Saturday 7 April 2012

Trove comes up trumps yet again

For many years the death of my ggg grandfather Andrew Fleming has eluded our family researchers.  
Today Trove came up trumps yet again.
I stumbled across this death notice for his wife Ellen that names Andrew's place and year of death!

Why hadn't I found this before?


I searched for a death record in Victoria for Andrew 1836-1888 but there were only 3 in the 1870s.
No other deaths for an Andrew Fleming or Fle*ming (spelling variation search)

There was one death in 1854 for a William Fleming aged 42 born in Scotland.


On Andrew and Ellen's daughter, Ellen's, marriage to John Dart she states her father's name as William.  Was Andrew known as William?  Mother was listed as Ellen Finlay.


I did a search for a Will for the William Fleming who died 1854 but he died intestate.  According to his probate record he was a labourer of King Street North Melbourne and his widow was Ellen Fleming of Curzon Street North Melbourne but the death certificate gives her maiden name as McQueen.

So still no death certificate for Andrew Fleming .... why?
Although at least we now have a place and year.

8 comments:

  1. That's a very detailed family notice and another great find on Trove. Well done and good luck finding the certificate. Hope it pops up soon.

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  2. I love Trove for the amazing things it can turn up! Good luck following up these genealogy clues.

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  3. You've got to love Trove.
    I am soon doing a talk at our local library on Trove. This post would be great for an introductory slide.

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    1. You're welcome to use it Jill. I have another post early on that also shows how Trove solved a mystery and added family members.

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  4. On my family file I have Ellen aged 75 at death yet the newspaper clipping says 95. Birth about 1810.

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    1. Same here Marg. Death information is notorious for being "out" or even at times completely wrong. A number of researchers have come to the same conclusion that no one probably knew exactly how old she was at her death. We've pieced together her most likely age from the different documents like her marriage, immigration etc.

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  5. Wow - I am a descendant of Mrs J Stokes :) (Mary Ann/Mary Flemming) - what a find.

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    1. Hi, we have a Fleming family history facebook page for descendants of Andrew and ellen. Please contact me if you are interested.

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