Michael Coonan, final child of Michael Coonan and Margaret Gleeson.

Michael Francis Coonan was born in the Spring of 1854, the last of seven children born to Irish parents Michael Coonan, from Kings County, and Tipperary-born Margaret Gleeson.
Prior to his birth four siblings had died- Catherine and Daniel in infancy, and brothers Patrick and Michael of measles within six days of each other in 1853.Michael's surviving siblings were sister Margaret, aged nine, and brother Jeremiah, aged five.
Tragically, after Michael's birth his mother was stricken down with 'puerperal mania' and when he was only seven weeks old she was admitted to the Yarra Bend Lunatic Asylum, where she died seven days later at the age of 35.
Michael Coonan Senior remarried the following year. His wife, Lucy Nihill,had arrived from County Clare in 1854 on the ship 'Stamboul', and when she married Michael Coonan on April 15,1856, at Brighton, she was aged 18 as compared to her 34 year old husband.
Lucy spent five years as step mother to Margaret, Jeremiah and Michael, then in April of 1861 a notice of caution was placed in the Argus newspaper and the Victorian
Government Gazette by Michael Coonan Senior, warning all parties that his wife Lucy Coonan had absconded from his residence without his knowledge or consent, and that he would not pay any debts on her account.

Margaret Coonan was aged sixteen by then, and so would have become a mother figure to her younger brothers, especially six year old Michael.They lived on the family property at 'Wattle Park Farm', Darebin Creek, near Epping and Wollert, where both boys grew up to be farmers like their father.
Jeremiah Coonan moved from the Epping district and selected land at Creightons Creek, near Euroa, but Margaret and Michael stayed at Darebin Creek with their father.
In early 1873 Michael Coonan Senior started to display signs of mental instability, which culminated in his suicide on March 15, 1873.He sent his children, 28 year old Margaret and 18 year old Michael, away from the house, and then swallowed the deadly poison strychnine. He called Margaret and Michael back inside where he blessed them, apologised for what he had done, and passed away half an hour later.

Michael Coonan Senior had died without leaving a will, and his daughter Margaret applied for the Letters of Administration to his estate.She was granted administration on June 6, 1873. A notice appeared in the Argus newspaper the following year, on May 27, 1874, reading:

"Sales By Auction. Monday, June 8. Wattle park Farm, Epping, at Twelve Noon.
A. Strettle and Co. have been favoured with instructions by Messrs Coonan, of wattle-park Farm, Epping, to SELL by PUBLIC AUCTION, on the premises, on the above date,
The whole of the valuable livestock, &c., Comprising
35 dairy cows in full profit
30 heifers and steers, one to three years old
2 well-bred young bulls
2 brood mares with foals at foot, and stinted to Cowden Lad.
5 staunch farm horses
1 fast-trotting buggy mare
Light harness horses
39 cross-bred ewes
40 fat lambs
20 pigs
stack of hay, stack of straw
also drays, spring carts, light and heavy harness, ploughs, harrows, dairy utensils &c. No reserve.
The Farm to Let. Luncheon provided."

There is a mention of Margaret Coonan still living at Wattle Park, Epping, as late as 1893. When her brother Michael died the funeral notice in the Argus stated that "the funeral will leave the residence of his sister, Mrs. Butler, Wattle-Park, Epping."