Moroney enquiry

From: Grant
To: Jan
Subject: Moroney enquiry

Hi Jan
I have been looking into my family history and have managed to trace all back to where they came out from. The exception is my Moroney branch.
My ggg grandfather was a Patrick Moroney born around 1836 who was a hotelkeeper at Waipawa and Pakipaki. There is no death certificate for him but the papers past website records his death on 24 Dec 1888. He is buried at the old Napier cemetery. I did obtain a copy of his will which refers to his brother Michael Moroney of Waipawa. He is listed a carrier and had stables at Waipawa. Michaels death certificate shows his birthplace as Ireland.

I would like to know more about Patrick and which county/town he was from in Ireland. I am hoping that maybe you had some info as the Moroney’s appeared to have a reasonable presence in the Waipawa area. I note the photo of Daniel Moroney’s hotel which I have seen in several websites. I haven’t established whether Daniel is related but I suspect he will be.

I came across the very good Waipawa website and hope you might be able to shed some light.

Thanks
Grant


From: Jan
To: Grant
Subject: Moroney enquiry

Hi Grant,
It was interesting to get your email.
I’m afraid Moroney is not a family I know anything about.

I did look in the Abbotsford book at the Waipawa Census for 1867 and found that Henry Arrow recorded Mr & Mrs Maroney as the Publican of the Settler’s Hotel, and perhaps this is a mis-spelling of their Moroney name – as it seems unlikely that there was a Maroney and a Moroney as Publicans of the same Hotel.
I don’t know if it is a Patrick or a Daniel Moroney as unfortunately Mr Arrow didn’t record first names.

But as you found when you were doing computer searches it comes up with “Daniel Moroney’s Settler’s Hotel” and doesn’t mention Patrick – which is strange. The Settlers Hotel was the first hotel in town and apparently burnt down twice before it was replaced in 1896 with another hotel known as the “Commercial”

I looked at the link to the photo you sent and I actually have a copy of that particular photo myself (it’s actually a very old postcard)

It does show the Bibby store on the left and a glimpse of the Settlers Hotel on the right.

I also found a photo of Mike and Jack Moroney who are part of the Waipawa Fire Brigade in 1912. (Mike is the tall guy in the middle of the back row, and Jack is to his right) – but again I don’t know if this is your Michael or not. But again I wouldn’t have though Moroney was that common a name especially back then.

I’m sorry I haven’t been that much help.
I will go down to the Museum and talk to Jana, our new Museum curator, and see if she can find out anything for you.

🙂 Jan


From: Grant
To: Jan
Subject: Moroney enquiry

Thanks very much for looking in to that for me Jan.

The census record from 1867 will be for Patrick even though the name is mis-spelt. I have seen somewhere a reference to P. Moroney around that date.

I am guessing that Patrick maybe sold the hotel in Waipawa to Daniel (brother??) and established the Pakipaki hotel.

So having found Michael of Waipawa to be his brother I had been hoping maybe some info on him may surface leading to details of the wider family including Patrick.
Michael died in 1913 aged 65.

If Jana is able to uncover anything that would be great.

Thanks again.
Grant