Chapter taken from, ‘The Costigan Family of Preston’.
This is a combined text in order to present all the contents in one.
1999 version, Sullivan chapter, supplied by Paul Costigan
Extra Text from 2007 version, supplied by Gerard Sullivan
Extra Text from a 1997? draft version, supplied by Jacinta G
Extra Text from a 1960s? draft from the Narrandera branch, supplied by Derek J
CORRECTIONS, NOTES, PHOTOS, MAPS, added by Gavin
The Sullivans
‘Lamh Foistenach Abu’
In Ireland
The name “Sullivan” or “O’Sullivan” is the third most common name in Ireland and the commonest in Co. Cork and Co. Kerry. The two branches of the O’Suileabhain sept from which the Sullivan/O’Sullivan families descend were known as O’Sullivan Mor (from the barony of Dunkerron South in Co. Kerry) and O’Sullivan Beare (from the other side of the Kenmare River in West Cork in the baronies of Bear and Bantry overlooking Bantry Bay and Bear Island). See Brian de Breffny’s “Irish Family Names” (1982).
The Gaelic “O’Sullivan” means “sharp eyed”, which become “one-eyed”.
Catherine Sullivan, who married D. Regan; children-
– John Regan
– Dan Regan
– Tom Regan
– ? married D. Ryan (Daniel) 9 chn:
– – John, Dan, Tom, Eugene, Pat, Mick, Jerry, Will, Tessa (the last 6 children died young.)
Margaret Sullivan who married Timothy Horigan; children-
– John Horigan, who died in Australia
– Con Horigan
– James Horigan who was killed in a railway accident in London
– Mary Horigan who married a Serong
– Elizabeth Horigan married and died at home
Eugene Sullivan, who married Catherine Horigan; children –
– John Sullivan; died on ship to U.S.A.
– Denis Sullivan; died in U.S.A. married had one daughter and died in America.
– Timothy Sullivan who married in U.S.A.; children-
– – Eugene Sullivan b. 1872
– – Katie (Catherine?) Sullivan b. 1874
– – John Sullivan b. 1876
– – Denis Sullivan b. 1878
– Ellen Sullivan died in Ireland
– Hannah Sullivan died in U.S.A. not married
– Jeremiah Sullivan; USA,
– – Three sons,
– – Two daughters (Mrs. Porter) .. one of his children became Mrs Porter and corresponded with the Preston Sullivan family.
– *Eugene Sullivan – “our” Preston Sullivan *****
– Margaret Sullivan died unmarried.
– Catherine (Catrina) Sullivan maried Kell Callaghan (U.S.A.)
In the 1830’s our Sullivan ancestors lived in Bandon district in County Cork. Eugene Sullivan, who had married Catherine Horigan, lived on a farm on the estate of Sir John Coultrist [ *see this clarification ] in the parish of Grenagh (Girnaugh?). They had nine children- John, Denis, Timothy, Ellen, Hannah, Jeremiah, Eugene, Margaret and Catherine.
1. John died on the way to America.
2. Denis married and had one daughter and died in America.
3. Timothy married in America, by 1883 had four children and was living at 246 James Street, New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.A. in a house owned by his brother Jerry and his family; the sister Catherine (or Catrina) and her husband, Kell Callaghan, her 3 children, and an unmarried sister, Hannah also lived in the same house.
4. Ellen died in Ireland.
5. Hannah went to America and died there, unmarried.
6. Jeremiah married in America, and one of his children was a Mrs. Porter, who occasionally wrote to the Preston fold. In 1883 he had five surviving children- three boys and two girls; another child had died previously.
7. Eugene- born probably in 1834, head of the Preston family.
8. Margaret (died unmarried in U.S.A.)
9. Catherine (or Catrina) married Kell Callaghan, son of Con Callaghan of Courtbrach (?)
At the time of the plague in the early 1840’s all were sick except the mother and their son Timothy. The next year was a bad one also, and the following year too, with the blight on the potatoes and no crop. All had to leave, and went to Cloughroa on another estate of Sir John Coultrist where John, the eldest, was made steward and all the others were employed under him. Here the mother and Ellen died, 7 or 8 years before Eugene came to Australia or 5 or 6 years before most of the family migrated to U.S.A.. At the age of 16 or 17, Eugene Sullivan (c.1834 – 1925) emigrated from Ireland to America with John, Denis, Kate, Hannah and Catherine, and eventually they settled in Newhaven, Connecticut.
However, Eugene disliked the bitter winter when he suffered severely from frost-bite, and he ran away- at least, he left without saying goodbye and disappeared- whilst his brothers and sisters, presuming his death, prayed for his soul.
A Mrs. Serong, who was a cousin of Eugene Sullivan (her mother would have been a Horigan), moved to Clifton Hill from Warrnambool, where she inquired, as was her custom, if anybody had heard of a “Eugene Sullivan”. The parish priest told her of the Preston Sullivan, and one Sunday afternoon was seen walking down Gower Street with two of her sons, to be reunited with her cousin. The Sunday visits continued for years, as was the custom in those days. Adrian Serong, who attended St. Patrick’s College, East Melbourne, before Joe Costigan’s sons, and who became a medical doctor, was a son. Another descendant is thought to be Bill Serong, a ‘brilliantly- talented’ Collingwood centreman recruited from C.B.C, Parade, who was runner-up to Bob Skilton and Verdun Howell in the 1959 Brownlow Medal, and was vice-captain in 1961. In 1962 he won North Melbourne’s best and fairest award in his only season with the Shinboners, but then retired at the age of 27 because of the pressure of his job in the legal profession. (As Peter Costigan is acquainted with Bill Serong he may be able to confirm or refute this family belief.)
In a letter written by Timothy to his cousin, Mrs. Mary Serong, who had located Eugene in Preston, Timothy says:
“I return my sincere thanks in the trouble you have undergone in seeking my brother Owen and which I believe you admit and join with me in saying that his appearance after an elapse of 20 years without a correspondence with either you or me is hardly worth recognition. He may see or hear this and say it is hard of me to say so and his brothers and sisters say the same and we all many and many times prayed for his soul. I hope it done him some good… and if I should should have 3 or 4 hours conversation with him I would tell him something more than I can write.” [**Owen and Eugene often interchanged versions of the Irish Eoghan.]
Another letter from Timothy to Eugene himself –
New Haven
9th September 1883
“My dear Brother and family,
Dear Brother, when I came to New Haven in 1863-1864 I wrote two letters to you to original address M. Michael Darcy Melbourne and two to Mrs. Serong, Warrnambool, and she answered me and said she lost track of you and had advertised and got no account so we gave up all hopes of your existence. The last letter that I had from you was in the old country at the time you said Danny Connell bought the farm. My father was living then but died July 11th 1862 and Jerry, Catherine and I left Queenstown on 29th April 1863. Denis and Hannah were here from Canada and Maggie died here in New Haven two years before we came. Denis died the November after we came and left a widow, son of six and a girl two years old.”
Letter from Timothy to Eugene –
New Haven
23rd February 1884
[In this he mentions having received a letter from Grandfather dated 14th December and says he is sorry to hear of his son’s death (This would have been either James or Eugene who died as young children) then Timothy gives news of the family – Jerry and family, Catherine and her family and of Hannah who has had poor health for years, also of his Uncle John Sullivan. John had married and lived in Missouri – sons Eugene, Tim, Jerry and daughter Mary. Mary married John Murphy of Donoghmore, Ireland.]
The Irish census of 1851, the time of the Sullivans’ departure, shows that the population was six million and that the average family group was 5-6, so the Sullivan family was exactly twice the average size! One of the sisters and the mother had already died, but as the father wanted to die in Ireland and be buried with his wife, his sons Tim and Jerry stayed with him, leaving Ireland on 29th April, 1863 with their sister Catrina after the death of their father, and joining the others in U.S.A..
During the voyage, another brother, John, died.
Although first going to Canada, they settled permanently in Newhaven, U.S.A., around 1863-4, where they ran a carrying business. Denis and Hannah Sullivan were then living in Newhaven (Address: 248 James Street, Newhaven, Connecticut) but a sister, Maggie, had died in 1861, and Denis died in November, 1863, leaving two children; the son, Eugene, dying at 17 and the daughter, Mary Elizabeth, being 22 years old in 1883. Jerry was married with four children- 3 boys and a girl: in 1883, Eugene 12 years, Katie 10, John 8 and Denis 5. Tim worked at coal carting; Hannah was not married, and Katie married Kell Callaghan, bearing three sons- John, Tim and Dan.
Some time in the 1850’s Eugene left his brothers, allegedly because of the cold weather, but also, possibly, because of the lure of gold! Nothing is known of his wanderings until he arrived in Victoria in the late 1850’s.
Eugene in Australia
On arrival at Melbourne Eugene Sullivan’s ship was greeted by a crowd of would-be employers eager for labour, and he soon found a job. He worked briefly as a groom, but when asked to clean his boss’s boots, is reputed to have replied “I’ve never cleaned any man’s boots, and I’m not going to start now!” and got the sack.
Eugene worked for a few years for various farmers on properties to the north- west of Melbourne, readily getting jobs, especially at hay-making time as he had considerable skill at cutting and trussing hay into stooks with a wide-bladed knife. It was probably while working in the Sunbury- Bolingbroke(now Pascoe Vale)- Broadmeadows district that he met Mary Doran (daughter of Thomas Doran and Mary Dunfie [Johanna Dunfie] who had a farm on the banks of the Moonee Ponds Creek) whom he married in St. Francis’ Church, Melbourne, on October 27th, 1860 (reg. no. 3748) and with whom he settled on a 5-acre block in Gower Street, Gowerville. They lived at first in a two-roomed cottage, extending it as needed, and finally building the brick house behind it and using the old wooden house as material for the dining room and kitchen section. Two of their children were to marry Costigans.
In the early 1850s from WATERFORD, IRELAND, came Thomas and Johanna Doran, with eldest child Mary who was 12 and settled in Bolingbroke, later called Pascoevale, Melbourne. Several more girls were born – 5 children in all.
Mary married Eugene Sullivan (grandfather) in 1860, St. Frances.
Ellen ” ” Pat O’Neill – family – Jim died single Annie married – no family.
Johanna ” ” John McGillie – had one son, Walter.
Bridget ” ” Pat McHeron – Jim, Mac, Tom, Peter, Bill, Mary, Kate.
— Mary married Jack Puls and had 3 chn.
— — Jim, Winnie and HAROLD who is now an M.S.C. Winnie became Mrs. Cokely and lives in Melbourne.
Kate married Jim Crowley – Jack, Joe, Nell, Kate, Mary, Peter.
An Englishman, Abel Gower, who never visited Australia, bought from Hoddle’s Survey the block of land bounded by Plenty Road, Bell Street, the Darebin Creek and Gower Street, which became known last century as “Gowerville”.
At Gowerville, which was part of Preston (as also were “Irishtown”, “Thomastown” and “Westgarthtown”) Eugene and Mary developed the farm next to the Mutimer property from the original 5 acres to 38 acres by 1888 (ref. “Victoria and Its Metropolis”) and eventually to 80 acres, including 20 on the southern side of Gower Street where fodder for horses was grown. Until at least the 1860s Gower St. eastward from Plenty Rd was known as “Water St” because it ran down to the creek and water was too often in short supply in “Preston”. On the northern side, the farm eventually extended to Wood Street, and a dairy herd was built up. The farmhouse still stands (in 1999) (in 2003) at 160 Gower Street. Adrian has a plan of the house and a diagram of the farms drawn up by Eileen.
The “Irishness” of Gower Street in those days is seen in the names of “Farmer(s), Gowerville” of Gower Street in 1872: Bartholomew Cashman, Patrick and Denis Foley, John O’Keefe, Robert Mutimer, Michael Lynch, John Leahy and Eugene O’Sullivan, followed by the German migrants, Christian, Frederick and “J.” Kupsch. (Sands & McDougall’s Directory of Victoria, 1872).
The 1887 Victorian Municipal Directory describes Gowerville as “A small village lying between Preston and Northcote, Pop. 954” where the occupations were grazing and agriculture. It then lists: 1 extensive ham-curing establishment, a flour mill, 2 hotels, 1 church (denomination not mentioned), 2 potteries, 4 brick yards, 6 tanneries.
The property was subdivided in 1928, Eugene Jnr. (then in living in Wagga Wagga) and Fr. Tim probably being responsible for supervising the sale, since they were executors of the estate. The first block was purchased by the O’Keefe family, descendants of John O’Keefe who was one of the old Sullivan farming neighbours; other O’Keefes – Josie is specifically remembered – attended the parish school with some of Joseph Costigan’s children. They built a house, which still stands, at No. 46 O’Keefe St.. not far from the Sullivan homestead; during the Depression blocks sold for as little as nine pounds ($18!!).
Now, where once stood stables, smithy, cowbails and dunny, paved roads and footpaths marshall suburbia’s brick veneers.
On page 743, Vol. II of “Victoria & Its Metropolis” (1888) appears the following paragraph:
“Eugene Sullivan, Gowerville, a native of Ireland, came to Victoria in 1858, and worked as a farm hand for a few years. Then going to Gowerville he purchased 5 acres of land, now increased to 38 acres, on which he devotes his attention chiefly to hay-getting.”
(Our ancestor was doubtless one of the thousands of ‘subscribers’ to the publication, and one of the “…men who made the colony…its founders and pioneers, and such are now its house-fathers” referred to in the ‘Publisher’s Note’. The publisher also forecasts a population of ten to fifteen million in fifty years’ time- 1938!)
A description of Preston from the same volume is of interest:
“Preston shire contains the township of Preston, in a dairy-farming and market gardening district, where there are also potteries, tanneries, glue works and bacon-curing establishments. Fruit and flowera are grown extensively. The reservoir at Preston has a capacity of 15,000,000 gallons. It lies seven miles N of Melbourne. Gowerville is a small agricultural village near Preston.”
Older Preston Costigans would remember the odours from Zwar’s tannery and other establishments near the Cramer St. football ground, and the screeching saws of Cook’s timber mill in Mary Street.
Eugene gradually acquired more land, until, at one time, the farm extended to Wood St.. During the “land boom” period all but 40 acres was sold, though most of the proceeds disappeared in the bank crash of the nineties. In the early 1900’s he retired from active farming to the corner of Gower St. and Plenty Rd., where he died in 1925 in his early nineties. A son, Eugene, lived on the farm property until 1906 when the daughter Johanna, who was married to James Costigan, returned to her old home to live there for a further 21 years. In 1927 the farm, though not the “corner” blocks where Kate continued to live until her death, was sold for subdivision. The homestead itself is now a suburban residence at the corner of Gower St. and Sapphire St., Preston- Melways Ref. 18 K 12.
Although Eugene had suffered financially in the bank crash, it was ‘only money’, and he retained the remainder of the farm until his death on 11th June, 1925. As ‘old’ John O’Keefe is known to have bought some residential properties when he also sold his farm around that time, the houses Eugene is known to have owned (e.g., in David St. and Gower St.) may have been bought with some of the proceeds of the sale. Eileen Costigan says that, having heard rumours of trouble, Eugene, with several neighbours such as Walsh’s and O’Connor’s, dressed in their Sunday best and entrained for the City but, having been to the bank, ‘returned with their tails between their legs’.
Eugene & Mary’s Family
Mary and Eugene had fourteen children- nine sons and five daughters. Timothy, the seventh child, was born on 11/12/1873, and during this week his father bought the old clock still ticking in the possession of Adrian Costigan, which he wound nightly at 9.30 for the next 52 years and which, coincidently, was manufactured in that distant home of Eugene’s brothers- Newhaven, Connecticut.
Most of the farming was raising crops of oats and hay (sold at the haymarket) and milking cows- selling the milk in Fitzroy and Clifton Hill; they bought a house in Fergie St. Fitzroy to use as a depot for milk; milking was done twice a day, the milk
being carted to Fitzroy and round to customers.
Older members of the family went to school at Tyler St., Preston, (where Adrian taught briefly in 1951) but the middle and younger members of the family went to South Preston (Hotham St.) after it was opened. When St. John’s, Heidelberg, opened, Johanna and Timothy transferred there, where the younger ones started as they became old enough, walking to school. On 23rd October, 1882 Johanna was awarded a Victorian Education Department “Certificate of a Child Being Sufficiently Educated” No. 61630, signed by Robert Craig, M.A., Inspector at Gowerville.
For a time the Doran parents, after retiring from their Bolingbroke property, lived in a small house or hut built at the back of the Sullivan property, part of which which was later used used in the erection of the Sullivan parents’ retirement home at the corner of Gower St. and Plenty Rd.; the remainder stayed on site and was used as a playhouse by the Costigan children.
Of the fourteen Sullivan children, all but two survived into middle or old age; Timothy (b.1873) and Jeremiah (b.1877) became priests, and Mary Ann (b.1882) entered the Josephite order and was professed on 16th July, 1907 as Sr. Mary Anysia. She did her her early training at Sydney where she would have known Mother Mary McKillop, later to be beatified by Pope John Paul II and likely to become Australia’s first canonised saint. After the young (4 1/2 years) Eugene Sullivan (b. 7/6/1869) was killed when he fell under the wheels of a dray on 30/1/1874, his mother named her next son (who was one of twins born on 17/9/75) after her dead boy. This second Eugene died on September Ist, 1953, but his twin (Edward) survived until 25/7/1965.It was not uncommon in ‘the old days’ for a child to be named after a preceding sibling who had died young. One other sister- Kate- did not marry, but the remaining siblings produced over fifty children between them. Joe Costigan was said to have fifty-four first cousins- not counting spouses.
John Molony, an eminent historian who succeeded Manning Clark in the chair of Australian History at the A.N.U. remembers Sr Anysia in his autobiography as the ‘ruler’ of St. Mary’s Primary School, Williamstown:
“Sister Anysia, a formidable woman of inflexible standards, ruled St. Mary’s. On one occasion she almost broke my fingers with a ruler when, passing my desk, she observed them to be in too close a proximity to my private parts. She was a fine and dedicated teacher determined to do her best for her pupils. She had the true ‘love of learning’ which she did her best to instil in her charges in the school.”
Molony, who had been a priest and friend of Michael Costigan for over fifty years, also wrote of Sr. Anysia’s two priest brothers.
“Auntie Kate” worked as a priest’s housekeeper, and Eileen remembers visiting her at the Queenscliff presbytery with her mother and grandmother. Kate eventually came to live in the house at the corner of Plenty Road and Gower Street where she looked after her ageing father and at times various Sullivan nephews and is said to have rather enjoyed a tipple or two. When she died in 1941, being buried from Sacred Heart church in Bell Street, her great-nephew Adrian assisted the service in his last appearance as an altar boy- another generational connection.
Thomas (b. 1867), after a disagreement with his father over payment for work done on the farm, moved out of home and at one stage worked on the roads in Preston and created a hushed-up scandal by living with a married woman -Mrs. Clayton- near the Darebin Creek. A Thomas Sullivan is recorded as living in Gower Street in 1911 between the Leahy’s and the Goodfellows at the creek end of the road. (Other names recorded at that end are Kelly, Bransgrove, Taylor, Wilson, Costigan, Walsh, Cassidy and Leahy.) He later bought a farm near Kyneton. It has been claimed that his brother Timothy, Dean O’Sullivan of Kyneton, ‘fixed up’ a marriage after her husband died, but the Dean was not appointed to Kyneton until several years after Tom’s death; Of course, Uncle Tim may have done this before he went to Kyneton. Joe Costigan, who must have known, or at least known of, his uncle, never mentioned him nor, according to Eileen, did Winnie ‘ever talk about these sorts of things’- yet every generation has its skeletons. Uncle Tom Sullivan’s funeral in 1933 was attended by Mary and Eileen Costigan. [ ongoing research and story on Thomas & Sarah]
The Costigan-Sullivan ties were strengthened when Elizabeth Costigan (“Auntie Lil”) married Eugene on 8th September, 1903. Unfortunately Lil died of consumption in 1912, leaving four young children- Kathleen, who married Charles McCunnie of Terang- Jack, Eddy and Eugene; the children were looked after for some time by Eugene’s sister Kate. He eventually married again, producing three more children (one dying young) in Wagga Wagga, N.S.W.. Some years ago Eileen and Monica Costigan visited one of these cousins who still lived around Wagga.
William (b. 1883) married Florence (“Florrie”) Dowling on 2/8/1913 and eventually settled in Balcombe Road, Mentone, where his older daughter Patricia lived until 1998 and his grandson, Marcus Mooney, moved into in 1999.
Johanna Sullivan (b.1871) married James Costigan on October 24th, 1894 and bore eight children- Mary, Joseph, Francis, Eugene, Kathleen (Tognini), Eileen, Winifred and Anne Monica (Tobin). Only Eileen survives in 1999, but three later generations, descendants of Joseph, Francis, Eugene and Monica, are living in Melbourne, Sydney, Ballarat, Brisbane and Darwin.
Around 1902 the older Eugene purchased four blocks at the corner of Gower Street and Plenty Road, Preston, on which he built a home, starting with materials from the ‘Doran’ shack, and establishing a small orchard. When his son, Eugene, who had been working the farm, left for Wagga in 1906, the old man invited Johanna with her husband James and their children Mary, Joseph, Frank and Eugene, to live on the farm.
James continued his dairy round business, no doubt using some produce of the farm itself. Eileen and Kathleen were born on the farm, but Winnie and Monica were born at the establishment of a midwife, Nurse Hooper. The Costigan family remained at the farm until after the death of the patriarch in 1925 at the age of 91, moving to 11 South Crescent, Westgarth, in 1927.
Eugene’s Obitury
The “Advocate”, the Catholic Archdiocese’s weekly publication, included the following obitury on page 17 of its edition dated 17th [18th] June 1925:
MR. EUGENE SULLIVAN.
On Thursday; the Feast of Corpus Christi, there passed away at his residence, Plenty-road, Preston, Mr. Eugene Sullivan, at the ripe old age of 91. He was born in the year 1833 at Greenagh, County. Cork, Ireland, and having survived the dreadful years of the famine, emigrated with two brothers and sisters to America. After a short time in the States life came to Australia in the year 1858. He resisted for a time the allurements of the gold-fields, but finally succumbed to the famous Port Curtis Rush in Queensland.
In 1860 he married, at St Francis’ Church, Mary, eldest daughter of Mr. Thomas Doran, of Bolingbroke, near- Coburg, who had come to Victoria with her parents in 1854 from Callan, County Kilkenny, and who died in 1912. In the same year, 1860, he took up land in the vicinity of Preston in the district at one time known as Gowerville, but originally as Irishtown, because of the large number of Irish settlers. It may be interesting to recall the names of these first families, many of whose descendants still reside in the district:— Walsh, Leahy, McNamara, O’Connor, Curran, O’Keefe, Foley, Dynon, Cashman, Gough, Farrell, Cassidy and Lynch. Mr. Sullivan was for many years the oldest inhabitant of Preston, and the last but one of the original settlers, the sole survivor being Mr. Michael O’Connor, who still resides at Gower-street, Preston.
Mr. Sullivan always took a great interest in Church affairs, and may justly be considered the founder of the Sacred Heart Church, Preston, which was built during the pastorate of the Rev. Fr. R. Collins, now P.P. of South Melbourne. He was a model Catholic in every respect, and during his long life was never known to have made an enemy. He was always highly respected, and to know him was to become his friend. This was evidenced by the large number of enquiries during his last illness, and by the large congregation which assembled for the Solemn Requiem Mass in the Sacred Heart Church at Preston.
He leaves a family of six sons and four daughters, a son and a daughter having predeceased him. Two of his sons became priests—Rev. T. F. O. (parish priest, Mentone), and the Rev. J. (S.J.), and one daughter became a nun (Sister M. Anysia, of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Maffra). He also left 47 grandchildren, two or whom are nuns.
Solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated for the repose of his soul on Saturday, June 13th, in the Sacred Heart Church, Preston, before a crowded congregation, and in the presence of his Lordship, Right Rev. Dr. McCarthy, Bishop of Sandhurst, an old friend of the deceased, the celebrant of the Mass being Fr. T. F. O. Sullivan, parish priest, of Mentone; deacon, Rev. J. Sullivan, S.J.; sub-deacon, Rev. J. H. O’Grady, parish priest of Preston; and Fr. Clack, master of ceremonies.
The following priests were also present in the sanctuary: Very Rev. J. Lonergan, Administrator; Very Rev. J. S. Bourke. S.J.; E. Frost, S.J.; J. M. Murphy, S.J.; P. MeGrath, S.J.; C. Cuffe, S.J.; Dr. Beovicli, D.D.; R. Collins, W. Ebsworth, J. Egan, S.J.; D. Kelly, S.J.; W. Ryan, S.J.; V. de Francesco, S.J.; M. Egan, S.J.; J. L. Forster, S.J.; Prior Kindelan, O.C.C.; J. Egan, T. McCarthy, P. J. Gibbons, C. Callaghan, E. O’Brien, J. McNamara, F. Maguire, M. D. Finan, J. P. Considine, T. P. Walsh, W. Power, T. Daly, P. O’Brien, V. Hoy, J. E. King, J. P. Carney, J. Byrne, J. Gallivan, J. O’Toole, W. B. Mangan, J. McCarter, Jas. Byrne, J. Toomey, M: O’Sullivan, D. Gleeson, M. A. Vaughan, H. Donnelly.
Addressing the congregation, amongst which were many representatives of Religious Orders, including the Sisters of St. Joseph, Sisters of the Good Samaritan, and the Sisters of Charity, Dr. McCarthy referred to the exemplary life of Mr. Sullivan, his long residence in Preston, his grand devotion to the Church, and the care he bestowed on the education of his family. The funeral, which was very largely attended, took place immediately after Mass at the Coburg Cemetery. R.I.P..
The Sullivan Farm, Gower St., 1858 – 1928 by Eileen Costigan
This map shows the (unverified) largest extent of the farm, according to an online source.
There were three paddocks on the house side of Gower Street- two large ones with a water-hole in a corner near Murray Rd., and one small one on to which the cow- and dray-shed opened. These sheds were part of a large shed complex that ran along the west side of a large hay-shed, four horse stalls, and a chaff-house served the cowshed as well.
At the back of the sheds was the wood-heap with several large pepper-trees along the west side of the area, a buggy-house in which the platform was kept, and a blacksmith’s shop with a smaller building behind it- the play-house. This had been part of a small house built for Mary Sullivan’s parents, Thomas and Johanna Doran, when they retired from farming at Bolingbroke (now called Pascoe Vale or Glenroy). Eventually the small house near the wood yard was used as the nucleus of the house built at the corner of Plenty Rd. and Gower St. for Eugene and Mary Sullivan when they retired from active farming and their son, Eugene, took over the farm in 1902.
There were three more paddocks on the south side of Gower St. stretching along “the lane” (O’Keefe St.) half-way to Bell Street, and eastwards along the Gower St. frontage opposite the house and opposite Walsh’s place to Lynch’s farm. Two of these paddocks were big and were planted mainly with oats each year to provide hay for the cows and horses, the hay being stored in the hay shed and in a big stack opposite the house near the slip-rails. Some pig sheds stood near the slip-rails, but were removed eventually. In parts of this large paddock there was always “green stuff” growing, mainly maize, to supplement the cows’ feed. The small paddock down “the lane” had a water-hole in the corner, while very high box-thorn hedges sheltered the paddocks along the western or lane side, a favourite nesting-place for birds, and hunting ground for boys looking for birds’ eggs. Over the years the small paddock, well sheltered by the hedge, was used by groups of men on Sunday afternoons as a place to play “two-up” and, on occasions, great was the scatter when the police hove in sight.
Around the biggest of the house-paddocks was a very thick, high box-thorn hedge, kept trimmed each year. Another feature of the area was a wide gutter across Gower St. which, at times, flooded and cut off foot-travellers. Many a time it was necessary to carry the little ones across the flood and for the bigger ones to walk along the slip-rails.
The Sullivans farmed the land and raised hay that was taken on drays to the haymarket, and milk that was sold by some of the sons from milk-carts, while eggs, butter and so on were sold to shops in Fitzroy. Eventually a house was purchased in Fergie St., Fitzroy, as a milk depot, and members of the family took turns to sleep there while the others milked the cows and brought the milk from Preston in large containers to be sold from the dairy and the carts.
When Johnnie Sullivan married Johanna Fitzpatrick they lived in the Fergie St. house, still the milk depot, until they went to Kyabram where they ran a hotel and farm, later moving to a farm in N.S.W. near Ganmain. This move is what seems to have inspired Eugene and Edward (the twins) to consider applying for selections in N.S.W. in the early 1900’s- and their eventual settling at Boranbola near Tarcutta where they farmed for some years, Eughie remaining there even after his wife Lil (Elizabeth) Costigan died, but finally he moved into Wagga, taking on a newsagency (and tobacconist) in Traill St., and a new wife, Alice McGee.
It was this move of Eughie’s to N.S.W. that brought about the move of James and Johanna Costigan from Fitzroy to the farm at Gower St., where their younger children were born, and where they remained for 21 years, 1906-1927.
The Homestead
(now 160 Gower Street, Preston)
In 1860 following their marriage at St. Francis’ Church in Elizabeth St, Melbourne, Eugene and Mary Sullivan lived in a small two-roomed cottage fronting the road in Gower St., Preston. As the family grew a timber house was erected directly behind the cottage which was pulled down when the house was ready. This house was used until the brick house was built behind it in the 1870’s. The bricks were hand-made and the house was erected by the men of the family with a little help.
The brick house had a straight veranda across the front on to which looked two windows, one each side of the front door which opened into a passage that ran straight through to the back of the house with two rooms on one side and three on the other. Each of the two rooms had a fireplace whose back was flush with the western wall. The room behind had two windows, one opening on the yard to the west, the other to the north. this room was used as the kitchen until the timber house was pulled down and the timber used to build more rooms across the back of the brick house. One of these rooms was a large dining room into which the passage opened. It had a fireplace at the end opposite the passage door with a cupboard and bookshelves on one side and a window to the north on the other. On the west side of the room were a window and a door opening on to a brick-paved veranda, onto which also opened the north-facing window of the brick house. Along the end of this veranda was another timber room with a window to the north and the room was used as a bedroom and when the Costigans lived there, as a “butter” room. In the east wall of the dining room was a door opening on to the kitchen off which was a large pantry with a window to the garden, and a brick floor. Under the window was a wide shelf to hold bags of flour and sugar and heavy articles. Along the brick wall on the south were several shelves for crockery, jam, packaged groceries, etc, while behind the door was a wide shelf to hold wide milk dishes in which the milk was stored to set the cream for butter- making. On the brick floor in the summertime wet bags covered with white butter muslin cloths were spread so that the butter, meat etc. could be kept in the dark and cool.
The kitchen was long and rather narrow with a great wide fireplace across the north end and a window and door to the east. At first the stove was a colonial stove with an oven with fire on top and below. Then one year, they saw and bought at the Royal Show the newest stove creation- a large enclosed stove with a fire across the top only. (A tale is told that when it was delivered it was left outside under a tree while the fireplace was prepared for it. The girls- Auntie Kate in particular- could scarcely believe that it could possibly cook with only one fire, so there and then she made a batch of scones, the fire on top was lit, and a very successfully cooked batch of scones emerged!) –
The kitchen opened on to a bricked square under which a tank was dug and lined with bricks and filled by the run-off from the house roof. On top of the tank was a pump worked by raising and lowering a handle which encouraged the water to rise up a pipe and come out through the mouth of the pump. When the pump refused to work a billy on a rope was lowered to get water, and sometimes billies with milk, butter, jellies to set etc. were hung down to keep cool on roaring hot days.
Across the north end of the bricked area was the wash-house and bathroom combined- a large room with a bricked-in copper, big iron tubs for washing, and eventually, a tap over the bath. There were shelves etc. for stores of various kinds, such as tins of kerosine for the lamps used in the house, tins to hold fat from the cooking, to be later made into soap. Near the walls of the kitchen and wash-house stood pot-plants of various kinds. A bricked path to the “little house” went off to the east, passing a small well-enclosed chicken-house and yard. The general fowl-run lay behind the “little house” and was enclosed with wire-netting. It was very extensive with 6-7 large pine trees along one side- much favoured as nesting places by magpies.
Running off to the south of the bricked yard along the side of the house was a bricked path with a strip of garden beside it. The water from the bathroom ran down a bricked gutter at the side of the bricked yard, and past this garden strip, with the rest of this garden extending 100 yards or so to the fowl run. The bricked gutter continued to the front fence and across the footpath to the road gutter.
The front garden was always a problem as five or six pine trees grew from beside the veranda to the fence and along it. In the side garden were fruit trees – plum, pear, apple and quince- flower beds, roses on high frames and vegetable beds. The clothes lines stretched across the top of the garden, with other lines in the paddock at the back of the house.
Children of Eugene Sullivan and Mary Doran
John Sullivan
John Sullivan (the eldest son of Eugene and Mary) married Johanna Fitzpatrick of Warrnambool. They had 4 sons and 4 daughters, although two of the boys died young.
The others were:
- Mary Eugene–
Sr. M. Raymond of Little Company of Mary; who died in the mid-1925 or 1926 and is buried at Fiesole near Florence, Italy. MARY FRANCIS became a nun, Little Company of Mary, Lewisham. In 1920 she with Sr. Florida (Griffin) were sent to Rome. Mary went to God 20th June aged 38. She is buried at Fiesole where she spent the last years of her life. - Eugene–
died at the age of 6 – result of a fall when playing on a clothes line, using it as a swing. - James-
died at the age of 2 – result of a burn. With Mary & Eugene he carried lunch to the men working in the paddock. Returning home they poked bark into a log which was smouldering. Wind caught the blaze and though seen by father and treated immediately the burn was so severe that he could not be saved. - Margaret–
Mother Margaret Sullivan of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, being stationed at various times at Rose Bay, Elizabeth Bay, Brisbane, East Malvern, and in New Zealand at Timaru, Wellington and Christchurch. In 1995 was still alive and alert at 98 years, in Sydney, and in touch with Eileen who, with Kathleen (Costigan/Tognini) met her in Sydney on 50th anniversary of entering the Order. Sr. Margaret died at Karlaminda convent, Kensington, N.S.W., on 26th February, 1998 (the day after Bob Santamaria passed away), aged 101. Became a Religious of the Sacred Heart in 1922 joining a noviceship at Rose Bay. - Nell (Ellen)-
[MY MOTHER] v Abe McKenna – 3 chn. Abe was killed in an accident, slipping from a platform of moving train 1938. [25.4.38] Ellen & Abe McKenna –
….. Bernard McKenna v Nancye Dowse. [Dec. 17.3.99]
….. Mark .. Christopher, Adrian, Keiran and Virginia + Anne Louise was the 2nd child and died of leukemia at the age of 2 (29.7.63)
….. Margaret v John White
….. John Frances, Michael.
….. John v Nenagh Ward (John deceased 20.1.75)
….. Geoffry, Paul, Martin, Helen, Peter.
married Abe McKenna and had three children-
1. Bernard McKenna
2. Margaret McKenna- m. John White, 2 children-
– a.
– b.
3. John McKenna - Jack–
John & Myra –
….. Elizabeth v Alex Miller
….. Noel, Judith, Bruce, Louise, David.
….. Marie v Allen Jarvis
….. Therese, Shirley, Kevin, Lynette, Vicky.
….. David v Fey
….. Gregory, Terence, Paul.
….. (Gregory was killed in car accident in Lawson Sept. 1975)
m. Myra– and had three children-
Marie, Elizabeth, David
Catherine (Kate) Sullivan
Catherine Sullivan. Eldest daughter; did not marry; worked as parish priests’ housekeeper; looked after her widowed father at corner of Plenty Rd. and Gower St., Preston. Died 24/2/1941. Adrian Costigan was altar boy at the requium – his last performance in that role as he had left the the parish primary school which supplied altar boys to the parish – and accompanied the funeral, and he remembers seeing Danny Hayes, the Preston undertaker, walking in front of the hearse in full formal mourning regalia, including top hat, down Bell Street and over High Street, before entering the mourning coach en route to the Coburg cemetery.
(Kate) devoted herself to her parents – 2 offers of marriage turned down. She kept house for her priest brother for a time and was then involved in other presbyteries until her mother’s health required her then she remained at Preston until Grandfather’s death in 1925 – aged 91. Grandma died in 1912. Earlier they had celebrated their Golden wedding when all the family assembled. A golden rosary was given them as a souvenir.
Ellen Sullivan (Nell)
Ellen Sullivan (died 6/10/1923) married John Kupsch, (d. 22/11/54) the only child of a German and an Irishwoman living in Preston. Three Kupsch brothers- Frederick, Christian and John Henry- had arrived from Germany with many other German immigrants in the “Peter Godfrey” in 1857. Christian Kupsch was the father of John. The Kupsch family was divided on Catholic/Protestant lines, and the two parts did not communicate; maybe this marriage was the cause of the split. Although Nell died ‘young’, Jack Kupsch stayed in touch with his in-laws and was photographed with the elders at Dean O’Sullivan’s great celebration of 1950. Six children-
- Hannah Kupsch– m. Frank Henry, died 22/12/1981;
one daughter-
Jean Henry; m. farmer from Wodonga: children:
– a.
– b. - Jack Kupsch– m., no children
- Mary Kupsch– m. John Foley, youngest son of an old Preston family; died 9.4.1983. Four children-
1. Joan Foley- m. Joe Tierney. has four adopted children-
– a.
– b.
– e.
– d.
2. Margaret Foley- m. Geoffrey McNamara and has three children-
– a.
– b.
– c.
3. Helen Foley- m. Jimmy Michael and has four children-
– a.
– b.
– c.
– d.
….. Anne Marie, Judith, Stephen & Anthony died as a baby.
4. John Foley- m. (WAS THIS THE “JACK FOLEY” A GREAT FOOTBALLER IN SAME GRADE AS ADRIAN AT PRIMARY SCHOOL? ) - Nellie Kupsch-m. Cyril Paine, had four children-
1. Patricia Payne- m.
2. John Payne- m.
3. Edward Payne- m.
4. Rosemary Payne- ?
N.B. Nelly lives at Golden Sands and is friend of Elizabeth Miller. - Eugene Kupsch– At first tested his religious vocation at Corpus Christi College but left before ordination. Eugene later became a teacher and married Mary Gilhooley. (Eugene died in 1950s) Four sons-
1. Eugene Kupsch
2. Timothy Kupsch
?
?
Thomas Sullivan
Thomas Sullivan married Sarah Clayton. married late in life. One son-
- Michael Sullivan– m.
- a.
- b.
- ??? (‘Had several children.’)
Eugene Sullivan
Eugene Sullivan. Died at 4 years in accident; one of the twins was named after him.
Johanna (Annie) Sullivan
Johanna Sullivan. Married James Costigan. See previous information. [Re: the chapter on Costigans]
Johanna (Annie) v Joe [???] Costigan
….. Mary not married ( good correspondent of family)
….. Eileen
….. Joe v Ileen Martin
….. Michael ordained 1955 (changed priest role 1969)
….. Frank v Kath Nelson [Frank Q.C. Painters & Dockers Royal Commission]
….. Adrian v Mary
….. Peter v Patricia Walsh
….. Elisabeth became Sr of Charity
….. Margaret ” ” Sr Rita
….. Paul ordained in the 60s (changed role 1971)
….. Anne
….. Kathleen v Jack Tognini – no chn Joe died 1974
….. Monica v — Martin Martin died 1940s
….. Anita v 1972
….. Damien
….. Frank v Ursula Hoy
….. Jacqueline v John Green 3 chn.
….. Jeremy, Johanna, Jacinta.
….. Madeleine
….. Gerard ordained a Jesuit 1973
….. Winnie
….. Eugene v Vera —
….. Brian v Maureen
….. Michael, Paul, Marie also Denis (all Married)
Timothy Sullivan (Fr. T. O’Sullivan)
Timothy Francis Sullivan left school and worked on the Gower St. farm and milk round, but returned to his lessons at St. Patrick’s Jesuit College at East Melbourne in the early 1890’s to study the subjects needed to enter St. Patrick’s seminary at Manly, N.S.W.. He and his younger brother, Jeremiah, left home on the same day, travelling by ship to Sydney, Timothy bound for the seminary at Manly and Jeremiah for the Jesuit novitiate at Greenwich, a Sydney suburb.
Timothy was ordained at Manly in 1900. Owing to a duplication of names at the Seminary he chose to call himself O’Sullivan hence some thought that O’Sullivan was our grandfather’s original name but it is not.
Timothy was ordained priest by Archbishop Carr on March 19th, 1900, in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne, and served as assistant priest at St. Kilda West. Gordon (near Ballarat), Bacchus March, Kyneton, South Melbourne, Geelong and Collingwood. In January, 1911, he was placed in charge of Wonthaggi and was subsequently parish priest of Mentone (1917 to March. 1928), North Melbourne and St. Kilda West. From October, 1937 until his death on October 12th 1964 he was parish priest of Kyneton, Dean of the Kyneton Deanery, and a member of the Diocesan council. No doubt he used his influence to secure a fortnight’s appointment as curate to his parish of his highly qualified and brilliant great-nephew Fr. Michael Costigan on the latter’s return to Australia after years of study in Rome; or was it a gesture of appreciation from his archbishop to a grand old man? (Michael and Frank Costigan had holidayed as teenagers at the Deanery, and returned home with tales of tennis on the Dean’s court and much ‘hospitality’ including mind-boggling icecream made by the housekeeper Eva Payne simply by freezing cream!)
When first appointed to Wonthaggi he lived for eighteen months in a 9ft. x 6ft. hut that he built himself and kept a stick handy to drive off rats! Of course he also procured the site for the church and presbytery and cleared and levelled the land. At Mentone Fr. O’Sullivan was an extremely popular and energetic priest. He completed the purchase of the parish’s current five acres, two of which he paid for himself- a 2000 pound donation which may well have come from his share of his father’s estate. He raised money for the parish by growing lavender and told of how he took up smoking- his doctor, finding him working in the lavender field, suggested he get a pipe- the time taken to scrape out old cinders, fill with tobacco (perhaps scraped from a ‘plug’), tap it down and light up would give him a break from his labours. Interested in sport and a member of the Melbourne Cricket Club, Tim was a member of Mentone Bowling Club’s B pennant team and was a prominent and active supporter of the Mentone cricket and football clubs as well as the Citizen’s Band.
Leo Gamble’s history “Mentone Through the Years” gives us an insight into the type of man Uncle Tim was in his prime. Referring to Leo O’Brien who played in Bradman’s team against Larwood etc., he mentions that Tim O’Sullivan had presented the young O’Brien with a medal for obtaining the Merit Certificate at the age of thirteen. Gamble then tells us that “… during the twenties his common sense and ability to socialise helped to ease tensions. O’Sullivan mixed with everyone, no matter what creed. He was vice president of the football club, a supporter of the cricket club, played bowls each week at Mentone, and served on the club’s committee. His participation in the life of the town makes him stand out in an era when many Catholics were xenophobic in relation of people of other religions… Father Tim O’Sullivan seemed to be above all this. He was loyal to his church but had the happy knack of being able to work with any citizens, no matter what their beliefs. Wherever he went he made friends so that there was great regret when he left in 1928. At his farewell in the recreation hall there were several councilors, representatives from the main sporting clubs, and many Mentone citizens, not just the Catholics… For twelve years the Mentone Catholics had a leader who was the epitome of tolerance and ahead of his time.”
As Dean of Kyneton, ‘Uncle Tim’s’ hospitality was legendary, facilitated of course by the renovation and addition of a new dining room, conference hall, two bedrooms and bathrooms and verandas and balconies which he carried out in 1938 at the cost of 6,000 pounds ($12,000 in modern terminology – a fortune if adjusted for inflation).
In his biography, John Molony recalls a visit to the deanery: “In 1957 I went to Kyneton in Victoria to bury my uncle Son and breakfasted with the parish priest after Mass. His surname was O’Sullivan, but he was a brother of “Spot” and of Sister Anysia. I did not ascertain whether he had added the ‘O’ to his name in honour of Daniel O’Connell, the Irish ‘Liberator’ as some Irish in Australia had done. The breakfast table had sittings for at least 10 diners but each was an island in itself, with, and I counted those before me in amazement, 25 condiments, sauces and other accompaniments to a meal. Father O’Sullivan spoke not a word during the meal, which probably accounted for the islands. It was truly a case of each man for himself.” (Michael Costigan, who spent a week or two as an assistant priest with the old dean, suggests that this silence was ‘out of character!)
On the occasions of the 50th and 60th anniversaries of his ordination – he was the first Manly graduate to celebrate a diamond jubilee- joyful celebrations were held at the deanery, with the ‘family’ days attended by vast numbers of relatives of three generations.
When his Golden Jubilee was to be celebrated the parishioners wanted to give him a personal gift, he refused. When they insisted he compromised by saying, if they wished they could put the money into a recreational ground which would be open to all in Kyneton. This was done and $1000 was donated. When his Diamond Jubilee came again the personal gift refused except that a dinner would be arranged for all family members. 108 attended.
… until his death in St. Vincent’s hospital.
He is buried in the Sullivan grave at the Coburg cemetery.
[ *see this Biography* ]
Eugene Sullivan
Eugene Sullivan. One of the twin sons, Eugene married Elizabeth Costigan, who died in 1912, leaving him with four children:
Kathleen (m. Charles McCunnie on 3 1/7/1904) Children:
1. Marie (b. 18/1/36;d. 15/6/80)
2. Elizabeth m. Frank Nagle, divorced 23/4/60
3. Aileen (b.9/1/40) m. Frank Pekin 8/10/60- Children:
– Anne Pekin,
– Jane Pekin m. Lachie Lee,
– John Pekin,
– Timothy Pekin,
– Clare Pekin,
– Anthony Pekin
John James (Jack) b. 26/4/1906; was in good health in 1986, playing golf every week and living at 22 Beach St. Ettalong, N.S.W. Married to Kathleen Veronica.
John (Jack) v Kathleen Kenny ….. 3 sons, 1 daughter.
Children: ,
1. Kerry John (m. Margaret Holland)
2. Michael Christopher who married Anne Gabrielle Meakes in Sept. 1967 and had at least one child-
– Jane Gabrielle born Sept 1978
3. Paul m. Christine Donnelly,
4. Elizabeth m. Peter Wood.
Grandchildren (1988): (from Kerry) Anthony m. Victoria, Karen (m. Robert Taylor); (From Michael) Jane Gabrielle; (from Paul) Marcella, Gregory; (From Flizabeth) Hayden (died), Zoe, Stephen. Information trom Moira Meakes, ##/## ######## St. Chatswood, in 1988.)
Eugene b. 1909, died 1995
married 3 chn. Gerard is a Christian Brother – Strathfield)
Edward b. 2/9/1911 died in the 1960s.
These children lived with the grandfather (Eugene) in the “corner” house and were looked after by Kate Sullivan until their father married again.
Eugene married a second time, to Alice McGee, and had a further two sons and a daughter:
Francis– m., lives in Sydney, several children
a.
b.
???
Jeremiah– died young
Mary– m., several children, lives in Wagga
a.
b.
???
Edward Sullivan
Edward Sullivan. The other twin, married Beatrice Flynn. They had seven children-
Eugene (known as ‘Rob’ or ‘Bob) m. Doris Ludlow- no children, died 1969
Alice (known as ‘Girlie’) m. Bill Green- three children. 2 sons, 2 daughters
– a. son
– b. son
– d. daughter
Edward– m. Vera Green, had several children 1 ” 3 ” .. (lives in Hobart)
– a.
– b.
– ???
Winifred– m. Wally Ludlow- two daughters Kathleen & Colleen both married.
– a.
– b.
Nellie– m. Jack Walsh- three children 2 daughters, 3 sons.
– Gerald Walsh (may live in Essendon. possibly played some football or trained with the Bombers)
– Geoffrey Walsh
– Peter Walsh
Desmond– m.- had several children 1 ” 2 ”
– a.
– b.
– ???
Sheila– m. Bill Eddy- had four sons Bernard, Brendan – both married. Also Lance , Christopher.
– a.
– b.
– c.
– d.
“Uncle Eddie” and “Uncle Eughie” were keen cricketers, and Joe Costigan told of the occasion when at stumps on the first day of a match Eddie or Eughie was batting, the other twin having been dismissed earlier. However, as the batsman still ‘in’ was either indisposed or perhaps had gone to the races when the match resumed on the following weekend, his brother took his place! Although they looked very similar – almost indistinguishable apparently – the other team complained when the batsman took a right-handed stance, for he’d apparently been a left-hander the previous week. Unfazed, Eddie/Eughie merely reversed his stance for the rest of his/their innings!
Eddie and Eughie farmed in the Wagga area, but around 1921 Eddie came to town and operated the Clover Tea Rooms on Beach Road, Mentone at the corner of Dixon Street – a corner nowpart of St. Bede’s College grounds. Leo Gamble’s history relates that “… there was also dancing weekly at the Clover tea rooms on Beach Road near the Baths where Edward Sullivan was host during the jazz era.” By 1925 Eddie had bought the freehold to the property which consisted of three blocks, the one next to Dixon Street being vacant. The business – in the building described as “cement” in the Mordialloc rates book, was next to the weatherboard dwelling. When the family first moved to Mentone it consisted of six people but when they left in 1927 or 1928 (possibly when they moved to Wangaratta) there were seven: was Eddie’s fifth child, Nellie, born in Mentone? With William and Timothy he was the third brother to reside for some time in Mentone.
Jeremiah Sullivan
Jeremiah Stephen Sullivan won a scholarship to St. Patricks College, East Melbourne after attending primary school in Heidelberg, and from there, at the age of 17 years, entered the Jesuit novitiate at Greenwich, Sydney, on September 8th, 1894. Eventually he went to Ireland, could not take the cold climate and was moved to Stonyhurst Jesuit College in the North of England where he studied philosophy 1905-1908; thence to Innsbruck (whence he and two other Jesuit scholastics, Samuel Bourke and Wilfred Ryan, walked during one vacation to Rome) and where he was ordained priest on July 26th, 1911, in the Holy Trinity Church. Ordained in the same year, and almost certainly at the same time and place, was the renowned philosopher-paleontologist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
‘Uncle Jerry’ (also known as “Spot”) then did his tertianship in Ireland and returned to Australia in 1912, not long after after the death of his mother. He was appointed prefect of studies at St. Ignatius College at Riverview, Sydney (1913 to 1917) and persuaded his sister, Johanna Costigan, to let him educate his nephew- her son, Francis Eugene, who thus went with him to Riverview. From 1918 to 1923 he was Rector of Xavier College, Kew- with , of course. young Frank Costigan as a student. It was during this time that Burke Hall was acquired by the Society as a preparatory school to Xavier. Following this period he was appointed Superior of what was then the Jesuit “Mission” in Australia until 1931- a position of great
responsibility. Perhaps to give him less stressful duties for a while, the Society then appointed him superior (parish priest?) of the Hawthorn parish until 1934. Then followed a long period training priests at Corpus Christi college, Werribee, until his final appointment, as rector, to Loyola College, Watsonia, from 1946 to 1950. He also lectured the juniors in Latin, and “Loyola” remained his home until his death.
One of Uncle Jerry’s juniors was Ian Guthridge who recalls in his autobiography “Give me a child when he is young…” two incidents involving the rector:
“Norby Olsen had an on-going battle with old “Spot” (alias Jeremiah) Sullivan, the Rector or Superior of the college, who also taught us Latin. A great old man, former Superior of the Province, he had a voice that welled up from somewhere deep in his bowels:
“Oh how many types of beans are there?” he boomed, peering over his glasses from a copy of Caesar’s ‘Civil War’.
“Broad beans”
– “Yes”.
“Butter beans”.
– “Yes”.
“French beans”.
– “Yes”.
“Has beens”, suggested Norby.
– “Yes – oh Mr Olsen…”
“The old man’s room was on the middle floor, beneath one of the dormitories of the novices; and since he had a heart condition, any noise from above inevitably raised a long, pained groan from the old man’s room below. When Norby moved into that dormitory, he played a nightly game on the old man – dropping one shoe, waiting for the groan, then dropping the other shoe and waiting for the second groan. Till one night, after a fortnight of this Pavlov treatment, he dropped the first shoe
– “Oh, Mr Olsen;” from below – but then he held the second shoe. There was a long silence – six room mates holding their breath waiting for the response; and then, from below,
– “Oh, for God’s sake drop it” – like the cry of a wounded bull in its last agony. Norbet obliged and the old man could finally settle down for the night.”
Another ‘junior’ of ‘Spot’ was John Molony, who wrote:
“Father Jeremiah Sullivan, professor of philosophy and known as “Spot”, took me aside one day. I was unaware that he was the first native-born superior of the Jesuits in Australia yet I felt, as I am sure many other students did, that ‘Spot” was one of us. He told me that he had heard that I had done some primary schooling at St. Mary’s in Williamstown and he asked me if Sister Anysia had taught me. When I said yes, he asked how I got on with her. I told him that she was a great teacher but a veritible Tartar who frequently almost beat the living daylights out of the boys. “Spot” made no attempt to restrain his amusement and went away shaking his huge head with laughter. I was later told that she was his sister.”
According to tributes published after his death and in a biography of Australian Jesuits, he was “… a very handsome and striking looking man”, and “… his stately walk and rich, sonorous voice will be remembered…” and he “… was a very able man. A historian, a classical and mathematical scholar and with a distinct taste for science… a voracious reader and, with a remarkable memory, seemed able to retain everything he read…”, and “He did everything in a big way; he was a man who was never narrow or petty in any of his actions. He was always kind, understanding and sincere, judicial and courageous in all his dealings…” At a ‘long table’ celebration of, probably, his fifty years as a Jesuit, he could proclaim to his brother Jesuits that he had lived under six Roman Pontiffs, six Kings and Queens of England, and six Jesuit Superiors and Provincials. He died in 1960 and was buried in the Jesuit plot in Boroondara cemetery, Kew.
An ancestor of whom all Costigans and Sullivans (can) should be proud
James Sullivan
[James Sullivan. 1880-83. Omitted from list.]
Mary Sullivan
Mary Sullivan. Entered the Josephite order of nuns after a six-months testing of her vocation with a nun at Bacchus Marsh, and adopting the ancient Roman name of Anysia on her profession on 16th July, 1907 at the age of 25 years. Sr. Mary Anysia entered the novitiate in Sydney aa time when she would have had some contact with Mother Mary McKillop, who is to be Australia’s first canonised saint. Eileen Costigan remembers her as a very lively woman, fun to be with. On visiting her sister Johanna and family she and her companion would have to eat in a room separate from the rest, such were the strictures of old-time nunneries. Apparently good at circumventing rules, Sr. Anysia would eat fast, finishing before her companion whom she’d encourage to ‘go for a walk in the garden’ and then fraternise freely with the Costigans. However, towards the end of her life she declared this was a nonsense and ate with the family!
William Sullivan
William Sullivan. Married Florence Dowling (d. 17/12/1971) on 2nd August, 1913, with cousin Mary Costigan being one of the official wedding party. For a while the couple lived in one of Eugene’s houses in Preston, and later at a number of addresses such as Malvern where his children attended St. Joseph’s primary school and the local de la Salle college, Joffre St. Preston- Bill was for some years the parish secretary- Lucerne St. (Mentone) in 1933, Naples Road, and finally Balcombe Road. In 1940 the family returned to Joffre Street for a couple of years, enabling the younger daughter, Maureen, to share with her cousin Adrian Costigan the educational guidance of Sister Bernadette in grade 6 at the Sacred Heart school. On taking long service leave, ‘Uncle Will’ bought a dairy farm at Pearcedale where he worked with his son Frank, who dearly wanted to be a farmer but it was during the Depression and, when Will returned to work, his nineteen years old son found managing the property difficult and eventually the project was abandoned. A dream had been tried but found impracticable. During the farming time Maureen and Pat boarded at Kilbreda but going to the farm, which they loved, every weekend. Will and Florrie had five children-
Frank m. Mary Sheehan; had five children-
1. Margaret m. Anthony Senserrick, who was a market gardener of Spanish descent at Keilor; and ‘suffered’ good fortune in 1999 by winning a $135,000 Tattslotto prize!- five children:
– Patrick Senserrick m. –
– Carmen Senserrick
– Angela S. m.- has one child Claudia
– Julian Senserrick
– Jane Senserrick
2. Catherine m. Clements- two children
– Gabrielle Clements
– Xavier Clements
3. Patrick (died)
4. Maureen m. Geoff Prentice; one child
– Elizabeth Prentice
5. Gerard m. – three children
– Lauren Sullivan
– Thomas Sullivan
– Patrick Sullivan
Jack m. Edna Kealy – eight children
1. Michael m.-
2. Jerome
3. Richard- m.- Lives in Darwin, 2 boys
– a. boy
– b. boy
4. Kevin m. Christine Harris (?),3 children
– a. Emma Sullivan
– b. boy
– c. boy
5. Brian m. Rosemary – Lives Wangaratta
– a. girl
– b. girl
6. Veronica m. Rob –
7. Peter; single, lives in Wangaratta
8. Gavin: single
Kevin Eugene m. Kathleen Smith, four children-
1. Bernadette m. Relton Leaver
2. Helen married Jim Anderson
3. Jacinta m. Peter Griffin, three children-
– James Griffin
– Anna Griffin
– Nicholas Griffin
4. Christopher Eugene m. Vivienne Munro, (Was at St. Pat’s East Melbourne when it was closed down, and he then transferred to Xavier: last of the Sullivans at St. Pat’s) three children-
– Fiona Sullivan
– David Eugene Sullivan
– Thomas Sullivan
(Kevin’s widow, Kathleen, lives at ## ##### St. Sth. Caulfield; the Griffin family at ## ####### St., Strathdale, Bendigo. 3550.)
Patricia m. Dennis Mooney, four children-
1. Christina m. John Pattison, two children:
– Dale Pattison
– Laura Pattison
2. Brian (died)
3. Leonie Mooney m. Michael Kent
4. Marcus Mooney (Marcus is a teacher, working in 1999 at Adrian Costigan’s last school- St. Kilda Park.) (teaches at St. Kilda Park P.S.) m. Simone Boness. Children: Gus Sullivan Mooney.
Pat died on 6th April, 2001, aged 75 years.
Maureen Sullivan entered Brigidine order of nuns. For some time returned to her alma mater Kilbreda as a teacher
but has held many and varied positions, such as pastoral assistant at Kyabram but following serious illness is
living with her small community in Mentone (Clayton) carrying out light duties such as taking the eucharist to sick and
elderly citizens. (Sister Elizabeth)
[ *see her draft memoirs* ]
Margaret Sullivan
Margaret Sullivan. Married Michael Coonan, who died suddenly in 1950 while in Thornbury.
When Mick Coonan died in 1950 he had been visiting in Thornbury and had ‘phoned Joseph Costigan wanting to see him urgently. Unfortunately it was a night of possibly the thickest fog ever in the Preston- Northcote area and Joe was unable to go to see him. Early the next morning (a Saturday) Mick Coonan was found dead in bed.
As Executor of the estate- he had long looked after the taxation and other interests of the Coonan family- Joe Costigan had to read the will to the family after the funeral. It was probably the most difficult task Joe had ever to carry out as an executor, for Mick had cut out of his will his sons John and Tom. On hearing the news, the family reacted as few other families would, and declared that the property should be divided equally between them. Joe spent a long time- probably at least a Couple of years- implementing the family’s wishes, and eventually was successful.
Although the will stated that Joe Costigan should be paid full accountancy fees for all his work, he refused to accept this but accepted a motor vehicle (an Austin “A40″) which Mick had ordered (in those days there were waiting lists, often of several years. for new cars) in lieu of payment, even though the fees would have far exceeded the value of the car. He was working for ‘family’ and love.
‘Mag’ Coonan continued to live on at the family farm, “Cannon Vale”, Yea, until her death in August, 1972. Seven children.
Margaret– unmarried
Michael Coonan, Twice widowed; m.. Annie McCarthy – five children- and Jean Tuttle (no children). Children:
1. Mary
2. Michael- m. Janis Blakeney. Lives at the family home, Cannonvale, Yea. Children:
– Michael A. Coonan
– Mary Fran Coonan
3. Lorraine- m. (Charles) Kerry Oliver. Lives in Yea. Children:
– Jennifer (m. Anthony Callender)
– Elizabeth Oliver,
– Leon Oliver,
– Kathleen Oliver
4. Brian- m. Anita Dignam- Children:
– Laurence,
– Gavan,
– Louise,
– Damien
(Brian Coonan was killed in farm accident in Sept. 1990)
5. Edward (Ted)- m. Marcia Cummins. Resides at Perenjori, W.A.. (Brian and Ted are twins; their mother died a few days after their birth.). Children:
– Lisa (m. John Evans. children: Laura, Ben and Jessica Evans),
– Joanne Coonan,
– Natalie Coonan
Mary m. Len Waters
1. Judith Waters (not married)
2. Dorothy Waters m. James Bryant (Brisbane) Children:
– Mark and Tanya Bryant
Eugene (Percy) m.Eileen McLeod in 1951. Children:
1. Anthony (“Anka”) m. Annette Walls Children:
– Heath Coonan (adopted)
– Leigh Coonan
– Patrick Coonan (Lives in Forest Hill)
2. Monica m. Paul Reid. Children:
– Ben, Rebecca and Daniel Reid. The Reids live in Hobart.
3. Jeanette m. John Natoli. children:
– Nicholas, Vanessa, Alexander, and Eleanor Natoli. Live in Pascoe Vale.
4. Maureen m. Robert Andrews. Children:
– Jessica, Victoria, Tom and Mitchell Andrews. Tom and Mitchell are twins.
5. Clare m. Robert Collins. Children:
– Jason, Bradley and Scott Collins. Residence: Numurkah.
6. Gerard Coonan (Townsville)
7. Terry Coonan(Numurkah)
8. Donna m. Brian Buckland. Children:
– Kathryn and Christopher Buckland The Bucklands live in Yea.
9. Sharon Coonan. Lives in Perth.
Thomas Coonan- m. Val Lalor -: after farming at Yea, bought property at Wangaratta where he died in the early 1970’s. Children:
1. Twins: Carmel d. 1997, and, John m. Robyn. Lives at Wangaratta.
3. Christina m. Alan Gurney. At Wodonga
4. Twins: Bernard: Stock & Station agent, Qld., and, Pauline: m. Bill Thomas, Wangaratta
6. Veronica: Sunbury; has pilot’s license.
7. Peter: Qld.
8. Margaret m. Rocky Russo. Has berry farm at Smoko (near Harrietville)
9. Patrick: not married (1999), building inspector.
10. Gerald (Gerry) m. Kathleen Byrne, no children
11. Kathleen Coonan- died unmarried
John Coonan- m. Kathleen Robb. Farmed at Gisborne, then at Alexandria: is Now in retirement at ## ###### St. Benalla. Children:
1. Anne: b. 1952; ### ######## Rd. Caulfield Sth.
2. Peter m. Jan; # ###### St. Ashwood
3. Timothy m. Angela Hulbert; Barooga, “Murray Valley Farm Suppies”. When told of his name, Johanna Sullivan /Costigan protested “Well, there’s only one Timothy!” Referring, of course, to her brother, “The Dean”.
4. Frank m. Jenny. ‘Instant Turf’ business, Qld.
5. Therese m. Denis O’Keefe, Commonwealth Bank; lives at Wantirna South
6. Paul m. Natalie; brick laying business in Roseberry, Darwin.
7. Patricia m. Warwick Cookson of Alexandra, in 1999 is seeking farm property in N.S.W.
8. Catherine m. Steve Grimes:lives at Panton Hills
9. Margaret m. Ian Jones, lives in Canberra
Sullivan Family in order of Deaths
Born Died Aged
James 1860’s 1860’s 1?
Eugene 7/6/1869 Jan.1 1874 4
Mary Doran (Mother) 1839 Oct. 24 1912 73
Ellen (Nell) Mrs. Kupsch 1866 Oct. 1923 57
John Sullivan 1862 April 12 1923 61
Eugene Sullivan (Father) 1834? June 1925 91
Tom Sullivan 1867 May 1933 66
Catherine (Kate)Sullivan 1864? Feb 24 1941 77?
Eugene (Eughie) Sullivan 17/9/1875 Feb 1 1953 77
Mary (Sr. Mary Anysia) 1882 Nov.22 1956 74
Jeremiah Sullivan, S.J. 31/12/1877 Feb. 17 1960 82
Timothy O’Sullivan (Dean) 11/12/1873 Oct. 12 1962 88
Johanna, Mrs. Costigan 1871 Apr. 19 1964 92
William Sullivan 1883 June 19 1965 82
Edward Sullivan 17/9/1875 July 25 1965 89
Margaret (Mag) Mrs. Coonan 1885 Aug.28 1972 87
Kathleen Coonan Mar.31 1964 40
Edward Sullivan (Wagga) June 1965 52
Eugene Sullivan (“Mick”- N.S.W.) 1995 86
Mary Serong (nee Horigan)
Eugene Sullivan’s cousin, Mary Horigan, married a Mr. Serong and came to Australia, living at Warrnambool and later, at Clifton Hill where she eventually got on the track of Eugene and located him in Preston. She had seven children-
1. Joe Serong- married Julia Fitzgerald. had two children-
– a son
2. Mary Serong
3. Margaret Serong- married a Mr. Booth and went to live in Warragul
district: had at least a daughter-
– Mrs. Souter
4. Jim Serong- married a Miss McMahon, had three children-
– Angela (Mother Rosa, I.B.V.M)
– Irene Serong (died young)
– Adrian Serong- became a doctor and married.
5. Bill Serong- married Nellie Finan and had a family.
6. Jack Serong- married, had three sons and a daughter
7. Tom Serong- married and had 3 or 4 sons and a daughter
– Mary (Minnie) Serong- unmarried.
Cornelius Sullivan
– first cousin of Grandfather Sullivan came to Aus. from Ireland as an adult
– married — [Ellen] Ritchie 3 chn,
….. – Jack, Jim, Paula.
………. – Paula v Tom Mercovich and had 3 sons,
………… — one is now Fr. Corry Mercovich SJ.
“Sullivan” or “O’Sullivan”?
Dean O’Sullivan acquired the prefix “O” at his ordination, having previously been known as a mere “Sullivan”. However, the “O” seems to have been shared around indiscriminately, so that even now, according to Pat Sullivan Mooney, some of her brothers’ children are known as “O’Sullivan”. In Sands & McDougall’s Directory of Victoria even old Eugene is occasionally – not always – recorded as Eugene O’Sullivan when living at ‘the corner’ house in Plenty Rd..
Perspectives
Population of Ireland in 1800: 4,500,000
1845: 8,500,000 (The year before the Great Famine of 1845-47)
1851: 6,550,000 (with average family group of 5-6)
Population of Australia, 2007: approx 21,000,000
During the Irish famine of 1846-47, which was accompanied by typhus, every little farm had to support a family, yet there were virtually no potatoes. Of less than 700,000 small holdings, 300,000 were less than 3 acres, and 250,000 were between 3 and 15 acres: contrast this with Eugene Sullivan’s 80 acres at Preston.
Emigration was the chief escape from death by starvation and pestilence.