Catherine Wilson (nee McFall)

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Christopher Wilson – home address at the time of his marriage

Christopher Wilson (married to Catherine) , father of Abraham, lived in Derryinver on marriage to Catherine.  This was within the Montiaghs district within the county of Armagh.

Catherine was listed as living  at Derrytrasma, Montiaghs.  Catherine’s stepfather, Thomas Bunton, was listed as living at Ardmore Montiaghs, also within the county of Armagh.   All of these locations were within a few miles of each other.

Both locations are also near Derryadd (also within Montiaghs), where Abraham was born.

The marriage location was listed as ‘Ardmore’ Montiaghs, Armargh.  I believe this is because the marriage took place in the ‘Ardmore’ parish Church of Ireland, which is located in Derryadd (where Abraham was born).

Christopher, his father, Catherine and Thomas all had ‘weaver’ listed as occupation  – so they probably worked together?

Did Christopher’s father own the land at Derryinver, or was he renting?

 

Links below:

Family places in Montiaghs, Armagh

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Christopher and Catherine Wilson (nee McFall or Bunton/Bunten/Bunting) – their missing children from the family tree

Christopher Wilson married Catherine Bunting (or McFall) on 14 March 1853 at Moyntaghs-Armagh.   So far I know the rough history of the younger three of the Wilson children – Thomas, Robert and Abraham, but nothing of the older ones.  More information on the other children, especially the older ones, might assist in further tracing both Christopher’s and Catherine’s family trees.

As I’ve said in a previous post, Catherine appears to have used her step-father’s surname earlier in life, so her history is not easy to trace, without knowing about her mother’s marriage to Thomas Bunting.

According to Catherine’s death certificate, Christopher and Catherine had 8 children in total.  Who were they, and did they also emigrate?

A search for the earlier born children were not easy to find, as Ireland did not have civil records of births, deaths and marriages until 1864 (however there are records of non-Catholic marriages from 1845 onwards).  So children born earlier than this only have christening dates (as I understand).

The Children are:

William John Wilson, born approximately 1854-55; died after 1922 (still living at the time of Catherine’s death)

Christopher Wilson – born  1858-59;  died after 1922 (still living at the time of Catherine’s death)

Thomas Andrew Wilson – born 1865; died 1945

Robert Wilson – born 6 June 1866; died 1915

Edward Wilson – born 2 June 1869; Christened: 803 Lurgan No2, Armagh,  died before 1922 (deceased at the time of Catherine’s death)

Emily Wilson – born 4 November 1871; Christened: 803 Lurgan No2, Armagh, died before 1922 (deceased at the time of Catherine’s death)

Mary Wilson – born 15 Feb 1875, died before 1922,

Abraham Wilson – born 27 June 1876, in Derry-Add; died 1969.

The Children’s birth records all list Catherine’s maiden name as Bunting, except Abraham’s where the name ‘McFall’ is listed (another mystery – why the name change then?).

What happened to the Children?

We know that Thomas, Robert and Abraham moved to Australia.

There are no death records for Edward, Emily, or Mary Wilson (on the PRONI database that I could search), but it is likely they died prior to Catherine and sons departing Ireland for Australia in 1891.

According to one of Abraham’s sons, the older two brothers (William and Christopher) possibly emigrated to the United States of America.

Given William and Christopher were listed as still living at the time of Catherine’s death, possibly there was still communication between the brothers in Australia, and the brothers in the USA (if they did emigrate there).  Should the descendants of William and Christopher be looking for family history on their mother, then hopefully they know about both of Catherine’s maiden names i.e. McFall, and Bunting.

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SS Roma arrives Rockhampton, Qld, 18 Dec 1891

I recall my grandfather (Poppa) telling me that his father  (Grandpop) came from the County of Armagh to Australia in 1892.  Abraham’s obituary further stated that he arrived at Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, in 1892.

The following newspaper clippings were found via the National Library of Australia (NLA) online Newspaper archives ‘Trove’.  (www.trove.nla.gov.au)

Abraham Wilson was onboard SS Roma, travelling in steerage, London to Rockhampton.  SS Roma was apparently a cargo ship as well, therefore it stopped Rockhampton (& other ports) before arrival in Brisbane.  Abraham was travelling with his mother, Catherine, and brother Robert.

Rockhampton Newspaper Morning Bulletin Thursday 17 December 1891, page 4, under ‘Shipping’:

SS Roma pending arrival 17Dec1891

The above reads:  ’The B.I.S.N. Company’s s.s. Roma, from London via ports, is due in Port Alma on Friday.  The Roma has immigrants and 230 tons of general merchandise for this port.’

Rockhampton Newspaper Morning Bulletin Saturday 19 December 1891, page 4, under ‘Shipping arrivals’:

SSRoma19Dec1891

The above reads: ‘The B.I.S.N. Company’s s.s. Roma, from London via ports, is due in Port Alma to-day.  The Roma has immigrants and cargo for Rockhampton.  The immigrants will be brought up to town by the Ports and Rivers’ steamer Fitzroy, arriving in town about noon.

Brisbane Courier Wednesday 23 December 1891:

SS Roma Arrival 21 Dec 1891

The above reads:

December 21.- ROMA, R.M.S. 2727 tons, Captain J. Templeton, from London.  Passengers:  From London – Mr. A.M. MyIne; from Batavia- Major H.W. Perrin, Messrs W.G. Beattie, J. Clifford Smith, G.B. Forrest, and Chaleyer; from Thursday Island – Mrs. Fritzmaurice and 2 infants; from Townsville – Mr. W. A. Furgusson; and 64 immigrants.  The B.I. and Q.A. Company, Limited, agents.

I guess December 1891 is close enough to 1892 (the arrival year as told by Poppa).  I also checked the passenger lists to confirm Abraham’s arrival on this voyage.

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Wilsons – Emigration to Australia

QLD State Archives provides an online Passenger lists for emigration in the 1800s, Series ID 13086 is the reference.

Thomas Wilson emigrated to Australia first in 1885, aged 19 years on the Ship Dacca, London to Townsville.   He travelled as indentured, meaning a future Australian employer paid his passage, in return for a few years work.

Catherine Wilson, Abraham & Robert,  emigrated to Australia on SS Roma.  The ship sailed from London on the 30 October 1891, arriving  Brisbane 22 December 1891.  Abraham was listed as 12 years old, but he was actually 15 years old.  This might have been to pay a lower fare (as a child).  Abraham, travelling in steerage, disembarked in Rockhampton, 18 December 1891 (SS Roma arrival date confirmed in Rockhampton Newspaper Morning Bulletin).  Catherine’s age was listed as 40, occupation ‘wife’.  She also travelled in steerage, however her disembarkation point was listed as Townsville.

SS Roma details

Abraham Wilson - Emigration passenger listing

On SS Roma, Catherine, Robert and  Abraham were listed separately, not as part of a family group, as is normally the case on then Ship passenger lists.  The Ship passenger lists in National Archives show names of passengers meticulously recorded in alphabetical (surname) order, with family groups listed under the name of the father.  Ages are also recorded, and whether the passenger is male, female, married, single, child or infant (less than 12 months).

Abraham’s name does not appear under a family grouping, so he initially appeared to have travelled alone.  It was only because he was so young that I eventually referred back to the passenger list to see if there were more Wilson family listed.

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Catherine Wilson (nee McFall) (1832 – 5 November 1922)

Catherine Wilson was the mother of Abraham Wilson.

Catherine was born in Ireland in 1832 (birth date unknown).  She married Christopher Wilson, at the age of 19 years, in Daleyard, Ireland.

Catherine’s parents were John McFall (Farmer) and Mary Sturger.  It appears John McFall died and Mary remarried Thomas Bunting.  Catherine may have assume the name of her stepfather while growing up, though she later used the name McFall when recording the birth of her son Abraham.  Mary then had another daughter, Ann Eliza, who later moved to Australia.

Catherine probably had little to no schooling as she was illiterate.  When registering the birth of Abraham, she used a mark ‘X’ to sign her name.

At the time of Abraham’s birth, the family lived at Derryadd, Armagh Ireland.  Christopher later died suddenly in a Shipyard accident in Northern Ireland.

Catherine emigrated to Australia, with sons Robert and Abraham.  Older brother Thomas Andrew had probably already arrived in Australia, and met them on arrival. (I have not confirmed this, hopefully further research will find the answer).

She died aged 90 years 5 November 1922 at the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum.

The Dunwich Asylum was located on  North Stradbroke Island, Moreton Bay, Queensland.  It ran from 1865 before closing in 1946.   It was an institution for people of all ages who were unable to care for themselves, which included the elderly, infirm and the senile.

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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.