Ann Walker born about 1830 died 1859

[keithj]

Greetings,
We're trying to track down the ancestry of one Ann Walker in Tasmania born about 1830, died 1859. We have no idea at this point where she came from. As far as we can tell, she was not a convict.

In about 1850 odd, she started cohabiting with one Joseph Lawless, a convict (there is no marriage and, in her inquest, she is still Ann Walker). They had 3 children Mary Ann, Thomas and Annie, all born Lawless. She died in 1859 from complications in the childbirth of Mary Ann. From Thomas, most of the Lawlesses in Tasmania are descended, while from Annie most of the Seabournes (lots of spelling variants) in Tassie and NZ are descended.

Also as far as we can tell, she was not a child of James Walker and Esther Tucker who came to Tassie in 1826 on the John Barry as a member of the Veterans Company with two children, James and John. There is a child Ann from this pairing, however she married Joseph Beamer, had 3 children and later cohabited with George Harwood (both Joseph and George were convicts) and had about 12 children according to LINC and the Colebrook church records.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Keith

[wivenhoe]

Who raised these small children after mother died?. Did father Joseph marry again?

[keithj]

Who raised these small children after mother died?. Did father Joseph marry again?

Yes he did, but not until 1876 when he married Agnes Cole a widow nee McAllister.

Joseph Lawless was pardoned in 1852. A daughter was born on 25 Dec 1854. Mother's name given was Ann Walker. No name was given on the birth but she was baptized as Sarah Ann aka Mary Ann. On 19 January 1857, a male child was born. Mother's name given was Ann Walker, baptism has him named as Thomas. A female was born on 19 April 1859, baptism stating her name as Ann. Ann Walker died the next day of complications . All three children were baptized by Edward Freeman as protestants at St Clements Church Kingston where the records are held.
In Ann's inquest, she died at Joseph Lawless's house at Castle Bay of bleeding associated with the childbirth.
From notes "What Joseph's situation was, or how he lived, or if he looked after the children is not known".

Aside from a few minor details, that's pretty much all we have.
Best, Keith