Person Sheet


Name James Malachy GANNON
Birth 30 Jan 1858, Melbourne Nth
Death 5 Dec 1904, Korumburra, Vic Age: 46
Father Patrick GANNON (1820-1895)
Mother Julia ROGAN (1820-1887)
Spouses:
1 Mary Margaret MOLONEY
Children: Frances (1887-1964)
Notes for James Malachy GANNON
1...Malachy James later James Malachy and his twin Thomas Ignatius were born in North Melbourne on 30th Jan 1858.
After obtaining a knowledge of the printing trade at several printing establishments, James Gannon settled for a while in Lancefield where he was connected with the Lancefield Chronicle.
In 1878, with Brother Thomas and sister Kate (Mrs Wilson, of Moyarra) James arrived in Drouin, where they established the Gippsland Independant. He was Appointed the first secretary of the Buln Buln Shire at 21 years of age and resigned a year later in 1880. He was elected to the Central Riding of the Buln Buln Shire in 1882, and 1883. In 1884 he was again elected and also elected President. he was elected again in 1886 for three years, after which he did not return to municipal life a public meeting in Poowong in February 1889 James was the first person to move a motion that a new Shire be formed., this to be known as the Great Southern Shire---Later changed to Poowong & Jeetho Shire. James was a member of that shire committee.
In April 1887, the Gippsland Independant was sold. In November 1891, who remained on his selection at Bena then known as Jeetho, became the proprietor of the Great Southern Advocate the printed at Loch by the Dungey Brothers. They had printed the first copy at Bena on 13 September 1889. After residing at Loch for 3 years the business was moved to Bena and later in April to Korumburra. While at Loch James was appointed a Justice of the Peace and frequently attended sittings of the Loch and Korumburra courts. During his residence in Korumburra he took an active part in public life, holding among other offices, that of Government Commissioner on the Korumburra Waterworks trust.
James married Mary Moloney and they had seven children, Malachy (Ignatius), Frances, Monica (Molly), Cecilia Cissy), Thomas, Theresa and James (Vincent).
Because there was no catholic Church in Korumburra the first Mass was celebrated at the home of the Gannons in March 1888 at Whitlaw.In January 1892 It was decided to build a Church and James was on this committee.He was a member of the United Order of Druids, being an Arch Bard of the Stamp Lodge Outtrim ( connected to the Druids). In 1892 was on the committee of the Loch Racing Club and 1894 was Vice President of the Outtrim Racing Club.1892 was a committee member of the Great Southern Agricultural Society.
For two years before his death aged 47, James was unable to attend his business, which was managed by his eldest son Malachy (Ignatius) Gannon. he died at his residence in Bridge St Korumburra on the 5th December 1904, and was buried in the Korumburra Cemetery.

2...The newspaper began it's long life at Bena (known as Cromwell) in September 1889 when James Malachy Gannon, a small farmer at Bena, became bored with farming life. He used to deliver the papers on horseback from Bena but as business prospered he moved the family and the newspaper to Korumburra in 1892, as the Korumburra Independant.
James died on the 5th of December 1904 aged 46, leaving a widow and 7 children. His widow Mary and eldest son Ignatius continued to run the paper .
James must have been a tremendous character in his own right- from a typical Irish small farming family, he and his 2 brothers were real "Wild Irishman".. great horseman and true extroverts, thriving on witty stories, arguments and plenty of activity. Was it any wonder that farming became too mundane for the exuberant James.
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