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

Late last year, we took a "field trip" to Port Macquarie and Kempsey. We visited sites of significance to our Killion, Quinn and Hand family. Port  Macquarie  Historical Museum, pictured  above, is thought to be the location of the 1851 marriage of our many times great grandparents, John Killion and Jane Feeney. Making our way to the North Shore of Port Macquarie where John and Jane Killion had their home and farm on 53 acres. John purchased the land in 1859. It's to the right of the ferry. Jane lived there with her second husband, Thomas Seward, until the late 1860s. Edward, Rose, Thomas, Mary Jane and Margaret Killion and William and Annie Seward lived on the land. We're pretty sure that the family had moved back to Port Macquarie prior to the birth of Matilda and the twins, James and Richard. The land as it is today! There was a water frontage to the river when the family lived there. It hardly seems like ideal farming land to my city eyes! It's difficult t...

We have very few details of John and Jane's marriage other than the births of their five children. Edward John (Jack) was born about 1854 and Rosanna (Rose) about 1855.  However, we can't find any birth or baptism registrations for Jack or Rose.  Jack's granddaughter had his birth date recorded as 20 October 1854. Thomas was their third child.  His birth registration shows he was born on 10 April 1857 at "North Shore opposite the Town of Port Macquarie", John shows his occupation as "settler" and there were two "previous issue", John and Rosanna "both living". Mary Jane, their fourth child, was born on 25 October 1859. Margaret, was their fifth child.  Her birth registration shows she was born on 10 February 1862 at "North Shore, Port Macquarie".  Again John is shown as a "settler" and the previous issue are John (9), Rosanna (6), Thomas (5) and Mary Jane (2). Edward John is top ...