1843/47 – Married in Wide Bay, Queensland.
The following records show that George would marry a young Irish lass by the name of Mary Kennedy from Nenagh, Tipperary, Ireland, in the Wide Bay district of Queensland.
A search for records regarding Mary’s origins in the Colony and how she came to be in the Wide Bay Village proved fruitless and trying to find support for oral history through various family members in regards to the story that she may have come out to the Colony with her father, who was said to be a Soldier, and her sister, proved the same. It is thought that her father and sister returned to Ireland. Mary’s age of birth and their actual marriage date presents a problem also, as a number of documents vary with their information.
The birth certificate of Mary’s son James Michael gives the following information. George was the informant in 1857.
Mother’s birthplace ………. Ireland
Mother’s age ………. 32 years [Actually 39]
Date of Marriage ………. 1845
Place of Marriage ………. White Bay New South Wales ?
The birth certificate of Mary’s son Michael gives the following information. Mary was the informant in 1860.
Mother’s birthplace ………. Kenaugh?, [Nenagh] Tipperary Island
Mother’s age ………. 34 years [Actually 42]
Date of Marriage ………. 1843
Place of Marriage ………. Roman Catholic Church Wide Bay
The birth certificate of Mary’s son Edward gives the following information. George was the informant in 1862.
Mother’s birthplace ………. Nenagh, County Tipperary Ireland
Mother’s age ………. 38 years [Actually 44]
Date of Marriage ………. 1847
Place of Marriage ………. Wide Bay Queensland
The birth certificate of Mary’s son William John gives the following information. Mary was the informant in 1864.
Mother’s birthplace ………. County Tipperary, Ireland
Mother’s age ………. 39 years [Actually 46]
Date of Marriage ………. November 1845
Place of Marriage ………. Wide Bay Queensland
As you can see, not much help there.
Looking at George and Mary’s death certificates to establish some idea of those details proved contradictory as well.
George died in 1890 and his son William was the informant. George’s death certificate shows his birthplace as Berkshire, England and that his age was 82 years at death. The death certificate indicates that George was 32 years when he married. Simple calculations show that his marriage would have been in 1840. Confusing eh?
Mary died in 1912. The informant shows her birthplace as Ireland and that her age was 94 years at death. This would indicate that Mary was born in 1818. The death certificate also indicates that Mary was 22 when she married George which would put her marrying George in 1840. More confusion, but consistent with George’s death details.
DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE AND MARY [NEE KENNEDY] EDWARDS
1ST GENERATION
1.1 George Edwards married
1.2 Mary Edwards married Died as an infant
1.3 Catherine Jane Edwards married Henry Collins
1.4 James Michael Edwards married Mary Corlis
1.5 Thomas Edwards married Jane K Teale
1.6 Michael Edwards Died as an infant
1.7 Edward Edwards married Hannah Emily Munns
1.8 William John Christopher Edwards married Harriet Eliza Thomas
