Jules F Anseline, Mauritius, gold & slaves

[Gold prospector]

My great grandfather, Jules Francois Anseline, seems to have been born in Mauritius maybe around 1839 (calculated from his Death Certificate, following his early death, aged 37 years, at The Sydney Infirmary in 1876; he had stated he had been in the Colony for 20 years; however, the Certificate was in the name of "Juleius Anslm"! The cause of death was a four day history of 'paraplegia').

In Australia, he and Mary Morris had 7 children though 2 died young. On the Birth Certificate of the youngest, Frederick Jules, in 1874, Mary stated they'd been married on 16th March, 1865 in Young, NSW. However, there is a Marriage Certificate for Jules Anseline (a 'gold digger') and Mary Morris for 21st July, 1871; married at Frenchmans Reef, near Carcoar. But no additional information forthcoming there...that is, I haven't been able to determine his parents' names.

From a couple of Birth Certificates of his children, he was a gold miner 1) near Albury - in 1866 - and 2) Parkes - 1874. I can't find the Certificates for the other children - Julia, Emily, Alfred or Everest. In a rootschat thread about "Everest and his fate after being on 'The Vernon'", the origins of Jules Francois was introduced and some approaches were suggested but I've not been successful in building on that. However, his name has been highlighted therein, in case assistance from a global Coordinator may be required.

Incidentally, two isolated findings: there was a news item I found on Trove about donations given towards the Foundation Stone at the new Carcoar Convent (he gave 5 shillings) and (NSW Govt Gazette) a letter addressed to Monsieur Jules Anseline, St Vincents Hospital, Sydney, was returned to the Dead letter Office.

There is an Index for "Slave Registers of former British Colonial Dependencies, 1813-1834" (ancestry.com) which shows a number of Anseline families as the owners of various numbers of slaves. So, there may be a connection there (one of the slave owners up until 1832 was a Francois Anseline - interesting - though he may have died years before the birth of Jules).

Meanwhile, my search for emigration documentation hasn't turned up anything.

I have three questions:  1) What other sources are likely to help fill in the gaps during his 20 years on the Australian goldfields?
                                    2) Can one access Mauritian records fairly easily to further trace his origins?
                                    3) Is it reasonable to seek the assistance of a global coordinator at this time or is it a bit early?

Gold prospector

[matthewj64]

There's an 1883 Sydney marriage of Julia Anseline to Thomas Lestor or Nestor (both 21 yo), bride's parents Thomas Anseline and Mary (Morris)

reg no 1674/1883

'Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney; Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Baptism, Burial, Confirmation, Marriage and composite registers in the Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney Archives' on Ancestry

M

[majm]

In Australia, he and Mary Morris had 7 children though 2 died young. On the Birth Certificate of the youngest, Frederick Jules, in 1874, Mary stated they'd been married on 16th March, 1865 in Young, NSW. However, there is a Marriage Certificate for Jules Anseline (a 'gold digger') and Mary Morris for 21st July, 1871; married at Frenchmans Reef, near Carcoar. But no additional information forthcoming there...that is, I haven't been able to determine his parents' names.
.....

Jules ANSELINE

Jules marriage to Mary MORRIS was registered in the Carcoar District, in 1871.  It is very very likely that the NSW BDM record (#1972) of that registration has many blanks, including blanks on their origins, parents etc.  I do NOT encourage you to purchase the NSW BDM certificate.   If you don't have info about Jules origins from the birth certs of their children, or if you have not obtained ALL the info actually recorded on the church register for Jules and Mary's marriage, you may well benefit from seeking an official transcript of the marriage registration to determine the clergy/denomination for the service.

There's now a very long thread I prepared years ago to help overcome the elusive blanks on NSW BDM registrations in the mid to late 19th century, but I think you need to know what info Jules gave FIRST HAND about himself when he married in NSW before you go back further on his origins.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=546609.0  I note the thread has been read over 21,000 times, so hopefully it has helped many RChatters.

JM  (I put Jules name top left hand corner, for IF we need a global moderator to hive off some posts at some time in the future).

Have you followed up on seeking out the original register for the Carcoar marriage...

    JM

[giblet]

From a couple of Birth Certificates of his children, he was a gold miner 1) near Albury - in 1866 -

There is 2 birth reg. for the first born.

MORRIS  JULES    4620/1866   mother - MARY      District - ALBURY
AUSELINE  JULES 4620/1866  father -JULES   mother - MARY   District - ALBURY

To me this would indicate that the parents were not married in 1866 when he was born.

Maybe on Frederick's reg. she said they were married and said the year of marriage was 1865 to save face of having kids out of wedlock.

[Westward]

There is 2 birth reg. for the first born.

MORRIS  JULES    4620/1866   mother - MARY      District - ALBURY
AUSELINE  JULES 4620/1866  father -JULES   mother - MARY   District - ALBURY

To me this would indicate that the parents were not married in 1866 when he was born.

Dual indexes could appear when a couple weren't married and the indexers were unsure what the surname of the child should be.

Searching for other births in the time frame with only the mother mentioned gives this one
7218/1870 MORRIS  ALFRED  MARY at BINALONG

I had family working the Victorian gold fields in a similar time frame and not all their children were registered. Sometimes life intervened and such things as registration were bypassed.

[giblet]

Everest died in 1955 aged 82 so birth approx. 1873. His obit says he was born in Parkes.

I cant find a birth reg. so as Westward stated they may not have been registered.

[majm]

I think that Parkes was not its own BDM district until 1874.  I will contact one of my elderly rellies, a retired former NSW BDM senior officer to ask how I can confirm that.

Note, if you go to NSW BDM online birth index and enter * for a surname, e* for given name and Mary for mother's name and Parkes for district, and limit years to 1856 - 1876, the first year you find any bdm births ... 1874.

JM

[majm]

 

Yes,  Parkes BDM commenced 1874.  Prior to that, they needed to travel to Forbes, to the Court House there.   Also, remember that the returns from these regional BDMs were prepared by part timers, and meant to be sent to Sydney quarterly, but no one in Sydney Reg Gens office was tasked with following up if no return received.   Also if the handwriting was a scribble, quite often, no follow up meant, no registration in Sydney.   These outlying regional district offices of course could issue copy certs, extracts etc  as they had the original ledgers there, in front of them.  Admin issues not sorted out until post WWI, pro forma printed forms developed then too, prior, all registrations were basically on verbal advice.  Births from a parent or family member, Marriages from clergy or official registrar, and deaths from funeral director or police.

JM

[giblet]

Thanks JM