James and John Connell
James Connell
James was born in Moorooduc in 1854, son of Anthony and Mary Ann Connell, one of eight children and brother to John.
James married Jane Ann Young in 1880 and they eight children.
Jane had also been born in Moorooduc in 1856, to George and Jane (Wilson) Young.
Jane and James Connell lived in the Moorooduc area on a property they called “Tuerong”, now known as “Cresta 11” on Balnarring Road, firstly living in a wattle and daub hut that James had built.
Jane planted a Norfolk Pine which is still there to this day.
Jane Connell
Born in the area, he was also closely associated with the first racing club on the Peninsula at Baxter’s Flat. He was also a starter at Mornington, Emu Plains and Moats Corner Racing Clubs.
He was an excellent athlete and took part in the first historic football match played on the Peninsula. This was when two teams captained by the Barker brothers met at Balnarring. Football was played for ten minutes and then the two teams fought each other until dark, some players even being chased to their homes.
“Jim” as he was known all over the Peninsula was also a gun shearer, and put up a record at John Cleeland’s at Phillip Island, that had not been broken at the time of his death.
He was a leading stone contractor - all the first metal roads on the Peninsula were made by Jim Connell, Tom Male and Jim Turner.
Jim died in 1926 and Jane in 1936, sadly missed by their family and leaving many descendants in the area.
