Monday 29 December 2014

Friday 19 December 2014

Ancestry Family Search Extension for Chrome

My preferred browser is Google Chrome and today I learnt of a nifty extension.

Below is a screen shot of a page in my ancestry.com tree.


It is free from the Chrome web store

Type "genealogy" in the search box and look for the "Ancestry Family Search Extension"

Once installed, when you are viewing a tree in ancestry.com the little tree icon for this add on will show in your navigation bar.






William Thomas Morgan

Today my post is a memorial to my mum's Grandad Morgan.

William Thomas Morgan, known as Bill, was born in 1872 at Euroa, Victoria, the fourth son of Thomas Fitzherbert Morgan and Mary Ann/Marion nee Pike.

Bill married Ada May Hulme on the 20th of April 1905 at Oxley in North East Victoria and they lived for many years in the Moyhu area where they raised four daughters and a son.

I am told he was a very gentle and kind man.

Bill left this life on the 19th of December 1950 at the age of 78.  













Saturday 13 December 2014

Family Friends Friday - McVeigh wedding


Taken somewhere in Queensland.

Bride and Groom are Daphne and Wallace (Wally) McVeigh.

I don't know Daphne's maiden name.

Next to Wally is his mother Pearl McVeigh then my grandfather, Jim Forsyth and my grandmother, Brenda Forsyth nee Adams.

Monday 8 December 2014

Mystery Monday - George Musson

A few years ago I received an email from Shona telling me she thought her great great grandfather, George Musson, and my great great grandfather, William Musson, were brothers.

Shona and her sister in law, Dianne had been working back from Shona's father, Brian to her grandfather James, great grandfather, George and then hitting a brick wall with her great great grandfather George.  

As we have not found a death for this George Musson I am recording a timeline for him with hopes of perhaps flushing out some information.

The death certificate of my ggg grandfather, William Musson, gave his parents names Elijah Musson and Mary (former name unknown). I found Elijah and Mary at Stonesby, Leicestershire in all the census.  There was only one other Elijah Musson in the area and he was a nephew born 1836.

Following all the census Elijah and Mary Musson had six children.  

In the 1841 census there were William b 1832 and Emma 1839.  

The 1851 census then included Richard b 1842,  Elizabeth 1845 and George 1847. 

In the 1871 census Elijah and Mary were aged 56 and 60 with a 9 year old daughter named Ann living with them.  Ann was the only child there on that night.  Perhaps a granddaughter?

I know that my great great grandfather William had already left for New Zealand in 1862.  

It seems George may have soon followed.

1867
On the 16th of April, 1867 a George Musson married Annie Gough in Christchurch New Zealand. They were living at Rangiora, near where William had settled.  

1869
George  may have fallen out with his brother William after signing his name on a promisory note without his knowledge.
In mid 1869 he spent a couple of years in "penal servitude" for perjury. 



George and Annie went on to have five children all born in that area. They were Richard  born 1868, George born 1869, James born 1871, John born 1873 and  Annie born 1876.  From here it gets confusing as all the later generations included a George Musson.

1875

It seems George had money woes and was also facing bankruptcy.

1883

Maybe that was why Annie was putting the land into her own name.


1891

The following notice appeared in 1891, the same year that Elijah Musson, father of William and George, died at Stonesby.  This is our main reason for thinking George is William's brother.
from The Press, 21 July 1891

The family at some stage moved to Cobden on the Grey River.  

George Musson senior's paper trail  either disappeared or became entwined/confused with George junior.

1897
A George Musson became renowned for his boxing skills. Because these stories appeared through until 1937 we can't be sure if they were only about George junior or both or are there other Georges, such as a son of Richard or John Musson.



1912

Perhaps Annie moved the family to Cobden because her sister lived there.  
Her poor sister met a very sad end.



Still searching for the death of George Musson born 1847 Leicestershire.