DENNIS and ANN JANE McEVOY FAMILY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

This page: The first 4 (of 9) children, 1.1 Catherine McEvoy, 1.2 John McEvoy, 1.3 William McEvoy 1.4 Dennis McEvoy

They all have current descendants.
1.1 Catherine Mary (Kitty) McEvoy born Dry Creek, 1844 to 19-8-1928
1.2 John Peter McEvoy born Dry Creek, 1-4-1845 to 30-6-1898
1.3 William Andrew McEvoy born Dry Creek, 4-8-1847 to 20-7-1921
1.4 Dennis Matthew McEvoy (twin) born Dry Creek, 31-1-1850 to 26-1-1935

Links to other family pages at the bottom of this page


1.1 Catherine Mary (Kitty) McEvoy

born 1844 at Dry Creek, attended Ardtornish School, died 19-8-1928 aged 82 years, buried Jamestown Cemetery married James Francis Quinn born c.1842 in County Galway, Ireland, died 9-6-1929 Pt Pirie aged 87 yrs, buried Jamestown, on 20-2-1865 at St Patrick's Church, Adelaide.
Jim Quinn is said to have arrived in South Australia aboard the Nugget in 1854 together with his three brothers and four sisters, according to his newspaper obituary in The 'Adelaide Chronicle,' June 20, 1929, page 53. No Quinns are listed on that passenger list, however. On the Nugget which arrived in 1858, however, there were 6 Quinns: James 17, Thomas 24, John 26 and Daniel 26, all single. They were labourers. Bridget Quinn 19, and Mary Quinn 21, were both servants. All except Daniel (County Clare) were from Galway, according to the passenger list.
There is a belief in the family that Jim Quinn was related to Ned Kelly's mother, a Quinn, and that Ned Kelly spent some time on the run from the police in a hut near Jamestown.
Jim met Catherine at Pt Gawler. Later they moved to Mannanarie and to Booleroo Centre and then to
Hammond where they farmed successfully until a big drought in 1897. They moved to Wirrabarra and finally to Jamestown. This does not correspond with the information listed in the obituary below, but obituary information was often wrong!
Kitty's children were born from when she was 21-42 years, 9 surviving children:
  • 1.1.1 Mary Jane Quinn (Case) born 11-11-1865 died 4-8-1948
  • 1.1.2 Susan Frances Quinn (Gregory) born 12-10-1867 died 24-12-1914
  • 1.1.3 Catherine Alice Quinn (McQuillan) born 1-11-1869 died 13-6-1956
  • 1.1.4 *John Quinn born 5-2-1877? died 12-2-1936
  • 1.1.5 *Thomas Joseph Quinn born 5-2-1877? died 10-8-1949
  • 1.1.6 James Francis Quinn born 20-7-1873 died 26-7-1968
  • 1.1.7 Patrick Dennis Quinn born 1879 died 1-7-1948
  • 1.1.8 Ellen Bridget Quinn (Phillis) born 1-1-1882 died 17-6-1932
  • 1.1.9 Robert Edward Quinn born 8-12-1886 died 16-4-1971
This article appeared in The Adelaide Chonicle on September 8, 1928, page 22. There are a number of mistakes in dates and spelling, but I present it as per the article. It contains excellent information about where they lived in the early years.

MRS. QUINN
Mrs. Quinn, wife of Mr. James Quinn, died on Sunday, August 26, aged 85 years. Mrs. Quinn claimed to be one of the oldest living residents born in this state. She was born at Dry Creek in 1843, and was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. McAvoy. Her father arrived from Ireland in 1839, and her mother in 1840, by the sailing ship Mary Dagdale. Mrs. Quinn's parents were employed by Mr. Angus McLean, and were married in Adelaide in 1842. After their marriage they secured a small holding about a mile and a half from where the stockyards now stand, where Mrs. Quinn was born. When of school-going age she attended Artormish school. When she was 13 years of age her parents left Dry Creek and went to live near Gawler River, afterwards called Lewiston, where she finished her education she married Mr. James Quinn in 1864, and lived in the Port Gawler district for a few years, and then went to the Light River. Later they moved to Mannanarie, but, having only a small holding, they secured land in the hundred of Booleroo. This land was heavy and difficult to work with limited capital, so they moved to Hammond and farmed with success for a few years until the big drought from 1892 to 1896 forced them to leave. They went to Belalie, then to Wirrabara, and finally settled in Jamestown. There was a family of four daughters and five sons. A daughter (Mrs. Gregory) and a son (Mr. John Quinn) died. The husband (Mr. James Quinn) is still alive and has reached the age of 89 years. The surviving family are Mrs. W. Case, Peterborough; Mrs. H. McQuillan, Jamestown; Mrs. L. R. Phillis, Port Pirie; Messrs. Thomas Quinn, Malpas; James Quinn, Oodnadatta; Patrick Quinn, Yongala; and Robert Quinn, Wirrabara. There are 32 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

In the previous edition of The Adelaide Chonicle of September 1, 1928, page 20, there was also a small obituary about Catherine Quinn:

MRS. QUINN
Mrs Quinn, wife of Mr. James Quinn, who died recently at Jamestown, at the age of 85, was one of the oldest native born South Australians. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dennis McAvoy, who migrated from Ireland, and were married in Adelaide in 1842. Mrs Quinn was married in 1864. Mr Quinn survives at the age of 89 with the following family Mesdames W. Case, Peterborough; H. McQuillan, Jamestown; L. R. Phillis, Port Pirie; and Messrs. Thomas Quinn, Malpas; James Quinn, Oodnadatta; Patrick Quinn, Yongala; and Robert Quinn, Wirrabara.

The Adelaide Chronicle, June 20, 1929, page 53
MR. JAMES QUINN
A well-known resident of Jamestown, Mr. James Quinn, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. R. L. Phillis, of Port Pirie, last week, after a short illness. He was born in County Clare, Ireland, in 1840, and with three brothers and four sisters, of whom he was the youngest, came to this State in the ship Nugget in 1854. At an early age he went to work on Inchequin station near Clare, for Mr. John Gleeson, and was later employed in the Port Gawler district, where he was married to Miss Catherine Dennis (they meant McEvoy) in 1864. After a few years he went to the Light River district. Later Mr. Quinn moved to Mannanarie, taking up a small holding, and then to Hammond, where he farmed with success for a few years. He was forced to leave during the big drought of 1892 to 1896. He then went to Wirrabara and finally settled in Jamestown. In 1887 Mr Quinn joined in the gold rush to the Teetulpa fields. There was a family of five sons and four daughters, but one daughter, (Mrs. Gregory) and a son (Mr. John Quinn) died. Mrs. Quinnn died last August. The surviving members of the family are:- Mrs. W. Case, Peterborough, Mrs. H. McQuillan (Jamestown), Mrs. L. R. Phillis (Port Pirie), Messrs. T. Quinn (Malpas), James Quinn (Oodnadatta), Patrick Quinn (Yongala), and R. Quinn (Wirrabara).


On Right: The Quinn group at the family reunion, Jan 6th, 2008 top of page


1.2 John Peter McEvoy

born 1-4-1845 at Dry Creek died 30-6-1898 aged 53 years in Parkside married Mary Anne Hallion at St Peter and Paul Cathedral, Gawler on 23-4-1866. He was 21 and she was 23 years. Mary Anne's date of birth is given as c. 1843 on their marriage certificate and her name as May. Mary Ann died 24-11-1907(?) aged 67 years. She is buried in the Lower Wakefield cemetery with her son, Dennis Leo McEvoy. John Peter is buried in West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, as recorded in 'The Advertiser' of 2 July, 1898. The friends of the late Mr. John Peter McEvoy-, late of Riverton, are respectfully informed that his funeral leaves 144, Pulteney-street, this day, at 11 a-m., for the Catholic Cemetery, West-terrace. Mary Ann had the following notice in 'The Chronicle' on 14 December, 1907. McEVOY. On the 24th November, at her residence, Lower Wakefield, of heart failure, Mary, relict of the late John McEvoy, aged 66 years. R.I.P. According to the newspaper notice about their marriage, John was the eldest son of the late Dennis McEvoy of Port Gawler and Mary was the youngest daughter of the late Mr John Hallion, formerly of Kildare, Ireland. John and Mary lived at Lower Wakefield, Alma Plains, Salter Springs, Clare, Riverton - 10 children were born between 1867 and 1885 when Mary was 24 years to 42 years:
  • 1.2.1 John William McEvoy born 4-2-1867 died 19-2-1915
  • 1.2.2 Henry McEvoy born 1869
  • 1.2.3 James Thomas McEvoy born 4-1-1871 died 7-2-1872
  • 1.2.4 Joseph Michael McEvoy born 10-10-1872 died 1931
  • 1.2.5 Robert Patrick McEvoy born 25-3-1875 died 7-10-1966
  • 1.2.6 Marcella Agnes McEvoy (Webb) born 24-3-1877 died 6-1-1962
  • 1.2.7 Catherine Jane McEvoy born 21-1-1879 died 2-1-1966
  • 1.2.8 Dennis Leo McEvoy born 3-4-1881 died 18-8-18881
  • 1.2.9 Mary Clare McEvoy born 2-8-1882 died 1964
  • 1.2.10 Margaret Anne Rose McEvoy born 22-8-1885 died 1972