Looking for Mary Ann Southee emigrated to New Zealand 1841

[Kaybron]

I am trying to find out information about a Mary Ann Southee born in Birchington, Kent in 1835. Her parents are John Southee and Sophia Sharpe.

John Southee married Ann Brooks in 1821 and they had 3 children:  Mary, John Morgan and James.  James and Mary were baptized in the Ebenezer Chapel (Independent), Birchington, Kent.  The dates are a bit difficult to read as the copy is very light.  Ann died in 1827.

John Southee then married Sophia Sharpe.  They had a number of children born and baptized in the Ebenezer Chapel.  Children baptized in the Chapel were William (1830), Alfred (1832), George (1833), Mary Ann (1835) and Henry Thomas (1837). 

John and Sophia emigrated from England to New Zealand on the "Lady Nugent" with 6 children.  The ship left Gravesend in 1840 and arrived in Wellington in 1841.  Sophia did give birth to a daughter, Elizabeth, on the ship.  Two of the children from John's previous marriage, John Morgan and James, remained in England and can be found in the 1841 Census living with Grandparents Michael and Mary Brooks in Elmstone.  From articles in New Zealand Past Papers I believe that Mary born 1824/25, went with her father and step-mother.

There are a number of articles on Past Papers from interviews with Mary Ann Short, formerly Mary Ann Southee.  She states that she came to New Zealand in 1841 and she was aged about 16 or 17.  In another article she gives her birth day as 17 December 1824 and that she came with 2 brothers and 3 sisters.  This could be 2 sisters and 3 brothers. In interviews Mary Ann also mentions her brother Henry Thomas Wilkinson Southee who is several years younger that her.  Mary Ann Short/Southee died in 1925 aged 100 years and 6 months.  One child of Joseph and Sophia died in 1841 which possibly could have been on the ship when travelling to NZ.

The child I am trying to find out about is Mary Ann who was baptized in 1835 in the Ebenezer Chapel, parents John and Sophia Southee.  There are a number of trees on Ancestry that have the Mary born in 1825 as dying in 1825 and the Mary Ann baptized in 1835 as being Mary Ann Short, the one who died in 1925 aged 100 years. 

Regards Kaybron

[spades]

Hi Kaybron,

It seems that you already have quite a lot of information about Mary Ann SOUTHEE.

To save us hunting for already known facts, could you please tell us what you already know about her?

Then we can help you fill in the gaps in your knowledge.

Regarding the Mary born/baptized in 1825, I suggest that you search on Ancestry for a death or burial record for her and failing that contact the Kent Archives to see if they might have some information.

Regards,

Spades

[spades]

The SOUTHEE family including Mary Ann appear in the Wellington Pioneer Roll (aka the Scholefield Index) held by Wellington Public Library. The Wellington Provincial Pioneer Roll was compiled for the 1940 New Zealand Centennial Celebrations and lists individuals who arrived in the Wellington Province up to 1855 and those born in the Province up to 1865.

I have no idea of this index's current availability after the closing of the library building as an earthquake risk, but I suggest you contact the library or Wellington City Council by email and make enquiries.

If you are a member of the NZ Society of Genealogists they hold some BDM certificates for a Mary Ann SOUTHEE, quite possibly for other individuals of that name.

Spades

[spades]

The ship Lady Nugent:

https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WarEarl-t1-body-d8-d8.html

https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Bre02Whit-t1-body-d1-d1-d20.html

https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22361289

This webpage gives a more expanded passenger list than the first URL above and lists six SOUTHEE children as well as the parents.

https://www.geni.com/projects/New-Zealand-Settler-Ships-Lady-Nugent-1841/14288

[Kaybron]

Thank you Spades for replying.  I have provided most of the information that I know of the Mary Ann Southee/Short who ways that she was born in 1824 and emigrated to New Zealand on the "Lady Nugent".  The only info I have left out is that she was married a Richard Clifton in 1854.

John and Sophia Southee did have children in New Zealand, Eliza, Joseph and Caroline.  I do have the info I need on them.  It is only the Mary Ann baptized 1835 in Birchington, Kent that I would like to explore further.

I have not been able to find anything on Mary Ann born 1835 apart from the baptism record on the Ebenezer Chapel records.  I have looked on Family Search but cannot find a death/burial for Mary Ann.  Mary Ann Southee/Short said that when she came to NZ it was with 3 sisters and 2 brothers.  I did think this was 2 sisters (half-sister Mary Ann and Elizabeth who was born on the "Lady Nugent".  Her 3 half brothers would be William, George, Henry Thomas and possibly Alfred who died on the ship.  It is possible that Mary Ann died on the ship.

I don't know if accurate records were kept on those that died on the "Lady Nugent" and if there are where they could be found.

There are extensive trees on Ancestry for John and Sophia Southee on Ancestry, but there is some confusion with there being children of John Southee being name Mary/Mary Ann, one with Ann Brooks (1824) and the second with Sophia Sharpe (1835). 

I will chase up the Wellington Pioneer Roll and see what I can find there.

Regards Kaybron

[jonw65]

Baptism, 2 July 1825, Ebenezer Chapel, Birchington
Mary
Daughter of John + Ann Southee
Abode Birchington
Father Miller
https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5d4a8822f493fd0f97d5fa7d

Burial, 4 Sep 1825, Birchington All Saints
Mary Southee
Age 3 months
https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5b937799f493fd8415a24a08

[Kaybron]

Thank you spades for the links.  I will have a look through these.

My interest in the Southee family is that one of my 4th Great Grandfather's children (Eliza Whibley), married a William Sunnex and the family emigrated to NZ.  One of Eliza and William's children married  George Southee, a brother of Mary Ann Southee/Short. 

After completing a DNA test a couple of years ago I had lots of matches with people in New Zealand and I could not work out how.  I am finally working things out and adding to my tree.

Regards Kaybron

[spades]

Hi Kaybron,

Thanks for clarifying things.

Regarding a possible SOUTHEE death on the voyage, the first link I gave above also lists a number of passenger deaths but no SOUTHEE's are among them.
https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WarEarl-t1-body-d8-d8.html

Spades

[spades]

And in case you don't have this, an article appeared in a Hobart TAS AUS newspaper in March 1841 describing the Lady Nugent's apparent disorganization en route to New Zealand.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8751492

Spades