Martin Fahey (1821-1915)
(Nana Ruby's grandfather)
(Nana Ruby's grandfather)
Taken shortly before he died
Photos courtesy of Les Fahey
Martin Fahey and his brother Patrick were early settlers in the Balclutha district.
Born in Galway, Ireland, the Faheys married two sisters, Emily and Eliza Sale. These four, Martin and Emily's first child and the Fahey's sister Bridget all emigrated to Australia, living in the Bendigo area for a decade, before the two brothers moved to Balclutha, in Otago in 1862.
Their farm 'Rockview' at Four Mile Creek in Southland is, I think, still in the family. They slogged hard to make a living for their large family, but they were also quite a social bunch. In Martin's day the place was well known for the dances they held in their barn (pictured).
Born in Galway, Ireland, the Faheys married two sisters, Emily and Eliza Sale. These four, Martin and Emily's first child and the Fahey's sister Bridget all emigrated to Australia, living in the Bendigo area for a decade, before the two brothers moved to Balclutha, in Otago in 1862.
Their farm 'Rockview' at Four Mile Creek in Southland is, I think, still in the family. They slogged hard to make a living for their large family, but they were also quite a social bunch. In Martin's day the place was well known for the dances they held in their barn (pictured).
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| The Fahey's Barn, Rockview, Balclutha Photo courtesy of Les Fahey |
Judging by the following photo, Martin's sons would have been part of the musical entertainment.
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Possibly Martin's sons. Photo courtesy of Les Fahey.
Previously credited as James Hugh (centre), and brother John (right), but I suspect this is incorrect, judging by other photos of James Hugh. |
Martin FAHEY (c1825-1915) m. Emily SALE (1824-1912)
Married St Georges Parish, Dublin, Ireland, 31 May 1849.
Children:
1. John H., d. young (date unknown).
2. Julia, b. Abt. 1850, Ireland, d. 27 July 1931, Balclutha Hospital, Balclutha, New Zealand.
3. John, b. Abt. 1852, Ballarat/Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, d. 31 July 1925, Dunedin, New Zealand.
4. Eliza Emily, b. 6 June 1859, Cupcup Station, Victoria, Australia, d. 20 July 1942, Public Hospital, Balclutha, New Zealand.
5. Mary Ellen, b. Abt. 1860, Cope Cope, Victoria, Australia, d. 30 March 1946, Balclutha Hospital, Balclutha, New Zealand.
6. Matthew, b. Abt. 1861, Victoria, Australia, d. Abt. 1862, New Zealand.
7. James Hugh, b. 1 November 1863/4, Warepa, Otago, New Zealand, d. 16 May 1935, 3 Maitland Street, Dunedin, New Zealand.
8. Ann Susan, b. Abt. 1866, Toiro, New Zealand, d. 17 December 1954, Timaru, New Zealand.
Martin and Emily emigrated to Australia in 1852, with their youngest child Julia and Martin's sister Bridget on The Bride to join brother Patrick who had taken off earlier to settle in Bendigo.
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| Emily and Martin Fahey, c.1860s. |
This photo of Martin and Emily could have been taken around the time of their arrival in NZ.
I am yet to uncover when Patrick arrived in Bendigo, but his timing was good. Large gold nuggets were discovered there in 1851. The town grew rapidly from a prospector's camp to a boom town in the following years. In 1852 there was a peaceful protest against the miners licence bill in Bendigo. This preceded the protests in Eureka where 22 miners died; said to be the founding moment of democracy in Australia. It is likely Patrick and Martin intended to seek their fortune in gold mining, but the scramble for claims, the hard life and licencing issues may have deterred them from staying in Bendigo. It is thought the move to the more remote Cope Cope sheep station would have been a more reliable income and a safer environment for their family.
Martin was employed by a W. Coghill, a farmer in Loddon, Victoria - as Ivan Fahey (Martin’s grandson) discovered. Further research shows a Mr Hepburn and a William Coghill "became partners in a plan to overland 1400 ewes, 50 rams and 200 wethers to central Victoria" (Norm Darwin, 1837).
Martin and Emily had four more children. The first was born in Ballarat in 1852, soon after their arrival. The rest were born in Cup Cup or Cope Cope Station between 1859 and 1860.
Patrick's oldest daughter was also born in Cope Cope in 1862, according to birth records, so it's likely they were all employed there.
Patrick's oldest daughter was also born in Cope Cope in 1862, according to birth records, so it's likely they were all employed there.
In 1861 Patrick married Emily's sister Eliza, at Avoca, in the Grampians near Bendigo. Eliza had followed her sister out to Australia a few years later.
Bridget married a man named Hunt (not a Minogue as previously thought). They moved to the Hawkesbury area in New South Wales, according to one of their descendants.
5. Eliza Julia (1871- )
Bridget married a man named Hunt (not a Minogue as previously thought). They moved to the Hawkesbury area in New South Wales, according to one of their descendants.
Patrick FAHEY (1830-1917) m. Mary Eliza SALE (1830-1914)
Married 1859, Avoca, VIC, Australia
born Gort, Galway 1830 Mary Eliza Born Dublin, 1830
(Emily
Sale’s sister)
Children:
1. Amelia (1862/3-1891) [Cope Cope?]
2. Thomas (1865-1891)
3. Mary Ann (1867-1893)
4. Patrick Mathew (1868- ) Born Abt. 1871 in Warepa, Balclutha, Otago, New Zealand, died c.
February
4, 1960 in Dunedin, Otago, NZ. He married Mary Ann Chalmers on 12 July
1920 in St James Parish, Dunedin, New Zealand, daughter of David
Chalmers and Rebecca Black.
Martin and Emily and five children arrived on The Seaman's Bride in
Port Chalmers in 1862. Patrick's wife Eliza gave birth to her first
child in 1862 and travelled to join the rest of the family a few months
later.
Patrick is thought to have gone ahead to investigate New Zealand's gold discovery in Gabriel's Gully (May 1861). Shipping lists have no record of him, but his role as family scout is likely as Martin, Emily and Eliza and their families all made the passage to NZ without him in 1862.
It is possible Patrick passed through Balclutha on his way to Gabriel's Gully, via Lawrence and found the location this way. The South Otago landscape would have been more like the Galway they had known.
Balclutha was founded by Scotsmen. James McNeil from Dumbartonshire arrived around 1853 and helped established a ferry service across the Clutha in 1857 (the town was initially called Clutha Ferry).
The Fahey's desire to own their own land was far more achievable in New Zealand, without the large holdings of land that dominated Australia.
It is possible Patrick passed through Balclutha on his way to Gabriel's Gully, via Lawrence and found the location this way. The South Otago landscape would have been more like the Galway they had known.
Balclutha was founded by Scotsmen. James McNeil from Dumbartonshire arrived around 1853 and helped established a ferry service across the Clutha in 1857 (the town was initially called Clutha Ferry).
The Fahey's desire to own their own land was far more achievable in New Zealand, without the large holdings of land that dominated Australia.
Martin and Emily leased land in Warepa, on the coast further west towards Invercargill. There they had another child, my great-grandfather James Hugh in 1863. Between this child and the next (his younger sister Ann Susan in 1866) they had moved to Balclutha and purchased land of their own.
According to the electoral rolls, by 1880 Martin had freehold land. In 1883 Martin put out tender for a seven room dwelling. In 1884 he applied to purchase more land that he was leasing.
Les Fahey, one of Martin's grandsons, has written a book on the family so I shall add more about them in time.
Les Fahey, one of Martin's grandsons, has written a book on the family so I shall add more about them in time.
Patrick's life was more transient than Martin, living in Waitapeka, (on the road south to Kaka Point and the Catlins) with his wife Eliza, but often worked as a labourer, staying elsewhere in the district.
Both brothers were well-respected and considered founding members of the Balclutha district.
Both brothers were well-respected and considered founding members of the Balclutha district.
