Can anyone help me with Mary's origins? I am helping HARVEY in-laws with their family history. This is what I what I have found so far:
Most likely, Mary Parker, née Pugsley was born in Combe Martin, North Devon to Harriet Pugsley, in 2nd qtr 1855 or 3rd qtr 1856. Her birth may have been out-of-wedlock and her father was not named.
In 1861, Harriet married John Perrin in West Buckland, the latter becoming Mary’s stepfather. Mary resided with them at least until 1871 and possibly until her marriage to George Thorne Parker in Feb 1876. Both Mary (5 yrs) and George (9 yrs) resided in Tudeley Village, W. Buckland in 1861, so they may have known each other as children.
In 1871, Mary Pugsley was residing with John and Harriet Perrin in the South Molton sub-reg’n dist., at age 14, with relationship “daughter” (of Harriet). George T. Parker at 20 yrs was in the same district.
Mary & George had two children in Devon, Frederick in 1876 and William in 1878, then George went to South Australia in or after 1878 (on a transport ship, tending a stallion for Moorara Station, Riverina Dist., NSW; vessel unknown), with Mary and the two boys following, in Apr-May 1880 on ss “Cotopaxi”, arriving The Semaphore, South Australia.
Harriet Pugsley may have been born in West Buckland 1824-1825, with baptism 27 Jan 1825, reg'n Barnstaple Wesleyan Circuit; parents were Humphrey (cir 1794 or 1801-1880) and Grace Pugsley, née Gould, who married 26 Jan 1820 in West Buckland. Humphrey was born in Combe Martin parish, lived there in 1841 and was buried there.
