Agnes McArthur - Invercargill 1860's

[karrienz]

Hi, would much appreciate any help with my query:

My Gt Gt Grandfather, [William] Richard Richmond married a young lady by the name of Agnes McArthur - age 20 on 21 Dec 1863 at St John’s Church, Invercargill. 

I have no further information about Agnes McArthur.

Richard and Agnes Richmond had 3 daughters; Susan Agnes, Rhoda Rebecca, Isabella Jane and Nina Elizabeth and one son, William Richard.   Looking at the girls names I thought at least one of them would be named for Agnes’ mother and possibly a couple of her sisters.

Agnes died in January 1873 (age 31) and is buried in the Invercargill cemetery with her daughter Rhoda and husband William Richmond.

I also found:
the burial in 1879 of Isabella McArthur in the Invercargill cemetery with a daughter Marion Hume McArthur buried in 1862 and husband Duncan buried in 1888. 

[Paperspast has a lot about a Duncan McArthur that was immigration officer in Invercargill and was ‘late of Oban’]

I found Duncan McArthur’s arrival at Bluff, with wife and 4 girls and 3 boys on the ship “ Melbourne” on paperspast  website - Otago Witness, 26 January 1861


I can find Agnes McArthur in the Scottish census’ for 1851 but none appear to be with Duncan and Isabella.


Any hints on how to go about finding more about Agnes would be much appreciated; I don’t have a middle name or initial.  She made her ‘mark’ on the marriage register - in all probability I don’t think Duncan’s children would be unable to write their names, him being of a sound community standing and an immigration officer.   I’ve tried to ‘nut’ it out for some time.  I don’t know if she was born in New Zealand or not.

[Thamesite2017]

Any hints on how to go about finding more about Agnes would be much appreciated; I don’t have a middle name or initial.  She made her ‘mark’ on the marriage register -

Is this the marriage register at the church..or do you mean the certificate from NZ BMD
Just If it is the certificate, then it would pay to check with the church records.

Intention to mArry..would indicate time in region?NZ
Death certificate..for length of time in NZ

BYe
althea

[karrienz]

Hi Althea

I have a copy of the marriage register entry which is not a certificate in itself - I hadn't thought to find out if there were any other church records.  I'll look into it.  Unfortunately Agnes died before the death registrations included the extra detail of 'how long in NZ' - but maybe also there is a church record with more detail.  Although she was buried in the Invercargill cemetary, I guess there might have been a funeral service recorded; maybe not Anglican.

Thanks.

[New Zealander]

Karrienz .. Good Morning from Invercargill

Another longshot try the Archives Section of the Invercargill Public Library.  Have been most helpful to myself in the past. 

If you require anything else by way of searching newspapers etc down here please let me know and only to willing to assist.

Have a good day

Alex G

[karrienz]

Good morning to you Alex - lovely fine morning it is too after a rainy Canterbury holiday weekend in Christchurch.

Thank you for your reply; yes, I think it would be best if I got in touch with someone 'down there' - I've had William and Agnes 'sitting' for some 10 years now (my family history attention elsewhere for sometime in the UK and up in North Island).  I used to go to the town library here a lot...wonderful resources.
Agnes is a bit of a mystery...I thought it very sad that she lived such a brief life.

Hadn't thought of the Invercargill Library.  Will do.  I have a lot of family history from the area; Riverton, Otautau etc too.  I've enjoyed many years learning about the early years of Southland as whole.  All very interesting. 

Alex, do you know if there might have been a 'local' newsheet or paper from the Invercargill area in the 1880/90's that might mention the McArthur's/Richmond's - I've trolled through paperspast and it would seem the Southland Times and Otago dailies were very 'up' on court news and political current events and I've found a few snippets.  The Richmond children went to North Public School in late 1870's and received prizes etc...my gt grandmother, Susan, was a clever wee thing. The family lived in the Gladstone area...and Richard died in Duke Street. 

Alex I'd appreciate any assistance you might have time for; not urgent but if you think of it whilst you are looking up other things, would be most welcome.

regards
Karen

[Janette]

Hi Karen,

Agnes is buried in St Johns Cemetery in Invercargill

http://www.icc.govt.nz/ServicesA-Z/Cemeteries/CemeterySearch.aspx?CER_Surname=RICHMOND&36629

It may be worth emailing them to see if they have any more info

Cheers Janette

[New Zealander]

Karen

Yes there is some other papers other then the Southland Times in the Invercargill Library.  Will check for you when next in there. 

Can also have a look at the St Johns cemetery as noty to far from me and locate/photograph the gravesite site for Agnes.

An after thought the Southland Museum in Invercargill have a rather large photographic archive in addition to other records and would be worth an inquiry.

Cheers

Alex G

[karrienz]

Thanks for that Janette; yes I see that detail now; buried with her husband and daughter - hadn't noticed the St Johns.  Rhoda, or Rebecca, as she seems to have been known at school, was a clever wee girl - I found a newspaper article about her school prize giving and she did well in a lot of subjects. 

regards Karen

[karrienz]

Thanks Alex, would be much appreciated. 

Have a lovely Sunday.

Karen