Daniel Brady

Virginia was surveyed in 1858 for the then property owner Daniel Brady who called it Virginia after his home in county Cavan, Eire of which he was a native.   Born in 1797, he arrived on the ship Diadem in 1840 accompanied by his wife and six children.  He married Rose Rudden in February 1828, Cavan.   It is believed that Daniel was encouraged by Bishop Murphy to come to South Australia rather than Canada.  Bishop Francis Murphy arrived on 4 Nov 1844 on board the Mary White with Fr Mick Ryan.  Brady was a wealthy man in his own right when he arrived.

He built the Wheatsheaf Hotel at Virginia and the Cross Keys Hotel. Daniel is credited with naming the Cavan area.  He set aside section 176 and 3035 for the township of Virginia.

He held tracts of land at Mintaro and near Snowtown.  He later resided in Snowtown, where he passed away on 13 January 1889. 

Daniel is credited with being the first man to purchase a Ridley Stripper for £100 and brought it into practical use.  The remains of the machine could be seen on the property he owned at Virginia.

Daniel supported his brother Michael to come to the colony in 1849 as well as Mary Keelan nee Rudden, Rose’s sister.  Michael and several of his children also farmed in the area.

Daniel and Rose separated in 1854 and the family home put up to let. Rose later sued for separation on grounds of cruelty, desertion and adultery in 1860.  Divorce granted in 1864. Daniel remarried Alice McCabe also a native of county Clare, Ireland.  They had a further seven children.  Rose died on 25^th May 1872.

Daniel’s son, Thomas in his obituary talks about going to the gold fields with his father California Gully in 1852.

From 1863 resided at Kilmore Farm, Mintaro until 1871 when he moved to Bunfbunga Salt Lake, Hummocks.

He was 92 when he passed away.  Daniel is buried at Catholic Cemetery of Sevenhills.

Children
John                                 b. 1829 Cavan, Ireland – 1904
Peter                               1833 Cavan, Ireland  – 1889 farmer Peachey Belt (1862)
Michael Ignatius             1835 Cavan, Ireland  – 13 Oct 1932
Thomas (Teetulpa Tom) 1836 – 1904 farmer at Virginia
Catherine Ellen               1838 Lafflin, County Cavan – 1922 m. Starrs
Bridget Mary                   1837 Cavan, Ireland  - 1924
Phillip                              14 March 1844 Montague Farms, Dry Creek – 1903
Patrick                            1849      Montague Farms, Dry Creek

Marriage no. 2
Alice McCabe                   b. 1826 Clare, Ireland
Children
Hubert Aloysius              1860 – 1942 Farrell Flat
Susan Agnes Brady        Jan 1862 Farrell Flat
Alice                                1863 – 1864- 1865 Farrell Flat
Emma                              1864 Farrell Flat
Amy Ellen Brady             1864 Farrell Flat
Daniel                             11 Dec 1865 Farrell Flat, Mintaro
Lily Alice Brady              1871 - 1908

Daughter Catherine Ellen Starrs of Kadina born 1838 in Laffin county Cavan, Ireland. d. Sept 1922. Married Francis Paul Starrs in 1855.  They lived for some years at One Tree Hill, Mundoora and settled at last at Wokurna. 

Thomas Brady who discovered the Teetulpa goldfields in October 1886.  On his return from Bendigo with his father he settled down in Dry Creek and later at Virginia and turned to farming.  Around 1880 he returned north and took up land in the hundred of Gumbowie, near Lancelot. He retired to Balaklava.