Looking for James DAVIDSON arriving in OZ

[~MERLIN~]

I don't know if you have considered some secondary resources, but there's many. Some are mostly indexes of indexes of combined BDM, Musters, Shipping Lists, Military Lists etc, but all give pointers to help. One in particular would be "The Paracensus of Australia 1788-1828", (JH Donohoe).
 

JM, I have 'The Paracensus of Australia 1788-1828'. I will look at it later when I have some spare time 

I have checked 'The Paracensus of Australia 1788-1828' there are many references for various JD's in the records listed if you require the information you will need to PM me an email address where I can send it to you.

[muss]

Hi
   I have just spent some time reading all the reports   of Eliza Donnithorne's  non marriage events,  she was the  daughter of Judge Donnithorne.   What a story. 

Was Judge Donnitorne in India ?  ( What time period ?)  Did he know James Davidson in India?
Sorry for the questions, I keep thinking of Eliza and her sad life.

Muss

 

[muss]

Hi
  From new Family Search
 
  Anna Kelley born 21 Oct 1845 Bap 4 Jan 1846 St Phillips  Father William Mother Ann
  Muss

[cocksie]

muss
thank you for the new Family Search info, particularly with birth of Anna Kelley (I had extrapolated baptism from Judge Donnithorne's will).

I also got sidetracked with the Eliza Donnithorne story a while back.  But some of the myth/legend does not quite "work".  The Judge died in 1852 and the alleged "non wedding" allegedly took place in 1856. So the stuff about the Judge sending groom away is rubbish - unless one believes in ghosts.  I tracked Judge Donnithorne's children back and it appears to me the Eliza was born in 1816 so she was a tad on the old side to be giving first birth in 1856 but not impossible.  I can't find anything remotely on NSW BDM relating to this child (with either a Donnithorne, Kelly or Jones surname) in 1846 ...... but one COULD wonder about the Anna Kelley b. 1845 - it could be Eliza's illegitimate child (and the dates of the myth are incorrect), or the Judge & Ann's child, or Ann & William Kelly's child - might remain a mystery.

Onto the possible India connection.  It did cross my mind in the early hours of this morning.  Judge came to OZ from India around 1836 (from memory) but at least one of his sons (Edward) remained in India serving in the military.  In theory, if my JD had an India connection then JD could have met the Judge in India prior to 1835 and certainly could have had a connection with Edward if JD travelled back and forth to India etc.  Supercargo JD of the Medway (and possibly later ships) seems to be in and out of India - but further research by myself needs to be undertaken.

Also, Supercargo JD of the Medway is variously listed as John or James in the newspapers.

[douglasp1950]

My name is douglas parker. I have been researching James Davidson, clerk, of Sydney for years. I am finally getting all his information into order and context.
I suspect James had illegitimate children in Sydney with: Mary Ann McGuire (1834), Anne Kelly (1835 and 1838) and Esther Virtue (1839 and 1842).  He probably also had  children with Margaret ? (1833, 1834, 1840 and 1846), as he was the only James Davidson in Sydney 1830-36.
I am descended from Mary Ann McGuire's child Martha Davidson, born 11 Jun 1834 in Sydney.     
Please get your information in chronological order and e-mail it to me and I will share my information, which is quality substance.
*
Douglas Parker

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[cocksie]

Good morning Douglas
I have transcriptions of births for both daughters of James davidson and Ann Kelly in 1835 and 1838 (this child born in Victoria but baptised in scots church, sydney 6 months after birth). Ms Kelly then partners up with James Donnithorne (2 further children in 1841 and 1845/46) before marrying Samuel Jones in 1847 (3 more children). The davidson girls end up back in Scotland in 1851 with their Davidson grandparents before heading back to Sydney in 1856 (stating their mother is Ann Jones in Sydney) on their immigration papers.
My James davidson is dead around 1852 as stated in his father's death cert and his daughter's immigration papers. Where James was after 1838 (birth of his 2nd daughter Mary Jane davidson) and where he died is a mystery to me.  He is not the James davidson who died in India in 1852.  I cannot find him in Scotland in 1851 census and I cannot find his death anywhere. I also cannot definitely find him arriving in oz prior to 1835 (birth of his first daughter Jessie davidson).
James is listed with occupation of "clerk" on baptisms of his 2 daughters with Ann Kelly although his daughter, Jessie davidson upgraded his to a deceased solicitor on her marriage cert in 1856.  The only james davidson with a "clerk" like occupation in sydney in the 1830's and 1840's is a bloke working for Hughes and Hosking.  This bloke lived in Castlereagh street for at least some of this period and was still in sydney in 1846 ... Then just drops off the radar. 
I have my James baptism record in Scotland in 1800 so know his parents' names (further confirmed with sighting of his daughters back in Scotland in 1851, one of them living with his parents, the other working as a servant around the corner - both girls have birthplace as sydney, NSW down on the census).
When I wrote the original post I started spreadsheeting all possible sightings of a James davidson in sydney and Victoria and traced many backwards and forwards and connecting some suspects together only to determine who WAS NOT my James Davidson .... But not determining who WAS my James Davidson.  I now suspect my James might have got to Sydney via Tasmania but this is based on my gut and completely inconclusive evidence.
I would love to share information but I think you will have to make 2 more posts before I can PM you.
Cocksie
Ps my original post is a year or two ago and, without scrolling back through it, I can't remember if I give my connection to James.  I descend from the eldest daughter of James Davidson and Ann Kelly - Jessie Davidson born 1835, Baptised Sydney (or at least the baptism was transmitted to Rev William Cowper in Sydney as required at that time ... As it appears in his register ..... In 1838 Mary Jane's baptism was in the scots church - which is interesting).

[douglasp1950]

Good Morning Cocksie,
Thank you for your mail. So we are cousins. Wow, I never thought I would find any of Martha's relatives in Australia.
Below is the first page of my research. I suspect the 1851 death in Calcutta is our James Davidson.
Do you have his probate?
The Feb 1882 death notice (below) of son James confirms all the children have same father, except for my Martha.
 
JAMES DAVISON (DAVIDSON)      Born ca 1800-10. Clerk in Sydney 1832-45+ Born ca 1800-1810.
Marriages in Sydney: James had illegitimate children with Mary Ann McGuire (1834), Anne Kelly (1835 and 1838) and Esther Virtue (1839 and 1842).  He probably also had  children with Margaret ? (1833, 1834, 1840 and 1846), as he was the only James Davidson in Sydney 1830-36.
Died by February 1882 and "of Sydney" (son James death notice). Thorough research shows James did not die in New South Wales. 
   
CHILDREN
MARTHA DAVIDSON  Born at Sydney, NSW:  11 June 1834. Christened at Sydney St Phillips. Martha daughter of James & Mary Ann Davison. James' occupation: clerk.  Church of England. Martha was illegitimate. Her mother was Mary Ann McGuire.
JESSIE DAVIDSON    Born 13 Mar 1835 in Sydney. Father James Davidson (clerk), now at Geelong  (for a short time). Mother Anne Kelly. Baptized 10 Apr 1835 at St Phillips/ St Andrew’s, Sydney. (SAG 91). Died at 15 Bligh Street, Sydney: 6 Jan 1903, Jessie Cocks. Widow, aged 67. Father James Davidson, general merchant. Mother Jessie Jones. Buried at Waverley, Church of England, 7 January 1903. Married at Sydney: aged 22 to John Cocks. Children: John W, 39; Mary J (Shalvey) 36, Jessie A (James) 33; Thomas E 31, Keturah L (Walsh) 29, George W 26, May E 23, living; 4 males deceased.
MARY JANE DAVIDSON   Born 1838 in Sydney. Parents James & Ann Davidson. Married at Tambaroora, NSW: aged 20 to Samuel Duncan Wood. Died at "Cooberry" Wood Street, Randwick: 12 March 1912, Mary Jane Wood. Aged 74 years 11 months (born April 1837?). Father James Davidson, occupation unknown. Mother Ann Jones. Children: Frank 51, George 48, Frederick 42, Edith P 39, Emily 35, 1 female deceased.
JAMES DAVIDSON born as JAMES DAVISON VIRTUE. Born 1839.  Mother Esther Virtue.             Christened at Sydney Scots Church or St Andrews Church: 18 February 1839. The father James Davidson is not mentioned. Illegitimate birth. Merchant Navy seaman 1853-57.
Married Mary Jane Peperr/Piper/Pyper.
Died at Port Victoria, Mahe Island, Seychelles: 2 January 1882, James Davidson, aged 43 (born 1838-39?) . Government servant. Father James Davidson. Mother Esther Virtice. Wife Mary Jane Piper/ Pyper. 
DAVIDSON -January 2, at his residence, Mahe Seychelles, Mauritius, James, the dearly beloved husband of M. J. Davidson, brother of Mrs. Cocks, Castlereagh-street; Mrs S D Wood, Bathurst; and George Davidson, Honolulu; also the eldest son of the late James Davidson, of Sydney, leaving an affectionate wife, family, and relatives to mourn their loss; deeply regretted by all who know him.
Sydney Morning Herald 27 Feb 1882.
Children born in the Seychelles: Dora Winnifred, 4 Sept 1882, Port Victoria; Florence Mary, 11 October 1872, Port Victoria; Mahel Grace, 21 Sept 1875, Port Victoria; Sydney James, 26 August 1870, Victoria.
GEORGE WISEMAN DAVIDSON Born 26 September 1842, Sydney NSW. Christened at St James, Sydney :15 October 1842. Parents James & Esther Davidson. 
George Davidson. Of Honolulu in 1882 (in his brother James' death notice).
Children with Margaret in Sydney: Ellen Davidson, 1833 and 1834; Jessy Davidson, 1840 and Margaret Davidson, 1846.

[douglasp1950]

Cocksie can you get on the chat line sometime? Perhaps try sending me a time for the chat. I am new to this system. It would be great to talk to you. I am online quite a bit.
Douglas

[cocksie]

Oh my absolute goodness!
Am at work so can't fully respond but just wanted to say that this is absolutely truly amazing!
Now about to manipulate a "sickie" (albeit I am the boss) and race home!
I have "met" online descendants of James davidson and Ann Kelly who will be gobsmacked plus other descendants of Anne and her next partner james donnithorne who will also be very very interested.
I see you have pmmed me also - I can't tell you how thrilled I am.
Will very shortly be in touch
Jenny