Patrick Grace

Story

Patrick Grace was born in March 1815 at Lusk, County Dublin, Ireland. He was the son of James and Mary (nee Dunn) Grace. In April 1841 Patrick married Mary Wright at Lusk. Mary Wright was the daughter of William and Catherine (nee Russell) Wright and was also born at Lusk. Patrick was a farm labourer in Ireland.

On 25 May 1841 Patrick and Mary Grace left Liverpool, England on the ‘United Kingdom’ and arrived in Port Jackson on 7 September 1841 after 105 days at sea. They were Bounty immigrants (assisted) and were sponsored by AB Smith & Co.

Patrick and Mary travelled up the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range to Mudgee where their first child James was born on 9 August 1842. Although the family was Roman Catholic, James was baptised in the Church of England church in Mudgee as there was no priest available there at that time. From Mudgee, it is believed they travelled down the western side of the Great Dividing Range before settling in the Murrumbidgee area west of Yass, NSW. This is an area now known as Cavan.

The following children were registered to Patrick and Mary at Yass: Catherine born on 8 December 1844; John 22 April 1846; William 12 May 1848; Patrick 3 May 1850; Mary Anne 24 September 1854; Thomas 8 November 1856, and Matthew 15 July 1858.

Patrick was a successful farmer in the Taemas area on the Murrumbidgee River where he spent several years. His sons, John, Thomas, Patrick and Matthew followed their father\’s lead and were also landholders in the Cavan (Murrumbidgee) district. Many of Patrick and Mary\’s descendants followed them and either worked on the land or were farmers and graziers.

Later Patrick Grace purchased Lots 14 and 21 (a total of 81 acres) near Halls Creek on the Yass-Queanbeyan Road near the present day village of Hall. On Lot 21 he built and opened the One Tree Hill Hotel and was granted the hotel\’s first licence on 8 March 1864. A pine tree which was at the Canberra end of the hotel still stands there today, near a gateway at the side of the road. The hotel was known in later years as The Cricketers Arms. Patrick held the licence at One Tree Hill Hotel until March 1871 when he transferred it to his son, James Grace.

At the time, the One Tree Hill Hotel was the only hotel in the area – the nearest being in Queanbeyan, so we can imagine his premises being well patronised. Local teamster Thomas Southwell and his sons of Ginninderra transported hotel supplies by Bullock drays to One Tree Hotel for Patrick Grace as the Southwell\’s were teetotalers. Lot 14 opposite the One Tree Hotel (Cricketers Arms) was also owned by Patrick Grace and used as a sports ground. Ploughing matches and race meetings were conducted there and apparently were a very popular form of entertainment. The first race meeting was held there on 16 March 1866.

Patrick and Mary Grace later moved to Sydney for the benefit of his health. Patrick\’s name appeared on electoral rolls in Newtown and Parramatta from 1883 to 1894 where his occupation was listed as a dairyman at Station Street, Newtown. It appears when Patrick lived in Sydney he was still involved in the agricultural industry.

About 1895 Patrick and Mary returned to Yass due to Patrick\’s failing health as he wanted to be in familiar surroundings amongst his family and friends during his last days. On 9 April 1897 Patrick died at his home in Dutton Street, Yass. He is buried in the Catholic section of the Yass Cemetery. Mary died on 20 October 1902 in North Yass and is buried beside her husband. Patrick and Mary were known for their kind hospitality towards family and friends and their door was always open to visitors.

Descendants of Patrick and Mary Grace have spread throughout Australia, but many still live in the Yass district, as well as Canberra, Tumut and Sydney. Amongst the descendants there have been many who have been associated with the land.

< Back to the Stories