Whilst researching the life of Trevor's paternal Grandfather, he found that his Great Grandmother was Catherine Josephine Cassidy. This section is about her parents - William and Bridget Cassidy.

William Cassidy was first married in Cooma to Mary Blake, and at the time of his death he had one son and one daughter, and one daughter deceased, from that union. Following the death of his wife, William married Bridget Sheehan on 12th January 1855 at Christ Church, Nimmitabel. Bridget was 18 years of age. Bridget Sheehan was born in Burrowa NSW in 1837 to parents, John and Ann Sheehan.

Bridget and William had nine children, Edwin, Amanda Mary, Elizabeth, Michael, Catherine Josephine, Richard, John James, Bridget and Emily Ann. Catherine Josephine Cassidy was my Great Grandmother.

William died on 8th January 1879 at Wagra, Gundagai, and is buried in Gundagai. On his death certificate it states his father as being Richard Cassidy and mother unknown, and he was born in Sydney.

Bridget, died in the Gundagai District Hospital on 26th December 1906, just 25 hours before her own mother, Ann Sheehan, passed away.

The following obituary was published in the "Gundagai Independent" on 2 January 1907:-

"On Boxing Day, there died at the local hospital an old resident of the district, the relict (widow) of the late Mr. William Cassidy. Mrs. Cassidy was a native of Burrowa, and at the time of her death was 67 years of age. When but 16 years of age she married the late Mr. W. Cassidy, then a resident of Yass, and the newly married couple settled down on a portion of the Nanangroe Run, then owned by Mrs. Cassidy's father. For 20 years Mr. and Mrs. Cassidy pioneered out in the Nanangroe country. Afterwards they went to Darbalara, and secured a holding, which formed portion of the land sold last week by Mr. H.B. Smith to the Scottish Investment Company. It was while at Darbalara that Mr. Cassidy died - just 27 years ago. His widow continued to live on the river holding for eight years, but she eventually sold the property to the late Mr. Biden, and took up her residence at Adjungbilly, where she resided for remainder of her days.

For ten years Mrs. Cassidy had been a sufferer - an internal complaint making her last years very trying. A fortnight ago she came to Gundagai, for the purpose of visiting her daughter, Mrs. A. McAlister, and also with the intention of seeing a doctor. She had only been a few days in town when she became very bad, and was ordered to the hospital but she was only nine days in the institution when death came, deceased being fully fortified by the last holy sacrament, and attended in her dying moments by the Rev. Father Donovan.

The corpse was removed from the hospital next morning to the residence of Mr. A. McAlister, Byron Street, from whence the funeral cortege started on Friday afternoon. The remains were interred in the R.C. Cemetery, North Gundagai, Father Donovan officiating at the grave. The funeral was representative of many parts, mourners being present from Wallenbeen, Jugiong, Galong, Jeremiah, Adjungbilly and other surrounding centres. The deceased left seven children. The children are:- Messrs Michael and John Cassidy, and Mrs. P. Sullivan of Adjungbilly; Mrs. Beatty of Wallenbeen; Mrs. Michael Downing of Tumut; Mrs. Snushall of Western Australia; and a Mrs. A. McAlister of Gundagai. Strange to say, Mrs. Cassidy died only 25 hours before her mother, Mrs. Sheehan of Jugiong."

Children of William & Bridget:

Edwin (1855-1904)
Amanda Mary (1858-1936)
Elizabeth (1859-1923)
Michael (1861-1915)
Catherine Josephine (1862-1934)
Richard (1866-1906)
John James (1868->1906)
Bridget (1871-1949)
Emily Ann (1879-1934)