l am look info over Michael fam.


please help with the o'brien side in australia

l go this from my cousin in Australia

Michael Leo O'BRIEN was born in 1894 in Woodend, VIC and died in 1970 in Caulfield.

Norman dad, Leo Michael, was actually born Michael Leo. I believe he swapped them legally to honor a fallen mate from World War I. This mate was Leonard Lewis O'MEARA. He was a medic in the Australian army during the war, only to be shot dead in 1917, France. PLEASE, don't let anyone tell you that Leo carried him off the battlefield - I was told that only to prove everyone wrong. Leo was, in fact, in England with pneumonia at the time his best mate was shot.

There is a meaning to this story.

Leonard Lewis O'MEARA was Leo Michael O'BRIEN's wife's first husband. L.M promised to look after L.L's wife, Kate, if anything happened to him during The War. He did.

Kate Muriel WATSON was born in 1890 and died in 1975 (Caulfield, VIC)
Leonard Lewis O'MEARA and Kate Muriel WATSON had one child prior to Australia joining The War.
- Francis O'MEARA

Leo Michael O'BRIEN and Kate Muriel WATSON had five children after the married in 1919.
-Eileen
-Kevin
-Maurice
-Vincent
-Norman


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Michael was one of eight children.

His father was Michael Joseph O'BRIEN (b. 1873, Sebastopol, VIC)
His mother was Mary Agnes MURPHY (b. 29-10-1870, Woodend, VIC)

Their children were:
Mary Agnes (b.1892 Woodend VIC. d. 1902 Maffra VIC)
Michael Leo (b. 1894 Woodend VIC. d. 1970 Caulfield VIC)**
John Joseph Huburt (b. 1898 Woodend VIC)
Claude Francis (b. 1901 Maffra VIC)
Leonard Patrick (b.1902 Maffra VIC. d.1959 Geelong VIC)
Christopher Kevin (b. 1905 Maffra VIC)
Eileen Margaret (b. 1907 Maffra VIC?. d. 1929 St. Kilda VIC) (Hit by a tram crossing the road...)
Beatrice Mary (b. 1909 Maffra VIC)

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Michael was one of seven children.

His father was Patrick O'BRIEN (b. c1812, County Clare, Ireland)
His mother was Bridget KITT (b c1838, County Clare, Ireland. d. 1888, Horsham VIC)
They were married on 05-07-1864 at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Castlemaine VIC, which still stands in its entirety today.

Their children were:
Thomas (b. 1865 Casterton VIC)
John Patrick (b. 1867 The Loddem, Ballarat, VIC)
Francis Peter (b. 1869 Sebastopol VIC)
James (b. 1871 Sebastopol VIC. d. 1874 Sebastopol VIC)
Michael Joseph b. 1873 Sebastopol VIC)**
Dennis James (b.1875 Horsham VIC)
Mary Ellen (b. 1880 Horsham VIC)

Patrick and his brother Thomas came out to Australia some time in 1853/54. They came out on a ship named Goldfinder. (Fitting, don't you think?) It left Liverpool, England on 01-07-1853. It landed in Port Phillip Bay in 1854.

It turns out Bridget KITT was also on board. Due to the age gaps and the size of Co. Clare, we can pretty safely assume they had no knowledge of each other until their arrival in Australia.

On their wedding certificate, Patrick is listed as a miner, whilst Bridget is listed as a servant. This is quite typical of the time period.

Patrick's parents were Patrick O'BRIEN and Mary TOOMEY.
Bridget has her parents listed as Patrick KITT and Ellen FOLEY.

The witnesses on the certificate are Thomas O'BRIEN (the other brother) and Mary or May O'BRIEN. I am unsure of the relation.