth, Hubert, Bede and Maria. Bede died in 1882 aged 17 years as a result of a horse accident and Maria died in infancy.
Eight years after their marriage, in 1860, Nathaniel Vincent was made a Justice of the Peace and Honorary magistrate of the District. This was a position which gave him considerable experience in the duties of the Bench at Carcoar. One notable occasion happened on 18th November, 1863. The Carcoar Parish Priest, the Rev. Father Tim McCarthy persuaded the bushranger, Johnny Vane, to surrender to the police. The priest went with Vane to ‘Werajel’, the home of Nathaniel Connolly near Carcoar. Nathaniel wrote out a protection notice directing Father Tim to deliver the bushranger to Bathurst, without police intervention. Father Tim surrendered Vane to Superintendent Morrisett at Bathurst on 19th November, 1863.
(Johnny Vane later stood trial at Bathurst and was given a fifteen year sentence. Some of this time was spent at Darlinghurst gaol and some on Cockatoo Island. After a petition was received by the Bathurst magistrate in 1870, the Government ordered Vane\’s release from custody).
Sadly for Nathaniel Vincent it was discovered in 1867 at the birth of their eighth child, that Nathaniel\’s wife, Sarah, had cancer. Sixteen years after their marriage, Sarah passed away in February 1868, leaving Nathaniel to care for eight young children.
Nathaniel sent to Sydney for a governess to look after the children. The position was given to Catherine Heydon, who would eventually become his second wife. Nathaniel and Catherine had four children Ð Gertrude (who died in 1874 aged 4); George; Richard and Francis.
Nathaniel Vincent devoted his time and energies to pastoral pursuits. He also took an active and prominent part in local government. On the 17th October 1883 Nathaniel Vincent accepted the appointment of Police Magistrate for Carcoar succeeding the late Mr E.S.North to this position, which he continued to hold until the time of his death.
Nathaniel died at his estate ‘Werajel’, Carcoar on 27th November, 1894 aged 65 years and his remains were interred in the Roman Catholic portion of the Carcoar cemetery.
A stained glass memorial window in honour of Nathaniel Connolly, Police Magistrate and Warden of Carcoar stands in the Immaculate Conception Church, Carcoar.
Today some of Nathaniel Vincent\’s descendents still live in the Carcoar area, and worship in the same Church. It is now July 2008 and we are thankful for our early pioneer family heritage.