The Killion, Quinn and Hand Families of Port Macquarie and Kempsey and their Feeney Family

The Society of Australian Genealogists' "Hang Outs" are giving me the opportunity to systematically record my research and then turn it into blog posts!      Yesterday was the opportunity to tie together the stories of the past two weeks with my favourite topic - genetic genealogy.  If you've done a DNA test and would like any assistance, please contact me at the above email.  You can read the story of Jane Feeney, my second great-grandmother,  HERE.   You can read the story of Anton and Margaretha Gersbach, my second great-grandparents,  HERE .  I'll show  how DNA is helping me find my genetic make up from Essie Woodlands, my paternal grandmother.   Genetic evidence is necessary to “prove” our pedigree.   Louise Coakley is an Australian genetic genealogist, member of SAG and publisher of Genie1 .  DNA does indeed have amazing power and I hope the information in this p...

While we're all staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the Society of Australian Genealogists have a webinar each Friday afternoon.  Today's theme was Anzacs.  I'm sharing a short presentation I made on our family to recognise a very different Anzac Day 2020. I t was only four years ago that I became immersed in the stories of my family but I’d always known the story of my great uncle Francis Joseph Macleay Gersbach.  I didn’t know the story of Frank’s cousin, Henry Joseph Porter. So four years ago I asked my cousin to give me access to the family bible.  To my amazement, the bible contained photos of Frank and his parents, my great-grandparents, Francis Gersbach and Margaret Killion, along with Frank’s birth certificate.  Frank was born in Glen Innes just over 130 years ago.  The family moved to the inner west of Sydney when Frank was a young child.   As I’ve come to know more, I wonder if these were the photos that Fra...

My great-grandmother, Margaret Gersbach (nee Killion) died at her home, 19 Northumberland Street Stanmore...the fourth victim of the Spanish Flu Pandemic in our Killion family.  Margaret was 57.  Her cause of death is shown as "chronic bronchitis, pneumonic influenza and heart failure".  She's suffered from influenza for 10 days.  Margaret is buried at Rookwood Catholic Cemetery. Margaret Gersbach (nee Killion) about 1915 What a sad time it was for the family with the death of the three daughters and a grandson of John Killion and Jane Feeney in under three months.  John was 59 when he died in 1864 leaving Jane with their five young children.  He died at the family's home on the North Shore, Port Macquarie from "asthma" and all the children suffered from bronchial issues. My grandmother, Essie, was just short of her twenty eight  birthday when her mother died.  In April, she'd seen her brother, Fran...

Listening to the ABC News last night and I was back with the Killion's.  The 1919 Anzac Day March was called off in Sydney because of the Spanish Flu Pandemic!  The first commemoration of Anzac Day in Sydney was in 1916.  Four thousand returned service men took part.  It was followed by lunch and entertainment at the Sydney Town Hall. You can read more here.   NRS 12060 [9/4857] B20/2475, State Archives and Records NSW Today, I'm wondering if Great Uncle Frank (Francis Joseph Macleay Gersbach) and his cousin, Harry (Henry Joseph Porter) were part of an Anzac Day March in Sydney.  Their only opportunity would have been 1918.......and I think not! Frank saw very little active service but was injured three times - the first in the second landing at Gallipoli and twice in France.  He returned to Australia on 7 March 1918.  He was found medically unfit and discharged from the AIF on 10 July 1918.  Frank died a week before An...

Francis was the son of Francis Gersbach and Margaret Killion...the grandson of John Killion and Jane Feeney.  He was born on 25 January 1890 at Grey Street,  Glen Innes - the only son of Francis and Margaret and my great uncle. Francis returned from the First World War an invalid and succumbed to the Spanish Flu Pandemic.  He died at the family's home, 19 Northumberland Avenue Stanmore, after an illness of 7 days.  His cause of death is recorded as "Pneumonic influenza; general debility due to gas 9 months on active service".  Here's the letter Margaret, his mother, wrote on 22 April 1919 to the "Minister of Defence" advising of Francis's death.   On 5 July 1919, Margaret, died at the family home.  Her oldest sister, Rosanna Porter (nee Killion), had died on 29 April 1919 at her home in Glebe and her other sister, Mary Jane Newton (nee Killion), had died on 15 June 1919 at her home in Surry Hills.  All three daughters ...

Francis Joseph Macleay Gersbach (1890 to 1919) Home from another successful "field trip" to Port Macquarie and Kempsey! Thanks to  John  and  Ann  for their hospitality - including our visit to the Killion land  on the North Shore. Wonderful to meet Quinn and Hand cousins in Kempsey and receive some priceless photos - all over 100 years old. Here's one that my great uncle, Frank Gersbach, sent to his cousin, Charlie Quinn. Frank departed from Sydney on 12 May 1915 on HMAT Themistocles A32 (pictured) bound for Gallipoli. Part of the second landing, Frank was wounded at Lone Pine and evacuated to Malta. He rejoined his battalion in France and was wounded twice more.   Frank was invalided back to Australia in 1918 and died on 18 April 1919 - 4 months after discharge - aged 29.     ❤️

The worldwide influenza pandemic which occurred in 1918 and 1919 is believed to have claimed 40 million people.  The disease arrived in Australia through Victoria in early 1919 and spread to New South Wales by 27 January.  By the time it ended in September, more than 6000 people had died in the State.   The three daughters and one grandson of John Killion and Jane Feeney were amongst those who lost their lives.   On 05 July 1919 - 98 years ago today, Margaret Gersbach (nee Killion) was the last of the daughters of John and Jane to died from influenza.  Margaret was 57 years old.  Frank Gersbach jnr, Margaret's son, had died 11 weeks earlier from influenza.  He died on 18 April 1919, aged 29.  Both died at the family home, "Cronulla" 19 Northumberland Street Stanmore. So, it seemed timely to visit the homes where my great-grandmother, great uncle and my two 2nd great-aunts had died all those years ago. Clockwise from top left - Mar...