RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => Australia => Australia Lookups completed => Topic started by: Ande on Monday 21 September 09 11:33 BST (UK)
-
Hi there,
I would like to find out more about my George William WRIGHT. I don't know for certain where he was born, but I suspect it was in South Australia cir 1836, though maybe not, because didn't SA only just become a state then? George married Catherine (Cath) MORAN at the Residence of Mr Gould, Gould's Creek, South Australia, Australia, 18 Mar 1857. Together they had six children, (Eliza Ann, Mary, Catherine, George William (Jr) and Thomas Wright), half of which I have birthdates for, but the other half I only have tentative dates for.
I have no idea whether George was really born in Australia, and neither do I know where Catherine Moran was born either. I think George's father was also called George William Wright - that makes three of them. And Catherine's father, I believe, was called Nicholas Moran.
I'd really appreciate any help anyone could give, or maybe a point in the right direction. Thanks very much,
Lauren
-
Hi Lauren,
from the BISA
WRIGHT George Williamm resided Salisbury and Norwood religion RC
married 18 Mar 1857 SA Cath nee MORAN children Eliza Ann 1857, Mary 1859, Cath 1865, Geo 1866, Thos 1868
marriage
WRIGHT George William 21 status not recorded father George William WRIGHT = MORAN Catharine 19 status not recorded father Nicholas MORAN 18 Mar 1857 Res of Mr Gould Goulds Creek Dist PtG Symbol A 29/33
Cheers Kris :)
-
Thank you for that, Kris! BISA = Biographical Index of South Australians, I take it?
-
Some Possible Births ...mmmm
unfortunately if they were Catholics a lot of births were not registered,
Eliza Ann 29 Aug 1857 Nr Adelaide Dist Ade 11 138 (George William WRIGHT and Catherine MORAN)
Catherine 14 Jun 1863 Adelaide Dist Ade 27 307 (Parents George WRIGHT and Catherine MAUGHAN)
Robert 13 Nov 1870 Norwood Dist Ade 89 369 (parents George WRIGHT and Catherine MOORN)
Charles 4 July 1874 Norwood Dist Ade symbol Z 138 170 (parents George WRIGHT and Catherine HAGEN)
Cheers Kris :)
BISA = Biographical Index of South Australians, I take it?
yes that is correct Lauren
-
Thank you kindly, Kris. Those births all look very likely, despite the type variations of Catherine's name. I didn't know that about the Catholics. Good to know.
Cheers!
-
Catholic marriage here
WRIGHT George William 23 single father George William Wright = NEPEAN Louisa Anie 20 single father Henry NEPEAN 16 Jun 1891 St Mary RC Church Port Adelaide Dist PtA 167/1171
not confident with this one - its Norwood and Norwood was mentioned which is why I included his birth even though mother was Catherine HAGEN, but now we seem to have a Rev in the family which does not seem to go with a RC family
WRIGHT Charles 28 single father George William WRIGHT = MITCHELL Alice 28 single father George MITCHELL 18 Apr 1902 Res of Rev J G Wright East Adelaide Dist Nor 211/376
will look for the girls
Kris :)
-
I had the Wright / Nepean marriage (don't get me started on those Nepeans!) as that George Wright was my great-great grandfather.
Pretty sure that Charles isn't right, but I won't rule it out.
Cheers again!
-
Nothing definite with these either but this is a Catholic Church. Presume you know who at least one of these married. (There are other possibilities besides these entries. another 21 year old Kate in 1885 and a 23 year old Mary in 1884. No shortage of George WRIGHTS about and unfortunately not seeing father listed as George William
DAWDY Robert 25 single father James DAWDY = WRIGHT Mary 19 single father George WRIGHT 16 May 1877 St Ignatius Church Norwood Dist Ade 111/615
BIRSON Henry 25 single father John BIRSON = WRIGHT Katie 21 single father George WRIGHT 14 Jan 1885 St Ignatius Norwood Dist Nor 142/161
Kris :)
-
Deaths
not easy but this does look like young Catherine
WRIGHT Catherine died 4 Apr 1864 Adelaide Dist Ade 15 348 She was aged 10 months residence Adelaide relative George WRIGHT father
and this looks like George
WRIGHT George William died 29 Aug 1905 Marryatville Dist Nor 312 81. He was aged 69 status, relative not recorded residence Marryatville
Kris :)
-
Thank you so much, Kris, for your time and effort! The death for George, I had that previously, but for some reason it had a question mark by it. It's good to confirm it.
-
Glad to help Lauren,
Here is Catherine's death
WRIGHT Catherine died 3 June 1917 Kensington Park Dist Nor 410 409. She was aged 80 a widow rel George WRIGHT deceased husband residence Kensington PARK
Cheers Kris :)
-
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/4956139
Pity there was not more details
WRIGHT.-On the 29th August, at Ringmore road, Marryatville, George, beloved husband of Catherine Wright, aged 69 years, leaving three sons, three daughters, 27 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren to mourn their loss.
buried at Payneham
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/4956110
You will find other entries
found dead in bed
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/4955822
I see George Jr and Louise also lived at Marryatville = notice in paper when her brother Lawrence died in France
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/5540154
also photo of his own son who was also killed in action
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/6460189
Cheers Kris :)
-
Hi Lauren,
I forgot to mention I did not find any sign of a birth in SA for George but 1836 is the very beginning for SA so it is just possible he was born here. :-\
If that was the case being so early along with being Catholic I doubt there will be any records of a birth.
Also nothing definite on an arrival or a father George William. (If only they would use their middle name it would make it so much easier where such a common name is concerned.) Numerous George WRIGHT'S in SA. I did find on the net that daughter Catherine born about 1867 married Andrew James LYSAGHT so suspect there was a second daughter Catherine. I do not see this marriage in SA but an Andrew LYSAGHT and Kate/Catherine WRIGHT had 3 children in Quorn from 1899 and along with about 9 children (from memory of last night) I saw listed to George Jr that only makes about 12 so well short of the 27 grandchildren listed to George at death. Wish I could have found more mention of the children from the papers but alas only his wife and son George seem to be mentioned in the memorials.
Cheers Kris :)
-
Confusing family they are
I have found in Broken Hill a marriage
LYSAGHT Andrew J = WORSLEY Catherine 2951/1897
alas no Wright Worsley marriage.
Looking further I do note
WORSLEY Levi = BISSON Catherine 2758/1892
3 births to Levi and Catherine in Broken Hill. Levi died in Broken Hill in 1896
http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/familyHistory/search.htm
so we possibly get back to
BIRSON Henry 25 single father John BIRSON = WRIGHT Katie 21 single father George WRIGHT 14 Jan 1885 St Ignatius Norwood Dist Nor 142/161
I don't see any births to this union. There was a Henry BISSON died Portland Place Dist PtA 11 Sep 1888. He was aged 29 status and relative not recorded. Res Portland Place. Henry James BISSON born in 4 Sep 1859 Adelaide dist Ade 15 168 parents John BISSON and Rachel BONDEL
Cheers Kris :)
-
Wow, I am confused! I'll have to read this through a few times. Thank you bunches for all your time and efforts, Kris, I appreciate it a lot.
-
Just came across this thread and decided to add my 5c.
I believe George (William) Wright was not Catholic but after marry Catholic Catherine, his kids were brought up Catholic.
I have George as the son of George (yes - too many Georges) and Mary Ann Crookes...
George+Mary/Ann immigrated to Australia on board the "Stag" in 1850. With them were: George (1834), John (1836), Frank (1838), Jesse (1845), William (1847), Harry (1849). They left 3 deceased children in England: Mary (1829), Harriet (1831) and James (1841). Their oldest daughter Jane immigrated with her husband arriving on the same day but on "Fatima". Her husband was John Wright (hopefully no relation).
Not sure how likely it was that George (1834) actually had William as a middle name - although his son did and at least one document suggested that George (of George+MaryAnn) was also a user of the middle name William. The challenge is that it seems strange to name a later son with the same first name as an earlier son had as a middle name...
Best supporting evidence? I have about 20 DNA matches with the children of George (maybe William) and his wife Catherine but my line is Frank (1838) :-)
-
Adding... the newspaper said six surviving children: 3 male, 3 female in 1905...
The children I have dates for are: Eliza LEES (1857-1918), Mary Jane DOWDY (1859-), Catherine BISSON/WORSLEY/LYSAGHT (1863-), George William (1866-1928), Thomas (1868-1891), Robert (1870-1925), Charles (1874-1952), Emily LABATO/LIVINGSTON (1878-1917).
Thomas had already died leaving three boys and but I count 4 girls unless Mary Jane or Catherine died before 1905.
I have also seen a lot of trees with an Emma WELLS (1860- ) in here but I have not found any proof.
-
Maybe I have George and George William confused....
-
Hi Gil
Sorry, I only just saw that you had posted here. We've been in contact via email and through LostCousins, I think it was.
You have exactly the same information as me. I don't know if Mary Jane or Catherine died before 1905. I don't have death information for either of them.
I have a living relative who is not convinced that the George Wright married to Mary Ann Crooks was the father of George William Wright who married Catherine Moran. She said:
"I’ve been searching through the “Ships List” & the Genealogy sites for George Wright and I am yet to be convinced about him coming out on the “Stag”.
I found another George Wright who arrived with his family on the “Sea Park” in 1852, his son George was 15 therefore born c1837.
The ship lists are so incomplete, I believe there is only about 25% that survived. Our George seemed to use his full name of George William Wright on most of the official documents, eg his marriage,
his death, most of his children’s marriage certificates. I don’t know why but I just think he made the trip on his own!??
The other thing I noticed when looking at the Ships List was the ship “Saltana” made many trips to Australia around those years, so the William you found could have come on it. There are just so many George or even William Wrights that it is almost impossible to trace them through."
The William I was referring to was this one: "George William Wright [son of George Wright and Mary Ann Crooks] had a brother William born 1847 in Wakefield, York, and his obit from 1909 in Broken Hill says "The deceased arrived in Australia with his parents 60 years ago from Yorkshire in the ship Sultana [Should be Stag]. Shortly after his arrival he settled with his parents at Goolwa, where he resided for many years; being one of the pioneers"."
So...I'm still inclined to go with us being descendants of the "Stag" Wrights, but I'm definitely not certain about it!
-
I just remembered that the afore mentioned relative also said that Mary Jane Wright, who married Robert Ambrose Dowdy, was in an asylum for the last 30 years of her life.
From genealogysa.org.au (I don't have full access)
Hospital, Asylum and Lying-in Home Admissions
Surname Given Names Age Admission Year Action
DOWDY MARY JANE 30 1892 View Details
DOWDY MARY JANE 27 1889 View Details
Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904) (about)
Saturday 1 June 1889
Page 20 of 48
POLICE COURTS.
ADELAIDE : THURSDAY, MAY 30.
[Before Meters. S Beddome, P.M., and T. Brown, J. P.)
Mary Jane Dowdy and Elizabeth Dowdy; charged with being destitute children,. were sent to the Industrial School until eighteen years of age. The mother - on the previous day was referred to - Dr. Mayo For medical examination, and the father was at Kingston.
I also found this, which may be her death record
DOWDY Mary Jane F Norwood 285/406 1902
So she may have died before 1905, in which case there would be 3 daughters and 3 sons remaining, as you said, Gil.
-
Hmmmm. Ok. I would like to advance a hypothesis....
I have DNA matches to GW, JA and KA. According to their ancestry trees, all three are descended from Emma Wright (~1860-1883) who married Charles Wells (~1854-1898). I found their marriage (SA BDM 126/223) and Emma's father is just "George WRIGHT" and her age (21) suggests she was born about 1860. This George (and the fact that it needs to be a DNA connection) matches George (1834-1905) who immigrated on the Stag in 1850 with his family. There is no Emma Wright born in SA in 1860 but there is one just over the border in Balranald (NSW 5097/1860). The parents are listed as George WRIGHT and Agnes. Agnes who? Well there is a George WRIGHT (no parents listed) who married an Agnes CLAYTON (no parents listed) in Adelaide in 1855, both aged ~20 (which fits our George).
The more I read, the more I get to thinking that George Jnr here is not the same as George William that married Catherine Moran.
My problem is trying to reconcile the records with the DNA results. From Ancestry DNA, I haver links to the Stag family via: Jane (3 matches), John (2), Frank (1 - me), Jesse (15), Harry (5).
Jane actually came on the Fatima...
I also have 17 matches allegedly with George, looking at the next generation, I see these are divided as: Eliza Ann (4, married name LEES), Emma (3, married name WELLS), Alexander (2) and George W (8). It is possible that these people are as confused as I am :-) If only people would respond to "DNA match" emails...
-
That is a lot to take in!
I don't even have an Emma Wright or Alexander Wright in my tree so I'm finding it very difficult to get things straight in my mind.
Are you suggesting that George's parents (of which you are descended from his brother Frank) might be George Wright and Agnes Clayton? Where did you get the name Emma from?
Actually, I've just been looking at my DNA matches through Ancestry. Emma and Alexander appear as half-3rd-great aunt and uncle to me, which would indicate that one of their parents married twice...? ???
I think I might need to look at this again with fresh eyes tomorrow.
I know it's frustrating when people don't respond to DNA matches or when they don't have even a partial tree uploaded to Ancestry!