I don't know if anyone is still interested in this topic, 8 years after. But I am interested in this family and have some good information and a question or two.
There were two people named Mary Jane Young Trotter (sometimes shown as Youngtrotter). The mother was Mary Jane Magnar, who emigrated to Australia from Ireland as a 17 year old orphan in 1849 and had a rather sad life. In about 1853 she had her daughter, Mary Jane - I can't find birth documentation, so that is based on her death cert, so I don't know her birth surname. Then in 1856 she married Richard Young Trotter in Beechworth, Victoria, and her daughter took on the surname Youngtrotter - and quite likely Richard was her father.
Tragically, Richard drowned while crossing a river just the next year. Mary Jane (senior) stayed in Beechworth, had 3 children (one was Richard's, born after he had died, two others by a new partner) but all died within a short time from birth, and her neglect was blamed for one death. Her mental and physical health deteriorated and she died in an insane asylum in 1882.
Her daughter Mary Jane was placed in an Industrial School aged about 12, and upon completion, assigned to a family in western Victoria. There she married Thomas Harrison in 1874 and had two children (one of whom was Anne) before Thomas disappears (presumably he died in about 1877). Mary Jane married Edward Albert Gould in 1879 and had a family.
In 1896 & 1897 Annie (Harrison) had two children with the surname Harrison and "Roechner" included in their names. I can find no marriage, so I assume Mr Roechner (who I haven't identified) was the father but they never married. Then in 1899 Annie married George Whyatt and had a family. Some family trees report that she later married William Bell, but I haven't been able to verify this. One of her earlier children (Edith) later named Geo Whyatt as her father, but the other is still named "Arthur Recheoner Harrison" at his death and names (wrongly, I believe) John Arthur Harrison & Annie Recheoner as his parents.
Others here have posted lots of other details of this family line, but I hope this gives the overall picture. I can give references for most of these facts if anyone is interested.
I in turn would be very interested if anyone has the following information please:
- Thomas Harrison's death certificate about 1877? (I have identified several possible candidates, but at $20 each, I don't want to splurge on these 3 or 4 if I don't have to!)
- Any record of Mr Rechner or Roechner in Horsham around 1895-1900?
- Details of Mary Jane Magnar/Youngtrotter born about 1853, probbly in Beechworth.
Thanks.
