EDGOOSE:
In search of Ancestry
DOLAN, Catherine
1837 - 1916 (79 years) Has 2 ancestors and 13 descendants in this family tree.
- Yes, date unknown-
Name DOLAN, Catherine Birth 17 May 1837 Limerick, Ireland 
Gender Female Burial 1916 Cobbora, New South Wales, Australia Death 23 Dec 1916 Wellington, New South Wales, Australia Person ID I2415 Edgoose Last Modified 30 Jan 2026
Father DOLAN, Daniel d. Yes, date unknown Mother .........., Johanna d. Yes, date unknown Family ID F1216 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family CRAFT, William Jonathan, b. 23 Apr 1836, Boston, Lincolnshire, England d. Oct 1907, Wellington, New South Wales, Australia (Age 71 years) Marriage 14 Feb 1867 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Children 1. CRAFT, George William, b. 6 Dec 1868, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia d. 2 May 1964 (Age 95 years)2. CRAFT, Emma Jane, b. 1 Sep 1869, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia d. 26 Jul 1958 (Age 88 years)3. CRAFT, Charles James, b. 13 Sep 1871, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia d. 21 Jul 1942, Waverly, New South Wales, Australia (Age 70 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]4. CRAFT, William John, b. 1873, Gulgong, New South Wales, Australia d. 26 Dec 1953 (Age 80 years)5. CRAFT, James Daniel, b. 1876, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia d. 16 Jul 1953 (Age 77 years)6. CRAFT, John Henry, b. 1880, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia d. 11 Jul 1965 (Age 85 years)Family ID F850 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
-
Notes
CATHERINE DOLAN 1837-1916
According to Judy Young's 'The Craft Story' she was born at Limerick, Ireland, on 17 May 1837, but her marriage certificate shows her to have been born at Penrith, New South Wales, Australia, daughter of Daniel DOLAN, a farmer. William CRAFT was said to be a 30 year old farmer from Cobbora, New South Wales, son of farmer John CRAFT and his wife Elizabeth EDGOOSE. Catherine was a 29 year old spinster from Penrith, NSW. Witnesses to her marriage were Bartholomew DOLAN and Bridget DOLAN.
OBITUARY OF MRS. CATHERINE CRAFT:
"On Saturday night, December 23, there passed away at Cobbora one of the early pioneers of this district in the person of Mrs. Catherine CRAFT, relict of the late William CRAFT Senior, who predeceased her some ten years ago. Dr. LEE of Gulgong, attended during a brief illness, and everyhing which love and kindness could devise was done to prolong the life of an ideal mother, but the end came as she herself would have wished, in calm and peaceful sleep. The deceased lady was born in Limerick, Ireland, on May 17, 1837, and was therefore in her 80th year. When only three years of age she arrived in Australia with her parents, two brothers and two sisters. Her father, Mr. Daniel DOLAN, took up land and settled in Penrith district, where he lived and prospered till his death some years ago. On February 14, 1866, the late Mrs CRAFT was married at St. Mary's Sydney, and shortly after arrived in Cobbora, where the deceased husband took up a fairly large property now knowown as West Cobbora. At this time the railway extended no farther west than Penrith, and the comforts and necessaries of life had to be carried over the mountains per waggon - pricipally bullock teams. It is whilst remembering the early struggles of the old band of colonists that we should realise the debt we owe to the hardy pioneers who made the land worth living in - those brave, big-hearted men who toiled in an unknown interior, battling against the many difficulties of which we know nothing, but what must be said of the heroic and patient womenfolk, who accompanied them and shared the same hardships? Such a one was the grand old lady who now lies at rest in the local cemetery. She was of a kindly disposition, and was never known to complain, even when 'all seemed wrong', and right to the end she possessed this beautiful trait of character. Everyone who knew her soon became a friend and remained so always. If you cannot say a good word to anyone, say nothing, was a favourite expression of hers, and it can be truly said that she practised this throughout her long and useful life. Such a mother could rear only one kind of child, and those who now mourn their sad and irreparable loss most certainly have ie imbibed their manly or womanly qualities from her genuine teachings. The family are well known and respected residents of the district, and no one can point to a mean or base act committed by any one of them. She has left one daughter, Mrs. Alf E INDER, of 'Cranbourne', Tucklan, and five sons, Mr George CRAFT ('Newlands', Tucklan), Charles (Dunedoo), William (Cobbora), James D. ('Avoca Vale', Tucklan), and John H. (Cobbora). There are also twenty grandchildren. For the past half centntury Mrs CRAFT has resided almost continuously in the Cobbora district, in which she always took a deep personal interest, being ever ready to aid in every way and movement for the welfare of the town. She was a resident whom we could ill afford to lose, but nevetheless a life well spent and one whose memory will remain as an incentive to all in the dark hours of affliction, a fingerpost on the road through life directing us along that straight and narrow way, which leads to life eternal.
The Rev. Father O'DONNELL conducted the burial service, and at the conclusion gave a short address to the many who were present, adding words of comfort and consolation to the bereaved relatives.
It is at such times we realise the truth of the beautiful words of Longfellow:-
'There is no death, what seems so is transition;
This life of mortal breath
Is but a suburb of the life elysian,
Whose portal we call death'."
(Dunedoo Chronicle 4 January 1917).
(NSW 3302/1917)
(revised 10.05.2008)