Martha (Foley) Geraghty
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Martha (Foley) Geraghty (1814 - 1905)

Martha Geraghty formerly Foley
Born in Parramatta, NSW, Australiamap
Ancestors ancestors
Wife of — married 1829 in Sydney, NSW, Australiamap
Descendants descendants
Died at age 91 in Alstonville, NSW, Australiamap
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Profile last modified | Created 17 Mar 2021
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Biography

Martha (Foley) Geraghty was born in the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

Born 15 APR 1814. Parramatta, NSW, Australia. [1] Died 30 SEP 1905. Alstonville, NSW, Australia. [2]

Baptism: 12 FEB 1815. Sydney, NSW, Australia. [3]

Marriage Husband Patrick Geraghty. Wife Martha Foley. Marriage 1829 Sydney, NSW, Australia. [4]

Her parents were both convicts, as was her husband.

South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus NSW Sat 21 Oct 1905 Page 14 OBITUARY We take the following from last issue of the Lismore ' Star ' to hand In reference to the death of Mrs. Martha Geraghty, which was briefly referred to in our last issue, we have been furnished with the following particulars, which cannot fail to be of interest, even to those unacquainted with the deceased lady. The late Mrs, Geraghty was born at Parramatta in 1814, so that her parents must have been among the earliest colonists, and were contemporary with Governor Macquarie, who was the first to seriously attempt to put into order the chaos into which the Botany Bay Settlement as New South Wales was then known in the archives of Downing-steet had fallen. The deceased lady was married at an early age, and her husband predeceased her a quarter of a century. She originally settled with him on the South Coast, he and she being among the pioneers of the district. In January, 1867, in fact on the first day of the year, Mr. and Mrs. Geraghty came to Lismore, which, compared with what the city is nowadays, was little more than a collection of a few humpies surrounded by almost impenetrable scrub. One of the best, if not the best dwelling in the town, stood on the site now occupied by the Commercial Bank in Molesworth-street There Mrs. Geraghty for many, years kept a boarding house, and she was generally respected as a generous and open-hearted woman. It is interesting to note that the old boarding-house was subsequently removed to Keen- street, where, with many modern improvements, it still stands. Mrs. Geraghty lived during the reigns of no less than five, sovereigns — George III., George IV., Victoria, And Edward VII.); and saw Australia, destined to hold a place among the nations. She saw Sydney a few dwellings and barracks in the vicinity of the tank stream, and died when it had become the fifth city of the British Empire, She saw in her day a development of commerce and industry, probably unparalleled in any other epoch or any other country, from a condition when the currency was rum till the days of stable and magnificent financial and commercial institutions. Truly a wonderful life. Mrs. Geraghty left no less than 320 descendants at her death. She had 15 children three sons and twelve daughters. Three of the children Mr James Geraghty, (Lismore) Mrs. Owen Daley (Alstonville), and Mr. Patrick Geraghty, predeceased her. Her surviving children are Mrs. Daley (Ballina), Mrs. M. Cawley ( Bellambi), Mrs. English (Lismore), Mr. T. Geraghty (Boatharbor), Mrs. J. Cawley (Sydney), Mrs. Owen Cawley (Alstonville) Mrs. T. Healey (Bangalow), Mrs. James Bryant (North Lismore), Mrs. J. Kenny (Lismore), Mrs. J. D. Tyler (Burwood), Mrs. J. O'Neil ( Alstonville), and Mrs. Dixon (Lismore.) We might also add that the deceased lady was grandmother of Mrs. P. Oxman (Bellambi), Mrs. P. McGuigan (Bellambi); Mrs, L D'Arcy (Bulli) and Mrs J. P. Madden (Woonona. ) [5]

Family records of Charles Cawley call the boarding house in Molesworth Street Lismore "the Cawley's Boarding House" owned by her son in law Owen Cawley Snr whereas local advertising called it "Mrs Geraghty's boarding house"
Grave is at East Lismore General Cemetery [6] [1]

Sources

  1. Source: #S25 She was aged 14 at the Census in 1828 & based on Baptism record 16 Name: Page She was aged 14 at the Census in 1828 & based on Baptism record
  2. Source: #S23 Northern Star (Lismore, NSW : 1876 - 1954) Mon 2 Oct 1905 Page 2 39 Name: Page Northern Star (Lismore, NSW : 1876 - 1954) Mon 2 Oct 1905 Page 2 Death of Mrs. Geraghty - We regret to have to record the demise of Mrs. Martha Geraghty which occurred at her residence, Alstonville, on Saturday morning at the ripe age of 91 years. The deceased lady enjoyed good health until about two days before her death, which was due to senile decay. She had the full use of her faculties to the last, and never used spectacles except of late years, and only then when reading. She leaves between 200 and 300 descendants, including great-great-grandchildren. Her funeral took place on Sunday at the Lismore Roman Catholic cemetery, the cortege leaving Alstonville at 10.30 a.m. lt was largely attended, for the deceased lady was widely known and respected, the procession extending as the hearse turned into Dawson-Street to beyond the hospital. We extend our sympathy in their bereavement to Mrs Geraghty's numerous descendants. The funeral was conducted bv Mr. T. Riley.
  3. Source: #S25 Australia, Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981 25 Name: Page Australia, Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981 Name: Martha Foley - Gender: Female - Baptism Age: 0 - Birth Date: 15 Apr 1814 - Birth Place: Parramatta - Baptism Date: 12 Feb 1815 - Baptism Place: St. Philip, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia - Father: Samuel Foley - Mother: Mary - FHL Film Number: 993949
  4. Source: #S3 According to her death certificate she was 15 when she married Name: Page According to her death certificate she was 15 when she married
  5. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/141909392?searchTerm=Mrs.%20Geraghty%20death
  6. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149844951/martha-geraghty
  • Source: S23 TID 0 Name: Footnote Name: ShortFootnote TROVE Name: Bibliography TROVE.
  • Source: S25 Ancestry.com TID 0 Name: Footnote Ancestry.com Name: ShortFootnote Ancestry.com Name: Bibliography Ancestry.com.




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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Martha by comparing test results with other carriers of her mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known mtDNA test-takers in her direct maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Martha:

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