Knight family Wiltshire to Australia 1842

Update to my post of 29 September about My first foray into DNA for genealogy

When Karen told me she hadn't been able to find Martha KNIGHT's arrival in Australia I began searching.  According to her newspaper obituaries Martha's sister, my great-great-grandmother, Ann Jane KNIGHT, was said to have arrived in Australia in 1847 from Gloucestershire.  I don't know who supplied the information.

According to information given to Karen by other family members, the family came from Trowbridge in Wiltshire.

The DNA matches of we four KNIGHT descendants do agree with these findings.

In the 1841 census, John KNIGHT was a weaver living with his family at Melksham, Trowbridge.

John had married Ann LUCAS on April 8, 1824, in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

The Knight family, consisting of father John, mother Ann and daughters Sarah, Jane (my Ann Jane), Martha and Ruth arrived in Tasmania on the ship Orleana in 1842.

Ruth went into domestic service for George MacLean who was the Deputy Commissary General for Hobart. 

John went to work for a W Wilson of Davey Street.

The PINCHEN family also arrived on the Orleana.

In 1846 Ruth married William PINCHEN.  

They had five children born between 1849 and 1859 in Geelong, Victoria.

William 1849, Charles 1850, Jane 1853, Ellen 1855 and Elizabeth 1859.

William must have had health problems as there was the following notice in the Star newspaper of Ballarat in September 1857.

Ruth didn't stay with William though as records show in 1862 she had her first of six children with John TEASDALE.

Florence born 1862 at Creswick, Victoria.  

John Knight born 1864 at Spring Creek, Victoria.  

Ruth born 1866 at Happy Valley.  

Wallace born 1866 at Happy Valley.

Lucas born 1869 at Linton.

Alice Maud born 1871 Spring Creek.

Ruth PINCHEN married John TEASDALE in 1883.

Ruth died in 1915; death Registration Number 12228

On the 9th of September 1852 in Geelong, Martha KNIGHT married James WHITE. 

Witnesses were William and Ruth PINCHEN.

Martha and James had two children, Elizabeth Ann born 6 September 1853 at Ballarat, Victoria and James William born 11 September 1855 at Ballarat East.

On the 6th of September 1863 at Geelong Martha married Henry Phillip MARETT.

They had nine children at Ballarat.

Esther Zitella - 1858

Henry Phillip - 1860

Alfred Thomas - 1861

Jane Amelia  -  1864

Sophia Julia  - 1866

Martha Letitia - 1868

Selena Janvin - 1871

Emily Maude - 1872

Francis James - 1875

Martha's husband, Henry Phillip MARETT died at Leederville, Western Australia on the 6th February 1905.

Martha died on the 9th of December 1907 at Caulfield, Victoria.

I have yet to find deaths for John KNIGHT and his wife Ann nee LUCAS.

My first foray into DNA for genealogy

I have recently had an autosomal DNA test done by FTDNA.

I was so excited when my results came back the other day.  

What a huge learning curve!

I uploaded the raw DNA data to GEDmatch and waited for those results to come through.

Once they had, the third highest match shown in my results was a known third cousin with whom I have done a lot of family research.

The top two and the fifth highest DNA matches to me in my GEDmatch results indicated fairly close relationships.

The fifth match was Karen who contacted me saying she believed she would be a third cousin once removed and the other two would be third cousins.

It turned out they are descendants of a John KNIGHT as am I.

My maternal great-great-grandmother, Anne Jane KNIGHT was born about 1832. She married William Finlay FLEMING in Melbourne in 1852.

They went on to have thirteen children, the fifth being my great grandfather, Donald FLEMING.  

Ann Jane died aged 88 years on the 10th of November 1920 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Matilda WORRALL.

One of the newspaper obituaries for our Ann Jane FLEMING states she was born in Gloucestershire and arrived in Australia with her parents in 1847. 

Another stated she arrived in 1847 with her parents and 2 sisters, since deceased. 

The birthplace on her death certificate is only recorded as England, the informant was her son John Knight Fleming.

It looks like she may have actually come from Trowbridge in Wiltshire which is roughly only 30 to 50 miles south of Gloucestershire.

The 1841 census has a Knight family, John, a weaver, age 40, his wife Ann age 40 and their daughters, Ruth age 13 (b 1828), Sarah age 11 (b 1830), Jane age 8 (b 1833) and Martha age 6 (b1835) living at Timbrell Street, Trowbridge in Wiltshire.

Karen is a descendant of Martha KNIGHT. 

In her email, Karen says "If Martha is indeed the sister of Ann Jane, which the DNA suggests, there’s still some mystery. I’ve never found when Martha arrived in Australia, the earliest record of her here that I have found is her marriage to a James White in Geelong in 1852. 

A William Pinchen (one of the witnesses) married a Ruth Knight … which fits with records I currently have as Ruth being one of Martha’s sisters.

Other cousins visited Trowbridge in Wiltshire a few years ago and tracked down details of Martha, her parents, and siblings.

HOWEVER … Martha is a bit of a mystery … on various birth certificates for her children she gives her name as Martha Lane / Lain / Knight … and usually from Trowbridge, Wiltshire. I’ve never found any record of her marrying her partner / my ancestor Henry Philip Marett."

Our Ann Jane named daughters Ruth and Sarah. 

I have repeatedly searched passenger lists etc for the Knight family with no luck.  

There is a marriage in Trowbridge 8 April 1824 for a John KNIGHT and an Ann LUCAS.  

Adult children of Finlay Fleming and Jessie nee Splatt

Adult children of Finlay Fleming and his wife Jessie nee Splatt

William Finlay born 1893 Barwo (Kotupna/Nathalia) Victoria died 1974 Wangaratta, Victoria.

Elizabeth Ethel Linda born 1900 Nathalia, Vic died 1976 Clayton, Vic married first Dudley Norman Porter in 1920. They had six children.  Dudley died in 1945 and Elizabeth remarried Albert Ernest Cameron.

Jane/Jean Margaret born 1895 Barwo died 1981 Armadale, Victoria married Nelson Burns in 1917.  They had four children.

Vera Finlay born 1901 Moyhu, Victoria died 1992 Wangaratta, Victoria married Leonard Forge in 1921.  They had five children.

Mary Ann Sarah "Maisie" born 1904 Moyhu, Victoria died 1996 in New South Wales married Walter T Edwards at Mosman in 1930.  He died in 1960 and she remarried Jim O'Grady in 1966.

David Claude born 1897 Barwo, Victoria died 1978 Sorrento, Queensland married Agnes Frew Johnston.  They had two daughters.

Ethel Maude born 1899 Barwo, Victoria died 1976 Mildura, Victoria married John Lewis Burrell in 1918.  They had ten children.

Jessie Madeline "Madge" born 1903 Moyhu, Victoria died 1978 Parkville, Victoria married James Frederick Murphy at Wangaratta in 1929.  They had two daughters.

One daughter deceased so missing from the photo is Christina Florence Fleming born 1898 Barwo died 1953 at Mildura.  She married Garret Lyons in 1917 and they had two sons.

Their father, Finlay Fleming was the son of William Finlay Fleming and Ann Jane nee Knight.  He was born in 1864 at Spring Hill, Victoria and died in 1910 at Wangaratta.

He married Jessie Splatt at Echuca, Victoria in 1893.  Jessie was the daughter of William Edgar Splatt and Jane Margaret Simpson.  She was born in 1867 at Rokewood and died in 1942 at Whitfield, Victoria

The Fleming's had settled at Kotupna, near Nathalia in Northern Victoria, in the 1870s and in 1901 they moved to the King Valley in North East Victoria where the boys followed farming pursuits.

Finlay/Finley and Jessie are buried at the Whitfield, also known as the Hyem cemetery in North East Victoria, with their young grandson Phillip Burns who died in 1927

Wangaratta Despatch, August 6th, 1910 - Death of King Valley Farmer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The death of Mr. Finlay Fleming, a well known and much respected farmer of the King Valley, caused surprise and regret in the district on Wednesday.  The deceased was in his usual health last week, excepting for a cold to which he did not give much attention.  On Saturday, however, he became ill, and was brought to the Wangaratta hospital, where it was found he was suffering from pneumonia, he gradually got worse, and died about midnight on Tuesday.  The late Mr. Fleming, who was the fifth son of Mr. W.F. Fleming, of Edi (who celebrated his hundredth birthday in January last) was born at Creswick, but spent most of his life at Kotupna, where Mr. Fleming senior, settled after he gave up mining.  About eight years ago the parents and several of the sons moved to this district,  where they secured farms, and Mr. Finlay Fleming's residence on the King River dated back to that time,  he was a very industrious man, a good farmer, and possessed of excellent personal qualities that made him very popular.  His death at the early age of 46 years has been heard of with great regret for the deceased had many friends,  who regarded him as an acquisition to the Edi district.  His unexpected death comes with crushing effect, too upon his wife, who is left with a family of nine children, the eldest of whom is 16 years of age, and the youngest 5, the great sympathy has been expressed for her and the other relatives on this untimely bereavement,  Messrs. James, Donald, and Henry Fleming of Edi are deceased's brothers, another being resident in New South Wales, while Mrs. Lawrence (Whitfield), Mrs. Thomas (Albury), Mrs. Tuckett and Mrs. Worrall (Melbourne) are sisters.  The remains of deceased were interred in the Whitfield cemetery, the coffin being taken by train to Hyem stopping place on Wednesday afternoon.

U is for .... Unknowns

Unknown

Everyone has  "Unknowns"in their family trees.  These are just a few of mine.

The date and place of the death of  my 3rd Great Grandmother, Margaret Mason, nee Carstairs b 1823 Cupar, Fife, Scotland.
Her husband, Peter Webster Mason, died on the 1st of March 1892 at the Bendigo Benevelont Asylum. He was aged 77 years.
Quite a few think they have found death information from the Vic BMD Indexes but these certificates have been purchased by family members and none match Margaret.

The date and ship my Great Great Grandfather, George Adams (b 1831 - d 1921) arrived in Australia.  He married Catherine Barry on the 19th of June 1853 in Fremantle, Western Australia.  He came from Saffron Walden, Essex, UK.



Where in Limerick, Ireland, my Great Great Grandmother, Catherine Barry was from.  Born about 1832 to John Barry and Mary Boyle she arrived in 1853 at Fremantle, Western Australia on the Ship Travancore.


I purchased the book THE BRIDE SHIPS by Rica Erickson from Gould Genealogy a few years ago.
The following is an excerpt about the Travancore arrival.

"The Travancore arrived in the full heat of Summer. .  The 115 Irish girls were taken in parties of forty or fifty up the Swan River to Perth where a large crowd gathered at the William Street jetty to greet them.  Some of the girls were barefoot and most of them wore simple gowns with shawls for head coverings.  They were soon dubbed "bog Irish"

At first the employers were reluctant to take girls who were not trained as cooks, scullery maids or nursemaids, especially when they were Catholic.  Protestants naturally preferred Protestant servants to avoid embarrassment in their homes.  But the Irish girls were good natured, healthy, willing to work and were not averse to leaving town and going into service on distant farms.  Within a few weeks ninety of the girls were in employment, some going to Albany and sixteen to Bunbury.  By February the Immigration Officer reported with satisfaction that:
'The exemplary good conduct of the Travancore girls while at the Home, and their general willingness to learn, quite dispelled any feeling of prejudice against them on account of their Catholic faith'"


Is the Peter Hart in 1851 census a "prisoner in custody" Huntingdonshire, Great Stukeley, Huntindon, Ramsey, my Great Great Grandfather?
According to dates on marriage and death certificate Peter may have migrated to Australia around 1854.
He died at Echuca, Victoria on the 2nd of September 1900.

Who was the mother of my Great Great Grandmother, Anne Jane Knight?  Her father was John Knight and they were from Gloucestershire.  Anne Jane was born about 1832.

Any further details or information on one Great Grand Uncle, David Adams b 1866 Hotham Victoria - died after 1921.  Son of George Adams and Catherine Barry.

Any further details or information on Great Great Grand Uncle, Edmond Kelly baptised 16 September 1838 at Dualla, Ballysheehan, Tipperary. His parents were Cornelius Kelly and Mary Moloughney.  Baptism sponsors were Thomas Ryan, Julia Kelly

These "Unknowns" are from relatively (pardon the pun) latter years in my research.
Further generations back of course hold many many more Unknowns.

This is my contribution for the Letter U in the

Family History Through the Alphabet Challenge 

 My family history through the alphabet list

©AncestorChasing 2012

Sunday's Obituary - Ann Jane Fleming nee Knight

My great great grandmother, Ann Jane Knight, was born about 1832 in Gloucestershire, England.  Her father was John Knight.

I have no further details about her life there or her parents or any siblings apart from what is written in the following obituaries.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to how to find more information such as who her mother was, where in Gloucestershire they came from etc.

UPDATES in September and November 2016

My first foray into DNA for genealogy 

Knight family Wiltshire to Australia 1842

Ann gave birth to thirteen children, four of whom didn't survive childhood. The photo below is Ann and William Fleming with five of their children.

Wangaratta Despatch, Saturday, November 13, 1920 - Death of an Old Colonist - Mrs Ann Jane Fleming

A very old colonist in the person of Mrs Ann Jane Fleming, relict of the late William Finlay Fleming, died at her daughter's residence, (Mrs M Worrall, Brunswick) on Wednesday, November 10th, 1920, and the remains were taken to Whitfield for interment on Thursday.  Deceased who was aged 88 years, sustained an injury to her leg in February and was confined to her bed since, during her illness she was nursed by her daughters whose kindness to her was a comfort and consolation in the autumn of her life.  Born Gloucestershire, England, the late Mrs Fleming came to Australia in 1847 with her parents, and two sisters, since deceased.  After her marriage to Mr. Fleming 68 years ago, she went to the Goulburn Valley where they carried on farming for many years.  About 21 years ago they went to reside at Edi and her Husband died 9 years ago.  She is survived by 3 sons: Donald (King Valley), Moses (Wyalong) and J.K. Fleming (Wangaratta) also 5 daughters: Mrs. J. Thompson (Wangaratta) A. Tuckett (Kensington) M. Worrall (Brunswick), S. Laurence (Whitfield), W. Jones (Northcote) numerous grandchildren.  The funeral arrangements in Melbourne were carried out by J Allison and in Wangaratta by Irvings Pty Ltd.  Rev J.T. Piercey conducted the burial service.

FLEMING [KNIGHT] Ann Jane (1832 - 10/11/1920)   [EDI]
Wangaratta Chronicle, Saturday November 13, 1920
DEATH OF EDI RESIDENT.- Mrs Ann Jane FLEMING, widow of the late Mr Wm Finlay FLEMING, of Edi, died on Wednesday morning at the home of her daughter at Brunswick with whom she had been living since February last. Some time ago Mrs FLEMING fell and injured the bone of one leg, and since then she had been unable to leave her bed. Death was due to affects arising from this injury and also to heart weakness. The late Mrs FLEMING was a native of Glochestershire, England, and was 88 years of age. With her parents she came to Australia in 1847, and after their marriage in Melbourne Mr and Mrs FLEMING went to the Goulburn Valley where they engaged in farming, and 12 years ago sold out to come to Edi to live. There Mr FLEMING died nine years ago. Mrs FLEMING was respected by all who knew her. In time of sickness or trouble amongst her neighbors she was always anxious to help them, and in this way she rendered very helpful services to many sufferers. She is survived by eight of her family of 13, namely, Mrs J THOMPSON, Wangaratta; Mrs A TUCKETT, Kensington; Mrs M WORRALL, Brunswick; Mrs S LAURENCE, Whitfield; Mr Wm Jones FLEMING, Northcote; Mr Donald FLEMING, King Valley; Mr Moses FLEMING, Wyalong, NSW; and Mr John K FLEMING, Wangaaratta. There are 77 grand-children, 45 great grand children, and one great-great grandchild. The remains were brought from Melbourne on Wednesday night, and the cortege left the residence of Mr J K FLEMING on Thursday morning for the Whitfield cemetery. The burial service was read by Mr PIERCEY. The funeral arrangements were conducted by Mr J ALSTON (Melbourne) and Mr G V STEELE, Wangaratta.