The Family James McNamara and Mary Ann Fuller

FRANCIS JOHN McNAMARA was the first born to 17 year old Mary Ann McNamara on 4 February 1868 at Mondure in Queensland's South Burnett district.

Station manager William Green had employed James McNamara as a stockman following the couples marriage in 1867.

Tragically, John died of jaundice when almost 5 years old. The cause of death is at odds with an account that John had broken his neck in a game of leap frog with station children.

There was no formal church funeral. German immigrant and family friend, shepherd Henry Vogler read "Service of the Church of Rome" at the graveside.

John was buried at an unknown location at Mondure Station, 26 August 1872.

JAMES JOSEPH McNAMARA was born at Tarong Station near Nanango, Sunday, 15 June 1869. Like his father, James Joseph would grow into an expert horseman and drover.

James Junior married Mary Ann O'Brien of Helidon 1 April 1900. The couple had one child Kathleen and he worked as head stockman and overseer for Charlie Persse at Hawkwood Station in the Chinchilla district from 1911 to 1918.

James was at one time a mail contractor servicing the Darr Creek, Burra Burri run. He also tried his hand as a livestock dealer selling horses but haviing neither a head for business nor the financial means the venture ended in failure.

In latter years he was caretaker at Jimbour House. James Joseph died in the Jandowae District Hospital 11 November 1959 and is buried in the Jandowae Cemetery.

SABINA McNAMARA born at Burrandowan Station in the South Burnett, 4 March 1873 six months after the death of the family's first born, 4 years old Francis John.

She married August Fontaine, son of a French immigrant at Dalby Presbytery on 4 April 1892.

She and Gus left Jandowae after a family disagreement and spent years wandering outback Queensland before turning to sugar cane farming near Proserpine, Queensland around 1902.

The diminutive Sabina, barely five feet tall bore 16 children between 1894 and 1918.

She died at Proserpine on 1 December 1968 aged 95 years. Sabina is buried beside her husband at Richmond Cemetery. Gus Fontaine died 27 November 1957 aged 86 years.

FRANK McNAMARA born at Gayndah 5 June 1876 when his father James worked at nearby Ideraway Station.

Frank married Helen "Nellie" Fletcher at "Strathgyle", Bell on 19 December 1917.

He was the second McNamara to marry a Fletcher. Younger brother Ted married Helen's older sister Annabella seven years earlier in 1910.

The couple had no children and worked their selection "Redlands" close to "Rosebank" at Jandowae. Frank and Nellie lived a very private life and virtually nothing is known about them.

Frank died Jandowae Hospital, 19 March 1957 and was buried in Jandowae cemetery the next day. His wife Nellie died seven months later, 5 October 1957.

WILLIAM McNAMARA was born at East Swamp Toowoomba, 25th March 1878. Like his father James, Will lived to over 100 years of age, reaching 101 years and 18 days on 11 April 1979.

He married Hannah Kenafacke on 20 April 1908 and became a father in 1909 with the birth of William Francis. Tragically he lost Hannah following birth complications and his son succumbed to convulsions a month later at the family home in Jandowae.

Hannah, knowing her death was imminent, is said to have asked her best friend Mary Lee to care for Will and her baby son. Hannah's dying wish was fulfilled when William married Mary, his second wife on 7 June 1911. The couple had two children Sylvester William - (1913 - 1993) and Anthony - (1924 - 1994).

Mary died in 1956 at the Goodna Mental Asylum. Will outlived all his brothers and sisters, dying in Brisbane on 11 April 1979, two months after youngest brother Charlie died in Kingaroy.

EDWARD PATRICK McNAMARA born at the Auburn Hotel, on the fence line of Auburn Station, Wednesday, 12th January 1881.

On 28 December 1910 Ted married Annabella eldest daughter of Neil Fletcher, the owner of "Strathgyle" a large cattle property at Bell originally selected in 1850.

The couple worked the selection for the next 30 years raising two children Neil and Mary and setting the foundations for the future that would see "Strathgyle" become an important cattle stud.

Bella died in 1939. Nine years later Ted married a second time to Yorkshire born school teacher Elsie Large in 1948 and left his beloved ""Strathgyle" as ill health began to take its toll.

Ted became a father again at the grand age of 70 with the arrival of son Clifford Noel in 1950. Ted died at the family home at Banyo, Brisbane on 19 January 1955. He was remembered in the small town of Bell, Queensland, as its best known and most respected citizen.

JOHN McNAMARA the elder of twins born at Dalby, 23 June 1883. Jack never married. He became well known as a mail contractor in the Dalby district and led the transition from horse and cart to motorized mail delivery in 1920.

Jack's love of horses and a passion for the punt saw him, his trotter Midget and brother-in-law Ted Cherry make many hit and run raids in Brisbane at the Jack Wren owned race track at Kedron Park. His niece Kitty Creevey acted as strapper.

In a family renowned for its longevity Jack died in the Dalby Hospital at the relatively young age of 63 years 13 September 1946 after suffering an epileptic fit and crashing his Chevrolet Tourer into a tree near the town.

Jack is buried in the Jandowae Cemetery.

MARY ANN¹ McNAMARA the younger of the twins born at Condamine Street Dalby possibly the home of Julia Hall, sister of Mary Fuller.

Midwife, Mrs. McEvoy held great fears for the new-born's well being. Doctor William Howlin, the attending physician could provide only primitive post natal care. There was little hope that the child would survive the week.

Mary Ann died seventeen days later on 13 July 1883. In circumstances similar to the funeral of her eldest brother Francis John, she was buried at the Dalby cemetery without any formal religious ceremony.

There is no record of the internment.

SARAH McNAMARA the elder of twins born at Cadarga Station, 20 July 1885. Midwife Janet McDonagh attended the birth of the family's second set of twins.

Unlike the tragedy two years before both twins survived. But fate again struck a cruel blow twenty two months later when Sarah suffered a fit of convulsions and died suddenly.

It is believed that she choked on watermelon seeds while playing with the other children at Cadarga Station.

She was buried in an unmarked grave dug by her father and brother James Joseph somewhere on the property on 18 May 1887.

The Chinchilla gravesite has never been be located.

MARY ANN² McNAMARA the younger of twins born at Cadarga Station, 20th July 1885. She was the second child to be named Mary Ann.

She married Edward Cherry from Taabinga Village at St. Joseph's Catholic Church Dalby, 24 December 1907. Her brother William was best man and her youngest sister Minne May was bridesmaid.

Mary Ann² lived at her father's "Rosebank" property at Jandowae for over a decade raising her family while husband Ted worked to clear their selection 'Bellbrook", a dairy farm near Iron Pot Creek.

The couple had four children, Agnes (1908), Muriel (1910), Edward (1912), Norman (1915). Ted died in Dalby District Hospital, 10 June 1930.

Mary Ann² died in Gayndah on 22 November 1960.

CHARLES PARIS McNAMARA born at the Auburn Hotel, Tuesday 7 April 1887, his middle name in honour of midwife Mrs. McDonagh nee Janet Paris who also delivered brother Edward six years earlier.

The "Burrandowan Cyclone" was regarded as one of the finest horseman in the Kingaroy district. He earned his nickname for the speed he completed his tasks.

On 20 December 1939 aged 52 he exchanged wedding vows with Kingaroy Hospital Staff Nurse Jane Horrobin. The marriage was childless. Charlie left Harry Wilson's Coven Station soon after his marriage and became a wardsman at Kingaroy Hospital.

He died 23 February 1979. Mystery still surrounds the disbursement of his modest estate as no record of Probate has ever been discovered. Jane predeceased Charlie, dying at "Rangeview" Convalescent Home, Toowoomba, 15 May 1972. Charlie and Jane are buried in Memrambi Cemetery.

MINNIE MAY McNAMARA born 11 May 1890. She never married. On 15 March 1922, she was declared insane and committed to Willowburn Special Hospital, Toowoomba.

Minnie never recovered from a failed romance. Her admission papers record, "Disappointment in love some six years ago". Brother William claimed she had been "jilted at the altar".

Minnie spent the next 65 years in an asylum all but forgotten by her family until 1956, when William made contact with the Hospital superintendent to enquire about his youngest sister, admitting, "I don't know if she is dead or alive."

On 20 January 1978, Minnie May died alone and almost unnoticed. Nephew Anthony McNamara and his wife Lorna were the only members of the extended family to attend her funeral.