Arthur Charles WEMYSS, born 1831

[andacala]

Arthur was supposedly born in 1831 (where unknown). There is conflicting reports have him being born in New York, as well as Devon, England.  There is no record of him immigrating to Australia. He married Sarah Bull in Launceston, Tasmania, in August 1853. Arthur & Sarah had 13 children, with their first child being born in Victoria in 1854. Arthur died in Brunswick in 1905. If anybody can shed some light on Arthur's history up to the time of arriving in Australia, it would be greatly appreciated.

[trish251]

Do you have birth certificates for any of the children of Arthur and Sarah - these may  give the birthplace of Arthur (or is this where the conflicting information arises) - if he supplied such info.

Have you checked with the Tas archives for any information on immigration - there seems to be very little online.

I notice there are no parents listed on the death index - did the death certificate indicate length of time in Australia?

Trish

[tropicalj]

As per Trisha question on  births for any of  the children in Victoria

Here is  the information you can expect to see on a Victoria Birth Certificate

s
Date and place of birth;
name of child and whether present or not;
name of parents (including mother's maiden name);
occupation of parents; ages and birthplace of parents; date and place of marriage of parents;
previous children of their marriage noting living or deceased;
signature, description and address of the person who gave the information; names of witnesses;
 date and place of registation.

you can order and download on  line from  the Victoria BDM
It  is best if  you  have  the registration  numbers other wise you  have to pay .99 to search for it.
.

http://online.justice.vic.gov.au/bdm/home
JEnn

[andacala]

I have several birth certificates of Arthurs children as well as Arthur's death certificate and this is where the conflict arises.

On one of the children's birth certificates it indicates he was born in Devon. Have been unable to find any evidence to confirm this. On his death certificate it indicates he was born in USA. Again no evidence to support this. On other birth certificates his origin of birth is listed as unknown.

I have been unable to find anything through immigration or passenger lists. The first record I can locate of him is marrying Sarah Bull in Tasmania in 1853.

Folklore is that he was very much the blacksheep and was running away from something. Nobody can confirm this.

[sparrett]

Hi,
Have you asked on the Devon County board for someone who may look up a census record [1851] for you?
It is an unusual name and may just jump out if he was born there.
Sue

[tropicalj]

Sue,
I had a bit of a look about  but nothing leaps out at me except of a Charles born 1828 in Yorkshire  on  the 1841 and 1851 census living with his Uncle

Jenn

[andacala]

Hi Sue,
Sorry but forgot to mention, I have already checked the 1851 census for Devon. There is no Wemyss listed.

[sparrett]

Hi ,
Sorry to seem to be harping on, but the Devon Resources board on Rc has a great listing for records of many regions including Parish Records .
I have, in the past, had a lot of support and help from the chatters in Devon.
May I ask if you have requested any other  leads from Devonshire?
Sue

[trish251]

I have a couple of relatives with Wemyss as a given name - probably in relation to the parish in Fife in Scotland. I would have thought it was a Scottish name - has this ever been investigated? Do you know what church the family belonged to?  This may help.

I do understand the problems when different documents give conflicting information. (my father's Irish ancestors changed their place of birth quite often). The information supplied while living, tends to be more correct than on death certificates - unless the living person wished to hide something. It does seem as if Arthur was unsure of his birthplace, which will make it very difficult to find any information 

Trish