The Douglas Walters Family (England & Australia) - COMPLETED, Thank you!

[QueenoftheWest]

Hello everyone,

I am still working through my DNA and I am concentrating on a group of Australians. I have posted once before about this group but now I think I might have some more promising.

So... I am related to 6 Australians who are all related to each other and also to my second cousin (with whom I share 301cM). The shared cMs with these Australians range from 67cM to 27cM.

At least 3 of the Australians (the A group) are descended from one couple. 1 of the Australians whom I will call Mr X (my strongest match at 67cM) is not as closely related to any of the others.

However, there is 1 shared surname: WALTERS

The A group are descended from James Douglas WALTERS of Tasmania.

Mr X is the great-great-grandson of John Henry Walters of Tasmania. Mr X had John's father down as David James Walters. However, I looked at another tree and someone had written this comment:

'John Henry's death reg shows his parents as Daniel Douglas WALTERS and Sarah Ann'

I'm hoping this isn't a coincidence and that we are all related through the Douglas Walters family.

However, I can't find anything about a James Douglas Walters, other than what took place in Tasmania. Nor can I find anything about Daniel.

The facts:

(1) 11th July 1896 - James Douglas Walters, born England, died 83 years old, bank messenger (from Australia, Tasmania, Civil Registration, 1803-1933)

This means he was born around 1813. He was transported in 1831 but it looks like he was pardoned as he is listed in 'New South Wales, Australia, Convict Registers of Conditional and Absolute Pardons, 1788-1870.' Unfortunately, I cannot view these records as I only have a UK and Ireland subscription.

He married Anna WALKER on 22nd October 1840 in Tasmania.

(2) John Henry Walters m. Sarah Louisa Cursey

Mr X's tree states that he was born to David James Walters and Mary Ann Nunn in 1848 in Westbury, Tasmania and died in 1935 in Victoria, Australia.

However, I am interested in the comment that states this is wrong and he was actually the son of Daniel Douglas Walters.

(3) Daniel Douglas Walters - ?

If anyone could help shed some light on whether John Henry is actually the son of David or Daniel and whether Daniel and James are connected (brothers?), I would be really grateful as I cannot access the Australian records and I can't find them in England. I have looked but cannot find any Douglas Walters births 

Queenie 

[mckha489]

Well the death registration is here.  Purchasable for $25 and downloadable.

https://my.rio.bdm.vic.gov.au/efamily-history/60aff3204feabe1bebae21c7/results?q=efamily

And it does give his father as Daniel Douglas Walters

Of course it is reliant on the informant knowing the correct information,


The 1848 birth is here. Mary Ann’s name is transcribed HUME

https://librariestas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/all/search/results?qu=John&qu=Henry&qu=Walters

[mckha489]

Cannot help but wonder if the 1849 death (accessible via the link above) is the 1848 birth

[mckha489]

2) John Henry Walters m. Sarah Louisa Cursey

Where does the Henry come in?

He was just John Both on the marriage and on the birth of William John Henry WALTERS , and on the birth of Amy Louisa WALTERS

But a witness at the marriage was Frederick George Walters.



Added. Ah, I see,  he is not John Henry until the 1885 birth registration. Prior to that i only see him as John.

[Neale1961]

I am not sure if you want information about James Walters (convict). From the information you give  above, I assumed he was the 14 year old lad who arrived on convict ship Lady Harewood in 1831.
He was a gardeners labourer from Worcestershire, sentenced for life for stealing shoes. Trial was at Worcester city assizes 1 Aug 1829. I think he had a previous conviction for something.
He received a conditional pardon in January 1847 - here his birth year is recorded as 1816.

[QueenoftheWest]

https://my.rio.bdm.vic.gov.au/efamily-history/60aff3204feabe1bebae21c7/results?q=efamily

And it does give his father as Daniel Douglas Walters

Of course it is reliant on the informant knowing the correct information,

Thank you. Unfortunately, the site isn't working for me but I will try again later.

Where does the Henry come in?

He was just John Both on the marriage and on the birth of William John Henry WALTERS , and on the birth of Amy Louisa WALTERS

But a witness at the marriage was Frederick George Walters.

Everything I have is from Ancestry family trees as I can't access Australian records. Obviously, they are famous for being unreliable but it's all I have to work on.

Now I have looked at a few trees, I notice that many list John Henry Walters as the son of James Douglas Walters  and Frederick George as another of his sons. How did they put them together? The death certificate said Daniel...

If this is true then I know that I am related to these Australians through either James Douglas Walters or his wife Anna Walker - 2 incredibly common names!

Queenie 

[QueenoftheWest]

I am not sure if you want information about James Walters (convict). From the information you give  above, I assumed he was the 14 year old lad who arrived on convict ship Lady Harewood in 1831.
He was a gardeners labourer from Worcestershire, sentenced for life for stealing shoes. Trial was at Worcester city assizes 1 Aug 1829. I think he had a previous conviction for something.
He received a conditional pardon in January 1847 - here his birth year is recorded as 1816.

Thank you. Now I look at it, I am not sure whether this is the same James. It is almost impossible to tell but Worcestershire is nowhere near any of my ancestors.

I was hoping that I would find a Walters marrying a Douglas which would explain his name but I can't.

Someone has posted the marriage announcement:-

'Yesterday, by special license, by the Rev., Mr James Walters, of this town, to Anne, third daughter of Mr John Walker of Kensington, Middlesex'

I was so hopeful when I found a common ancestor couple but I don't know whether I will be able to trace their parents with such common names.

Queenie 

[maddys52]

Many Australian records are free to search on-line, see the resources list on the Austrlalian Board.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/australia-resources-offers/
Not sure how the Ancestry records work, but I'm pretty sure they simply transcribe the records available from the various States and Federal agencies.

Tasmanian records often show the whole record (not just the index), and here you can see James Douglas WALTERS in the 1848 census. Whilst it doesn't have names apart from the householder, it is a pretty good inference that James is the married male (on page 2) and shows that he arrived "free"
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01qn3/

So not the transported convict.

[maddys52]

Trove is another excellent source of Australian information
https://trove.nla.gov.au/

Here is the marriage notice you mentioned in your post
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2957860

There are a few other interesting items about James, including this obit
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article153506265