Illusive Arthur William JOHNSTON (1884 Sydney, NSW - 1967 Brisbane QLD): Help!

[nikkiijo]

I am writing with regard to my Paternal Great Grandfather Arthur William Johnston, born in Sydney, NSW 1884, died in Brisbane, QLD 1967. Arthur William Johnston was born in Sydney in 1884 (according to his War Records, & his Death Cert), to an Alexander Johnston (listed on his Death Cert, though with no Mother listed). Here is where it gets tricky - He and my Great Grandmother were supposedly married in Lismore, NSW around 1908 (though frustratingly I cannot find record of this). They had their first child together in Lismore, NSW in 1908 (Alexander William Johnston), & had 5 more in QLD after that. My Great Grandmother was Mary Jane DOWLING (to complicate matters, she has a different place of Birth on almost all of her children's Birth Certs), and she was born in Cooma, NSW in 1887 - Death in Brisbane, QLD 1980.

He is the only Arthur William Johnston born in NSW in that timeframe to an Alexander JOHNSTON (& Caroline E Aiken - Daughter of Adolphus William Aiken/Adolphus William Bodill, convict).

So, I guess I am wondering where I go from here, & what your thoughts might be? It is such a mystery. The fact that Adolphus William Bodill is in the mix may explain some of the 'hiding/missing' information. As I understand it, if there was a convict in the family, it was hidden at all cost!

I am seeking to confirm that Arthur William Johnston is the son of Alexander Johnston (c. 1843 - c. 1925) & Caroline Edith Aiken (c. 1849, Tasmania, AU - c. 1905 NSW, AU), & also to find evidence of his Marriage to Mary Jane Dowling (1887 - 1980).

Many thanks!

Warmest Regards,

Nikkii

[Warin]

Well .. you can get his birth certificate
from the new BDM NSW site
https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search

Registration Number    Family Name    Given Name(s)    Father's Given Name(s)    Mother's Given Name(s)
2965   /       1884         JOHNSTON        ARTHUR W       ALEXANDER                CAROLINE E

That should have the full name of his parents.

Marriage does not show up on the NSW BDM site.. Only Miss Dowling marriage (searched Dowling to Mr J* ) is to a Mr Judd in 1910 (covering 1902 to 1914) Tried Trove? How certain are you of NSW for the marriage place? Could it have been interstate? Hence suggestion of Trove. There a possibility they did not marry?

Where to from here ... I'd be spending some time on Trove. Their child's birth ... might be some church record .. would the same church have a marriage record?

[cupoflife]

SMH 4Aug1905 http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/14712440
JOHNSTON-August 3, 1905, at Sydney Hospital, Caroline, widow of the late Alexander Johnston, of Paddington, aged 54 years.
Funeral notice (see bottom half) Waverley Cemetery. Names mentioned  JOHNSTON, AIKEN, McCOLL http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/14712269

SMH 3Aug1906 http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/14790632
JOHNSTON.-To the sad and loving memory of our dearest mother, Caroline Edith Johnston, who departed this life August 3, 1905. Sadly missed. Inserted by her sorrowing children, Violet McColl and Arthur Johnston.

NSW BDM
276/1883    Violet JOHNSTON; Father- Alexander; Mother- Caroline E; Sydney 

[ciderdrinker]

Hi

Just in case you go with Alexander and Caroline,their marriage at the Presbytarian church gives parents for Alexander -Alexander Johnston bookseller and Elizabeth Walker and for Caroline Adolphus William Aiken Docter and Sophia Eliza Atkins.

Looking at it the confusion with Adolphus William's surname comes from the fact that when he was transported in 1845 he already had a wife and that she was also married to a Randolph William Aiken  so probably he and Sophia weren't married.So they altered their surname to fit.

Ciderdrinker

[Warin]

Looking at it the confusion with Adolphus William's surname comes from the fact that when he was transported in 1845 he already had a wife and that she was also married to a Randolph William Aiken  so probably he and Sophia weren't married.So they altered their surname to fit.

Ciderdrinker

With some cider drinking I might confuse the words 'Adolphus' and 'Randolph' ... 
Though with my spelling I may well prefer to write Randolph. 

[wivenhoe]

BDM QLD death

1980 299 Mary Jane JOHNSTON   parents    William DOWLING      Honora HOGAN

1950 B28337 John Joseph DOWLING             William DOWLING Nora HOGAN
 
1930 B12219 William James DOWLING         William DOWLING  Nora HOGAN
 
1951 B34993 Joseph Henry DOWLING           William  Nora HOGAN
 
1970 B14493 Thomas DOWLING                    William DOWLING  Norah Clara HOGAN
 
1963 B57413 Michael DOWLING                    William  Nora HOGAN

[cupoflife]

Hi Nikkii,
Rootschatter iforani may also be able to help with your research http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=607844.0

[iforani]

Thanks guys. Nikkii has been in touch with me. It's lovely to make a connection with a relative & hopefully we will be able to share our resources, photos, certificates, etc. Roots chatters are amazing researchers. 
Warin, I believe that Adolphus William Bodill was the father of both Caroline Edith Aiken (Johnston) & my g grandfather, Edward Imlay Aiken. On his marriage certificates, my g grandfather stated father as unknown but on his death cert it states Randolph; Edward died in 1938 during WW2 when the name Adolphus would not have been popular, so it's my belief that the father's name was amended by my great grandmother to Randolph. Edward did an interview for a newspaper article and he gave his father's name as A.W.Aiken (doctor). It's my belief that it was A.W.Bodill (convict).

[nikkiijo]

Hello All!

Thank you all so much I now have his Birth Cert, his Parents Marriage, & his Parents Death Certs. He is the only Arthur William JOHNSTON, with all of the correct parameters (it's just such a shame they left 'Name of Mother' blank on his Death Cert). As far as his Marriage to Mary Jane DOWLING goes (or in this case, no Marriage), I've done every search combination possible. I've even contacted the Lismore Diocese. They conducted a search of their records (even other records kept by the Priests that would've identified them in the region), but to no avail. I'm not a quitter, so I will keep searching - though I highly suspect they did not marry. My Cousin said the story goes that they were Married in the Catholic Church in Lismore. It's a mystery...

Warin, Cupoflife, Ciderdrinker (Quite partial myself!), Wivenhoe & my new relative iforani! You've all be so helpful

Would each of you draw the conclusion that they were not Married?? Cheeky Pair

Many thanks!

Cheers,

Nikkii