Daniel Curran Sr. (aft. 1831 - 1912)

DANIEL CURRAN

Birth and Family Tragedy

Daniel 'Danny' Curran, Sr., was born in Ireland around 1831. He was one of numerous children, however when his parents decided to emigrate to America, he along with at least one other sibling were left behind in the care of temporary foster parents. Fortunately or unfortunately, this was to be the last time he would see his parents as they were lost at sea in one of the many so-called "coffin ships".

Emigrating to Australia

Artist impression of the Ocean Chief

When Daniel left Ireland to emigrate to Australia in 1857, he traveled on the clipper ship, ‘Ocean Chief’. ^[1]

When the ship arrived in Port Phillip, it was quarantined, due to an outbreak of smallpox aboard the ship, with that the ship had to be sent to Point Nepean, until the last of the sick were well. Supplement to the Victoria Government Gazette, Number 74, Friday, June 26, 1857.^[2]

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Life in Victoria

Once free to travel, Daniel made his way to Ballarat, Victoria, where on 18 May 1858, in Geelong, Victoria, he married his true love Susan Patton about twelve months later. ^[3]

On the 18th June 1863, Daniel leased land the size of 14 acres 3 roods 32 perches in section 16, allotment 6, subdivision 6A, in Warrenheip, Ballarat for the sum of £15.^[4] Daniel had moved to another property in Warrenheip and requested through the council an adjustment to this land which was granted. This Land was next to that of his brother-in-law, Cornelius Patton, who owned 16, allotment 6, subdivision 5A. This Information comes from his Land Application.

In 1867, Daniel had leased Section 17 part of allotment 6. He did not live on the property, instead using it for gold mining purposes. The land area was 18 acres 1 roods 21 perches. This Information on the size of the land comes from the 1869 Land Application. Buninyongshire Council was asked by a neighbor of Daniel's, William Phalp, to ask him to remove all obstructions on a road on Section 17 part of allotment 6 at Warrenheip. The road had been fenced off, across both ends, forcing Phalp to drive his cattle across his own cultivation (damaging his crops) to get to the nearest waterhole.^[5]

By 1869, although Daniel already leased the land, he had to ask to occupy the leased land at Section 17 part of allotment 6.^[6]

While living in Ballarat, it was said that Dan was once a shepherd and while tending sheep he used to throw yellow coloured rocks at his charges, or just throw them in the water. It's funny but these same rocks would later start the Big Ballarat Gold Rush, however, at that time, they were just some yellow coloured rocks to play with. If only he knew then, what we all know now!

He is also reputed to have been the licensee of the "Spread-Eagle Hotel." It once stood on the corner of Melbourne road and either Spread-Eagle Lane or Ballarat road not far from the Cobb & Co Coach Stop. Business was booming, because of the gold rush, and Sarah is said to have told her children that Dan used to sell a lot of grog which was paid for in gold dust. Not wanting to be robbed, he would hide the gold dust in small bags in the girls' hair, which was done up in buns on Saturday nights. This is probably where he obtained the money to buy the land he acquired. He also did a bit of gold mining on the land he leased from H. Baccus, who was believed to be the son of Captain William Henry Bacchus.^[7]

Daniel and Susan raised eight children together. Their ninth child Bernard was born on the 2nd December 1868. Susan died two hours after the birth. An inquest held on the same day found that her death was due to "the flooding" (hemorrhaging) and the ineptitude of the midwife. ^[8]

Daniel's faith in God was shattered by a priest who told him that because they weren't regular churchgoers, he would not perform the burial. So the obsequies were performed by Robert Rattery, the cemetery sexton. Susan was interred with her eldest son John, who died at the age of 1 year and 9 days old. Because of the actions of this priest, Dan blamed the church and drank heavily. He would go on periodic benders every few months, even after he left Victoria. To the delight of that area's children, Dan would march up the street declaring, "There is no God, for if there was he would never leave so many children without a mother" while throwing all his loose change in the air!

Daniel married Ann Foran about three months later.^[9] They had another son James , named after his new spouse's father. However, this marriage was doomed from the start as Dan still grieved for the loss of his true love, Susan, and I have a feeling he would, until the day he died.

After leaving Victoria

Around 1879 - 1880, Daniel moved to New South Wales, leaving his second wife behind, but taking with him all his children. He worked to help build the Werris Creek to Armidale Rail Line, and never returned to Victoria again.

Tragedy struck Daniel on the 14th January 1883, when his 10th child James was killed. James was the only child of Daniel's second marriage and was just eleven years old. The cause of death was a fall off the back of a horse.

A Roman Catholic benedict by the name of Mary McCabe was the minister who performed the obsequies for James' burial. ^[10] William James Hillard and Christopher Coffery were the witnesses of the burial. This may be the same William James Hillard who would marry Daniel's youngest daughter Margaret three years later on 23 February 1886 in Tilbuster, New South Wales, Australia, near Armidale.

Life after the Railway

After leaving the railway, Daniel started a fruit shop and hairdresser & tobacconist shop in Hillgrove where he worked until just before he passed away.

Daniel's Death

Daniel 'Danny' Curran Sr., passed away on the 29th July 1912, at his daughter Sarah's residence, after a long period of sickness. The medical terminology for his cause of death was Suppurative Pyelonephritis and Syncope which meant an abcess on the kidney and fainting spells, likely due to his heavy drinking. ^[12] In his will he left everything to his children after all debts were paid. ^[13]

Danny's Obituary

The DON DORRIGO ADVOCATE and GUY FAWKES GAZETTE, dated 3rd August 1912, Told a little of his story in his OBITUARY:^[14]