John and Mary Smith - Central Otago

[minniehaha]

Here are some details about Samuel Champion charged and gaoled in 1881:

https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=15423655&digital=yes


[Go to Discharged Prisoners and then page 181].....


Minniehaha.

[Sairin8]

Oh, he disobeyed the maintenance order. Not too surprised, he has no probate due to having less than a pound to his name at death (a decade later, but the lack of money fits). Thanks for that link.

Though I’m wondering what a seaman was doing living in Bannockburn (and dying in Tapanui). He was a hotelier through most of the 1870’s, owning the Miner’s Arms or Miner’s Rest In Bannockburn (name changes from advert to advert), so maybe the occupation of seaman was in his earlier years

[minniehaha]

Could this be your Mary & John in 1863?........

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18631120.2.24?query=mary%20smith&phrase=2&page=5&start_date=01-01-1839&end_date=31-12-1870&snippet=true&title=LCM,LCP,LWM,ME,MIC,MTBM,NOT,OAM,ODT,OSWCC,OW,ST,TT,SOCR,WSTAR,AHCOG,BH,CL,CROMARG,DUNST,ESD


Minniehaha.

[Sairin8]

Yes, we believe so. (Of course, with those names it’s going to be hard to be 100% sure).

Must figure out if Governor Browne was Tasmania or NZ (don’t recognise him as NZ, but that doesn’t mean much).

It’s actually kinda interesting to read it again in light of the potential evidence we found on Friday... Apparently this mentions an older sibling of 13 - maybe the one left in Melbourne. (Note: I’m struggling to read the writing, so going by what my co-researcher has read). (Second note: this links to page 11, but it continues on pages 12 and 13).
https://stors.tas.gov.au/SWD26-1-6$init=SWD26-1-6p013?fbclid=IwAR2Hu3I4ib-frhTgMKqVeSC6-D6eHIDqC8N2RqOXaTG-xo6ddv8G2ikzLwE

[Sairin8]

Bother, that didn’t link properly.

Looks like Thomas Gore Browne was governor of both NZ and Tasmania (and St Helena) at various times. 1863 was when he was Tasmania’s governor, having finished up in NZ in 1861

[Sairin8]

Hmmm... looking at the dates, we’re missing two children (possibly including the 13 year old mentioned above, but including one in NZ). This one definitely fits with the John Smith who arrived in Tasmania on the Palmyra and the Mary Doyle on the Arabian.

[wivenhoe]

Image 11

January 20th 1863  Application for admission
SMITH Mary  1 Creswell Row Macquarie St

Catherine       SMITH   11y  2m 5d             baptised by Rev M  KETCHER
William           SMITH     9y  8m  12d          baptised by Rev J BUTLER
John               SMITH     6y   "    22d          baptised by Rev J BUTLER
Religion Catholic
Father: John SMITH , resident New Zealand, Religion Church of England
Arrived "Palmyra"  1846  bond    hairdresser

Mother: Mary DOYLE 3rd, resident 1 Creswell Row, Catholic
Arrived: "Arabian" 1847 bond
Free by Servitude  pardoned    1 Oct 1863
Employed:  Day work and selling fruit.

Overwritten with "Discharged  mother  26 Feb 1863"

Image 12
The father has gone to New Zealand. The mother is very poor. There are three more children with the mother. Alice  7y and 6m,  *** 4y and 3m, Mary Ann 7m. Assistance is received from The Benevolent Society.

Report
Applicants husband deserted her 15 months since. No steps has yet been taken to compel him to maintain his family. The mother has received information from good authority that he is now on the diggings New Zealand and in good circumstances.

She has lately received charitable assistance *** individuals as well as relief from The Benevolent Society.

It is the mothers intention should the application be granted to proceed to New Zealand at once - with a view to finding her husband for this purpose she has saved a small sum of money  *** in expectation of further assistance which will enable her to purchase a passage for herself and infant.

A neighbour named FLANAGAN has offered to take remaining children and keep them until she receives word from the mother as to their disposal.

In addition to the above named children she has also a lad  13 years in the service of one **** of Port Cygnet.    20 Jan 1863 




 
 Image 13
As it appears that the man is known to be in New Zealand and the woman is  ****dingly making preparations to join him the Court consider the cheapest plan for the Government here will be to give her sufficient to pay for her passage and that of her children to that colony. In the meantime the Court wish further enquiry to be made about her from The Benevolent Society and also with respect to the husbands having been now in New Zealand.     21 Jan 1863

Reference appears of the admission of the youngest child upon Colonial funds   13 July

Image 14  Catherine and William SMITH
           aged  11y  2m   5d
                      9y  8m   12d   

Religion            Roman Catholic

[Sairin8]

Oh that helps heaps! Could the missing name possibly be Walter? As that’s the name in the tree that’s missing from that list. Alice is missing from our tree, but the others fit the dates perfectly

[dinny]

Hello Posters -
NZ BDM lists the 1899 birth of Mallelta May Dickey to Catherine McMorrine Dickey and Samuel Dickey – not
Catherine and William Dickey, as suggested.   No direct connection.  (I am a direct descendant of Catherine nee Smith/ PERRY and William Dickey).   
Mallelta’s parents were married in 1898. 
There is no direct connection to Mary & John Smith, ex Tasmania to NZ.   Catherine nee Smith/ PERRY/DICKEY was the daughter of Mary Smith, one of the subjects of this topic.   Regards – Dinny.