Catherine Doyle Fanning born Bulla Victoria c1865 Info Sought

[louisa b]

how about this one - as per Jennaya
Vic bdm
1864 #22650

HALTON Catherine
father - George
mother - Johanna DOYLE

possibly born Kyneton

[sparrett]

how about this one - as per Jennaya
Vic bdm
1864 #22650

HALTON Catherine
father - George
mother - Johanna DOYLE

possibly born Kyneton

George, a farmer, and Johanna HALTON arrived in Melbourne as a married couple in their early 20's on the ship William Eyre in 1857.

Sue
ADDING
She died

1865 /9041
HALTON  Johanna
Father's name DOYLE Martin
Mother's name,- 
Place of birth TIPP
Age 34

 

[louisa b]

something isn't quite adding up here
the 1862 newspaper article refers to Mrs. Doyle, Johanna Doyle, a married woman, whose husband had gone to Ireland 3 years before

this can't be Johanna HALTON nee DOYLE - she was having children with her husband George in
1860 - James; 1861 - Mary; 1863 - John; 1864 - Catherine; 1865 - Margaret

[sparrett]

Yes,
That is, as you say, not the woman.
Sue

[shume]

If Catherine Doyle was made  a ward of state she may be listed, perhaps with her siblings, at Public Records Office of Victoria at Index to Wards Register at North Melbourne. Unfortunately not online but you may find some one who is going there for research.
I'm always cautious, after more than 30 yrs researching, of "family stories". As previously noted, you should always go back from what you know i.e. yourself, parents etc. Catherine herself may have believed her name was Fanning but there is no evidence as yet to support this.
shume    australia

[sparrett]

If your ancestor was William FANNING and one of his children, from within his legitimate marriage, was your direct forebear, then you have only a tenuous and possibly merely speculative connection to her.

Like shume, I would query uncertified family stories.  As it stands, there is no evidence of her birth, marriage or death in Victoria.

Is there a reason for your wish to locate her?

Sue

[Jennaya]

I would say that as she was connected with the family, even if not biologically, it could be worth finding out about her. Newspaper reports show that she did exist. If she was connected like that to my family I would be fascinated.

Regards
Jennaya

[KMF]

Thanks for all your input and suggestions.

Just to answer a few of your questions.

William Fanning in the newspaper article is most definitely my grgrgrandfather. Also the article was taken almost word for word from the inquest files, which are now online at PROV. I found the article fascinating. I love a mystery.

I am posting here to put it out and maybe a descendant of Catherine Doyle Fanning will see it. I have done lots of research on my Fanning Irish ancestry that I think would interest them and that I would be happy to share with them. I've visited the Fanning farm near Thurles in Co Tipperary and also the Fanning graves in Ballycahill Cemetery and met with a number of cousins there in Tipperary. If William was the father then I will share some dna with descendants of Catherine Doyle Fanning. Perhaps proof will come via a dna match.
 
I have also found that while family stories can't be taken as fact, they almost always contain some elements that are true and are worth following up.

I do find it strange that I can't find any records for Johanna or Catherine. I have just looked on Vic BDM and will look on Ancestry at my library. I was excited when I saw the Halton record until I realised that Doyle was Johanna's married name. Rats.

Even before I was contacted by Catherine Doyle Fanning's grgrandaughter I thought that it looked like William was the father. Why would he assume there were human remains in the sack? Wouldn't you look before contacting the police? No easy matter in those days? He had dismissed her about the time the baby most likely died. He had employed her for two and a half years and suddenly decides a man can do the job better. The most telling thing for me was this admonition by the coroner to William Fanning and his wife Catherine:"neither these last two witnesses gave evidence in a willing manner and the coroner was obliged to warn the woman that he had the power to commit to goal any person who withheld evidence or who gave evidence in an equivocating manner".
And then why would Johanna Doyle tell her daughter that her former employer William Fanning was her father? I guess she could have just lied to her daughter and gave her any old name.

It is a mystery to be sure.

Kathleen Fanning