Robert Sherrard married Mary Buchanan

[Ian Kerr]

Hi Christine,

I find all of this information very interesting as I was looking to research this side of my mothers/grandmothers family. I am the great grandson of William (b 1837 or is it 1832? d1923) & Matilda Buchanan (nee Walton b1849 Manchester). William arrived in Melbourne in 3/11/1857 on the ship "Melbourne" from Liverpool, he was listed on ships passenger list as a labourer, a Presbyterian & could both read & write, he was contracted to work for a Neil Campbell from 13/11/1857 located at Deep Creek. they were married in Ballarat 20/6/1870. They had 7 children, Mary b1871,d1873 (named after Williams' mother & sister?)Emma Phillips, (named after Matildas' sister) Annie May, William Thomas, Ernest Samuel, Herbert John & Elizabeth Mary my grandmother & no doubt named after Williams sister Elizabeth.

   

[Christine Lyttleton]

Hello Ian and thank you for your information. 
I also had William coming to Australia in 1857 on the Melbourne, but was not certain whether it was him.  William's photo has always had the date 1856 on it. Here is William's obituary

We regret to record the death of Mr. William Buchanan one of the pioneer businessmen of Beaufort. The sad event took place at his residence in Market Square on Easter Monday.  He was a resident of this town for over 60 years and a Victorian colonist for 67 years.  He had reached the ripe age of 88 years and death was due to senile asthemia.  He retained all his faculties to the last and until a few weeks ago was an active man for his years.  The late Mr. Buchanan as a native of Slough Manus Londonderry Ireland and landed in Victoria in 1856 being attracted by the goldfields like many of his enterprising compatriots.  For many years he was in business as a blacksmith and the establishment is still being carried on by his sons. Deceased was respected by all who knew him or had business dealings with him and was a capable tradesman.  He was of a kindly disposition and endowed with a ready wit and keen sense of humour.  He was married in Ballarat when 35 years of age and his wife predeceased on three months ago. The deceased leaves two sons and three daughters to mourn their loss. The sons are Messrs. ES and HJ Buchanan (Beaufort) and his daughters Mesdames W Ballantyne (who resides in the Mallee) TE Sands (Clyde) and W Johnston (Melbourne). the funeral took place on  Tuesday and was attended by many representative residents of the town and district the remains being interred in the Beaufort Cemetery. The coffin-bearers were Messrs. G Pringle, WJ Stevenson, R Ward and Wm. Miller the pall-bearers being Messrs. GH Cougle, JB Cochran, Jas, Prentice C Morvill, W Dixon and A Duncan. The Presbyterian burial service was read by the Rev. JP McDougall MA and the IOR service by Mr. Geo. PRingle (Sec. of the local Tent) Messrs Sands and Johnsons undertakers Beaufort carried out the mortuary arrangements.

I also have a lot of information on Matilda.  It is the oddest coincidence that Matilda was a cousin of John McGuire who was James Buchanan's wife Mary McGuire's father.  John McGuire and his wife Anne (Nancy) and their children lived at Waterloo. Matilda came from either Salford in Manchester or from the next suburb.  Both John McGuire and either Matilda, or her cousin Matilda, lived at 3 Greengate Street, Salford. John McGuire was living on Greengate Street, Salford as well.  I wonder whether you know anything about the McGuires and the Waltons in Salford and Liverpool?  It was through Matilda Buchanan that James Buchanan met his wife Mary McGuire.  I have Matilda's sister Emma's marriage certificate, kindly given to me by another relative.  Your dear William Buchanan was a tea totaller and very involved in the Presbyterian church. 

William's oldest son William jnr went to the Boer War and died only a few years afterwards. He was totally broken in his health. Now I do remember some of William's children's families ending up in Violet Town.  Do you know whether the George Buchanan in Beaufort at that time was a relative?  He ended up in Violet Town as well.  William's family in Beaufort were very well respected.  The house William and Matilda lived in is still there, although it has been altered quite a bit.  His son Ernest's home is still there as well and quite unaltered. It needs renovation.

Do you know from where the Buchanans came in Scotland.  I know they came from somewhere around Loch Lomond, but I don't know the name of the town.  Actually, one of James Buchanan's grandsons married a Kerr from Victoria.  It is such a pity that this information about Scotland seems to be missing from the family history.  I know it is there somewhere. I just have to find it. I am waiting for information from my senior cousin.  Maybe someone in your side of the family knows. 

[Christine Lyttleton]

Ian,
I forgot to mention.  William and Matilda's son Herbert was killed in a bad car accident in the early 1960s.   

[Ian Kerr]

Hi Christine

I will digest information & come back you in next few days, I have a few old photos of William, Matilda & their children, I will scan them & post, appreciate if you have any information or photos on  William & Matilda.

One thing I need to check is Williams age, I have as 1837 which made him 33 when he married in 1870, however his marriage certificate could be age 38 as it's difficult to read & it's like a 3, is there somewhere I can check birth certificate?

Just out of my interest which line of the family are you from ?
Regards
Ian

[Christine Lyttleton]

Thank you Ian,
William Buchanan was baptised on 22 September 1832 in Cumber Lower Parish in Londonderry. His parents lived at Highmoor in Cumber Lower Parish.
Did you see the photos of William I posted a couple of weeks ago?  Unfortunately, some of them don't scan too well at all.  I usually have them copied on special equipment from prints I have and they copy beautifully. 
Please take your time with this. The information about William, Matilda, James, the McGuire, Agnew, and Jones families from Beaufort is very complex to sort out.  They were all interrelated in Beaufort, either as relatives or neighbours.
I am the GG Granddaughter of James Buchanan.   I will post more info on William and Matilda soon.  I remember Matilda's father being a Miner which was a very good reason for him to leave Manchester.  There were a lot of children in her family.  I have some vague memory of one of William and Matilda's children moving to Queensland. You may know more.

[Ian Kerr]

Hi Christine

nice to chat to you other day about Buchanan family history, thank you for photos

so that other family members can view photos I will attach one by one

1. Buchanan family 30 Dec 1901 attached, my nana is Elizabeth Mary on left

Regards

Ian

[Christine Lyttleton]

Thank you Ian for the photo.  There are still members of my family in this generation who look like William Buchanan (minus the beard), your dear Elizabeth and little Matilda May.

In relation to Elizabeth Buchanan who is Jane, William and James' sister (and possibly an elusive Robert's sister), I have the following information for the family of the Elizabeth Brown (nee Buchanan) in Mingo Junction, Jefferson County who may be our Elizabeth Buchanan in America.

The American Elizabeth Brown's (nee Buchanan) son Robert J. Brown is buried in the Oakland Cemetery, Steubenville, Ohio. His date of birth is given as 14 February 1854, Pennsylvania. His date of death is given as 14 March 1941.  His widow  Isabella's date of death is 11 September 1964 and she is also buried in the Oakland's Cemetery.  I have her birth as 1871 in Wheeling, West Virginia, and her maiden name is listed on records as either Burchett or Burkett.  IN 1940 they were living at Ward 3 in Mingo Junction, whatever that means.

This Robert and Isabella Brown's son James M. Brown is listed as being born on either 30 October 1888 (burial record) or 27 October 1888 (US Census) at Mingo Junction, Jefferson County.  He died on 22 June 1938 at Proviso, Cook County, Illinois and was buried at the Oaklands Cemetery, Steubenville.  His occupation, Stationary Engineer.  He lists his father Robert Brown (US Census) as born in New Jersey.  His wife was a Ruth Brown.  He served in the US Navy in WW1.

Steubenville has a very strong Genealogy Centre.  Many people have left the area. The population is roughly around 16 to 19,000 at the moment.  Unfortunately, I am not on the Irish records at the moment.  I only had access to them for one month.  Have to research elsewhere.  May subscribe to the Irish records later.
 
 

[Ian Kerr]

Hi Christine

didn't realise photo go sent, other 2 photos I will attach 1 by 1

Matilda & William's family c1890, my nana Elizabeth is 3yo,
I believe  all the Buchanans had fair hair. indeed my mother & her brother Len were fair as well as  my sister & self. No doubt the Norse ancestry.

Regards

Ian

 

[Ian Kerr]

Hi Christine

this is last photo, of 3 daughters of William & Matilda Buchanan,

Regards

Ian