John Charles Gordon b. abt 1838

[Ken Gordon]

My GG Grandfather John Charles Gordon born in 1838 according to his death certificate. He is a mystery as I believe he arrived in Australia in 1860 and was married at Berrima, NSW, in 1864 to Susannah Mary Lacey but used the surname Clarke . His death certificate states he was born in Ireland. the only John Gordon I can find who arrived in Australia in 1860 came on the "transatlantic" as a crewman he ended up in Darlinghurst gaol for three months in that year, it says his birthplace was germany. He then turns up in Goulburn NSW gold prospecting and as the children came along slowly changed the surname back to Gordon the first two are Gordon Clarke then my Great grandfather was Alexander 'Gordon' as were the remaining children and he died in 1872 at Gundary via Goulburn nsw as John Charles Gordon. his father is given as the same name but no mother. I have done DNA testing and am sure we are Gordons as I have been matched now with six others across the world.  But can't pinpoint his origins or why he used the name Clarke.  Most of the matches go back to a common ancestor David Gordon of Ireland but we can't find where JC fits in, now the others all appears to originate from the Sutherland Gordons and I'm guess so do we but I can't get to the next square. Anyone any clues or advice that might break down my wall? I can't believe he was an only child.

[giblet]

Im a bit confused so bear with me.

If he married  Susannah Mary Lacey under the name Clark do you have any evidence he is infact your John Charles Gordon?

Do you have the marriage cert. for the above marriage?

Found this .. you may have to scroll down the link a little.

The Goulburn Herald and Chronicle (NSW : 1864 - 1881)
Saturday 6 April 1872

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/101095470?searchTerm=%22John%20Charles%20Gordon%22&searchLimits=exactPhrase=John+Charles+Gordon

[garstonite]

Hiya Ken and welcome to Rootschat..
So if that paper article is correct - aged 35 in 1872 ....John was born 1837 ...which matches the only John Gordon - father John Gordon - I could find to match around those years in Ireland

www.familysearch.org
john gordon
birth /baptism
ireland
1836 - 1838
parent    john gordon
ONE result
John Gordon baptised 5th august 1837 at Downpatrick ,Ireland - father John Gordon / mother Harriet.......

so I would say this is definitely a POSSIBLE ....did John Charles Gordon have a daughter named Harriet by any chance ??...( named after his mother ?)...if so - I would say that is a strong contender as Johns baptism ....
ADDED....sadly ...you stated" I can`t believe he was an only child "....
Gordon
ireland
baptism
1825 -1845
parents
John - Harriet
ONLY that JOHN 1837 shows ...so if it is him ,it looks like he WAS an only child !!! bad news

[giblet]

Is the below your great grandfather's birth index?

10908/1869    CLARKE    ALEXANDER G    JOHN C G    SUSAN    GOULBURN 

[Ken Gordon]

Many thanks to Giblet and Garstonite, Thank you for the trove article  I was aware of that but did not have a copy. John Charles did end his life tragically and young leaving four young children John Charles Gordon Clarke, Mary Martha Gordon Clarke, Alexander Gordon my great grand father you got the right one, an unknown male child who probably died young and William Henry Gordon. Sadly no Harriet. Susan aka Susannah and Mary was Susannah Mary Lacey when she married John Charles Gordon Clarke at Berrima and I do have the certificate. And the death certificate.  Susannah remarried a fellow named Power and they all moved to Kelso near Bathurst and she had another seven children but I have not been able to find any of them or descendants. I have always been confused as the boys were all Protestants and the girls brought up as Catholic so I did not know where to look and I had no idea where in Ireland they came from so I guess I can now concentrate my search in that location. It's strange as my family have always been adamant that we were from Aberdeen Scotland. The DNA indicates we are Seton Gordons so that may mean we may be from the Sutherland line as most of the Irish Gordons were from that lot. The other DNA matches also come from Ireland too so that makes sense my only disappointment is that he was an only child.    Thank you both for your help  this may get me over the wall. Regards Ken

[rosball]

There was also a John Gordon who deserted from the Golconda in 1859 and received 6 weeks hard labour http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13020335

From the crew's list http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1858/10/046gol.htm it says he was 24 (hmm probably too old?) and from Whitehorn.   Sorry not looking promising 

Did you check the crewlist for the Transatlantic?   
http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1860/05/023tra.htm
Yes it does look more likely as he was 22 and from Great Britain

cheers,
   Ros

adding : I did notice that there were a couple of marriages for John Gordon's in 1860,61 in Sydney and was wondering if that was why he changed his name when he married in Berrima so was looking for desertions of John Gordon's (wife desertions).