Susan (Casey) Oakes (abt. 1817 - 1873)

Born about 1817 in Boherbue, Diocese of Cork & Ross (North Cork, East Kerry), County Cork, Ireland [uncertain]

Wife of George Oakes — married 12 Jun 1839 in Gounyan, District of Yass, New South Wales

Descendants

Died 5 Apr 1873 at about age 56 in Stoney Creek, near Burrowa, New South Wales

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Andrew Lancaster [send private message]

Biography

Susan (Casey) Oakes came free to the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

There has been a fictionalized novel written about her by Carol Preston. Of course it relies on many guesses.

New South Wales Death Certificate:

• REF NO 1873/3617
• NAME -SUSAN OAKES
• DATE OF DEATH -5/4/1873
• PLACE -STONEY CREEK, NEAR BURROWA NSW
• OCCUPATION -
• SEX -FEMALE
• AGE -48
• CONJUGAL STATUS -
• PLACE OF BIRTH -LIMERICK IRELAND
• TIME IN AUST COLONIES -UNKNOWN
• FATHER -CASEY (NO OTHER NAME STATED)
• OCCUPATION -UNKNOWN
• MOTHER -UNKNOWN
• PLACE OF MARRIAGE -AUSTRALIA
• AGE AT MARRIAGE -UNKNOWN
• NAME OF SPOUSE -GEORGE OAKES
• CHILDREN OF MARRIAGE -1 MALE, 3 FEMALES LIVING
• INFORMANT -WILLIAM OAKES, SON, STONEY CREEK
• CAUSE OF DEATH -SEVERE COUGH AND COLD
• LENGTH OF ILLNESS -16 DAYS
• DATE OF BURIAL -8/4/1873
• PLACE OF BURIAL -MARENGO
• MINISTER & RELIGION -NIL
• UNDERTAKER -WILLIAM KEATING
• WITNESSES -JOHN CODRINGTON, MANUEL SILVIA
• REGISTERED -27/6/1873 BURROWA

This age of 48 (47 on the memorial) would make Susan seem to have been born about 1826 and married about 13 years old! On the other hand, when her daughter Mary was born, a birth year of about 1820 was implied on the certificate, meaning she would have been 19 years old at the wedding. In any case she was young, and her parents were not there for the marriage.

A ship called the James Pattison arrived 11/02/1836, sailing from Cork loaded with single young ladies as part of the program of the London Emigration Committee Ships 1833-1836 Scheme. In the words of Dr Liz Rushen, who has researched and published about this program (see her website),

Elizabeth Casey, aged 24 and her sister, Susan aged 19 emigrated from Limerick, Ireland on the James Pattison, arriving in Sydney on 7 February 1836. Elizabeth was #223 on the ship's list and Susan was #224.

This would imply she was born about 1817, making her a bit older at her wedding than some other records.

Person papers sourced via Ancestry.com have added further details https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/169481096/person/142426234774/media/ddd4af05-d5fc-4555-a083-275cc33ecca1?_phsrc=ELr21&usePUBJs=true&galleryindex=7&albums=pg&showGalleryAlbums=true&tab=0&pid=142426234774&sort=-created

Marriage with George Oaks

It took place in the district of Yass, 12 Jun 1839. The couple are named as George Oakes and Susannah Casey, both of the district of Yass, and both single. It was a marriage by banns, with consent of friends; in presence of Wm Cook, Gownion (difficult to read), and Th. Jones, Manairoo. It took place at “Davis Inn” in Gownion. For some reason the marriage is not indexed. Luckily genealogist Judy Taylor found it in her study of the Oakes families of the region.

Sources

• The first version of the above was made in 2014 by descendant Andrew Lancaster, drawing upon his webpage about this family.

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52031251/susannah-oakes : accessed 16 May 2021), memorial page for Susannah Casey Oakes (unknown–5 Apr 1873), Find a Grave Memorial ID 52031251, citing Murringo General Cemetery, Murringo, Hilltops Council, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by Dout123 (contributor 49428115) .

See also:

• Inscription 5896326 - Susan Oakes from the Australian Cemeteries Index. first accessed online on the 15th of May, 2021 at: https://austcemindex.com/inscription?id=5896326

• Elizabeth Rushen's searchable Bounty Women Database first accessed online on the 15th of May, 2021 at: https://www.rushen.com.au/australian-bounty-women-database

• Add sources here.