John Simpson 1857

[DavidG02]

Hi all

I have tried without success to find a birth for John ( my GG-Grandfather). It was said he was born in Aberdeen in 1857 to Henry and ??unknown.

Johns story ( if true) is interesting and I have been able to piece a lot of it through newspaper records and can at least say 1857 is close to an accurate birthdate as I can get. He is in country Victoria as early as 1872 when he is ploughing in a boys comp and by 1875 he is in the adult class so assume 18 in 1875. http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/77176939?

 The family tale is that John and his parents Henry and ?? left ??Aberdeen for Australia and both Henry and his wife died on board. The ship put John off at ??Portland Victoria and he was taken in by a family and trained to be a cabinetmaker. (Victorian shipping records are vague and cost to search further)

John married in 1881 and gave his age as 24 and his fathers name as Henry. His first and only son was William John ( which seems to be at odds with naming patterns) there was then a 9 year gap and 3 girls were born to John and Maria - in order - Olive Louise , Myrtle Martha and Evelyn Catherine . Names which have no attachment to Maria or her family.

I have seen a story on a site suggesting Henry absconded in Melbourne Victoria and his wife was Jane Hogg but I haven't been able to confirm it.

I give all this information in the hope a name may pop up that confirms a naming choice. I have not tried ScotlandsPeople as I am not flush with funds and I don't want to waste money on an interface I am not comfortable with. I have tried other sites but I cant match a Henry and a John to any 1861 census that I have seen.

Thank you for taking the time to read this 

Added: John died in 1923 in Mt Gambier South Australia

[bleckie]

Hi  DavidG02


Have a look at this from familysearch may be something then again it could be a red herring.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XBQC-7M1

Yours Aye
BruceL

[DavidG02]

Thank you Bruce.

I had seen that one and dismissed because the fathers name wasn't Henry. Maybe I need to expand my parameters and look for no-Henrys 

[DavidG02]

Just found some info where it seems I need to do what my ancestors did and get this whole thread emigrated to the Australian Board. I have notified mods



Ok, I asked a very knowledgeable person on here to point me in the right direction in regards to DCs as I had seen a snippet suggesting SA DCs might have had all the relevant info. And they did- kinda.

1907-1927 SA DCs have place of birth so I finally scrounged a few dollars away from somebodies present ( sorry Uncle Jim) and purchased an indexed transcription $22 v $47 Scrooge is going cheap.

I was looking to expand my field away from Aberdeen and Scotland and maybe into 2 possibilities in the VIC Goldfields. Lo and Behold the transcription arrived Dec 23. ( a big thank you to SAGHS )

I will post the relevant snippet of the transcription and ask a  question.

Birthplace and length of residence in Australia
Mount Gambier  South Australia Lifetime

That threw me for a loop as I hadn't expected that. SA BDMs of the time don't show any John to Henry in or around 1857. 1856/1857 is locked in by dint of an 1881 marriage in which he states he is 24

My main question is - is the information on the DC only as good as the informant?

[Toban]

David,

Indeed, the death certificate's information is only as good as the informant. It can often be a long way off. Who was the informant on John's death? Was it someone who is likely to have a good idea of his life, like his wife or children? Or someone else, like the registrar at a hospital or the funeral director?

I'm assuming John was married in South Australia, otherwise you'd have his mother's name from his marriage certificate.

T

[sparrett]

David was the marriage for John SIMPSON in Victoria?
There are more than one in the name

What was the full name of the person you believe he married?

Sue

Adding-- Apologies Toban. I am asking the same question.

[DavidG02]

Toban

Thank you . His wife predeceased him .The informant may well have been his son as it states 1 son 3 daughters NIL predeceased , which matches the records I have

Toban and sparrett , he married Maria Clayfield at the residence of John Clayfield Mt Gambier.

[cando]

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77044528
Ploughing in the boys' class 1871.

I would have recommended Graham Jaunay for a transcription $20 and you could have splurged another $2 on Uncle Jim's present .  Graham is an experienced historian whereas your other source uses volunteers.  I doubt you would have waited until Feb 6 for a transcription.
http://www.jaunay.com/transcription.html

Cando

[Toban]

Is the informant not named on the certificate? This is normal practice for Victoria and New South Wales, at least.