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Messages - drbono

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1
Moray (Elginshire) / Re: George Ellems/Ellims
« on: Saturday 06 July 13 02:02 BST (UK)  »
Thanks Forfarian for all your input and Looby for your ongoing interest.  Forfarian, your suggestions all proved extremely fruitful and I would like you provide an update of what I have discovered as a result. 

Starting with George Ellis who was sent in exile to Melbourne, Australia;
-born in 1812 in Duffus
-married Isobel Forsyth in 1837 in Duffus
-had 4 children;
  1. Johanna Brander (born 1838 in Thomashill)
  2. Helen (born 1840 in Thomashill)
  3. Christinia (born 1841 in Thomas Hill)
  4. Isabella (born 1843 in Thomshill)
-only listed in 1841 census, consistent with his exile to Australia in 1846

George Ellis parents are indeed John Ellis & Helen Robertson;
-John Ellis & Helen Robertson married in Alves, Elgin in 1810
-Helen Robertson's death certificate lists 9 children (but not their location) - all children were born in Duffus between 1812 & 1834
-John Ellis died in 1864 in Elgin while Helen Robertson died in 1855 in Deanshillock

John Ellis was born in 1786 in New Spynie (near Duffus) to William Ellis & Christina Ross.  He was the third of 5 children - his siblings were born in Ettles, Drainie (William, 1781) / Duffus (John I, 1783) / West Alves (James, 1788 + Alexander, 1792.

I was surpised to be able to go so far back with relative ease, however I am now stuck at William Ellis.  A couple of online "Ellis" family trees suggest;
-he was born in 1762 in Alves, possibly to George Ellis
-his siblings were George Ellis (born 1769) & Ferdinand Ellis (born 1776)

I do not, however, have any strong documentation suggesting these details.  I am being a little greedy now, as I am just delighted that I have been able to find out so much.  I am actually heading over to Elgin in 6 weeks time to do some more hands on research and I am also awaiting copies of the Inverness trial records from 1843.

Thanks again to all that have helped me!, drbono


2
Moray (Elginshire) / Re: George Ellems/Ellims
« on: Saturday 22 June 13 09:04 BST (UK)  »
Sorry Looby - the 1850 document is actually a marriage certificate - I have adjusted my post.

3
Moray (Elginshire) / Re: George Ellems/Ellims
« on: Saturday 22 June 13 00:06 BST (UK)  »
I think George Ellems/Ellims has been found!

George Ellis from Birnie, Elgin went for trial in 1844 in Inverness for forgery.  He was found guilty and sent to Australia in "exile" for 7 years.  He arrived in Melbourne (Port Phillip) by the Maitland ship in 1846.  I have discovered from the National Archives of Scotland that he was a carpenter.  He was 33 years old in 1846.

His birthplace, age, arrival time in Australia & occupation all fit.  Additionally, his 1844 charge for forgery matches his 1868 arrest for in Australia for forgery too. 

The Scottish 1841 census states he had a family (inc. 3 daughters) in Elgin - it appears he remained in Australia after his term of exile had expired.

His Australian marriage certificate from 1850 states his name as George Ellis - a question that may never be answered is why he changed his name to Ellems/Ellims.

Thank you to all that helped me on the forum! 

4
Moray (Elginshire) / Re: George Ellems/Ellims
« on: Wednesday 19 June 13 13:38 BST (UK)  »
Just some updates regarding my relative.

I have found out more about George Ellems's wife Margaret McPhillimy.

It appears that she came to Australia via the ship "William Stewart" from Plymouth, England, arriving in Melbourne in 1848.  In the passenger list she is listed as "Margaret McFellamy", aged 20.  There is a Hugh McPhilimy aged 23, apparently her brother, on the same vessel.

I have certainly discovered her death certificate too.  She died in 1894 as "Mary Henchman" in Ballarat, near Melbourne.  Her parents are Hugh McPhillimy & Margaret McPhillimy (nee Noble) and the certificate states she was born in Tyrone, Ireland.  Finally, the certificate states her previous marriage to "George Ellims" and 5 children with their ages.  Her surname was Henchman as she had a civil marriage to Charles Hinchman.

So much of the mystery about George Ellems' wife have been solved but I have not obtained anything more on George Ellems himself.  The only document that states George's birthplace is an 1854 birth certificate of one of his five children, John.  It is unfortunate that I cannot find any of his other children's birth certificates to provide a confirmatory source of his origin. 

5
Moray (Elginshire) / Re: George Ellems/Ellims
« on: Wednesday 10 April 13 02:47 BST (UK)  »
Hi Forfarian,

Thank you for your input.  I have found some further information in recent days that might be helpful.

I believe I have located George Ellems' marriage certificate.  It is from 1850 and lists the groom as George Ellis and the bride as Margaret McPhilimy.  The marriage occurred at St Peters church in Melbourne - a Church of England service, however this is not too surprising as Church of England dominated early Melbourne religion.  Unfortunately, there are no further details on the certificate pertaining to date of birth, origin, etc.

Secondly, I have found a Presbyterian baptism certificate from 1853 pertaining to one of George Ellems' children - Ann Jane Elms.  The father is "George" and the mother is "Margeret" and the baptism occurred in Heidelberg where they lived. 

Thirdly, we have discovered the Melbourne prison records of a George Elms, born in ~1850, who is likely to be George Ellems' first son. 

From this it seems that the surname Ellems has been written as Elms (now on multiple occasions in this generation), as well as Ellis. 

It would not be too far a stretch to see the original derivation coming from a name like Elmslie - shortened it becomes Elms, and slightly jumbled in could become Ellems. 

A final amusing point is that the minister who baptised Ann Jane Elms was Rev Reid.  Rev Reid had a son who became a well known local politician around this time - his name was George Reid (the same alias chosen by George Ellems)!

Cheers, drbono

6
Moray (Elginshire) / Re: George Ellems/Ellims
« on: Sunday 07 April 13 03:09 BST (UK)  »
Hi Looby,

Interesting thought.  The sources that state McPherson/Macpherson are;
1854 birth certificate of son John (Macpherson is listed as "mother's maiden name")

The sources that state McPhillimy are;
1873 marriage certificate of daughter Annie (McPhillimy is listed as "mother's maiden name")
1880 marriage certificate of son George (McPhillimy is listed as "mother's maiden name")
1885 death certificate of daughter Jane (McPhillimy is listed as "mother's maiden name")

The newspaper articles from 1868 reference George Ellems using the alias McPherson/MacPherson.

All very confusing...

Cheers, drbono

7
Moray (Elginshire) / Re: George Ellems/Ellims
« on: Sunday 07 April 13 01:40 BST (UK)  »
Thanks Monica & Looby for your interest in my difficult relative!

It is interesting that M

Monica, we don't have Margaret Ellems' death certificate for sure, however there is an interesting death certificate for a “Margaret McPhillimy” who died in 1880 in Ballarat;
1.  George & Margaret Ellems moved to Ballarat from Melbourne in the 1850s so the location of death matches. 
2.  The person in the 1880 death certificate was born in Ayrshire, Scotland (therefore birthplace matches John Ellems' mother's birthplace in his 1854 birth certificate (see my earlier post)).
3.  The person in the 1880 death certificate was "single" at the time of her death (George had deserted her in 1857 in Ballarat according to the newspaper article)
4.  "Margaret McPhillimy" is the mother of George Edwin Ellims who was married in Ballarat in 1880.

BUT, the age of death in the birth certificate does not fit – it states she was only 33 at death, making her date of birth 1847...  I wonder whether the age of death is incorrect???  I can't believe that Ballarat had 2 Margaret McPhillimy's in the 19th century who were both born in Ayrshire!


Looby, with your work on the Reid side of things, I have done some exploring of shipping lists to Australia using Reid rather than Ellems/Ellims.  I have found an entry for the ship the "Lord George Bentinck" which sailed from London in 1848 to reach Melbourne (then known as Port Phillip) in 1849.  There is a George Reid (age 28) and his wife Margaret (age 24) - George is listed as a "labourer", both from "Denniss, Orkney Islands", both able to read & write, and both Presbyterian.  Could this be George and Margaret Ellems???  Again, the ages don't quite fit, and it would mean they were already married by 1848/1849, rather than being married in 1848 in Melbourne.  Again, a lot of coincidences...

Finally, I have another newspaper source about George Ellems from the time of his arrest in 1868;

"Respecting the capture of a man named Reid, alias McPherson, charged with swindling.  The police authorities in Ballarat have been communicated with by the man's first wife, whose name is Margaret Ellems, and the mother of five children by the scoundrel.  His real name, it appears, is Geo. Ellems.  He was married to Margaret Ellems in 1848, in Melbourne, by the Rev. Mr Phillips.  In 1857 he deserted her in Ballarat and until his recent arrest she never received the slightest clue of his whereabouts.  He is at present in Kilmore goal."

George’s marriage certificate is a key piece of evidence, as is his gaol record - both I have not been able to locate, but I am working on it!  More and more, I am wondering whether Ellems/Ellims is an adopted name, perhaps to cover his tracks!

Looking forward to seeing if any of this new information might be relevant!

Cheers, drbono


8
Moray (Elginshire) / Re: George Ellems/Ellims
« on: Wednesday 03 April 13 11:56 BST (UK)  »
Hi Looby,

Thanks very much for your interest in my relative.  He has been very elusive!

We know about him from a few sources;

1.  Birth Certificate of his son “John Ellems”
Born on 27th April 1854 in Heidelberg (near Melbourne), Victoria, Australia.
States his father was “George Ellems” a “settler” born in “Elgin, Scotland” - no age or date of birth given.
States his father was married in Melbourne and had 4 children living at the time.
States his mother was “Margaret Ellems” with the maiden name “Macpherson”, aged “25 years” and born in “Ayrshire, N.B.”.
Interestingly, his 1895 death certificate states he was “John Elms”!

2.  Marriage Certificate of his daughter “Annie Ellims”
Married on 7th July 1873 in Presbyterian Church of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia to Robert Rae.
States Annie was born in Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
States she was 21 years old when married.
States her father was “George Ellims” & mother “Margarent McPhillimy”

3.  Marriage Certificate of his son “George Edwin Ellims”
Married on 12th February 1880 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia to Bertha McEvoy.
States George Edwin Ellims was born in Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
States he was 26 years old when married.
States her father was “George Ellims” a “carpenter” & mother “Margaret McPhillimy”

4.  Death Certificate of his daughter “Jane Ellims”
Died on 8th April 1885 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
States she was 27 years old when deceased.
States her father was “George Ellims” a “carpenter” & mother “Margaret McPhillimy”

5.  Newspaper extract from The Argus (Melbourne, Australia) in 1868;
“A man named Reid, alias Macpherson, was recently apprehended at Stockyard-hill, on a charge of swindling.  He is now in Kilmore gaol. A more serious charge - that of bigamy - has since been preferred against him. His real name is said to be George Ellems, was married in Melbourne in 1848, and deserted his first wife and her five children in Ballarat in 1857.”

Not sure where the “Reid” alias came from, but the “Macpherson” alias was his wife’s maiden name!

In summary, I think he had 7 children in total, but we only know the names of 4.  His son George Edwin Ellims had 12 children (George Edwin / Margaret Florence / Mary / Jane / Florence Ann / George Percy / Harold Victor / Maud / George Edwin II / Bertha Pauline / Vivian Bert).  We have been unable to trace his 1848 marriage certificate, his 1868 court records, or his death certificate.  Nor have we been able to find how he got to Australia – earliest records suggest he was in Heidelberg, Melbourne, Australia in 1848 (for his wedding).  The birth year of 1830 was a rough estimate based on nothing other than the dates of his marriage and children.

It looks like the surname changed from Ellems to Ellims during this time, and was even documented as Elms so there appears to be some variation.  There is an old parish called Ellem/Ellim in Berwickshire (merged with Longformacus) but we have had no success looking there either.

Any assistance you can provide me would be most greatly appreciated! 

Cheers, drbono

9
Moray (Elginshire) / George Ellems/Ellims
« on: Sunday 31 March 13 03:20 BST (UK)  »
I am having a great deal of trouble finding any detailed information about a relative of mine named George Ellems or George Ellims.

Australian records suggest he was married in Melbourne, Australia in 1848, and born in Elgin, Scotland - I suspect around 1830 or so.

I cannot find any further details on him on the searchable databases that have been suggested on this excellent forum.

Can anyone assist me with finding out more about George Ellems/Ellims?

Thanks very much!

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