Mysterious David Adams Found

I have been trying to find my grandmother's paternal Uncle for so many years now I can't remember how long.  

David Adams, whose death details we couldn't find, was the only child of George Adams and Catherine Barry whose death and further life movements we hadn't found.

Christine Stafford nee Adams, my 3rd cousin once removed and I had all but given up hope but every few years a small snippet of information would show up in searches just to tease us I'm sure.

After his birth registration details in 1866, the next bit of information on his whereabouts was that he was a witness to the marriage of my great-grandmother Mary Agnes Morgan to his older brother, John Adams in  Essendon, Victoria in 1887.

Christine had later found some newspaper articles that mentioned a young David Adams in the Flemington area of Victoria where our Adams ancestors lived.  

We still don't know for sure if this was our David though.

David's father, George Adams, died in 1921.

David was one of the beneficiaries in his Will.

He was also a beneficiary in the Will of one of his sisters, Margaret Mansfield in 1926, so we knew he must have been still alive.

I hadn't found any more family Wills.

The last hint was nearly 12 months ago when I came across an obituary for David's sister, Catherine McFadyen who died in 1946, that mentioned her brother, David Adams in Sydney.  

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

Yesterday a new record hint in ancestry.com.au came up for him.

A marriage was recorded in The Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011 which had been added to ancestry. (I'm not sure when)

This record actually showed a marriage certificate for a David Adams to an Evelyn Maude Sutton in 1938.  I thought Nah ......

His age was 71 years and he was a builder who lived in Sydney.  

Well that occupation ran in the family but I had previously found another death for a David Adams, builder so I wasn't convinced.

Hopeful.

Born in North Melbourne, Victoria, tick.

He was a Widower which would explain his age, tick.

The big YES came at his parent's names, George Adams, builder and Catherine Barry.  

BIG TICK and BINGO!!

It took a while to sink in but you can imagine the happy dance!

After all these years I couldn't believe he had been found.

I had actually looked at the marriage record previously for these two but due to financial restraints, I can't spend willy-nilly on BMD certificates.

Chris Goopy, a genealogy blogging friend, once said David would help us find him when he was ready.  

He did!

I hooked up with my cousin Christine in messenger and we both began a frantic search for other information.

In the excitement, I can't remember now who found what but we found his death and funeral notices in April 1951.

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

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

Further searching of the electoral rolls determined that David's sons were John Lockyer Adams and David Bernard Adams.

Christine found his death notice in 1987.

John married Eileen Marie Holmes in 1928.

I haven't found David Bernard Adams death as yet but we are fairly sure he married a Maisie Lilian Belcher.

On looking in ancestry there doesn't seem to be any of his descendants researching or as obsessed interested in the family history as I am.

Hoping this blog post may attract contact by David's descendants one day.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 11: Lucky - Crusader to New Zealand

In December 1874, Captain Renaut sailed his ship The Crusader into Lyttleton Harbour, 

New Zealand with 374 passengers on board.

The Crusader departed from Plymouth on the 25th of September and made the passage in 97 days 

with very little illness reported.  

The surgeon superintendent was Dr. John Guthrie who settled in Christchurch.  

On the voyage Dr Guthrie found it necessary to appoint two nurses, Mrs Cleaver and Mrs Lindon.

The Crusader developed a hole and the well was taking in water.

The water was successfully pumped out throughout the voyage but the pump kept breaking down and not too much water continued to come in.  It is said that on arrival at Lyttleton harbour a fish skeleton was found in the well and so it was thought that the fish body had blocked the hole thus stopping the ship taking on more water and sinking!

My great great grandparents, Robert Forsyth and his wife Jessie nee Farquhar were on board the Crusader with their little son Alexander.  

They were very LUCKY to arrive safely.

Robert and Jessie Forsyth went on to have a large family in New Zealand

Photo A Large Sailor's Woolie of the Clipper Ship The Crusader at Anchor in New Zealand
Circa 1875-85courtesy of Paul Vandekar  
 http://www.vandekar.com/archives/details.asp?inventoryNumber=NY07221

The Press newspaper reported the Arrival of the Crusader in its edition on the 1st of January 1875.
Everyone spoke most highly of the Captain  "The passengers and Immigrants alike testifying to his unwearying care and devotion during the passage".

An excerpt from that newspaper article.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 10: Strong Woman

There are plenty of strong women in my family tree even though they may not think so.

Some of their stories are heartbreaking, all are inspiring.

Most inspiring to me at the moment is my first cousin Denys in New Zealand.

Denys and I didn't know each other existed until we did an AncestryDNA test at almost the same time 10 months ago.  

We are actually half first cousins, sharing the same paternal grandfather. 

Click the link to read about  Our DNA discovery

Despite not having met in person yet we have grown very close.  

Denys has been through the heartbreak of losing a younger brother who was only 17 years old, enduring an awful first marriage, losing her second eldest daughter to suicide and now supporting her dearly loved current husband in his battle with terminal cancer.

Your heart is one of the best Denys xx

Strong women in my family tree that I have previously written about:

Mary Agnes Adams nee Morgan   My paternal great-grandmother

Brenda Mary Forsyth nee Adams (formerly Daniels).  My paternal grandmother

Isabella nee Beaton (married surnames Pike, Harrison, Garrett)  My maternal 3rd great-grandmother

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 9 - Herbert Hulme's Will

Herbert Joseph Hulme
photo from the album of my
maternal grandmother
Daisy Fleming
nee Morgan.

The theme for week 9 of the 52 Ancestors challenge is 

"Where there's a Will". 

My grandmother's maternal Uncle Herb was born Herbert Joseph Hulme at Oxley, Victoria in 1892.

I think Uncle Herb must have been a bit of a character judging by this photo that is in my Nan's album.

Front left is my Nan, Daisy Morgan, behind her is "Aunt Chub" who was Herb's sister Pleasance Alice Hulme.  Nan couldn't remember who was hidden behind the pole. The young girl peeping around the post is Herb's niece, Dulcie Simmonds (the executor of his Will, Dulcie Simmonds), then Herb pulling a face and in the background is Nan's father Bill (William Thomas) Morgan.

Herb never married and died on the 8th of October 1969 at Wangaratta aged 77 years.

He was the second son and second youngest child of the ten children of Joseph Hulme and Anna Dorothea nee Bartsh of Milawa.

Herbert and his sister Pleasance, who I wrote about in week 6 of this challenge, were both unmarried and were left the family farm when their father died in 1920.  Their mother had died in 1908 at the young age of 53.

Pleasance had died in 1965 so Herb may have sold the farm.
I am awaiting the Probate inventory to find out but Herb left quite a sum of money to both the Wangaratta Technical School and St. Paul's Church at Milawa for scholarships in his name as described below.

The family Bible was left to his niece Jessie Jean Pollack, nee Hulme who was the only daughter of Herb's older brother, Sydney Frederick Hulme.

One day I will take a trip to Milawa to see the Church.

*Updated - A couple of months later my son took me on that trip to Milawa.

More information and photos of St. Paul's Church can be seen at the
website of Australian Christian Heritage
ChurchesAustralia

Transcription.
THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of me HERBERT JOSEPH HULME of Milawa in the State of Victoria, Farmer.

1. I REVOKE all former wills and testamentary dispositions made by me and declare this to be my last will and testament.

2. I APPOINT John Kenneth Gibb and my niece Dulcie Enid Collier, hereinafter called my Trustees, to be the executors of this my will and Trustees of my Estate.

3. I GIVE AND BEQUEATH to my niece Jean Pollack my family bible.

4. I DIRECT my Trustees to divide my household furniture and effects in accordance with any directions I may leave.

5. I DESIRE that my body be cremated and my ashes deposited within the Church yard at St. Paul's Church of England Milawa and that a suitable memorial Tablet in bronze be placed over my ashes at a cost not exceeding the sum of Forty dollars to be paid out of the residue of my Estate.

6. I GIVE AND BEQUEATH the sum of Six thousand dollars to the Wangaratta Technical School Advisory Council upon trust to invest the same and to apply the Income from time to time therefrom arising, for the provision of Scholarships for students at the said school studying a course in Agricultural Science such Scholarships to be known from time to time as the "Herbert Joseph Hulme Scholarship" and I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer for the time being of the said Council shall be a full and sufficient discharge for my Trustees.

7. I GIVE AND BEQUEATH the sum of Eight thousand dollars to the Church of England Trusts Corporation of the Diocese of Wangaratta upon trust to invest the same and to apply the Income from time to time therefrom arising for the provision of Scholarships for students at St. Columb's Hall Theological College Wangaratta or at such other Theological College as the Bishop in Council of the said Diocese may from time to time decide such scholarships to be known from time to time as the "Herbert Joseph Hulme Scholarship" and I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer for the time being of the said Trusts Corporation shall be a full and sufficient discharge for my Trustees.

8. ALL THE REST RESIDUE AND REMAINDER of my real and personal property whatsoever and Wheresoever I give devise and bequeath to my Trustees upon trust to sell call in and convert the same into money with discretionary power to postpone such sale calling in and conversion for such time as they shall think fit and after payment thereout of all my just debts Funeral and testamentary expenses Federal Estate and State Probate duties to hold the same upon trust for the Church of England Trusts Corporation of the Diocese of Wangaratta and I direct that the same and the Income from time to time therefrom arising shall be applied by the said Trusts Corporation for such general purposes fo the Church of England in the said Diocese including the provision of homes for elderly
people or the maintenance education and benefit of children as the Bishop in Council of the said Diocese may from time to time in its absolute and uncontrolled discretion decide and I further direct that the receipt of the treasurer or other proper officer for the time being of the said Trusts Corporation shall be a full and sufficient discharge to my Trustees without their being bound to see to the application thereof.

IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of May One thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 8: Heirloom

When my maternal grandparents Daisy Marion Morgan and Archibald William Finlay Fleming married on the 8th of October 1932 my Nana wore this necklace.

 

The wedding notice in the Wangaratta chronicle below described it as a "Necklace of crystal beads"

I don't actually know what it is made of.  

I must find out.

"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."

The necklace can only faintly be seen in Nana's wedding photo.

Different backgrounds change the stone colours.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 7 : Valentine's Day for Carstairs in St. Andrews.

The "VALENTINE" theme for week 7 of the 52 Ancestors challenge had me a bit stumped as Valentine's Day didn't seem to me to be celebrated much here in Australia until recent years. 

There are varying stories of how Valentine's Day came about.

I searched through my family tree for any ancestors married on that day and found my 5th great-grandparents, Thomas Carstairs and Janet Bell were married on Valentine's Day, the 14th of February 1772 at St. Andrews.

I don't know if it was celebrated in Scotland in the 18th Century but it has given me cause to set out and record some of the information I have on my Carstairs ancestors from St. Andrews in Scotland.

14/02/1772 CARSTAIRS, THOMAS (Old Parish Registers Marriages 441/ 20 163 Kingsbarns) Page 163 of 289 National Records of Scotland

Carstairs } January 16th, 1772 Were contracted, Thomas Carstairs in the Parish of Kingsbarns & Janet Bell in this, married 14th February.

Their son Andrew Carstairs, my 4th great grandfather, was born in 1780 at Kingsbarns.  There is a record for an earlier Andrew born to them in 1776 but he must have died and they named their next son, born in 1780 Andrew as well.

Andrew married Betty Stewart in 1812

12/12/1812 CARSTAIRS, ANDREW (Old Parish Registers Marriages 453/ 160 147 St Andrews and St Leonards) Page 147 of 187 National Records of Scotland

On 27th Nov 1812 were contracted Andrew Carstairs at Bonnytown of this parish and Betty Stewart in the parish of Dunino - proclaimed & married 12th of Dec by Mr Roger.

Andrew and Betty's daughter, Margaret Leslie Carstairs, my 3rd great-grandmother, was born at Cupar, Fife in 1823

10/09/1823 CARSTAIRS, MARGARET LESSLI (Old Parish Registers Births 420/ 40 37 Cupar) Page 37 of 395 National Records of Scotland

Margaret Leslie Carstairs married Peter Webster Mason on the 15th of November 1842 at Cupar, Fife.  They emigrated to Australia in 1848 on the ship "Cheapside". 

A death certificate in Australia has never been found for Margaret.

In 2002 my Mum purchased a book from the St Andrews University Library called "Living in St Andrews" by Catherine Forrest 
A history of the Carstairs family from the 15th to the 19th century.

As yet I can't with any certainty connect my Carstairs ancestors to specific families in the book but perhaps one day.

Joseph Hulme - Trove Tuesday

Obituary of my maternal great-great grandfather Joseph Hulme.

DEATH OF AN OLD MILAWA IDENTITY (1920, October 9).
Benalla Standard (Vic. : 1901 - 1925), p. 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155696868

Transcription: 

DEATH OF AN OLD MILAWA IDENTITY

Mr. Joseph Hulme

A very old identity of Milawa, in the person of Mr. Joseph Hulme, died at his residence, "Woodlands," Milawa, on Sunday. from an internal complaint, from which he had suffered for some time, and his death was heard of with expressions of regret throughout the district. with which he was honorably identified for very many years. He was 77 years of age. Born at Putney, England, the late Mr. Hulme came to Australia in the ship Kent, with his uncle, Mr. Arthur Land, of Carboor, and landed In Melbourne in 1860, after a voyage of 100 days. He went to reside at Milawa, where he carried on farming pursuits during the whole of his life, He proved very Industrious and capable in farm work from the time he left school. When 16 years of age he was a competitor in the boy's classes at one of the first ploughing matches held at Oxley, and amongst his opponents was Mr. W. R. Doig, of Laceby Estate, and now of Wangaratta. He also took an Interest in sport and was a playing member of the first cricket club at Oxley. He also owned several racehorses and trotters and won numerous events at district race meetings. Throughout his long residence in Milawa he never varied in the estimation of the public and was always regarded as a man of the highest principles, who Industriously followed his avocation in Iife, was honorable in all his business dealings and willingly assisted his neighbor whenever he could. His death ends a fine career as one of the early farmers of Milawa district, and the late Mr. Hulme's life was a fine example of a good living and Integrity. He was predeceased by his wife, who died 12 years ago, and is survived by six daughters, Mesdames A. Davenport (N.Z.), G. Wright (Wagga), W. Morgan (Moyhu), Misses Clara, Elsie and Nurse Pleasance Hulme (Milawa), and two sons, Messrs Sydney and Herbert Hulme, Milawa. He is also survived by three brothers, Messrs Arthur (Milawa), Albert and Jeremiah (Bowmans), and one sister, Mrs. M'Gregor (Milawa). He had 22 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The funeral took place on Monday, the remains being interred at Milawa. The burial service was conducted by Rev. A. R. Mace.

Joseph Hulme
Photo from the photo album of my maternal grandmother Daisy Fleming nee Morgan.