William Elliott and Mary Fitzgerald

Work in Progress: More than any other page on this website, this is a work in progress. Although the records are correct, much of this is based on assumptions. Take this with a grain of salt, and if you can contribute please do.

Mary Fitzgerald was born in about 1820, presumably in Ireland. She came to Australia on the Minerva 6, which left Dublin on August 18, 1839 and arrived in Sydney on December 26, 1839.

On May 23, 1844, she was given the governor’s permission to marry twenty-one year old William Elliott who had come to Australia as a free settler, possibly on board the Orient. I’m reasonably sure the marriage indent says he was a crew member, though it’s very hard to read.

The 1841 Census records someone called William Elliott living Bunnaby, County Argyle, District Goulburn, though this needs clarification this is him. It may make sense, though, given their marriage in the same kind of area a few years later.

They married on the Monaro on June 18, 1844 (V1844521 29/1844), in the presence of John Wilkinson (?) and Mary Cunningham (?)

They spent the early part of their marriage at Bombala, where a number of their children were born.

In 1864, they were living in the Cooma District, as that’s where their daughter, Mary Ann married.

In 1873, they were still living in the Cooma District, at Jillamatong (near Braidwood) and William worked as a labourer in 1873, as these details are revealed on the marriage certificate for their daughter, Catherine.

Mary J Elliott died at Bombala in 1892 (2995/1892) with the parents listed as Patrick F and Mary J. So far I cannot find a birth record or marriage record for her parents.

William Elliott died at Bombala in 1893 (3463/1893) with the parents listed as unknown.

Children

* Mary Ann was born 1845 (V18452341 30A/1845). She married Fergus Delany at Cooma in 1864 (1894/1864).

* John Thomas was born at Bombala on February 20, 1851 (V18511540 68/1851). He married Rebecca Cowell (born at Bombala in 1856) at Bombala in 1872. He died in 1923 (668/1923) at Ashfield.

* Sarah Ann was born at Bombala on May 12, 1853 (V18531045 70/1853). She married Joseph Tozer at Bombala on June 20, 1872. Their first child was born at Jillimatong, near Cooma. She died on June 15, 1915 (5463/1915) at Cooma.

* Patrick was born at Bombala on July 31, 1855 (V18552056 72/1855) and was baptised on September 30, 1855. He married Elizabeth Reedy at Bombala in 1881 (4775/1881). He died in 1939 (8286/1939) at Bombala, aged 84, listing his father as William, but there is no name for the mother.

* Catherine Elliott was born about 1857. Although, there is no birth listing for a Catherine Elliott, I’m reasonably confident these were her parents (see note below). She married John Dunn on May 26, 1873 in the Roman Catholic Church at Cooma. Witnesses to the marriage were her brother and sister, Patrick Elliott and Sarah Ann Towzer or Tozer (wife of Joseph Tozer). Because Catherine was under-age, permission was given by her father, William Elliott who was living at Jillimatong. Catherine died at Bombala on the evening of Tuesday, July 14, 1936 (15579/1936) and was buried the following day. Her death was reported in the “Bombala Times” of Friday, July 17, 1936.

Notes
* Although I cannot find a birth listing for a Catherine Elliott for about the year 1857, Catherine’s death notice refers to her brother Patrick Elliott (also a witness to her marriage), as being the only remaining living sibling. He died a couple of years later at Bombala in 1939 (8286/1939), aged 84. Although the family lists Patrick’s father’s name as William, like Catherine, there is no listing for the mother’s name. Upon searching for the birth of Patrick Elliott in about 1855 with the father’s name William, I can only find one reference (V18552056 72/1855), Thus, it’s very likely Catherine (and Patrick) were the children of William Elliott and Mary J Fitzgerald. Further evidence for this comes when you cross-reference the deaths of Patrick Elliott’s siblings. The deaths for Sarah A Tozer (1915), John T Elliott (1923) list the parents as William and Mary J. Thus, I am reasonably confident that Catherine’s parents were William Elliott and Mary J Fitzgerald.

Sharing Around: Please feel free to copy any of the information on this page which may help you in your own research. My feeling is that family research is hard enough, without the need to constantly re-invent the wheel. It would be great, however, if you’d leave a comment below just to say “hi”.