Obituary - Mr. Patrick Harlow

16 March 1915 The Gundagai Independent and Pastoral, Agricultural and Mining Advocate

As mentioned in our last is-sue. Mr. Patrick Harlow died at his late residence, Eurobin Creek, at 7 a.m. on Thursday, after three months' illness.

He was tenderly and faithfully nursed by Mrs. Kiley, who spared neither time nor energy to make his last clays on this earth as comfortable as possible.

He was fully fortified by the rites of the R.C. Church, and though his end was expected, it was not thought it would come be suddenly.

The late Mr. Harlow was born in Tuam County Galway Ireland, on the 4th January, 1827, and was educated at the Monastery in his native town.

His father was a progressive business man, but as he died when the subject - of this obituary was a child, his mother sold the business and land to her son-in-law, Mr. D. Flatley, and the property and business is still retained, and has been added to by Mr. Flatley.

Mr. Harlow's memory went back to that great temperance apostle, Father Matthew, who he said, did incalculable good in lifting the masses from indulgence in strong drink.

So marked indeed he said, was the result that not one case of breaking the pledge was heard of in Tuam, and little brass bands sprang up in all directions.

Later, when Dan O'Connell came along with his emancipation lectures the combined bands gave him a fitting reception.

Young Harlow left his native country when a lad of about 16 years and never saw the country again.

He was often heard to regret having broken his promise to visit Ireland again before he left London, where he remained three years.

From London he went to America, and engaged as a clerk in his cousin's shipping business in New Orleans, but as big pay and plenty of work, was offering for deck hands on the Mississippi boats, he worked for a considerable time on them, and his stories of the cowardly and unpunished murders perpetrated by Yankee bullies, before the eyes of the officers of the boats and the public, make one feel glad that we live in a British country.

When the gold fields in California were discovered, Mr Harlow was one of about 250 passengers who paid their passages thereto by the ship Fanny, but after sailing to the mouth of the river, they were coolly told that the ship was insufficiently provisioned.

The ship never reached .her destination: the agents disappeared from their office, and the passengers were swindled.

Mr. Harlow next turned his attention to Australia, and he and his brother, the late Wm. Harlow, of Armidale (who took part in the Eureka and Lambing Flat riots), landed in Melbourne. In Victoria, N.S.W. and New Zealand he worked with fair success on the goldfields.

In Victoria he married Miss Kinnane, who predeceased him by about 10 years.

Shortly after Sir John Robertson's Land Act was passed, Mr. Harlow selected on the Tumut River, and held the estate to the time of his death.

He is survived by five sons and two daughters, viz., A. Harlow, Grahamstown; M. Harlow, Ade-long: W.M. J, and M. Harlow, Gocup; Mrs. Slavin, Brungle; Mrs Dowell, Tumut.

His youngest son, Tom, died some years ago in America, and deceased's last words were concerning Tom.

His remains were laid to rest beside his wife, in the old cemetery, Tumut.

A bunch or sham-rocks, recently received from his nephew in Ireland, was among the floral gifts he treasured.

He expressed a wish to live till the end of the year, and was pleased to hear that the Dardanelles was being forced.