Identifying Photos

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Finding Margaret

I have never had any luck with Irish Research even after all the years of studying my family history. My G G grandmother, Bridget Hagan (or O'Hagan) came to Australia with her older sister from Ireland on board the White Star in 1867. Three years later she married Alfred Woodhead who had been in Melbourne since he was a toddler. Her older sister May or Mary,  married Julius Vierth, a twice time widower with 3 surviving children ten years after.

I had the names of their parents but had no idea who else they may have left behind in Ireland. Then I found the headstone for the Vierth Family at Melbourne Cemetery. It is a large grave and has Julius' second wife and the baby born at the time of her mother's death. Then there is a mention of Julius himself and his sister-in-law Margaret O'Hagan.

It was this one that had me stumped. There was no mention of her being May's sister, so I wondered then if there was maybe a brother and his wife who may have come out. I looked for her death to find out who was listed as her parents, but these were recorded as unknown. So I sent for the death certificate and found she was single, she had only been in Australia 2 years and died in hospital from Tuberculosis.

How sad she may have been missed because her parents were not listed on her death certificate. I wonder if the family thought the Australian climate would have helped her. If only there were some letters from Ireland around.

If it was not for the headstone, I would never have found her, which I find a bit sad and have to wonder how many family members came to Australia and were never noticed because they have died and parents unknown and never married to have descendants to remember them.

I also have a photograph of a young lady, I cannot be sure but I get the feeling it is Margaret. Wish I had a way to find out for sure.