David ADAMS - back to the drawing board

In my post last week on 'David ADAMS breakthrough - I hope' I was excited at finding mention of my great-grand-uncle David, living in Sydney, in the newspaper death notice of his sister Catherine McFadyen in 1946.

Up until then the last trace of him was a mention in the Will of his sister Margaret MANSFIELD in 1926 but that revealed no address for David.

I felt quietly confident that a David ADAMS who married Juanita Agnes ADAMS was the one.  He was a builder, as was his father.

But alas, on purchasing his marriage certificate this David ADAMS was aged 37 and born in Manchester, England about 1870 to parents David and Jane Ann nee Holloway or Halliday?

parents of David ADAMS and Juanita HERRICK

Our David was born in 1866 in Victoria, Australia to parents George ADAMS and Catherine BARRY.

The next David to look at is one who died in Narrabeen, NSW in April 1951.  He also was a builder.  In the electoral rolls in 1943 & 1949 a David and Evelyn Maude Adams were living at 56 Wimbledon Ave Warringah, Narrabeen.  

Family Notices (1951, April 27). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 20.  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18210317

The only David Adams deaths listed in the NSW BDM website in 1951 are: DAVID ADAMS #8490/1951 father DAVID mother ANN registered at MANLY and EDWARD DAVID ADAMS #28008/1951 father EDWARD GEORGE mother DOROTHY MARY registered at PETERSHAM.

There are no NSW deaths for just a David Adams from 1946 onwards with father George nor even just a David Adams from 1946 with no father listed.  Sigh.

Edward LAND'S Letter to the Wangaratta Chronicle June 1915

My Trove Tuesday post for this week is a letter to the editor of the Wangaratta Chronicle newspaper written by Mr Edward LAND of Oxley.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88037779

Wangaratta Chronicle (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), 

Wednesday 16 June 1915, page 2

THE RECRUITING QUESTION. (To the Editor of "The Chronicle,") Sir,- I see by the newspapers that recruiting is getting slack and the Defence Department is urging compulsory enlistment of all single men from 18 to 45 years. It is very hard on the Defence Department to have the whole responsibility of working out a scheme while the country, is making no practical movement to assist them. Australia was never at any time in history in as serious a position as it is at present, and it is the duty of all to assist in every way according to their power and means to overcome the great struggle over the seas, and to assist without crippling the producing community of Australia. It is as great a necessity as recruiting for Australia to keep her farmhands to harvest the crops that are promising to be good so as to have plenty of flour for our soldiers while this great and dreadful struggle lasts. What I suggest is for every municipality to form a committee and a fund, and for the police to send in the names of all available and eligible men who are not connected with farming and other production and necessary Industry. The police of every district know, or should know, the whereabouts of men who have no regular employment and are absolutely useless to a farmer, Those are the men who should be compelled to enlist. The pay is very good and it takes a lot of money and a lot of getting to pay them all. As regards the fund, I would suggest that every man who is on the roll and has a vote for the making of laws should be compelled to subscribe to a monthly fund according to his means, no matter how small, Any defaulter to be removed from the roll. Our Parliamentary member and the Mayor of Wangaratta might convene a meeting at an early date at Wangaratta, and to my mind it should be the biggest ever held here as we never were placed in such a serious position as now. It is the duty of every farmer to protect his own sons and the good farm hands to assist in taking of the great harvest we anticipate. Our soldiers cannot fight without food and it is our bounden duty to keep the good, reliable farmers' sons and farm hands until the very last. We are not taking the position of ourselves as seriously as we ought, but it may not be too late to make a start in the right direction. Let us realise the terrible tortures of our poor brothers who are suffering day and night and are being killed and wounded while we are getting all the necessities of life, Now, let us be up and doing and use self-denial. Give up football and all other amusements that are a drawback to our welfare and turn our minds to this one burning question. I venture to say if England had taken the good advice given to her some years ago the war might have been over long ago, or might not have started. We are practically doing the same. I know we can do a lot If we pull together and set an example that will be followed throughout the whole of Australia so as to secure plenty of soldiers and plenty of producers to feed, pay and clothe them. We can then say when this dreadful war is over that we did all that lay in our power. Unity is strength, and I hope at an early date to see it used. ln conclusion, Mr. Editor, I thank you for the valuable space that I have taken up in your journal, and I hope to see far more abler men than myself take up this matter and make it the practical burning question of Australia, -Yours truly, E. LAND, Olive Lodge, Oxley.

I have several Edward LANDS in my tree.  My best guess is that this Edward was born at Oxley in 1864, the second child and eldest son of my 3rd great-grand-uncle, Arthur John LAND and his wife Charlotte nee FRANCIS.

An earlier newspaper advertisement by Olive Lodge shows it was a horse stud.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200557198

Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1918), 

Saturday 15 September 1906, page 2

 The Stud.— It is notified that the half Suffolk Punch stallion Gallant Lad, will stand this season at "Olive Lodge" Oxley and travel the surrounding district. His pedigee appears in an advestisement elsewhere. Further particulars from Mr. E. Land, Oxley, owner, or S. Hulme, groom In charge.

The groom in charge, S HULME, was a relative as two of Arthur John LAND'S sisters married HULME brothers.  Hephzibah LAND married William Cluff HULME.  They were my 3rd great-grandparents.

Jemima LAND married William Cluff HULME'S brother, Edward "King" HULME.

David Adams breakthrough - I hope

Trove comes up trumps again!

Our mysterious David ADAMS, born 1866 in Hotham, Victoria to George ADAMS (builder) and Catherine nee BARRY,  had seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth.  

Until now.

Our last known record of David was a mention in the will of his sister Margaret MANSFIELD in 1926.  Unfortunately, no address was given for him in that document.

In my most recent visit to Trove, a death notice for another of his sister's appeared with the words "Loving sister of David ADAMS, Sydney"

So now we know that David was still alive in 1946!

Family Notices (1946, September 7).
The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 9.
from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206366530

I went through every David ADAMS in Sydney electoral rolls.  

There were only about four probables.

The one I feel is most likely our David married a Juanita Agnes HERRICK in Victoria in 1907 marriage registration number 7751.

They were living at 51 Carr St Crows Nest Sydney.

Electoral roll entries

1913 at Crows Nest Road. builder. 

1930, 1933, 1943 & 1949 they are living at 51 Carr Street Nth Sydney no occupation.  

1958 Juanita is still at 51 Carr Street, no David.

Juanita died in 1959 death registration number 15980 in North Sydney.

RE the estate of JUANITA AGNES ADAMS, late of (1960, May 13).
Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001),
p. 1470.  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219905814

I then found the following probate notice for a David Adams also in Trove.

Executor was a Henry Herrick EDWARDS.

Advertising (1953, July 6).
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 11.
from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23254192

This David died on the 21st of January 1953 in Sydney but it seems that a copy of his Will is also at the Public Records Office of Victoria. Perhaps because his lawyer was in Victoria.  And .... David was a retired Builder.

Another hopeful clue is the link to Victoria.

His Will file number - 468/443

VPRS 7591/P3 unit 16, item 468/443

and Probate - 468/443

VPRS 28/P4 unit 609, item 468/443

Unfortunately, the only New South Wales death I could find for a David Adams in North Sydney in 1953 was registration number 1564 listing parents as David and Jane Ann which don't fit.  

Another David Adams?

There isn't a Victorian death for a David Adams in 1953.

But I still have a good feeling about this.

Next steps are to obtain the relevant certificates to confirm or not.

Fingers crossed.

UPDATE - This turned out not to be our David Adams

Our Amazing new family DNA discovery

DNA for genealogy has been a huge learning curve but I have enjoyed the brain exercise.  I still have lots to learn.  It is a lot of fun learning from and along with like-minded cousins and friends.

At the end of 2016, I had done an autosomal (family finder) DNA test with the company FamilyTreeDNA.  Uploading those results to GEDmatch led to discovering the name of a maternal 3rd great-grandmother and breaking down a brick wall in my KNIGHT family history.

It has also confirmed the findings of a lot of collaborative family research on many branches of my family tree.  My Dad tested for me too which meant I was able to sort many of my matches into paternal and maternal lines.  I have made some lovely new friends/cousins.

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to do another DNA test with AncestryDNA.

The results came through when I was away from home and my computer. I could access the site on my phone with limited views.  

My second closest match, a shared DNA amount of 221 centimorgans shared across 12 DNA segments, was a known 2nd cousin. 

He is the son of one of my Mum's first cousins. 

My closest match though, a shared DNA amount of 431 centimorgans shared across 18 DNA segments, was a complete mystery.
As is often the case there was no family tree attached so I couldn't see where our close connection may be.
All the available charts for predicted relationship ranges put this match above that of a 2nd cousin but a bit below a first cousin. 

I only have first cousins on Mum's side as Dad is an only child.

Denys in New Zealand was perhaps a first cousin once removed?
I sent her a message.
I had read so many comments by people who didn't receive replies to their messages that I was surprised and thankful to get one the very next day.
Denys had only just received her results and said she was also interested to find where our connection lay.  I gave her my direct New Zealand surnames of Musson and Forsyth.

The next email I received blew me away even though I guess I should have been a bit prepared for the outcome.  I have read of many family surprises, uplifting stories and sad stories but never really expected one of my own.

Denys wrote "Umm some information you may not be expecting..
My father's name was Malcolm.
He was born in Rangiora in 1932.
My grandmother became pregnant to a son of the house while staying in Rangiora with her sister and working at the Musson house.  I believe that is how they meet. My understanding is that he was 'sent' away to Australia but that is all we know.
My Dad has his mother's maiden surname. His father left for Australia around the time he was born.
We have no details of his Dad although he remembers going to school with his cousins, unknown to them, at one point.
My Mum never told me Dad's father's name and although he knew himself, he did not discuss it.
In those days, being illegitimate was very much a slur.
However, my Mum did tell my sister the name on one occasion and she remembered the name because it was unusual and because she knew someone of the same name. When I informed her of the surname Musson she immediately exclaimed that this was the name of our Dad's father.

Therefore it may seem that my father and your father may be brothers?"

Yes, it seems my/our grandfather DID do what he said he didn't do.

To better understand that statement please read my first ever blog post, WHAT STARTED MY GENEALOGY JOURNEY?

I now have three very lovely, newly found paternal half-cousins.

Our grandfather James Musson and his son Malcolm.

Arrival of the William Stewart May 1848

My 3rd great-grandparents Andrew and Ellen FLEMING (nee FINDLAY) and their six children, originally from Scotland, arrived from Plymouth Sound into Port Phillip Bay on the 15th of May 1848.

SHIPPING AND COMMERCIAL GAZETTE. (1848, May 15).
Port Philip Gazette and Settler's Journal (Vic. : 1845 - 1850),
p. 2. from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223152685

 Arrived

A large vessel, supposed to be the William Stewart with emigrants, was in the bay last night, but in consequence of the head wind she had not come up when our reporter left Liardet's this morning.

ENGLISH NEWS. (1848, May 17).
Port Philip Gazette and Settler's Journal (Vic. : 1845 - 1850),
p. 1. from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223151527

English news.

The "William Stewart" brings news on the 22nd January, from England,

having left Plymouth Sound on the25th. The news is of little importance to us having had fully as late accounts by way of Singapore. By, private accounts we hear that business continued very bad, and Scotland was feeling the pressure. Mr Leadbetter, the chairman of the Glasgow, and Edinburgh railway having failed.in addition to many other merchants in Glasgow.

SHIPPING AND COMMERCIAL GAZETTE. (1848, May 17).
Port Philip Gazette and Settler's Journal (Vic. : 1845 - 1850),
p. 2. from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223151526

 The William Stewart made a good passage of 110 days but experienced severe westerly winds since she left the Cape. On the passage, three infants died and there were seven births; the majority of the emigrants are from England, there are a few single women from Ireland and Scotland, the emigrants are in a very healthy condition. There are 47 single men and 54 single women.

Local Intelligence. (1848, May 17).
The Port Phillip Patriot and Morning Advertiser (Vic. : 1845 - 1848), p. 2.
from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226355017

 Boat Excursion Extraordinary. — Yesterday afternoon, two gentlemen came to the " Beach Hotel," requiring a boat to put off to the William Stewart, but could not be accommodated, as the boat used for that purpose was then in use, and alongside the vessel, they were desirous to reach. They expressed great disappointment at this and said they would, with Mr Liardet's permission, take the dingy which was at the jetty, and pull off without other assistance. Seeing their anxiety in the matter, Mr Liardet consented, when the youths, desiring to reach the vessel in quick sticks, jumped into the dingy and pulled out manfully. They had not, however, proceeded very far, when a stiff northerly breeze sprung up, and, despite the most energetic endeavours, the dingy and her cargo were carried out of sight. After struggling to make way against the wind, they both gave it up as a bad job and lay down in the bottom of the boat. It is not improbable that they will be stranded somewhere about Arthur's Seat. Mr Liardet has, we believe, sent a boat after them.

SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 20 (1848, May 20).
Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1847 - 1851), p. 2 (MORNING).
from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91458443

EMIGRANTS.- Mr Commissioner Addis proceeded to Melbourne, shortly after the announcement of the arrival of the William Stewart, to adopt such measures as would be necessary to secure a share of the newly arrived emigrants, to residents and settlers in the Geelong District. Of the last shipment of emigrants, scarcely one was engaged for the Geelong side, the Melbournites having taken them up before any one could have time to engage them. It is to prevent, if possible, a repetition of this, that Mr Addis has undertaken this journey.

THE Moreton Bay Courier (1848, June 10).
The Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1846 - 1861),
from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3709926

On the 15th ultimo, the ship William Stewart arrived at Melbourne from England with 324 immigrants. This ship made rather a long passage, and of course, the news brought by her was anticipated. Loud, and apparently well grounded, complaints had been made by the public of the discourtesy shown by the officers of the ship to such of the inhabitants as had proceeded on board for the purpose of hiring the immigrants, and the obstructions thrown in the way of their doing so a course of conduct which we should think the local Immigration Board might very speedily put a stop to. It is no doubt very hard that the colonists, who virtually supply the funds to bring out the immigrants, should thus be bullied and defied by the masters, or, as they call themselves, captains and other officers of the ships to whom the conveyance of the immigrants is entrusted. A recent instance has been made public in which betrayal of trust the most base, and conduct the most flagitious, has been proved to have existed, and we hope that an adequate punishment may yet overtake the parties guilty of it. We know of nothing connected with the subject of immigration on which it appears more necessary to insist than that the duty of conveying the immigrants to these shores shall be executed with honour and good faith. This is a condition strenuously to be insisted on, and to connive at any breach of it is to become accessory to the introduction of vice and immorality into the colony.

Thank you for reading my Trove Tuesday post for this week.