Information compiled by Pat Curry

Birthdate of James Byrnes, according to the headstone on his grave. His parents were David Byrnes and Ann Reffin.

James’ first sister, Ann, was born at Parramatta.

James’ parents, David and Ann, (surnames shown as Burns and Griffin), were married by Reverend Samuel Marsden at St John’s Church, Parramatta. David is believed to be about 42 years of age and Ann 27.

James’ sisters and brothers were born, John in 1813, Esther in 1815, Catherine Sophia in 1819 and Samuel in 1826. James was 20 years old when Samuel arrived.

James’ future wife, a young woman named Harriet Nicholson arrived in Sydney as a convict aboard the Princess Charlotte. The shipping indent records her as 20 years old, a straw bonnet maker, native of Nottingham, charged at Doncaster with picking pockets, and sentenced to 7 years transportation. In Sydney, she was assigned to Doctor David Ramsay of Dobroyd.

The first Byrnes’ family marriage – Ann Byrnes married William Jackson at St John’s at Parramatta. James Byrnes and Mary Campbell were recorded as the official witnesses.

The 1828 Census of NSW recorded James Byrnes at Parramatta with his parents, sisters and brothers, all except Esther who, at the age of 13 years, was a servant working for Peter Bemi, a draftsman in the Surveyor General’s office in Sydney. This Census shows Harriet Nicholson was at Parramatta, assigned to the Reverend John Vincent, who had only recently arrived in the colony with his wife and 4 young children.

Convict Permission to Marry records show that, 9 months later, the Reverend Yate of Parramatta approved Harriet Nicholson’s marriage to James Byrnes, with a notation added: Approval is granted provided Harriet’s employer consents, as it appears that she does not have her Ticket-of-leave as represented.

26 July 1830

James Byrnes and Harriet Nicholson were married at St John’s at Parramatta. Witnesses were William and Ann Jackson. Coincidentally perhaps, John Redgrave, whom Harriet had earlier received permission to marry, was married the same day to Ann Barnett in St Phillip’s Church in Sydney.

James’ second sister, Esther, married John Wilkinson at St John’s Church, Parramatta. Witnesses were Robert and Mary Biddle. Where were the family members?

James’ third sister, Catherine Sophia Byrnes, 14 years old but recorded as being 15, married convict William Harris, aged 26, at Bringelly. William Harris was assigned to Geo. Wentworth of Greendale. James and Harriet Byrnes were the official witnesses of the marriage and they are recorded as "Of Bringelly" indicating that they also lived there at that time.

Esther Byrnes and John Wilkinson’s first child, John, was born near Bringelly His baptism record states that his father was a tenant farmer for Geo. Wentworth at Greendale. At this time James and Harriet Byrnes, Esther and John Wilkinson, and Catherine Sophia and William Harris seem to be all in the area recorded as Bringelly. Samuel aged 7, would have been at Parramatta with his parents, and it is not known where 20 year old John Byrnes was.

NSW Post Office Directory recorded David Byrnes as a tailor at Parramatta.

First evidence of any of James Byrnes’ family member in the Castlereagh area. Catherine Byrnes and William Harris’ first child, Rachel, was born at Castlereagh. William was recorded as a settler when Rachel was baptized by the Reverend Henry Fulton in July 1838.

Catherine Sophia Harris nee Byrnes died at Castlereagh and was buried at Christ Church Cemetery. This was our first Byrnes family burial at this cemetery. Who cared for daughter Rachel, who was baptized the same day her mother was buried?

James’ brother John Byrnes and Eliza Ablett married at Cobbitty near Bringelly. The witnesses at their marriage were John and Mary Ford – the Wilkinson and Ford children married each other in later years.

The lease on David Byrnes’ land at Parramatta was extinguished. Perhaps James’ parents then moved to Castlereagh to live with some of their children.

James’ mother, Ann Byrnes nee Reffin died at Castlereagh and was buried in Christ Church cemetery by the Reverend Henry Fulton. She was recorded as 56 years old. David was 70 years old, but youngest son Samuel was only 13. Later evidence suggests James’ close association with his brother Samuel.

Catherine and William Harris’ baby daughter Rachel died and was buried at Christ Church Cemetery at Castlereagh. It is known that William moved to Bathurst where he married Elenor Evans in 1841.

John Byrnes and Eliza Ablett’s first child was born at Castlereagh and named Catherine Sophia Byrnes. James and Harriet, John and Eliza, father David and brother Samuel are all there too. Esther and John Wilkinson stayed at Greendale with their 5 children. It is not known where William and Ann Jackson and their 3 children were living then.

7 Jan 1841

Spark of Grace (Gloster Udy, 1977) quotes James Rutledge’s 1840-47 Journal about Harriet Byrnes (nee Nicholson) - First there was Mrs Byrnes who led the way. This story details Harriet’s religious conversion and later her work with 3 other local women – Mrs John Lees Jnr, Mrs Gorman, and Mrs Stanton – who held weekly tea-meetings to raise funds to re-build the Wesleyan Church at Castlereagh.

The Penrith Methodist Circuit Centenary Booklet (Margaret Trask, 1961) records James Byrnes and his young brother, Samuel, aged 15, as Trustees of the Methodist Church at Castlereagh.

Caroline Deborah Jackson, 3 years, daughter of Ann Byrnes and William Jackson, was buried at Christ Church Cemetery. Was Ann living at Castlereagh or only visiting her family there when Caroline died?

James’ youngest brother, Samuel, aged 21, married Eliza Lewis, aged 22, at the Wesleyan Church at Castlereagh. Eliza was the daughter of George Lewis and Sarah Fredericks of Castlereagh.

Ann Byrnes husband, William Jackson, died at Parramatta and was buried there. There is no evidence that he ever lived at Castlereagh. Neither is there evidence that he did not.

16 Sept 1847

Ann Byrnes/Jackson remarried – to Thomas Harland, widower, at Windsor, five weeks after William’s death.

James Byrnes’ father, David Byrnes, died at Castlereagh. He was buried in Christ Church Cemetery, by the Minister Reverend John Vincent, then at Castlereagh.

Samuel Byrnes married for the 2^nd time, to Eliza Gorman, in the Wesleyan Church at Windsor. Eliza Gorman was aged 18 years old, the eldest daughter of Sarah Lees and Henry Gorman. James Byrnes and Sarah Gorman were official witnesses to the marriage. Samuel’s first wife had evidently died although there are no records relating to her after the birth of Alfred Roy Byrnes in 1851. Family stories report that she fell from a sulky in her driveway.

The Electoral List for the North Riding of Cumberland County in 1856 recorded James Byrnes as the owner of a dwelling house at Mt Pleasant; his brother Samuel Byrnes as having a leasehold property there.

The Methodist Centenary Circuit Centenary booklet documents James Byrnes as a Trustee of the Methodist Church at Penrith in 1861, as well as a Class Leader at Castlereagh and Lower Castlereagh.

11 May 1865

James’ wife, Harriet, died at Castlereagh at the age of 56 years, recorded as 59 on her death certificate. She died of paralysis after one day – perhaps a stroke? Wesleyan Minister Woolnough officiated at her burial in Christ Church cemetery at Castlereagh. Records for the Methodist cemetery show that burials were occurring there at that time, but perhaps James decided to bury her with his parents and other family members in Christ Church rather than in the Methodist cemetery? Harriet’s maiden name was recorded as Parkins instead of Nicholson. James Byrnes and C Kirkparkins were the official witnesses of her burial.

Some of James Byrnes’ nephews and nieces settled in the Castlereagh area. John and Eliza Byrnes’ daughters, Sarah and Harriet, married David and Alfred Wilkinson at Castlereagh in 1865 and 1866. David and Alfred were the children of Esther and John Wilkinson, so these couples are first-cousins. Esther ’s husband John died in 1863, after which she moved to the Rylstone area with her younger children. Henry, Alfred, and David Wilkinson settled in Castlereagh, although Alfred later moved to Sofala. Henry and David remained in the Nepean area all their lives.

James Byrnes died after 11 years of widowhood. The cause of death is shown as 9 days of low fever. His death certificate recorded his deceased wife as Harriet Parkins rather than Nicholson. His brothers John and Samuel were the official witnesses of his death. James was buried at Christ Church Cemetery by the Reverend John Vaughan, the Church of England Minister. James’ headstone is still standing.

James Byrnes’ headstone carries the words "Erected by Jane Brownlow" around the top of it. What was her connection to him? Family stories say that she had lived with James and Harriet as a servant when a young girl, and had stayed on as James’ housekeeper after Harriet’s death.

Two years after James Byrnes’ death, Jane Brownlow married Michael Long, a widower with 6 children. Family stories say they lived in James Byrnes’ house. Michael Long went on to become a prominent person in Penrith, serving 9 times as its Mayor. When Jane died in 1911, her obituary reported her as of a religious and retiring disposition, and a person who had not been separated from her home and family for 19 years.

A final interesting point. In 1911, William Freame, a noted historian, writing for the Nepean Times newspaper, recorded Michael Long’s Reminiscences of Penrith including its people. Michael named many Castlereagh families of past times, but did not mention any of the Byrnes family members.