Mysterious Family Relationship

While this keadyfamily.blog is focused on the family of John and Honora Keady who arrived in Melbourne in November, 1841, there were three other “Keadys” in Melbourne by the mid 1850s. Thomas and Patrick Keady who were brothers and Daniel Keady.

Thomas arrived in June 1854 and Patrick arrived in 1857. While Thomas’s arrival is documented in the shipping records, no record can be found of Patrick, however records show his wife Bridget arrived in January 1857 with their infant daughter, Mary. The shipping records say, “gone to husband, P Keady at Pentridge”. Perhaps its no coincidence that Pentridge was where John and Honora were living at the time with their family.

Unfortunately no records can be found of Daniel Keady’s arrival. (See a picture of Daniel Keady and Family – click this link)

There is certainly circumstantial evidence that the families were related, but to date no hard evidence has been found.

Perhaps one of the strongest hints is the way the families moved around to different regions of Victoria at similar times and eventually all ended up in the Nagambie/Murchison area. No better evidence perhaps than where they were all eventually buried. Other than Daniel who is buried at Murchison just 27km or 17 miles north, all these first Keady arrivals in Victoria are buried in a line at Nagambie Cemetery.

The Grave sites in order are:

1 John (1812-1884) and Honorah Keady (nee Kenny)(1811-1892).

2. First son of John and Honorah, Thomas Keady (1833-1892), wife Catherine Keady (nee O’Connell), their son John Patrick Keady (1863-1900), and grand daughter Johanna Teresa Brennan (1895, aged 9 months), first child of Thomas and Catherine’s daughter Catherine Agnes “Kate” Keady.

3. Patrick Nolan Keady (1830-1913), wife Bridget Keady (nee Cusack) (1834-1892), their daughters Catherine Teresa Keady (1864-1934) and Elizabeth Keady (1873-1947), neither of whom married. (Elizabeth’s name appears below the headstone.)

4. Thomas Keady (1829-1907), wife Margaret Keady (nee Kenny) (1836-1924), their son, Patrick James Keady (1870-1937) and his wife Annie Marie Keady (nee O’Dea) (1870 -1950). (Details of Patrick and Annie are enscribed on the side of the column.)

Perhaps in the near future some sleuths in the family will come up with some evidence to confirm if indeed there is a family link back in Ireland.

5 July 2019