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

Matilda was the eight child of our many times great grandmother Jane Feeney and the third child of Jane's marriage to Thomas Seward.  Matilda was born at Port Macquarie and moved with her mother and 7 siblings to Kempsey when she was about 10.  In 1905, Matilda married John Hand and they had three sons - John, William and Bernard. We haven't found a photo of Matilda to date but here's a photo of her sons. You can read more about Matilda  HERE.

On 21 July 1864, John Killion died at the family farm on the North Shore, Port Macquarie. Less than six months later, on 12 January 1865, Jane married Thomas Seward at the Office of the District Registrar in Port Macquarie. Imagine the difficulty that Jane faced in 1864 with a farm to manage and 5 young children between 2 and 10 years. As was often the case, marriage followed fairly quickly after the death of a partner in the 1800s.  Thomas Seward was born on 3 August 1814 at Moats Hole, Sandwich, Kent to Thomas (a mariner) and Ann Seward. He was baptised on 16 October 1814 at St Mary's Church in Sandwich. Prior to his marriage to Jane, the spelling of Thomas's name is either Seaward or Seeward. "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database,  FamilySearch  (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J7GY-8XJ : 11 February 2018, Thomas Seeward, 16 Oct 1814); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; ...

Matilda is the third child of Thomas and Jane Seward.   She was born on 27 December 1869 at Port Macquarie. She was baptised at St Thomas' Anglican Church, Port Macquarie on 19 October 1870.  The birth registration records that Thomas is a boatsman, aged about 50, from England and the Jane is aged 36, from Ireland. Between 1873 and 1878, Matilda moved with her mother and siblings to the Kempsey region. Family Notices (1905, April 8).  Macleay Argus (Kempsey, NSW : 1885 - 1907; 1909 - 1910; 1912 - 1913; 1915 - 1916; 1918 - 1954) , p. 8. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article233764269 On 01 March 1905, Matilda married John Hand at All Saints' Catholic Church, West Kempsey.  John was born on 14 July 1871 at Macleay River.  He was the oldest child of John Hand and Ann Kenny. John was 33 and Thomas was 35 when they married. Matilda and John Hand's three sons -  John Thomas, William Bede and Bernard James -...