Margaret McCormack (1848-1919)

Margaret McCormack, daughter of William Hogan and Julia McGuire was born c.1848 in County Galway, Ireland. At seventeen years old, Margaret, noted as a servant on the marriage certificate, married tollkeeper, Daniel McCormack, on 1st July 1868 at St Patrick’s Church in Kilmore, Australia. They had seven children: James Daniel (1869-1940); Mary Ellen (1871-1939); Julia (1874-1899); Bridget (1876-1877); Bridget (1879-1959);  Kathleen (1880-1961) and William Joseph (1883-1952). Margaret’s mother, Julia Hogan (1818-1886) lived with the McCormack family at Northwood, before dying of senility in 1886.

At the time of Margaret’s husband’s death in 1890 from gastroenteritis at the age of 46, they were farming 294 acres of land with three teams of bullocks & waggons, one buggy horse, four milking cows, and 12 heads of young cattle. Margaret maintained the Northwood property until c.1910, noting her occupation on the census as farmer. She and her youngest son, William moved to a farming property in Wallis Street, Seymour containing 319 acres, some of which was leased.

The Kilmore Free Press reporting her death in 1919 lamented, ‘Seymour district loses one of its oldest and most highly respected residents. For many years Mrs. McCormack resided at Northwood, subsequently moving to Seymour, where her death took place. She reared a most respectable family, and her many amiable and kindly qualities endeared her to all. She had a wide circle of friends, who will deeply regret her demise.’ 

In 1996, her granddaughter, Dorothy Meagher recalled a story about Margaret’s encounter with a bushranger in the 1870s, read about it here.

Catholic memorial prayer card for Margaret McCormack who died in 1919.