Eve, hi.
This reply will be a bit of an epistle, so grab a coffee.......
How are we connected? Mary Hampton-Smith-Rogers (d. Manly, 1908) was my g-grandmother. I have the original Certificates of Marriage for Mary to James Smith (Mariner) and later as widow to Walter James Paull ROGERS. Mary is buried in Manly Cemetery, see attached lo-res image.
OK, interpreting the genealogy lines for Richard Hampton and Ellen Doran was confusing and perplexing to say the least, there being entities with similar names DOB etc., also to have lived around the Shoalhaven River. This added to the fact that the NSW BDM Registrar in abt. 1912 appended notes to the death certificate intimating Mary spend some years in Tasmania which really threw me a curve ball, there being Dorans down that way too! My grand father Edward was obviously unsure of his mothers date of birth and true age when she died.
Mary could neither read or write but was employed as a midwife for most of her adult life and towards the end at The Manly Village Hospital in Darley Road, a short stroll from her residence in Thornton street where she lived with son Edward, a Farrier who worked in Whistler Street Manly.
Digressing, my aunt recounted a story passed down when she was but a lass as family lore relating to Richard Hampton's death. The story goes like this..........Richard had a mail run on the Shoalhaven, was held up by a local bushranger going by the name of "Dick the Lag'' , murdered and his hands cut off. I contacted the Nowra Hist Socy looking for clues about this fellow, but drew a blank. It took some time, years in fact , to unravel the intriguing tale of melded half truths and not so, which had over 100 years evolved more as characters borrowed from the novel of "Robbery Under Arms".
The facts: John Simms and Hampton were partaking an evening of revelry (drinking) at the house of Angus Robertson on the Shaolahven (somewhere), accompanied by another neighbour of Richard's, one Charles Comerford who had a farm just a bit North from Hampton's 50 acres, purchased in 1851. These properties were at Good Dog Creek, on the Bomaderry side of the river. Simms and Hampton decided to row across the river, but not far from the shore, Richard fell overboard and drowned. We know the rest, how his body wasn't discovered until a few days later. I've pondered on the mention of his hands being cut off?. I attribute this to maybe the local marine life had a few nibbles at his limbs whilst he was submerged but it was not reported in his autopsy.
Collateral damage, Ellen Hampton (Doran) is now left to look after the farm and almost made destitute until an opportunistic pardoned ex-con sweeps her off her feet and marries Ellen, no doubt thinking he may have an easy-in for inheriting the farm one day. Joseph Smith was his name, not exactly a moral compass when it came to rearing step children it seems.
About 1860, when Thomas Hampton was 15 years of age, he was convicted along with Smith for thieving a neighbours steer and butchering it. Caught in the act, both sentenced to 5 years hard labour on the road gangs. Thomas, upon his release takes up with a couple of other recently released felons and went on the rampage robbing Royal Mail coaches, four in total before they were apprehended.
Now James Smith, Mary's first spouse, the Captain. Nought too much known about him other than a James Smith died from an epileptic seizure on tramp steamer en-route to Brisbane about the time of his recorded death.....a real enigma. Going by his eloquent style of handwriting, James Smith was quite accustomed to the use of a pen, in contrast to his poor wife poor Mary.
I'm guessing the distorted tale that was told to me was concocted to mask the embarrassing shame of having a bushranger included in ones family. His existence wasn't known until I fully researched all the connections and joined the dots thanks to Trove NLA Newspaper on-line as there wasn't too much out there 10 years ago when I first became aware.
Will call it a day for this chapter. You could probably email me if you wish to continue with our dialogue, but that's up to you. I have some period (downloaded) Shoalhaven parish maps depicting where the Hamptons resided for Green Hills and at Good Dog Creek.
As far as cemeteries go for Richard Hampton's final repose, Neil (thanks) mentioned Worrigee, but who knows for sure. Son, Thomas Hampton is buried in the Port Macquarie Historical Cemetery. No marker, but his name is inscribed as a list on a bronze plaque for those interred within.
Kind regards,
Greg.
