William BEST of Gladstone, SA

[blamcca]

William Best married my 4th great grandmother, Martha SMITH (fmly CARTER, nee TAIT), on the 29th Nov 1880 at Gladstone, Sth Aus.
He was stated as a son of Peter Best. It also said he was a widower. He died circa 1886, according to newspaper notices with probates etc. He was a labourer.
Can anyone find his previous wife, or any of his family? Or perhaps anything else. I have gone through Trove with several different keywords and found pretty much nothing.

Blake

[deeiluka]

Hi Blake,

I'm afraid I can't see a death for William BEST in the Deaths Index for the 1880s at all.
His age at his  marriage to Martha was given as 49, meaning a birth c 1831.

The only William BEST death registration that comes anywhere near that is of a William BEST who died at age 76 in Adelaide in 1903. Ref = Ade HS 297/412
No relatives listed, so that doesn't help identify him.   

Like you, I can see the probate information on Trove newspapers.


Dee   

[blamcca]

No, I know his death can't be found anywhere.
It appears to have not been registered.
I was really after whether anyone could find any previous children or wives he had had. Or perhaps siblings.

[deeiluka]

I've just checked the marriages for South Australia, and there are none with a father William BEST who could possibly be him.   

I've also checked the English censuses and found only two Williams born around the right time with father Peter BEST. But so far there's nothing showing up to link either of them with your William.

There are only two BEST births with father William in the right time frame that could possibly be considered, but again....nothing to link them at this stage.

There's nothing useful in BISA either.   


Dee     

[cando]

William was deceased by 1907 according to his wife's death registration.

BEST Martha
15 Oct 1907  89 years  Status Widow  Relative William BEST Deceased Husband
Residence Laura  Death Place Laura   Cla 328/446

South Australian Register 16 Oct 1886

ESTATE of WILLIAM BEST, late of Gladstone. Labourer, Deceased.—
ALL CREDITORS upon this Estate are required to SEND FULL PARTICULARS of their CLAIMS,to the under-signed on or before November 29 next, after which date the Administratrix will be at liberty to distribute the Assets of the deceased, having regard only to the Claims of which the undersigned shall then have had notice.   
Dated October 15. 1886.
W. & T. POPE Eagle Chambers, Adelaide,
Solicitors to Martha Tate Best, the Administratrix.

Perhaps this is another death registration that was registered locally but did not reach the Registry in Adelaide however if he died at Gladstone he is not buried there.  Martha is buried at Gladstone.

http://www.nacouncil.sa.gov.au/page.aspx?u=155

Did he die elsewhere?  Did he go mining?

14165/1886    
BEST    William  Age 56 years Died Silverton
District Silverton

Cando

[cando]

There is a headstone in the Silverton cemetery

http://www.australiancemeteries.com/nsw/unincfarwest/silvertondata.htm
Transcriptions of headstone compiled 1978.

BEST or BURT   William 56 years   23 Mar 1886   Born Cornwall

Cando

[cando]

I suppose you found this 


The South Australian Register  4 Dec 1880

BEST— SMITH.— On the 29th of November, at Gladstone, by the Rev. Mr. Thorne, William Best, to Martha Smith ; both of Gladstone.

Cando 

[cando]

A possibility

1841 Census  HO107 /144/6/39/12
Living at Fore Street, St Ives  Cornwall
BEST Peter  40 years  Saddler  Born county
BEST Elizabeth  35 years   Born county
BEST William  10 years  Born county
BEST ?Peleom  1 year  Born county
BEYNERD Grace  21  Servant  Born county

Cando

[deeiluka]

That's the family I found, Cando.  They are all still there in 1851, parents still there in 1861. I can't find William after 1851.


Dee