Michael Barron

Michael Barron
'FROM MUNSTER TO MONARO' A History of the Michael Barron Family. By Ron Barron


*Michael Barron* About 1910	*Michael and Agnes Barron with children* Back left: Mary, George, Richard Middle left: Ethel Front: Emily (Margaret) and baby Tom 1909

Michael Barron arrived in Sydney on March 19th, 1888 aboard the Ormuz of Glasgow. He married Agnes Brosnan at Cowra Creek January 7th, 1892.

During the years 1892-1905 Michael though pursuing interests on a small scale as a farmer was also operating a crushing plant perhaps in partnership with his friend John Brosnan, no doubt a relative now from Michael’s marriage to Agnes. Later John Brosnan became a well known Monaro resident who owned and operated crushing plants at Captains Flat and on the Monaro. This speculation is confirmed by the fact that Lands office records reveal that in late 1908 Michael, then a grazier of Peak View, and a John Brosnan purchased two hundred acres along Yellow creek from Patrick Brosnan, Michael’s father-in-law. This land was transferred to Michael’s son, George, on April 14th, 1909, and back to Michael on March 17th, 1918. Prior to this, one hundred and twenty acres was acquired on April 30th, 1907 from a Rosalie Harnett.

In 1910 Agnes Barron commenced duties as Post Mistress of the Peak View Post Office which was operated from the family residence. Her resignation was tendered on February 25th, 1912.

Post office duties at Peak View were again taken over by Michael and Agnes on May 28th, 1918 until the end of 1920. Numerous extracts from a file held in the State Archives Sydney on the history of the Peak View Post Office during the time it was administered by Michael and Agnes reveal an insight into residents living in the area between 1910-1920, and post office procedures in those years.

Tom Barron recalled in 1992 some facts and stories about his father: “Dad was a mild type of man and not a wild Irishman; always wore a hat which he only removed at the table. He seldom talked about Ireland. The first house they lived in consisted of a kitchen, living room, three bedrooms and verandah. The verandah was made of weatherboard, the remainder was made of mud plastered over framework”.

Michael Barron (centre) with from L.
son George, son-in-law William Darmody,
unknown and son Tom
Peak View 1922

Arthur Barron also mentioned in 1992 that his father “was a real Irishman, but at the same time a gentle person. He liked to have a good yarn but Ireland seldom came into the conversation. He enjoyed a game of cards and read a lot. One of his favourite pastimes was playing the violin. He would spend hours in a little room of the house practising, possibly not to the amusement of other family members. Dad enjoyed walking more than horse riding but used the horse and sulky for longer journeys. Once a month he would travel to Cooma for supplies, a journey which took two or three days. He also rode from Peak View to Majura to visit my sister Mary and her husband William Darmody”.

Simon Barron once told a very funny story concerning his Dad which occurred in the mid to late nineteen twenties on the property at Peak View. “Dad and some of the boys including myself had been working in a paddock some distance from home on a cold winter’s day. As darkness closed in, the tools were loaded on the cart and everyone climbed aboard to head homewards. No amount of coaxing by Dad would move the old horse, so not to be outdone he proceeded to gather a bundle of sticks which were placed on the ground under the horse’s tail. A match was struck and as Dad once more climbed aboard the fire increased and it was no time before the horse felt the heat and decided the game had ended.” This was no Halley’s comet streaking into the darkness but Michael’s means of motivation having the desired effect and the boys certainly thrilled to the ride at the same time having a lesson in horse management. Whether the sparks were coming from the horse’s tail or Michael’s mouth will always remain a mystery.

By the time Michael and Agnes resigned as Post Masters of the Peak View Post Office for the second time at the end of 1920 most of the children had grown up; some were married. On June 8th, 1925 his only child by his first marriage, Mai, married Eddie Cooke at Williamstown Co Waterford.

Early in the nineteen thirties there was depressing news for the family with great concern for Michael’s health. In the last weeks of 1932 or at the beginning of 1933 Michael entered Lewisham Hospital in Sydney for an operation. The Cooma Express newspaper dated January 23rd, 1933 relates the passing of Michael Barron but prior to his death he was devotedly nursed by the Sisters of ‘The Little Company of Mary’ including his own daughter Sr Mary Balbina. His passing, in the presence of his wife and family at Lewisham Private Hospital at the age of seventy-five, meant the end of an old and respected resident of Peak View.

Agnes Barron lived for another thirty years after Michael’s passing. She died in Cooma on November 11th, 1963.

Agnes Barron (wife of Michael)
1872-1963

Descendants of Michael Barron
Recompiled from the new Monaro Pioneers database: 9/10/07

1. Michael Barron, son of Richard Barron, was born on March 13, 1857 in Waterford, Ireland and died on January 19, 1933 in Lewisham, NSW^¹ at age 75.

Notes: Michael Barron arrived in Sydney on March 19th, 1888 aboard the Ormuz of Glasgow

Michael married Catherine Delahunty, daughter of Patrick Delahunty and Mary, on January 19, 1886 in Crooke County, Waterford, Ireland.

F i. Mai Barron was born on May 26, 1887 in Waterford, Ireland and died on May 14, 1956 in Waterford, Ireland at age 68.

Mai married Eddie Cooke on June 8, 1925 in Williamstown County Waterford, Ireland.

Michael next married Agnes Brosnan, daughter of Patrick Maurice Brosnan and Mary Ann Feeney, on January 7, 1892 in Cooma, NSW.² Agnes was born in 1872 in Cooma, NSW^³ and died on November 11, 1963 in Cooma, NSW^⁴ at age 91.

M i. Richard Patrick Barron was born in 1892 in Cooma, NSW^⁵ and died on November 5, 1940 in Petersham, NSW^⁶ at age 48.

Richard married Vera Jean Thurbon, daughter of William Thurbon and Mary Anne Joyce, in 1916 in Newtown, NSW.⁷ Vera was born in 1892 in Cooma, NSW.^⁸

2 F ii. Mary Barron was born on November 10, 1895 in Peak View near Nimmitabel, NSW, died on August 16, 1969 in Canberra, ACT at age 73, and was buried in Queanbeyan Riverside Cemetery, NSW.

M iii. George Andrew Barron was born on January 30, 1897 in Peak View near Nimmitabel, NSW,^⁹ died on July 31, 1945 in Cooma, NSW^¹⁰ at age 48, and was buried in Mittagang Cemetery, Cooma, NSW Grave 423.

George married Eva Agnes Engelmann, daughter of Martin Dennis Engelmann and Mary Matilda Kaufline, in 1926 in Cooma, NSW.¹¹ Eva was born in 1898 in Cooma, NSW.^¹²

M iv. Arthur Barron was born on January 1, 1899 in Cowra Creek, NSW^¹³ and died on May 21, 1994 in Goulburn, NSW at age 95.

• He served in the military as a Private, number N380337, 15 BATTALION VOLUNTEER DEFENCE CORPS PART TIME DUTY, Australian Army from June 5, 1942 to September 25, 1945 in WW2.

Arthur married Margaret Mary O'Neill, daughter of Thomas Peter O'Neill and Elizabeth May A. Norton, in 1929 in Cooma, NSW.¹⁴ Margaret was born in 1908 in Adaminaby, NSW^¹⁵ and died on January 20, 1997 in Goulburn, NSW at age 89.

F v. Ethel M. Barron was born on August 25, 1902 in Peak View near Nimmitabel, NSW^¹⁶ and died on June 11, 1995 in Young, NSW at age 92.

F vi. Emily Margaret Barron was born on March 28, 1905 in Peak View near Nimmitabel, NSW^¹⁸ and died on December 19, 2004 in Wagga Wagga, NSW at age 99. Another name for Emily was Sister Mary Balbina.

M vii. Thomas Michael Barron was born on December 4, 1909 in Peak View near Nimmitabel, NSW^¹⁹ and died on January 22, 1993 in Cooma, NSW at age 83.

Thomas married Eva Maud Pegram, daughter of John Thomas Pegram and Alice May Ochs, on June 17, 1937 in Adaminaby, NSW.²⁰

3 M viii. Simon Aloysius Barron was born on October 9, 1913 in Peak View near Nimmitabel, NSW and died on August 12, 1996 in Goulburn, NSW at age 82.

2. Mary Barron (Michael¹) was born on November 10, 1895 in Peak View near Nimmitabel, NSW, died on August 16, 1969 in Canberra, ACT at age 73, and was buried in Queanbeyan Riverside Cemetery, NSW.

Mary married William Joseph Darmody, son of James Darmody and Ellen Hennessy, in 1913 in Cooma, NSW.²¹ William was born in 1882 in Queanbeyan, NSW,^²² died on March 2, 1945 in Sutton, NSW^²³ at age 63, and was buried in Queanbeyan Riverside Cemetery, NSW.

M i. William Patrick Darmody was born on February 4, 1921 in Queanbeyan, NSW and died on April 1, 1991 in Boorowa, NSW at age 70. Another name for William was Bill.

• He served in the military as a Parivate, number NX137332 (N243506), 2/10 Battalion, Australian Army from November 22, 1942 to July 27, 1945 in WW2.

William married Ruby Jane Robinson, daughter of Richard James Robinson and Florence Mary Goggin,.

3. Simon Aloysius Barron (Michael¹) was born on October 9, 1913 in Peak View near Nimmitabel, NSW and died on August 12, 1996 in Goulburn, NSW at age 82.

Simon married Stella Elizabeth Jamieson, daughter of Charles Henry Jamieson and Sarah Anne Roberts, on September 16, 1939 in Strathfield, NSW.²⁴ Stella was born on June 1, 1915 in Bombala, NSW and died on August 10, 1989 in Goulburn, NSW at age 74.

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