John Shanley

John Shanley was working as a groom and house servant when he was accused of stealing meat from his employer in 1836. John had already served six months hard labour for a previous conviction and this second conviction resulted in transportation to New South Wales. On arrival in Sydney, John was assigned to William Todhunter, a Ticket of Leave holder who worked as a clerk in the Commissariat Department. In 1842 John was working for Todhunter in Maitland.

John's first wife was Elizabeth (Eliza) Fee and they had three children: Joseph was born in 1844, James in 1849 and Eliza Jane in 1850. For reasons unknown Eliza and the children left John and on 22 March 1851 travelled on the 'Henry Harbeck' which arrived in San Francisco, California on 5 August 1851.

Sometime between 1850 and 1853 John moved to Ipswich. At the age of 36, he married 19 year old Margaret Mahoney in 1853 and the couple lived at Brassall where they had a small farm. John also worked as a carrier, taking goods to the Darling Downs. John and Margaret's first four children were born in Ipswich: William in 1855, Patrick in 1856, Francis in 1857 and Mary Ann in 1859.

John's occupations while in Ipswich included: farmer in 1855, carrier in 1856, labourer in 1857 and carrier again after 1857. These details appear on his children's birth certificates. John, Margaret and the four children left Ipswich circa 1860 and moved to the New England area in New South Wales. The family lived in many places in this district, finally settling at 'Clarevaulx' when the older boys were of working age.

In 1872, he signed his mark (X) on the petition for Glen Innes to be proclaimed a municipality.

The Glen Innes Examiner of 12 December 1877 advised that a Conditional Purchase was made at the local lands office by John Shanley for 40 acres of land at Ditmas.