James COLEMAN arrived in Sydney via the Emerald Isle on 23 Dec 1841 from Louth, Ireland. The ship's papers describe him thus:

* a native of Ardee, county Louth
* his parents were Thomas and Judith (mother dead)
* a farm labourer
* 19 yrs old
* Roman Catholic
* able to read and write
* his sister Margaret was travelling on the ship, under his protection

James married Catherine TIERNEY at St Mary's Church, Sydney, on 4 July 1849. They had twelve children in the following 23 years:

1. James, b. 1853, d. 1854
2. Mary Catherine, b.5 July 1854, m.1896 James WADDELL
3. John, b.17 March 1856
4. Julia Catherine, b. 21 July 1857, m. Charles Edward BARNETT (12 August 1878 and 23 October 1879), d.17 September 1942
5. Thomas, b.1859, d.1861
6. William, b.1861, d.1862
7. Edward, b.1862, d.1911
8. Emily, b.1863, m.1884 David MARTIN
9. Edith, b.1865, d.1867
10. Albert Joseph, b.1867, m.1905 Ellen FAIRBURN
11. Henry Patrick, b.1869, m.1913 Jane WALLACE, m.1916 Elizabeth WALLACE
12. Elizabeth, b.1872, d.1906

At the time their fourth child, Julia, was born, they were living at West Maitland, running a shop there, but were mostly in Sydney.

Julia married twice to Charles Edward BARNETT, in 1878 and 1879. The first marriage was in a Baptist chapel in Sydney. Her father was a devout Catholic, and this was apparently not a good enough marriage for him, as they married again fourteen months later at St Mary's (Catholic) church in Sydney. When James' will was read, he left the sum of one shilling to each of John, Julia, Emily and Albert. My aunt June WHITE (nee SWADLING) remembers her grandmother Julia telling her about receiving the shilling, and throwing it back at the solicitor.

In his later life James lived at Balmain, where his wife Catherine died on 19 July 1898. Although she was also Irish and Catholic, she was buried in an unmarked grave in the Church of England section of Rookwood! James later died at 41 Curtis Road, Balmain on 15 April 1912, a wealthy man. Death and funeral notices were published in the Sydney Morning Herald at the time:

DEATHS April 16 1912 p.8 col.1
COLEMAN April 15 at his residence, 41 Curtis Rd Balmain, James Coleman (late city valuer) aged 88 years. R.I.P.

FUNERALS April 16 1912 p.7 col.1
COLEMAN The friends of the late Mr James Coleman and Family are kindly invited to attend his funeral; to move from St Augustine's Church Balmain East, this afternoon at 12:30 for Catholic Cemetery Rookwood. Mrs P. Kirby and Son Ltd.

His will states:

I, James Coleman, ... leave
To my daughter Mary Catherine, wife of James Waddell, the household furniture, bedding and other utensils now at 41 Curtis Rd. I also leave her the sum of £50 sterling to be taken from an account at one of the banks at Balmain.

To my son Henry Patrick I leave the 3 houses at the corner of Thames St and Curtis Rd, nos 39, 41 & 43 Curtis Rd, the sacred pictures in my bedroom, the chest of drawers in his bedroom, also a few pictures in the front room.

To my son John I leave the sum of 1 shilling. To my daughter Julia the wife of Charles Barnett I leave the sum of 1 shilling. To my daughter Emily the wife of David Martin I leave the sum of 1 shilling. To my son Albert Joseph Coleman I leave the sum of 1 shilling.

It is my sincere wish that my body be removed from St Augustine's church on the day of my burial and that a Requiem Mass be said at the month's end. I die a sincere member of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and a member of the Sodality of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in St Augustine's church. I appoint Henry Patrick Coleman and my friend William McGrath to be my executors and trustees. Dated 2/11/1911.

Witnesses William Whitmarsh & W. Orr Stewart.

Probate granted 14/5/1912 to Henry Patrick Coleman of 41 Curtis Rd Balmain draper's assistant and William McGrath of Darling St Balmain bookseller. Died 15/4/1912
Estate sworn at £1118-18-0.