Tipperary Ancestors - Week 4 NFHM blogging challenge.

I do love my "sunburnt country" and most of my ancestors, except my paternal grandfather, have been here since the mid to late 1800s.  They all settled in Victoria and pretty much stayed here.  I have enjoyed researching them all but my contribution for week 4 will be to record current research I have done on my Tipperary ancestors.

I have known the origins and parents names of my great great grandmother, Alice KELLY nee MORGAN for some years now and have researched later information on her and all but one of her five brothers who came to Australia.

Margaret Alice KELLY (known as Alice) was baptized in December 1834 at Dualla, Tipperary, Ireland to parents Cornelius KELLY and Mary MULLOUGHNY/MOLOUGHNEY.
Sponsors were Laurence MOCKLER and Judith DWYER viccs (which I am told means standing in for) Judith MULLOUGHNY.

image from ancestry.com.au 

                                Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1655-1915

                           

Cornelius (Con) and Mary were married on the 6th of February 1834 at Dualla by Reverend William Kirwan in the presence of Daniel D Corkoran (I think) and Daniel Mahony. The last word in the record also looks to be MOCKLER?

image from ancestry.com.au 

                                  Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1655-1915

Their son's baptisms and further known details I have recorded HERE

Today I found a couple of possible baptism records that could fit Cornelius KELLY and Mary MULLOUGHNY.  The only problem is that the parent's names for these baptisms haven't been used for any of Con and Mary's children.  No naming pattern seems to fit.  Is that usual?

image from ancestry.com.au
Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1655-1915

It is very hard to read but the transcription in ancestry.com.au is as follows:
Name: Cornelius Kelly
Baptism Age: 0
Event Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 1807
Baptism Date: 31 Jan 1807
Baptism Place: Gortnahoe, Tipperary, Ireland
Parish Variants: Glengoole, Gurtnahoe and Glengoole
Diocese: Cashel and Emly
Father: Philippi Kelly (Phillip Kelly)

Mother: Marie Dohony

Gortnahoe/Gortnahoo is about 30kms from Dualla.

and for Mary:

image from ancestry.com.au
 Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1655-1915

Transcription in ancestry.com.au is as follows:
Name: Mary Mulloughny
Baptism Age: 0
Event Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 1807
Baptism Date: Aug 1807
Baptism Place: Moycarkey, Tipperary, Ireland
Parish Variants: Borris, Moycarkey and Borris, Moycarky, Mucharkey, Muckarkey, Muckarky
Diocese: Cashel and Emly
Father: Laurence Mulloughny

Mother: Mary Dwyre

Moycarky is about 12kms from Dualla.

I may be way off but at least this post will record these possibilities.  
One day perhaps I will find more clues.

Read more contributions here

NFHM blogging challenge theme for Week 4 - Sunday 28 August - Australian poet Dorothea Mackellar in her poem My Country talks of a "sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains, of rugged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains".  What does "country" or place mean to your family?  What makes your place unique or special? What are the features or landmarks  that stand out in your family history?

NFHM Blogging Challenge - Week 3 - August commemorations

Alex of Family Tree Frog has put the theme for Week 3 of the National Family History Month blogging challenge as - 
"Significant military battles are commemorated during the month of August such as Mouquet Farm in WWI and Milne Bay in WW2.  The Australian Comforts Fund was also founded in August 1916.  Did your ancestors have connections to these places or battles?  Is there another anniversary or significant event that your family commemorates/remembers in August?" 

Read more contributions here

In researching and recording the stories of soldiers in my family history I discovered that several had paid the ultimate sacrifice in the month of August during WW1.  

Click on their names to read their stories.

William John Pike MORGAN,  A Private and bugler in the 14th Battalion A.I.F  was killed at the Battle of Lone Pine on the 8th of August 1915.   He was a first cousin of my maternal grandmother, Daisy FLEMING nee MORGAN.

Edmund James AH-KING - A Private in the 22nd Battalion A.I.F  was killed at Pozieres on the 5th of  August 1916.  Edmund was a first cousin of my maternal great grandmother, Margaret FLEMING nee HART.

William John BEATON - A Private in the 14th Battalion A.I.F was initially reported missing and many months later reported killed at Gallipoli on the 27th of August 1915.  William was a first cousin of my great great grandmother, Mary Ann MORGAN nee PIKE.

George FORSYTH - A Private in the 47th Battalion A.I.F was killed at Pozieres on the 9th of  August 1916.  George was a first cousin of my paternal great grandmother, Margaret Ann Hay MUSSON nee FORSYTH.

HERBERT JOHN MORGAN/WAKENSHAW - A Lance Corporal in the 22nd Battalion, 3rd reinforcements enlisted on the 19th of  July 1915.  He Died of wounds in France on the 5th of August 1916.  Herbert was a first cousin of my maternal grandmother, Daisy FLEMING nee MORGAN.

Joseph Stanley SAXON - A Private in the 22nd Battalion was killed in action on August 5th, 1916 at Pozieres.  Joseph was a first cousin of my maternal great-grandfather, William Thomas MORGAN.

Significant family anniversaries for August are:-

The birth of my paternal grandfather, James Richard MUSSON on the 23rd of August 1906 at Belfast, Canterbury, New Zealand and his death, as James Musson FORSYTH on the 16th of August 1976 at Mooroopna, Victoria, Australia.

The birthday of my maternal grandmother, Daisy FLEMING nee MORGAN  who was born on August 10, 1908, at Myrrhee, Victoria.

The death of my father in law, Allan Taylor on the 7th of August 1992 at Numurkah, Victoria, Australia.  He was 84 years of age.

Private George FORSYTH

George Forsyth enlisted in the 47th Infantry Battalion of the Australian Imperial Forces on the 24th of January 1916. His rank was Private, service number 1654.

On his attestation paper, George stated he was born in the Parish of Pitsligo near Fraserburgh, Scotland.

He was 25 years and 3 months of age, single and gave his occupation as labourer.

George’s parents were John Gill Forsyth and Jane nee Birnie of Hillfoot, Cortes, Lonmay, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. (pictured above)

John Gill Forsyth was the younger brother of my great-great grandfather Robert Forsyth who settled in Kaiapoi, New Zealand.

Thanks to Sandra Playle on the Australian genealogy facebook page I learnt that George enlisted at Charter’s Towers in Queensland.

His mother states on the Honour Roll form that he was 18 years of age when he came to Australia.

George was living in Friezland, via Cloncurry. His younger brother, Robert, had also enlisted but he was with the Gordon Highlanders in Scotland.

One question George was asked on his enlistment in Australia was “had he ever been rejected as unfit for His Majesty’s Service and if so for what reason?”

His reply …. Yes, defective teeth.George was 5 foot 7 and a half inches tall. He weighed 136 pounds, chest measurement 36 inches. Complexion fair, eyes blue, hair colour dark brown and his religious denomination was Presbyterian.The attesting officer who signed his enlistment form was Fred Johnson.

20 – 4 – 1916 Embarked at Sydney per H.M.T “Hawkes Bay”

27 – 5 – 1916 From 12th training Btn, allotted to 47th Battalion at Tel-el-kebir

2 – 6 – 1916 From H. T “Caledonia” proceeded to join B.E.F at Alexandria

9 – 6 – 1916 Disembarked at Marseilles.

The 47th Battalion was raised in Egypt on the 24th of February 1916. About half its new recruits were Gallipoli veterans and the rest were fresh reinforcements from Australia, the majority being recruits from Queensland and Tasmania.

Arriving in France on 9 June 1916, the 47th entered the trenches of the Western Front for the first time on 3 July. It participated in its first major battle at Pozières. Initially, the battalion provided working parties during the 2nd Division’s attack on 4 August, and then, with its own division, defended the ground that had been captured. The 47th endured two stints in the heavily-contested trenches of Pozières

Transcript of Battalion war diary:

5 – 8 – 1916 Battalion moved from Tara Hill and took up position near Pozières as reserves to front line.

7 – 8 – 1916 at 6.30 am received message to reinforce front line occupied by 48th Battn. despatched C Coy at 6.40am. Three platoons returned at 7.15 am and the other remaining.

At 2.30 pm commenced relief of front line occupied by 48th Battn. Relief was completed by 4.30 pm. A and D companies occupying front line. O, G, I and B Coy in close supports in Tramway Trench.

One platoon of C Coy which reinforced the 48th Battalion at 6.40 am was sent back to join up with remainder of C Coy at Sunken Road. C Coy remained in support.

The relief of the 48th Battalion was carried out under a heavy bombardment by the enemy and considerable casualties were inflicted on the Battalion.

On the 9th of August 1916 Private George Forsyth was killed in action at Pozières, although his sister, Jean Butcher of Taupo, New Zealand had received notification of his death on dates in both August and November 1916. She wrote to the war minister In Nov 1917.

She received a reply in December.

On his war service record, it states that he is buried “500 yards N.E. of Pozières”.

Underneath are location co-ordinates 57D SE X5A R35C Martinpuich.

I am told the coordinates may be taken so they can go back and retrieve the body for burial.

Sometimes the bodies cannot be found and that is when the soldier’s name and details are put on the memorials. I’ve yet to work out if George’s body was found for burial.

Martinpuich village is about a mile north-west of High Wood,and like the wood was captured on September the 15th, 1916.

It is ironic that troops of the 15th (Scottish) Division took the village.

Military historian Matt Smith of http://www.australianwargraves.org says “Martinpuich is the village NE of Pozieres. The name refers to the trench map, not where he was buried. George would have been killed and buried on the old German Line OG1 and OG2, probably attacking the Windmill site. It is the site of the current 2nd Australian Division memorial.”

George’s name is included on the Villers-Bretonneux memorial at Somme, France.

Both George and his brother Robert are also commemorated on the War Memorial at Rathen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Tribute page for our Servicemen

Private William John BEATON

William John BEATON was a first cousin of my maternal great-great-grandmother, Mary Ann PIKE (1847-1933).

He was born in Euroa, Victoria in 1877, first son, the third of ten children of Peter and Catherine BEATON.

William enlisted as a Private, service number 1912, on the 15th of January 1915.   He was 35 years of age, 5 foot 7 and a half inches tall, weighed 144 pounds, with a fair complexion, brown hair and eyes.
His battalion embarked at Melbourne on the AT20 Hororata on the 17th of April 1915.

Troops boarding HMAT Hororata (A20) on gangway at far left.

Copyright expired  (item in public domain.)

From Australian War Memorial website

A court of enquiry was later held at Serapeum in April 1916.William was reported missing in action at the Gallipoli Peninsula on the 27th of August 1915.

As a result, he was recorded as killed in action on the 27th of August 1915 following a report from a fellow soldier, Corporal HYLAND of Benalla.
Corporal HYLAND stated "on August 27th at Chocolate Hill we charged and as soon as we got out of the trench I saw BEATON fall short.  He did not move and I believe he was killed".

Sadly, Peter and Catherine BEATON received a letter from the War Office stating "I regret very much that, notwithstanding the efforts of our Graves Services Unit, we have so far been unable to obtain any trace of the last resting place of your son the late No. 1912, Private W.J. BEATON, 14th Battalion....."

William John BEATON is commemorated at the Lone Pine memorial.  Lest We Forget.

Tribute page for our Servicemen

NFHM Blogging Challenge - Week 2 - Farming ancestors.

August is National Family History month in Australia and Alex, at Family Tree Frog has instigated a blogging challenge.

Week 2 - Sunday 14 August - Your working ancestors and the challenges they faced in their occupations.

Most of my ancestors were involved in farming of one sort or another including both my grandfathers and their father's before them.
I have re-hashed a post from last year about my farming paternal grandfather, Jim FORSYTH (born James MUSSON 1906 - 1976).

His MUSSON ancestors were also farmers in New Zealand and England. 

His FORSYTH ancestors were farmers in New Zealand and Meal Millers in Aberdeenshire, Scotland 

After he came to Australia and married my grandmother, Brenda DANIELS nee ADAMS, in 1937, my grandfather would buy a rundown farm, improve it, sell it and move on.  
They moved on nearly every twelve to eighteen months, mainly around Victoria, but he once had a pineapple farm at Woombye in Queensland.  

He worked long hard hours to improve each farm which would have been a real challenge.
The Australian electoral rolls show many of their movements although some of the years were a bit out.  Dad's memory fills in some gaps.
They moved to Tatura from Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria around 1942.
At Tatura he bought a truck and did cartage for the internment camp at Dhurringile during WW2. 
In 1944 he bought a farm at Girgarre East, Victoria
In 1946 they farmed at Stanhope South, Victoria
1949 at Mooroopna, Victoria
1950 at Shepparton East, Victoria
1951 at Glenrowan, Victoria
1952 at Marungi, Victoria
1953 at Trafalgar, Victoria
1956 at Woombye, Queensland
From 1957 until his death in 1976 he was in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria.

Mooroopna, Victoria 1949

Woombye, Queensland 1954 - 1956

In the latter years, piggeries seemed to be my grandfather's preferred choice of farming.  He must have had an affinity with the husbandry and knowledge of growing pigs as his advice was often sought and he was referred to as "The Professor" by other local farmers in the industry.

  

L-R my brother, my grandfather and my dad at the farm at 535 Archer Road, Kialla, Victoria, ca 1968.
A plant nursery is now situated at this address.

Click here to read other challenge contributions

NFHM Blogging Challenge - Week 1 - My census story

August is National Family History month in Australia and Alex, at Family Tree Frog has instigated a blogging challenge.

Week 1 – Sunday 7 August – My Census Story – Census Night in Australia is 9 August this year. What extraordinary things have you discovered about your family history in census records?

Australia doesn't have many census records available and those that are are too early for most of my ancestors to be on.

I have however had fun over the years going through English and Scottish census searching for my ancestors and their families.

Some have common names so searching was very hit and miss.  Many were helpful having specific occupations but quite a few just cannot be confirmed as mine, especially when they were boarders or servants in other households.

I haven't found anything that I'd call extraordinary but one that did shock me in the early days of my research was finding my great-great-great grand Uncle, Alexander Thomson FORSYTH, listed as "idiot" in the 1841 census.

Piece: SCT1841/192 Place: Ellon -Aberdeenshire Enumeration District: 10
Civil Parish: Ellon Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 10 Page: 9
Address: Mill Of Broomfield
Surname     First name(s)  Sex     Age   Occupation  Where Born
FORSYTH  Alexander          M        50     Miller           Aberdeenshire
FORSYTH  Jane                   F        50      Wife            Aberdeenshire
FORSYTH  Alexander          M        25     Idiot            Aberdeenshire
FORSYTH  James                M        20     Miller          Aberdeenshire
FORSYTH  Robert                M        15     Miller          Aberdeenshire
FORSYTH  Isabella              F         14                        Aberdeenshire
FORSYTH  Ann                     F         11                        Aberdeenshire
FORSYTH  Helen                  F           8                        Aberdeenshire
FORSYTH  James                M           2                        Aberdeenshire

It looks like the word has been crossed out and no doubt then the meaning was different to what it is today.

Alexander may have been mentally handicapped in some way, even very mildly.

In the 1861 census, he was living with his brother and sister in law Robert and Helen FORSYTH (my 3rd great grandparents) at the Mill of Aberdour.  He was unmarried and 49 years of age.

I cannot find him in a census after 1861.

There is no burial information for his parents, Alexander and Jean who died at the Mill of Broomfield in 1864 and 1869 respectively, so I don't know if he was buried with them or not.

He is not listed as buried with his brother Robert.

An Alexander FORSYTH died at Aberdeen poorhouse in 1869 but there are no parents listed on the death certificate so I don't know if it is him or not but I do wonder why he would be in the poorhouse when he had six siblings still living. 

Click here to read other challenge contributions

Archie and Daisy FLEMING - Love & Marriage Sepia Saturday 342: August 2016

My maternal grandparents, Archibald William Finlay FLEMING and Daisy Marion nee MORGAN were married on the 8th of October 1932 at Daisy's parents home at Willow Bank near Moyhu in North East Victoria.

Archie was aged 23 Daisy was 24.

Article from the Wangaratta Chronicle

A quiet but pretty wedding was celebrated at the home of the bride's parents "Willow Bank" Moyhu, on Saturday, October 8th, when Daisy Marion, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, became the wife of Mr. Archie W. F. (third son of Mrs. D. Fleming "Valley View", King Valley, and the late Mr. D. Fleming).

The Rev M.C. Day of Wangaratta officiated.  The charming bride, who was given away by her father, was tastefully gowned in ankle length white satin with a yoke of silk lace.  A fitting bodice and slender skirt with fullness given by inlet pleated flares.  Her beautiful veil of embroidered tulle (lent by her sister Mrs. D. Jones) was worn cap fashion, and held by a wreath of orange blossom.  She also wore a necklace of crystal beads, and carried a bouquet of semi-sheaf arum lilies, intermingled with maiden hair fern and white satin streamers.  The bride was attended by her sister Miss Mavis Morgan, whose pretty ankle-length frock of powder blue  satin, with puff sleeves, looked very attractive with her head band of satin and flowers.  Her pretty posy was of arum lilies, maiden hair fern and pink satin streamers.  Mr. H Fleming was best man.  Immediately after the ceremony satin horse shoes were placed on the arm of the bride by her little brother Bert, and little Graeme McLaren (nephew of the bridegroom) and Caroline Jones (neice of the bride).  After the ceremony a reception was held at the home of the bride's parents.  The tables looked charming, the central decoration being a tiered wedding cake.  The bride's travelling frock was of maroon crepe-de-chene with hat to tone.  The bride's gift to the bridegroom was a travelling rug and that of the bridegroom to the bride a xylonite toilet set and to the bridesmaid a xylonite clock.  Many beautiful presents were received, including many cheques.  The future home of Mr. and Mrs. Fleming will be at "Greenfields" King Valley.

Harold FLEMING, the groom's brother was best man and Mavis MORGAN the bride's sister was bridesmaid.

about 1969 at Shepparton, Victoria with dogs Suzie and Goldie.

about 1974 at Edi Upper, North East Victoria.

Till death do us part, 

Archie died aged 68 on the 9th of November 1977.

Daisy died on the 2nd of December 1998 aged 90.

Read more Sepia Saturday posts HERE

DANIELS family North Melbourne - Trove Tuesday

Eric Ebor John DANIELS was the first husband of my paternal grandmother Brenda Mary FORSYTH nee ADAMS.

They were married at North Melbourne, Victoria on the 1st of September 1928.

On their marriage certificate, Eric's mother's name was given as Florence Mary POWELL but when Eric died, sadly in 1932 aged only 27, his mother's name was given as Ethel STOWELL.

Victorian marriage records show that Eric's father, William McDonald DANIELS had married Ethel Rose STOWELL in 1901.  Then in 1913, when Eric was eight years old William married Florence May POWELL.

Thanks to Trove  I found some details of a bitter split in 1910 between Eric's father and birth mother.

Two years later in 1912