sibling

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Back online

I’ve not done any posts for the last 12 months, as I temporarily stopped research on the family history.  I’m now finally able to get back into it.

At the time I stopped posting, I was researching three  issues:

(1)  Joseph Raynor – looking for clues on what Joseph might have been living and doing prior to getting his job on the SS Bobby Towns.  So I’ve been looking at the history of the SS Bobby Towns, the Seaman Union.

(2)  Joseph Raynor’s brother – there is a photo of Joseph Raynor and his brother – who was the brother?  Where was the photo taken?  It appears to be a professional photo, taken in a studio?  If so, it might be stored in Archives somewhere, and perhaps show the name of the brother?  So I’ve been looking on the internet on any information relating to Townsville photograph studios that operated in the early 1900s.

(3) Christopher Wilson – father of Abraham Wilson – when and where exactly did he die in Ireland?  It is known he died in a shipyard accident somewhere around Belfast.  If I can find the date of death, I might be able to get a copy of his death certificate.  Then we might have some information on Christopher’s birth, parents and further family ancestors.

I don’t have any answers on the above yet.

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Thomas Andrew Wilson (born circa 1865, died 1945)

Relationship to Abraham:  Brother

Emigration:

Thomas emigrated to Australia in 1885, aged 19 years, on the Ship Dacca, arriving Townsville, under an indenture passenger scheme.  The scheme meant an Australian employer paid for his passage in return for a few years work.

Marriage:

In 1899, Thomas married Frederick Walz in Mackay, Queensland.  They had three children.

Occupation:

Thomas’ last occupation was listed as ‘Tramway employee’ (on his death certificate).  At the time of Thomas’ death, he was living in East Brisbane.

Religion:

His religion was listed as Seventh Day Adventist and he was buried 12 February 1945 in Bulimba Cemetary.

Thomas died 10 February 1945.

The photo below is of Thomas (possibly brother Robert as on the back of the photo is written ‘Thomas or possibly Bob’:

 Thomas or Robert Wilson

 

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Robert Wilson (6 June 1866 – 5 November 1915)

Robert Wilson was the brother of Abraham Wilson.

He was an unknown in the family tree till a few weeks ago.  There is a family photo which has on the back ‘Thomas or Bob’ Wilson.  Dad mentioned he thought there was a Robert Wilson in the family somewhere as his brother (my Uncle) was named after him.  Dad also thought he might have come to Australia with the ‘rest of the family’ (no one has confirmed who all the family members were who emigrated here).  I figured if he came to Australia, he came to Queensland, and probably settled and died here.  However,  I would not have identified him in the Queensland BDM records if it had not had been for the discovery of Ann Eliza Wilson’s relationship to Catherine, via the death certificate, and later finding the name of Ann Eliza’s father – a Thomas Bunting.    Robert’s death certificate had listed his mother’s maiden name as Bunton, so it would have been impossible to link his relationship to Abraham without knowing about Ann Eliza.

Robert lived in Armagh Ireland, before emigrating to Australia, in Dec 1891, on SS Roma.  He had free passage, listed as age 20 years and his place of origin was listed as Armagh.  He travelled with his mother, Catherine, and younger brother Abraham.

He died in Mackay, Queensland on 5 November 1915.  He was not married, nor had any children.

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Catherine Wilson – McFall, Bunting, Bunten or Bunton?

Catherine Wilson was married to Christopher Wilson and they were the parents of Abraham Wilson.

When I first viewed Catherine Wilson’s death certificate, I saw that the informant was a Ann Eliza Wilson (Half-sister).  Was this a mistake?  Surely this was a daughter-in-law or sister-in-law – how could Catherine’s sister also be a Wilson?

So after some digging I found the answer.

After checking on the QLD Births, Deaths, Marriages website, in the historical section, I found Ann’s death listed in 1940.  Her father was listed as ‘Bunting’.

I had also looked up the death certificates for Abraham’s two brothers – Thomas and Robert.  Both listed Catherine’s maiden name is listed as ‘Bunten’ or ‘Bunton’.  However, Abraham Wilson’s birth certificate clearly lists Catherine’s maiden name as McFall.  So how did the mix up in names come about?

Piecing the jigsaw pieces together, I released relationships are:

John McFall and Mary Sturger were the parents of Catherine Wilson

John McFall died, and Mary Sturger married a Thomas Bunting.  Bunting and Mary were the parents of Ann Eliza.

Catherine must have adopted the surname of Thomas Bunting in earlier life (possibly to cover not being seen as illegitimate?)

This would explain Thomas and Robert thinking their Mother’s maiden name was Bunten – they may not have been aware of the re-marriage.

 

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John & Isabella Smyth (nee Shields) – Children

 

 Martha Graham Smith

b.   5 Aug 1875, in Strabane, Tyrone, Ireland

m.  10 Apr 1895, Hugh Alexander (Hughie Shanks)  (QLD Archives B95/001992)

d.   12 Jan 1949   (QLD Archives 1949/000931)

Margaret Smith

b.   11 June 1878, in Knockmoyle, Tyrone, Ireland

m.  30 Oct 1901, John (Jack) Story (QLD Archives 01/002379)

d.  8 Aug 1956 (QLD Archives 1956/B015092)

Isabella Smith (known as Annabella  or Annie) 

b.  1881  (birth place unknown)

m.  5 Jun 1912, Thomas Erskine  (QLD Archives 12/003660)

d.   23 Dec 1937

Eliza Smith

b.  1882  (birth place unknown)

m.  never married

d.   12 Apr 1922

Mary Jane Smith

b.  10 April 1884 (Knapp St, Townsville)

m.  4 Mar 05  Joseph Raynor (St James Cathedral Townsville)

d.   27 Dec 1956 (Townsville)

There were also 2 deceased children – 1 Male, 1 Female

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Joseph Raynor – Siblings

Joseph Raynor

There is also a brother of Joseph as there was a photo taken of them together.  Unsure where the photo was taken, but I suspect it was taken in Australia. I think this because if the photo was taken in Sicily, why did he not also have a photo of his mother?  Also, all my family history research so far shows a pattern of ‘chain emigration’.  This is where one family member emigrates first and then encourages other family members to emigrate to the same location.

Given cost of travel back then, Joseph’s brother might also have emigrated to Australia – it seems unlikely he would come to Australia back then for a holiday.  It is also uncertain whether the brother is a full or half brother (ie. different fathers).