My name is Gayle Howard(nee Toohey). I have put this family tree together and hope to build on it. I am researching the Toohey, Brown, Wilks and O'Mara surnames. My mums name is Jean Margaret Wild(neeBrown), dad was Ian Anthony Toohey. Grandparents were Angus John Brown & Ruby May Wilks, Andrew Ernest Toohey and Dulcie Noreen O'Mara. I would love anyone who has extra info on our family to add to it, or send me info so I can. You can contact me through this site or at email bghowie@ix.net.au.
Jeremiah O'Mara arrived at Sydney Cove aboard the ship "Alquis" on the 15th August 1838. He was accompanied by his 2 sons. Timothy and Dennis. Jeremiah's wife and the boys mother, Julia had died in Ireland in 1824. Jeremiah was trying to start a new life for himself and the 2 boys. According to his shipping papers Jeremiah was in good health and his occupation was a farm labourer, he was Catholic. On board the same ship were the Russells whose daughters married Timothy O'Mara, Garrett Cotter, Simon Freebody, Roger Corcoran and Patrick Kelly. Jeremiah married Julia Dwyer. Julia was born in Ireland and died in 1824 in Ireland. the children of the marriage were Timothy born 1823, and Denis born 1824.
Mount Pleasant Station today is made of 5,500 acres. In its heyday during ownership by the O'Mara's, the property was made up of apprx 16,000 acres. Today's Severn park and Caringo were the other portions which made up Mount Pleasant. On Timothy's death, Mount Pleasant was split up 3 ways. Clancy O'Mara kept the main block, Jeremiah O'Mara, created Severn park, and Tom O'Mara took up Caringo.
Timothy O'Mara was born in Tipperary, Ireland, in 1823. He arrived at Sydney in 1839 and in June of that year went to Manaro, remaining there till his death on 22nd November, 1894. In 1843 he married Miss Ellen Russell, a native of Ireland and a passender with him on the ship that brought them both to Australia. In 1848 George Garnock was gazetted as an applicant for Mount Pleasant Run of 6,500 acres, and the property of this name was acquired by Mr. O'Mara, in 1857. Mr O'Mara's fifth daughter married in 1882 Mr. JJ Devereux, one of Manaro's pioneers.
My late wife and 7 children came to settle in the Mallee in the Goshen district somewhat over 50 years ago. When I was a young man of between 29 and 30 years old, my wife a few months younger than myself, we remained many years in the Goshen District and then moved to the Bulga district and continued wheat growing in all Goshen and bulga. We were about 20 years occupied endeavoring to grow enough wheat to maintain a family of 12 and meet expenses which was a precarious occupation, still we never gave way, always for a good crop and good price. The land of the Barbed wire and treacle tins as the Mallee was well named for Barbed wire and treacle tins in abundance. The great drought of between 35 and 40 years ago the whole of Victoria except odd places. the government had to supply the producer with seed and fodder to sow their next crop. We left Bulga some 30 years ago started busi...
