John O'Neill
Contents
Background
Born in Tipperary, Ireland c 1808. He left Ireland in 1849 going to America. In 1853 he sailed to Australia and went to Ballarat to try his hand at gold digging.
Goldfields Involvement, 1854
The commander of the 40th regiment commissioned O'Neill to carry the baggage of some 14 soldiers to Ballarat. They were on their way to the Eureka Stockade. He received 10 pounds for each soldier's baggage.
Post 1854 Experiences
John A O'Neill was residing at Ballarat when he signed the Benden Hassell Petition in 1856. [1]
Obituary
DEATH OF MR JOHN O'NEILL
Another very old resident of the district has been called away by death. We allude to Mr John O'Neill, farmer of Glenlyon who died at about 11 am on Thursday from influenza. Had he lived until July next he would have been 80 years of age. Mr O'Neill was a native of Tipperary Ireland, and left that country in 1849 going to America, where he was for some time the manager of a sugar refinery at Bristol, Rhode Island. In the year 1853 he was allured to Victoria by the gold discoveries, and his first mining experience was at Ballarat. Not being very successful at gold digging he, in the following year purchased a Yankee express wagon and a pair of horses and commenced carting and light loading between Geelong and Ballarat, and obtained as much as 80 pounds per ton for the cartage. Whilst following this avocation, he was met by the commander of the 40th regiment, then in Melbourne who inquired his destination, and on being informed he was on route to Ballarat, the commander replied "that's just the place where I want to go". The soldier then, in the name of the Queen, demanded that Mr O'Neill should carry the baggage of some 14 soldiers who were going to Ballarat to quell the Eureka Stockade riot. For his service he received ten pounds for each soldiers baggage. Mr O'Neill's sympathies were with the rioters, but he dared not refuge the demand, and so took the baggage whilst the soldiers "footed" it to Ballarat. He expected that when he reached the city he would be treated as an enemy, but much to his relief, the diggers knowing him well, and aware of his sympathy for them permitted him to pass unmolested.
In 1856 he left and settled on the farm at Glenlyon where he remained up to the time of his death. He was amongst the first to agitate for a road beoad to Glenlyon and this body subsequently under the new act, became Glenlyon Shire. He was a member of that body and also chairman. He was also connected with the local agricultural society in the early days of its history being elected a member of the committee in 1866 (two years after the formation of the association), and became its president two years later. The deceased was seized with influenza about eight weeks ago, and under the treatment of Dr Fetherstonhaugh became convalescent. Subsequently, however, he caught cold, and about a week ago a relapse occurred, which brought about his death on Thursday last. He leaves a widow and a grown family, viz:- Richard who is a resident of Bendigo, and MLA for Mandurang; Patrick a farmer at Murrmbeena; Michael, a farmer at Tallagaroopna; Edward, who a few weeks ago went to Tasmania to work with his brother in law (Mr M F Egan); James who is farming at Glenlyon,; a daughter married to Mr F Egan, superintendent and engineer for the Mount Lyell Company, Tasmania, who are constructing a line of railway to the mine; and two unmarried daughters living at Glenlyon with their mother. The funeral will take place tomorrow (Sunday) and will move from the deceased's lat residence, Glenlyon to the Eganstown Catholic Cemetery at 12 o'clock noon [2]
See also
Benden Sherritt Hassell Compensation Case
Further Reading
Wickham, Dorothy, Shot in the Dark: Being the Petition for the Compensation Case of Benden S. Hassell, Ballarat Heritage Services, 1998.
References
External links
