John and Maria O'Dea HAMLEY BRIDGE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Arrival
John O'Dea arrived in South Australia with his parents Patrick and Margaret in 1854. Accompanying them aboard the ship 'Time and Truth' were his brother Thomas and sisters Mary and Margaret. They had left County Clare, Ireland aspiring to find a better life in Australia.
Maria Crowley arrived in Melbourne in December 1862 aboard the 'Henry Fernie'. She and her sisters travelled on to South Australia where they joined up with their brother at Bagot's Gap just near Kapunda.
By this time John was also working at Bagot's as a carter. He and Maria married on August 8th, 1863 at St. John's Kapunda. This notice appeared in 1913 on the occasion of the Golden wedding anniversary
John and Maria took up farming at Pinkerton Plains. Their first child Bridget Elizabeth was born in 1864 followed by Margaret I in 1866, Hannah Teresa in 1869, John Francis in 1870, Mary Anne in 1875, Patrick Joseph in 1877 and Michael in 1881.
Golden Wedding
After retiring to 'Clare Villa' in Hamley Bridge a grand celebration was held on the occasion of their Golden wedding in 1913 with close family attending. The event was reported in 3 newspapers of the time.
John died on January 26th 1922 aged 87. Maria lived on for another seven years, succumbing at age 88 on September 21, 1929. They are buried together at Pinkerton Plains, near Hamley Bridge in South Australia.