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« on: Wednesday 20 May 09 05:25 BST (UK) »
Nudge, I dont know when Thomas and Alice divorced but I would love to find out.....
Ok what i have is the following
on 12th June 1852 Ellis them married Richard Rees, bullock driver of Peachy Belt, Gawler Plains at St. George's Church Gawler, by Rev WH Coombs, the same rev who baptised William Arden in June 1848. At this time she was calling herself Alice Arden - widow. By 1859 it is noted that Ellis was living at Butchers Gap SA and was presented with a Bible by her husband, Richard Rees.It is thought that Ellis may have become religious about then as it is recorded that a Mrs Rees opened a Methodist Church at Butchers Gap in 1860. We have found text tickets, headed Bible christian Society which were issued to Ellis, calling herself Sister Reece, and dated 1860 and 1861 and also to Richard Reece. This church fell into ruins many years ago and there is no longer anything left.
Ellis died 21.10.1863 at Butchers Gap her death was registered by her son, Henry who was married and living at Marrabel. It is known that Richard Rees or Reece called himself a farmer and probably had a piece of land at butchers Gap where he Ellis and the 6 children lived.
There is also a story that Richard Rees destroyed his wife Ellis's will when she died in 1863 andkicked out Aaron and William Harding with only the clothes they stood up in, and that he was aso a drunkard. No one can really be sure what happened, bit it is known that Mary and James Sargent still lived at Butchers Gap until they married approximately 12 months later. It has not been established whether the property was Ellis's or her husbands.
Richard Rees died 9.3.1879 at Marrabel SA and the informant at the time of death was William Polkinghorne, father of William Hardings wife, Honorah. Richard had remarried and his estate went to his wife Christina Rees.
Thats all i have,but if i come across anymore while im searching for the Sargent stuff i will post it here for u
cheers
Tracey
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