Maurice CUSSEN b. 1818, Co Kerry, Ireland, son of Maurice CUSSEN & Catherine CARMODY was married at Hartley, New South Wales in 1850 to Margaret FINN, b. 1824, Co Ketty, Ireland daughter of John FINN & Mary GALVIN. Margaret FINN's sisters, Ellen FINN 1820-1903 married James KIRBY, and Mary FINN married his brother Edmund KIRBY, all early residents of Casterton.

Maurice CUSSEN had arrived in NSW in 1841 and his future wife Margaret had arrived in 1839.

Two children were born in NSW before the family moved to Portland in S-W Victoria about 1854 where Maurice established himself as a Grocer and General Dealer, a profession he had already been involved in Sydney, NSW for a number of years. Three more children were born at Portland before the family moved north to the settlemet of Merino by 1860 where additional children were born.

Maurice CUSSEN was an original Glenelg District Roads Board member in 1863 when the first meeting was held on December 2nd, 1863. Those present at this first meeting were George CARMICHAEL, Maurice CUSSEN, Francis HENTY, Denis NASH, Owen O'REILLY, & William TREVASKIS. The Roads Board was proclaimed the Shire of Glenelg on 29th June, 1864. Meetings were held at the original Council Chambers at Sandford 1864-1866 and from then in Casterton where a new Council building was opened in 1868. Maurice served as a councillor from 1863-1877 and as President from 1871 to 1874.

Maurice CUSSEN died at Merino in 1880 and his widow also died there in 1883. They are buried in the Merino cemetery.

Maurice CUSSEN & Margaret FINN had the following known family:

  1. Kate Mary Honora CUSSEN b. ~1851, Sydney, NSW, d. 1921, Melbourne, Vic., m. Robert FULTON ~1847-1897 son of James FULTON, miller of Merino, Vic.
  2. John Finn CUSSEN b. 1853, Sydney, NSW, was married at Merino, Victoria in 1881 to Elizabeth Jane SHOOBRIDGE, b. 1854, Kent, England daughter of Joseph SHOOBRIDGE & Augusta WILLIAMS.

    John Finn CUSSEN was the J F CUSSEN, printer in the 1882 Commercial Sector Plan of Henty Street, Casterton.

    John Finn CUSSEN died in Malvern, Victoria in 1922 and his wife Elizabeth Jane died in Malvern in 1921.

    John Finn CUSSEN & Elizabeth Jane SHOOBRIDGE had the following known family:

    1. Margaret Augusta CUSSEN b. 1881, Casterton, Vic, m. James SPRIGG
    2. Kathleen Alice CUSSEN b. 1884, Casterton, Vic, m. William Bernard RYAN
    3. Bessie Muriel CUSSEN b. 1886, Casterton, Vic, m. David SCOTT
    4. Egbert Shoobridge CUSSEN b. 1888, Casterton, Vic, m. Sybil Mary MATTHEWS
      • 1st AIF, 19th General Reinforcements
      • d. 1918, England
      • buried Brookwood Military Cemetery, SRY, Eng
    5. Geraldine Agnes CUSSEN b. 1891, Hawthorn, Vic, m1. Reginlad CLARKE, m2. Peter MARSHALL
    6. Hartley William Joseph CUSSEN b. 1893, d. 1894, Ballarat, Vic,
    7. Agatha Veronica CUSSEN b. 1895, Ballarat, Vic, m. Gerald Adrian CUSSEN
    8. Rene Myra Clarise CUSSEN b. 1897, Ballarat, Vic, m. Thomas Daniel CASH
  3. Maurice Finn CUSSEN 1855-1928, b. Portland, S-W Victoria, rsided at Merino & Casterton, moved to Queensland, d. Brisbane, Queensland; m. 1898 Queensland to Mary Ann GALTON (nee POTTINGER) 1860-1939. 1 son, killed in France.
  4. Robert Thomas CUSSEN 1857-1859, b. and d. Portland, S-W Victoria.
  5. Leo Finn Bernard CUSSEN 1859-1933, b. Portland, S-W Victoria, d. Melbourne, Victoria; m. Johanna BEVAN c.1864-1963.
    External Link : Sir Leo Finn Bernard CUSSEN 1859-1933
  6. Gerald Eugene CUSSEN 1862-1943, b. Merino, S-W Victoria, d. Melbourne, Victoria, m. Emma Clarice WHITEHEAD 1873-1955.
  7. Mary Agnes "Cissie" CUSSEN b. 1865, Merino, Vic, d. 1896, Ballarat, Vic. Sister Mary Columbia.
  8. Margaret Ellen "Daisy" CUSSEN b. 1868, Casterton, Vic, d. 1941, Adelaide, SA. Sister Mary Teresa, Loretto Nun.