FITZGERALD, Daniel

Name – FITZGERALD, Daniel
Born – 0/0/1877
Died – 3/07/1926
Location – No 1 Catholic section
Mother – Bridget Doyle
Father – Edward Fitzgerald

Notes – Daniel, known as Dan, was born in 1877 at Arcadia, Victoria to Bridget (nee Doyle) and Edward Fitzgerald. His siblings were Andrew (Andy) and Mary Ann (1880).

He was noted as one of the early settlers to the district in 1910 in a book written by Clarrie Naughtin. Daniel (Dan) and Andrew (Andy) Fitzgerald were in partnership with the Naughtin family at Yarraman. Dan and Andy arrived in the area in 1910 followed by their mother Bridget and sister Mary Ann in 1911.

The two brothers Dan and Andy took a share of Noonga, a property owned by Mr Stewart. Their agreement was for the men to milk a hundred cows by hand on agreement for ½ the monthly cream cheque.

Dan’s census records show: 1912 Daniel, Bridget, Mary Ann and Andrew Fitzgerald all of Undulla Creek, Tara (Farmer and home duties); 1913 Daniel, Andrew, Bridget and Mary Anne; 1915 Daniel, Andrew, Bridget and Mary Ann and in 1916 Daniel, Andrew and Bridget, Mary Ann now married to Stanley Bert Spacey at Undulla Creek.

Dan was a keen sportsman and in Naughtin’s book he recounts the story of how Daniel’s sudden death occurred.

Daniel served a ball at a tennis game, and while running to the net, collapsed and died on the spot. At the time there was no doctor or coroner in the town and it is believed the officer in charge of Police Station would have officiated at the scene. Also, with no official grave digger or undertaker in Tara at the time, this necessitated Andy and another local man to dig the grave for Dan’s burial.

Daniel has no headstone on his grave.

Newspaper Article – Read newspaper article here

War Service File  –

Learn more about the Tara Cemetery here.