This is probably a lost cause because my problematic relative had a very common surname - William Wilson - but here goes anyway.
William Wilson, my g-g-grandfather - was born in Arkansas in about 1828. I know nothing about his family or his life in the US and would love to trace his family.
Gold was discovered in the Mudgee are of New South Wales in July 1851 and the find began a gold rush. We know William Wilson was on the goldfields later that year and the family story is that he came from the US with a brother. Some researchers say he may have been African-American but I'm not sure about this. I do know there were some slaves who escaped and made their way to New South Wales.
So, what I'd really love is to find William Wilson's birth certificate but I think that's unlikely. If anyone can advise me about this, I'd be grateful. I'd also like to find a record of his departure from the US and/or arrival in Sydney. I've searched the shipping records but can't come up with anything concrete.
I'd also love a kind of broad-brush picture of Arkansas in 1851, if anyone is in a position to provide this. Who lived there, what they were doing, where they came from, the socio-economic picture. Does that make sense? I know a bit about US history but not in detail.
All info gratefully received.
Felicity
