On the 21st of July this year, I received a surprise message on Ancestry from Loris Cupples.
Loris was writing to me about my great-great Uncle, David Adams who had eluded us for so many years. It seemed he had disappeared from the face of the earth but perseverance pays off and eventually he was found.
You can read my first blog post (later updated) about David at https://ancestorchaser.blogspot.com/2012/11/what-happened-to-david-adams.html
Then I thought I had found him and wrote about the find at https://ancestorchaser.blogspot.com/2017/06/david-adams-breakthrough-i-hope.html
But no such luck - https://ancestorchaser.blogspot.com/2017/06/david-adams-back-to-drawing-board.html
Finally, after years of searching, Bingo! https://ancestorchaser.blogspot.com/2018/04/mysterious-david-adams-found.html
Loris had read my blog posts.
At the end of 1886, a David Adams of the same age was arrested along with several friends for accosting a woman. The woman's husband turned out to be "less than savoury" and labelled as a "professional sundowner" with previous convictions for creating similar offences so the lads were released. Perhaps this frightened young David and he moved North to Sydney where his older brother, Edward was living in 1887-8. Their brother John also moved up to Sydney around that same time.
Loris's great-grandmother was Eleanor (Elen) Turpin born on the 29th of September 1871 at Dipton, Collierley, Durham, England.
Eleanor arrived in Queensland in November 1883, at the age of 12 with her parents William Turpin and Elizabeth nee Carr.
Eleanor had a daughter, Loris's grandmother, May Cecilia Turpin.
May was born on the 19th of May 1888 at Adamstown in New South Wales. May's father was James Dwyer (confirmed by DNA) who was six years older than Eleanor.
Loris said "I don't know if religious differences could have been a reason James and Eleanor did not marry although Eleanor was probably only 15 when she became pregnant and 16 when May was born. May lived with her father but I do not know if that was before or after her mother's death."
Eleanor Turpin married David Adams on the 23rd of September 1899 in Sydney and their marriage certificate gives David's birthplace as Hotham, Victoria, occupation - stonemason, age - 33, father - George Adams, mother - Catherine Barry so he appears to be the correct David.
Sadly Eleanor died on the 6th of October 1899 only two weeks after her marriage whereas the article states "two years"
SAD DEATH On Thursday last Mrs Adams wife of Mr. David Adams, and daughter of Mr.W. Turpin, entered the Newcastle Hospital and underwent an operation for an internal ailment. The operation was performed, but the unfortunate woman died on Friday evening. She was 28 years of age, had been married two years, and leaves no children. The funeral took place yesterday, and was attended by a large number of people. Great sympathy is felt for Mr. Adams and Mr. and Mrs. Turpin and family.
From Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), Monday 9 October 1899, page 8 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article135379570
On the 2nd of May 1902, David, a widower, married Mary Josephine Knight at St Joseph's church Camperdown. You can read that story at https://ancestorchaser.blogspot.com/2018/04/mysterious-david-adams-found.html
David continues to surprise us.
