HMS Hercules 1853 Port Adelaide

[Ken Cameron]

Hi all, Trying to find ancestors that landed from Hercules 26 July1853.
They are:
Murdoch Macdonald (40), and daughters Catherine (6), Christy (4) & Margaret (2). His wife Mary (Cameron), my direct ancestor, died in Queenstown, Ireland on 7 Feb 1853 and their son Donald (1) also died there on 14 Feb 1853.
They all came from North Uist and the Tigharry area. They are described in the passenger list as 'A healthy nice looking family, but very poor'.
Mary's father was Donald Cameron, of Claddach Kirkibost, Lochmaddy, North Uist.
I have traced 1610 ancestors so far, most from N.U. Anyone requiring info from that area please feel free to ask me.
Any help would be greatly appreciated  .

[tina morana]

Hi Ken a warm welcome to the forum.
So Murdoch was a widow with 3 young girls when he arrived in Australia, at Port
Adelaide in South Australia,  his wife and baby son died in Ireland prior to the voyage? Have I got this right?
Cheers
Tinam

[cando]

http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/hercules1853.shtml
McDONALD   Murdoch   40          Tigharry, N. Uist   
            Mary   25    died 7 Feb 1853
                Catherine   6               
            Christy   4               
            Margaret   2               
            Donald   inf    died 14 Feb 1853


May be your man.

South Australian Register 3 Dec 1853
CRIMINAL JURISDICTION. .
Murdoch McDonald appeared to an information laid under the Masters' and Servants' Act, charged with deserting the service of Mr. Robert Milne, fanner, of the Dry Creek, on the 18th November, being under engagement to serve him for six months from the 24th August
Mr. Walker for the defendant.
Mr. Milne was examined, and produced the agreement signed by the defendant, and stated that he left his service on Friday, the 18th, and had not since returned.
By Mr. Walker — Did not say to the defendant that he might go about his business. By the Court — Defendant served for 12 weeks at £1 per week. Had paid him £6 9s 5d. in cash and rations. Did not now wish him to return.
Donald McDonald stated that the plaintiff in his presence consented to the defendant's leaving his service.
An agreement was produced, by which the complainant arranged to pay one-half of the defendant's wages to the Highland Society towards his passage money. The defendant was fined £5 and costs.

Marriage in South Australia
McDONALD Murdoch  40 years  Status not recorded Father Unrecorded
McSWAN Catherine  25 years  Status Single  Father Unrecorded
2 Aug 1853
Place Manse Wakefield St Adelaide  Ade 16/343

Births in Victoria - I would expect there to be more births with the mother being so young. I suggest you purchase the 1871 birth certificate as it will show all the issue both living and deceased to both marriages and confirm whether or not it is your man.
https://online.justice.vic.gov.au/bdm/index-search?action=purchaseImage

Info on Victorian certificates
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,373754.0.html

Births in Victoria

McDONALD Donald Ewing
Father Murdoch Mother Catherine MacSWAN
At Werribee  1858  Reg#11166

McDONALD Ann
Father Murdoch  Mother Catherine McSWAN
At Carngham  1864  Reg#13776

McDONALD Samuel
Father Murdoch  Mother Catherine McSWAN
At Carngham  1871  Reg#1279

Death
McDONALD Samuel
Father Murdoch  Mother Catherine MCSWAN
1872   1 years  Born Carngham  Reg#582

According to the passenger record and marriage born c1813/14. 
Death
McDONALD Murdoch
Father Malcolm  Mother Marion McARTHUR
1875  60 years  Born Inverness  Reg#1010

Cando

[tina morana]

Cando, fantastic information, well done!
Tinam

[cando]

Ken do you have Murdoch's parents' names? There are a number of Murdoch McDONALD's in Vic so may not be your man.

Need one of the children's birth certs to progress the research, preferably the last birth in 1871.

Cando

[cando]

Death - once again age is wrong but the only Catherine McDONALD I can find with a McSWAN/McSWAIN father.

McDONALD Catherine
Father Mcswain Neil  Mother Mary
1872 38 years  Born Scotland  Reg#10766

In case there are others who may wish to help.

Info from Ken by pm.  It's best to have all the information on the board. Murdoch's father was Donald Macdonald born approx 1768, Tigharry, North Uist and his mother was Catherine Morrison b. approx. 1771 N.U. and died 1853 N.U. a widow.

This looks like his death however the age is not a match.  Info on death certs only as accurate at the knowledge of the informant.

McDONALD Murdoch
Father Donald  Mother Kate MORRISON
At Bunguluke  86 years  1888 Reg#12445

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunguluke,_Victoria

According to my resource there is a Murdoch McDONALD buried in the Wycheproof cemetery however the other McDONALD names on the database do not appear to be the same family.

The certificate for Murdoch's death would list all the information about his marriages and children both living and deceased.

Cando

[cando]

A little more

Death in Victoria
WARD Catherine
Father Murdoch McDONALD  Mother Mary CAMERON
At Stawell  65 years  1913  Reg#3630

Australian Electoral Roll
Victoria 1903, 1909  Grampians/St Arnaud
WARD Catherine  Navarre Road, St Arnaud  Home duties
WARD William Thomas  Navarre Road, St Arnaud  Wheelwright

This group have photographs of headstones in the Stawell Cemetery.
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~stawgeny/biarri.html

Cando

[Ken Cameron]

Hi Cando

Got the 1871 birth certificate today and it is my Murdoch Macdonald!

I have also contacted the Stawell Biarri Group about Catherine Ward and will use the rest of your golden information to trace the others.

Only correction I would offer is that the name Ewing you suggested should actually be Ewan which is a fairly common Scottish name.

The names and ages of the three girls that were on Hercules ties in exactly with the first three daughter's names and ages on the 1871 birth cert for Samuel. There is no doubt that you found my missing relatives.

Is it possible for me to peruse Australian birth, marriage and death records on line myself as I am trying to find out about other relatives on the Laing side of my ancestors and so far have had no replies to that query. They also started on HMS Hercules but some were transhipped to another vessel during the voyage. They are not on the passenger list of the new vessel 'Olivia'

Thank you very much for your outstanding help and if I can reciprocate with any Scottish searches you require, don't hesitate to let me know.

[cando]

Ken endless internet problems today.   Lost the post about searching bdm's in Australia.  Each state has it's own registry however many of us have our own resources for Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.  Have a browse through the Research and Offers board where each State is listed individually.  Easier for me to search the SA and Vic resources on my own discs.

A little more

Australian Electoral Roll
Victoria 1903, 1909  Grampians/St Arnaud
WARD Catherine  Navarre Road, St Arnaud  Home duties
WARD William Thomas  Navarre Road, St Arnaud  Wheelwright

Not your Catherine on the electoral roll

I can't find her with her 2nd husband on the roll but have found the following however not all women chose to enrol to vote. 

Marriage
MCDONALD Catherine
STIFF Thomas
1863  Reg#2931

Thomas STIFF died in 1880 Reg#10974

2nd Marriage
STIFF Catherine born Scotland
WARD Charles Thomas
1886  Reg#4787

Birth
WARD Murdoch Thomas
Father Charles Thomas  Mother Catherine MCDONALD
At Stawell  1887  Reg#24075

Death
WARD Murdoch Thomas
Father Ward Charles Thomas  Mother Catherine  MCDONALD
At West Brunswick  55 years  1943  Reg#931

Death of 2nd husband - so she should be buried with him at Stawell.
WARD Charles Thomas
Father Thomas WARD  Mother Louisa Agnes KEMP
At Stawell 55 years  1909  Reg#10534

Cando