RootsChat.Com

Hi people,
Thanks for the information.  Sorry about the delay responding (have had unexpected time demands).  I'm definitely looking into these pathways.  I thought there would be a problem with civil records and was wondering what other pathways were there.  Will definitely follow these up.

I did look at the adopted son being an illegitimate or orphaned family member, with no luck.  However, Ballarat was the site of a large orphanage in the 1800s.  With no records form the 1800s surviving, of course.    Sigh.

Thanks again     maz (wishing there were more hours in the day)

Hi all, and help, where do I start looking for information from Ireland??
I'm trying to trace the family of my gg-grandmother by adoption, Bridget Hurley, born County Clare (according to death records).  She married John Josiah Bone in 1865 and when no children resulted from the marriage, they adopted a boy "named and known as" John James Bone.  Bridget died in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia in 1898 and, with the exception of a few personal effects, left her possessions to her adopted son (husband having preceded her by 5 years).  From the newspaper obituary and Bridget's will, I have the following family information:
. executor of the will was her nephew William Armstrong Jnr, officer of the post, of Peel St, Ballarat
. age at death given as 57, so born (supposedly) around 1841
. licensed victualler by trade - she operated the Commercial at the time of her death.
. resident of Ballarat of "upward of thirty years".
. parents' names on her death record are James Hurley and Ann Kearny.
. personal mementos (jewelery) left to the following -
"my sister Mrs Annie Luney of Elaine", "my sister Mrs Catherine Parkinson of Dunnstown", "my sister Mrs Mary Armstrong of Ballarat" and "my friend Nellie Luney who has been assisting me in my business".  These have been likely identified as -
.. Ann Hurley married Patrick Looney 1688  Children include a daughter Ellen, known as Nellie.   Residence in 1904 of family - Elaine, Ballarat.   Ann Looney died in 1916; details provided give an age 82 (born @ 1834), parents James Hurley and Mary Cavey.
..Catherine Hurley married William Parkinson in 1856.  Catherine Parkinson's records show she died in 1912 at Mt Egerton (Ballarat area) age 85 years (born @ 1827), parents James Hurley and Anne Keary.
..Mary Hurley married George Armstrong in 1860.  Their eldest son was William Richard Armstrong.  In 1904 he was a postal officer, residing in Peel St, Ballarat  To date, I haven't been able to find a record of Mary/Maria nee Hurley's death.
So -
This all looks pretty solid to me, except - Catherine and Bridget's mother is Ann Kearney, Ann is Mary Cavey.  OK, maybe a second marriage on James Hurley's part?  Or an error in the data provided?  A search for other people who may be siblings gives me records for the following..
.Lawrence Hurley died 1921 Sydney b @ 1840 parent James Hurley and Ann Keary or Kery.

.Denis Hurley, died 1898 Colac age 71 (b@1827) parents James Hurley and Ann Cavey
.James Hurley 1830 (C. Clare) - 1909 (Victoria) parents JAmes Hurley and Ann Cavey
.Micheal Hurley 1835(?)-1870(Victoria) parents Martin Hurley and Mary Cavey
.Mary Gerte Hurley 1874(I know, far too late),  - 1926 (East Melb) parents Anthony Hurley and Mary Keavy
.Mary Hurley born 1874 Bungaree, parents Anthony Hurley and Mary Keavy
      Yes, the 1874 records are two different records.  Different numbers and all.  I suspect an error somewhere.

I have the following place names as potentially associated with all these Hurleys -Kildimo (but according to Wiki, it's in Limerick!) , Kilfarboy and Emlagh (which seems to be everywhere!!!!!).

I don't know what of the above informations helps (that would be nice), hinders (I suspect likely) or totally confuses (that's me) but I am so hoping.....
..can anyone shed any light on this Gordian knot of a Hurley-Cavey/Keavy/Keary/Kearny complex?  Or can anyone give me some ideas on where to start?

Muchly, muchly appreciated are any and all suggestions
  Maz  (who now knows why she's been putting off tracking the Irish bits of the family.  Argh...)

Argh.  There are too many Josiahs in Dorset, cluttering up me research and causing me angst... 

Ah well.  I shall just have to make some arbitrary decisions (the josiah born in Cheselbourne in 1759 can _probably_ be discounted, put at bottom of list) and keep on researching.
Thank you for the Benjamin Vacher reference, it does seem to be the Benjamin son of Josiah, father  of the _right- Elizabeth I am following.  I'll follow it up.
Many thanks!
   cheers   maz

Hi all,
Trying to identify the "right" Josiah Vacher from fragments of information.  Any suggestions or data _most gratefully_ appreciated!  He is the father of Benjamin Vacher who was christened Milton Abbas 11 November 1753, parents Josiah Vacher and Jane.  Benjamin appears to be their only child.

What I have from the digitised parish registers of Milton Abbas is-
.Benjamin's christening, citing parent's names
. marriage record for Josiah Vacher and Jane Sanders (also Saunders) 22 Oct 1749

I can also find, from Dorset OPC, the parish records, and other internet sources such as IGI -
. marriage records for Josiah Vacher and Sarah Hox, Dec 24 1733
. birth record Sarah Vacher, parents Josiah Vacher and Sarah, chr 29 May 1736
. burial record for Sarah Vacher, infant, 16 Mar 1737
. burial record for Sarah Vacher Jan 1, 1746/45 (yes, very neat, a previous marriage, could be..)
Also
.christening record for Josiah Vacher, March 1, 1731 parents Andrew and Jane (Legg)
.christening record for Josias Vacher, 26 Dec 1710 parents Jethro and Mary
   all Milton Abbas records.

Has anyone followed these families enough to have a piece of defining data - or, any suggestions to determine a pretty accurate confirmation of which Josiah is Benjamin's father?  Most genealogies I've seen online go for Josiah-son-of-Jethro and assign two marriages, but I haven't yet found anything that says, for example, "Josiah Vacher, widower, marrying Jane Sanders".

Unfortunately, as I'm doing all this from Australia, a quick trip to Milton Abbas isn't really doable (sniff).   Looking at family names didn't give me any pointers, as the names Andrew, Jethro, Josiah and Mary appear again and again in both families - I suspect they're something-cousins ultimately, anyway.  Any suggestions would be wonderful!   Josiah, BTW, is my 7x g-grandfather.

Many thanks to any Vacher-experts
Cheers  maz
.

 

Thanks again, Trish.
Some of this I have found in the last few days, the rest - wow! - I'm adding to my Barkell/Bartle file to work through.  There is masses of data on this family I can trawl around, including the brother Bartholomew b. prob 1831 - chr 1832 Jan 22 in Gwinnear.  Likely named for his father's brother,  Bartholomew Huckin (Hockin) Bartle, bapt 1810, to William and Ann (nee Hockin), who was killed in a mining accident in 1830.  I can't find Bartholomew John-and-Sarah's son in the census data, but still looking.....  As i said, the family is a mine of data - but I think I'm going to have to get that MC to make sure this is the right Mary Ann Barkell.  (Never bought a British certificate before.  This will be a New Experience!).  I will let you know.
Cheers  Maz