James Anderson, Landscape Artist

[sparrett]

James Washinton Murphy died in Vic.


 
MURPHY James Washington
Father: John
Mother:
Age 50
Birth Place IRELAND
Year 1877
Reg Number 6711

I note the 1857 Sydney marriage of a 'James Anderson' and a 'Mary Mcleod', reg 911/1857 and a 'Mary Macleod', also reg 911/1857

The apparent double registration is part of the online seach mechanism to avoid the confusion between Mc and Mac.  All surnames with the prefix are listed under both variants.

Sue

[sparrett]

Dated June 1877

QUOTE

Notice is hereby   given, that aftor the expiration  of fourteen days from tho publication hereof application will be made to tbe Supreme Court of the colony of Victoria, in its Probate jurlsdition, that LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION oí the real .........estate of JAMES WASHINGTON MURPHY, Inthe town of Towong, in the colony of Victoria, doctor  ......deceased, intestate, may bo granted to Viviian Murphy, of Towong aforesaid, gentleman, tbe eldest son of the deceased.

End QUOTE

Sue

[Gali]

Hi sparrett, yes, Washington Murhpy's will is online at http://prov.vic.gov.au/index_search?searchid=54 f but sadly (for us!) doesn't mention old drinking partners!

Are the contents of the Anderson-M(a)cleod NSW marriage certificate only available by purchasing the certificate from NSW BDMs?  

Also (not being as familiar with AUS records as I am with English and Scottish ones) what is the explanation for not being able to locate VIC birth certs for Elizabeth Agnes and Arthur Waddell Anderson?  When did the recording of births become statutory in VIC?

[sparrett]

Yes to find further details many people use the option of a transcription through an agent, rather than a certified copy.  Cheaper.


http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/familyHistory/howToTraceYouFamTree.htm#TranscriptionAgent

Here is a link to what you may find on Australian certificates- Also the link will show you the starting year of statutory registration in the states.

http://www.jaunay.com/bdm.html



Sue

[Gali]

Excellent Sue, thanks for that ... it looks as if VIC birth records were statutory from July 1853 ... so that's not the explanation for a lack of VIC birth record for Elizabeth Agnes Anderson c.1856/7 and Arthur Waddell Anderson c. 1861 ...

[Forfarian]

More thanks to both. That's all very helpful, even if the birth certs are apparently missing.

[Forfarian]

Just got home and looked in my 'Australian Vital Records' CDs.

There is a death in 1878 in VIC of James Anderson, aged 45, born Ireland, mother Maria Robertson. 45 is a bit on the young side, but not impossible, though it would make him about 8-10 years younger than his wife.

[Gali]

Hi Forfarian, yes, certainly a very young groom but as you say, not impossible. 

I have definitely drawn a blank in trying to link 'your' James Anderson with 'the' James Anderson of the DAOO biography!

But a few final interesting finds via Trove:

Friday 17 June 1853, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956)
FINE ARTS- James Anderson, Portrait Painter, in Oil, 150, Stephen-street, between Rowe's Circus, and La Trobe-street.  Specimens to be seen at his rooms
Tuesday 23 August 1853, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956)
LOCHIEL, Ship - Washington Murphy MD will find his friend James Anderson from Belfast at 150 Stephen Street

Wednesday 2 September 1857, The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864)
MYSTERIOUS MURDER AT BEECHWORTH.
Mr.MacLeod, landlord of the Southern Cross Restaurant, in Beechworth, was an habitual drunkard. For the last two months he was incessantly drunk-and a few days ago he was discovered kneeling in his bedroom dead. At the inquest, his wife was one of the witnesses, and she admitted that the night before his death, she had given him some laudanum in a glass of brandy. She could not say how much - " could not be certain to a drop or two." He had been accustomed to use laudanum when menaced by delirium tremens. Medical witnesses were of opinion that MacLeod had died of a narcotic poison. It leaked out that deceased was jealous of one of his lodgers, and that he had had a quarrel with his wife the night before his death. The jury returned a verdict that "the death of MacLeod was occasioned by drunken-ness and a narcotic poison," but the coroner refused to receive it, on the ground that it was contrary to the evidence. They then brought in a verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.

Wednesday 2 September 1857, The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864)
ALLEGED MURDER AT BEECHWORTH
Juliana Macleod, the wife of the deceased, William Dixon, and Andrew Simmons, charged with being concerned in the death of William Macleod, of the Southern Cross restaurant, High-street, were brought up at the Police Court on the 24th and 25th of August. The various witness underwent a long examination, ultimately the Bench discharged the two male prisoners, re-marking there was not the slightest evidence against them. In the case of Mrs Macleod, it was thought there was sufficient evidence to warrant sending it to a jury. the accused was therefore committed to take her trial for the capital offence, at the next Circuit Court, on ¡he 4th November. Bail has been refused upon a first application

The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Friday 9 October 1857
Mrs. MacLeod.-This woman, who was accused of poisoning her husband, at the Southern Cross restaurant in Beechworth, has been set at liberty, the Attorney-General being of opinion that the evidence would not warrant a conviction.

[Forfarian]

Fascinating!

Mrs Macleod's son William is said to have been born in England in 1850, and to have emigrated in his fifth year, shortly after which his father died. Then he had a miserable childhood with his drunken stepfather James Anderson, before becoming an apprentice at age 12, after which he was able to earn enough to provide a home for himself and his mother.

Arthur Waddell Anderson, to whom his mother Margaret Rowan Anderson left part of her estate, died in 1932, aged 71. Therefore he would have been born in 1860 or 1861.  Therefore it looks as if James Anderson and Margaret Rowan Waddell were still living as man and wife in 1859/60. There's hardly time for James to leave Margaret, get divorced, marry Mrs Macleod and give William a miserable childhood, given that William was already 10 years old when Arthur was born, and that he left home within, at most, 2 years of Arthur's birth.

Unless of course Arthur wasn't in fact the son of James Anderson. Or there were two or more James Andersons who have subsequently been merged into one.