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Australian Pioneer Families

Families featured
James Stewart Mercer, Christopher Frederick Metelmann,
Louis Meyer, Jonathan Mitchell, Maurice Joseph Morton, Patrick Mullavey,

Mercer

The Regulator came Jan 1862 with the Mercer family, Mrs Peter Mercer 32, Robert Mercer 13, Elizabeth Mercer 11, James Mercer 10, Maggie Mercer 8, Peter Mercer 4, Kate Mercer 2

Peter Mercer Birth: 16 DEC 1821 Christening: 30 DEC 1821 son of Margaret Alexander and James Mercer at Perth, Perth, Scotland
Peter Mercer wed 23 Nov 1847 to Marion Mcmillan at Colvend, Kirkcudbright, Scotland
Peter Mercer and Marion Mcmillan came to Victoria c1862 and the family lived in Melbourne.

8 Children

1. Robert Mercer 13
2. Elizabeth Mercer 11
3. James Mercer 10
4. Maggie Mercer 8
5. Peter Mercer 4
6. Kate Mercer 2
7. John Sylvester Mercer 1863 #3263 - 1863 #2590 lived 2 months
8. Theodore Mercer 1871 #10788 - 1871 #9039 lived 33 weeks

2. Elizabeth Locke Mercer c1850 from Kirkcudbright wed 1875 #823 to Matthew Henry Davies of Geelong, and lived at Toorak

6 Children

1. Arnold Mercer Davies 1876 #4337
2. Marion Agnes Davies 1877 #17025
3. Henry Gascoigne Davies 1879 #19884
4. Beatrice Elizth Davies 1880 #25631
5. Muriel Kate Davies 1882 #19762
6. Olive Blanche Davies 1884 #28337

writes Mon, 13 Dec 2004 - Arthur Mercer was my grandfather.

3. James Stewart Mercer from Stirlingshire 1851 - 1922 #13530 aged 71 son of Marion Mcmillan wed c1843 at Kirkcudbright, Scotland to Peter Mercer, died at Korumburra, wed 1880 #855 to Caroline Louisa Hearle from Dover 1854 - 1950 #13717 aged 96, died at St Kilda

4 Children

1. Charles Hearle Mercer 1883 #12556
2. Harold Stewart Mercer born in 1885 #6084
3. Helen Marion Mercer 1888 #4444
4. Arthur Mcmillan Mercer 1891 #24922 - 1966 #23850 aged 75

Metelmann

A contact for this family is . He comments "My information concerning the family Christoph and Catherine Metelmann differs on some points with yours"

Christoph Friedrich Joachim Metelmann 10 Aug 1828 - 31 Aug 1900, son of Friederica Louisa Sophia Liermann and Joachim Christoph Metelmann of Wismar Mookburg, Schwern, Germany. Born 9 Aug 1828, in Wismar, Grandduchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Baptised 10 Aug 1828, in Wismar St. Nicolai. Died 31 Aug 1900, Arnold's Bridge, Victoria, Australia. Burial 2 Sep 1900, Tarnagulla Cemetery.
C Metelman aged 29 came Dec 1857 on the Hermann, and wed 28 Feb 1862 to Catherine Hopkins 11 June 1830 - 2 Sept 1903, daughter of Unknown Hopkins and Fiona Morrison and widow of Thomas Hopkins 1828 - 2 June 1860, with three sons

Christopher and Catherine's children

4 children

1. James Christian Metelmann 1865 - 21 Feb 1925
2. David Frederick Metelmann 1867 - 17 July 1944
3. Catherine Sophia Metelmann 1870 - 10 Sept 1878
4. Robert Metelmann Jan - 20 Mar 1873 aged 2 months

1. James Christian Metelmann 1865 - 21 Feb 1925, 1st child of Catherine Hopkins and Christopher Frederick Metelmann, wed 23 Feb 1887 to Mary Ann Graham 27 Mar 1863 - 30 Nov 1937, 5th child of Helen Dalgleish and William Graham,

8 Children

1. Janet Metelmann 1891 - 21 Jan 1892
2. Ellen/Elsie Catherine Metelmann 1893 - 26 Apr 1973 married Henry James Brownbill 1890 - 21 Sept 1960
3. Ada Metelmann 1893 - 3 Sept 1893
4. James Christopher Metelmann 1894 - 26 Sept 1917
5. William Metelmann 1898 - 26 Jul 1954
6. Leopald Frederick Metelmann 1900 - 7 Aug 1970
7. Annie Metelmann 1902 - 2 Sept 1952 married Askam Edward Jennings Aug 1888 - 2 Sep 1952
8. Olive Jean Metelmann 1903 - 16 Sept 1984

A news snippet - On 9 August 1911 the new Laanecoorie Bridge over the Lodden River was opened by Miss A Metelman, daughter of the Bet Bet Shire President.

2. Frederick David Metelmann 1867 - 17 July 1944, wed c1891 to Cecily Maria Younghusband 1865 - 8 July 1936, 4th child of Bridget O'Brien and Thomas Younghusband

6 Children

1. Elsie Catherine Metelmann 1892 - 27 Oct 1959
2. Mary Metelmann 1893 - 1983
3. Frederick Metelmann 1895 married Minnie Appleby
4. Twin Thomas Alexander Metelmann 1897
5. Twin Charles Alexander Metelmann 1897
6. Janet Ivy Metelmann 1899 married Samuel Bailie

Meyer

Louis Meyer wed 1857 #1585 to Olivia Adelaide Remy (Renney, Reheine) and lived at Majorca then Donald

7 Children

1. Eliza Jane Meyer 1858 - 1937 #18810 aged 79
2. Mary Meyer 1860 #9567
3. Caroline Clementina Louisa Meyer died 1864 #1284 aged 9 months
4. Mary Ann Meyer 1865 #3234
5. Louis Meyer 1867 #9092 lived 19 days
6. Louisa Meyer 1871 #10081 lived 3 years
7. Evelyn Constance Lilian Meyer 1877 #2050

Eliza Jane Meyer 1858 - 1937 #18810 aged 79, wed 1879 #249 to Richard Pettit 1856 - 1911 #10984 aged 55 and lived at St Arnaud, 10 Children

Mitchell

Note two families surnames Mitchell travelled Feb 1855 on the Glennanna, listed on separate pages
Page 006, Eliza, William both adults, child Ann and infant Martha
Page 8, Ann, John and Sophia all adults

Sophia and Jonathan Mitchell had 19 children born to them over 23 years, but only 3 reached adulthood. Their 19th, born when Sophia was 46, is the father of 12, with 11 known marriages.
Jonathan is the nephew of Robert Cowley who wed 1855 #51 to Elizabeth Shannon Boyd and had no children. Robert was Best Man for Samman Lummis, and Elizabeth took over care of his 9 children when 31 year old Julia died just after the birth of their 9th child.
Jonathan Mitchell 1820 - 29 Mar 1880 aged 54, son of Thomas Mitchell and Martha Cowley, who wed 1847 to Sophia Sessions 1825 - 8 June 1899, daughter of Jonathan and Anne Blizzard. Names of John's parents from his death certificate.
Jonathan and Sophia's first two children, Annie and Emily Sophia, were born in England.
The family travelled to Australia 1855 on the Glenmanna and lived at Collingwood till 1858 when they decided to go to the goldfields. Emma died, and they decided to move to the Hard Hills area, near Tarnagulla.
Wrongly accused On arriving in the Hard Hills area, Jonathan discovered a man hanging from a tree, and was accused of murder. Only after a lengthy court case was he cleared, but the tree was popular, and the track beside it is still called Hangman's Lane.

Their children are
1. Annie Mitchell 1848 - 10 May 1912 born in UK, wed in Vic to Philip Pippin then to John McDonald
2. Emily Sophia Mitchell died 1853
3. John George Mitchell died 1855
4. George Thomas Mitchell died 1857
5. Emma Sarah Mitchell 1858-9
6. Henry George Mitchell died 19 Feb 1862
7. Emily Mitchell 20 Mar 1864 - 20 Nov 1955 wed Thomas McDonald
8. Justina Mitchell 17 Mar 1868 - 3 Oct 1871
9. Joseph Robert Mitchell 15 Apr 1871 - 20 Nov 1951

Altogether, 19 children were born over 23 years, 9 are recorded and Annie (the first born, Sophia was aged 23), Emily (born when Sophia was aged 39) and Joseph (born when his mother was aged 48) survived and wed.

Joseph Robert Mitchell 15 Apr 1871 - 20 Nov 1951 wed c1894 to Mary Ann Britten, born 1869,

12 Children

1. Hope Mitchell 5 Feb 1895 - 17 Nov 1987, wed James Arnold 11 June 1882 - 11 Sept 1959
2. John Mitchell June 1896 wed Margaret Hopper
3. Allan Mitchell June 1896 wed Olive Cummins
4. Frances Mitchell 18 Mar 1898 wed Rupert Chamberlain 26 June 1896
5. Norman Britten Mitchell 20 Sept 1899 - 10 July 1978 wed Mary Ellen Riordan 1875 - 13 Apr 1911
6. Stanley Mitchell 1900 wed Florence Chamberlain, children are Joseph, Elizabeth and Wendy
7. Josephine Mitchell 2 Apr 1902
8. Ralph Mitchell 1903 - 3 Feb 1985 wed Clara Radnell
9. Annie Mitchell 1905 wed Norman Cameron then Cecil Harker
10. Mary Mitchell 1907 - 20 Jan 1973 wed David Steel
11. Sophia Mitchell 1909 wed Jack Symes
12. Ruth Mitchell 1913 wed Bill Ellis

This letter came Tue, 11 Mar 2003 from , who provided the Cowley details.

Reading up a little more on Robert Cowley (brother of Martha Cowley who married Thomas Mitchell) I have found that Jonathon Mitchell (your website) was christened John and was son of Thomas Mitchell whose father was William Mitchell of fairford who married Anne (surmname unknown).

Anyway, William Mitchell had other children, one of which was named John Mitchell, and in the book Gloucester Machine Breakers it advises that he John Mitchell (who was the brother of Thomas) was arrested, tried, convicted and transported on the Eliza to VDL (Tasmania) for machine breaking with Robert Cowley (his brother in law). Thus it appears John (Jonathon) Mitchell who subsequently came to Aus, had two convict uncles there Robert (his mums brother) and John (his Dad's brother)

Nothing major in this but it brings home the fact that the lives of two families Mitchells and Cowleys must have been changed when two brothers in law via Martha were transported.

It is also interesting to note that Thomas and Martha had a son who was christened Robert (I would imagine after Martha's brother) on 15th May 1831 shortly before Robert and John arrived in Tasmania, having sailed on 6th February from Portsmouth.

Morton

Maurice Joseph Morton from Galway wed 1868 #3477 to Mary Ann Boyd 1835 - 1873 #4268 aged 38, daughter of Mary Hanlon and John Boyd, and lived at Sandhurst
Maurice Joseph Morton wed 1873 #2661 to Mary Ann Lewis and lived at Sandhurst or Golden Square

3 Children
of Boyd

1. Margaret Ann Morton 1869 #4853 - 1877 #1897 aged 8 years
2. Mary Frances Morton 1870 #16543 died
3. Martha Rebecca Morton 1872 - 1877 #1894 aged 5 years

6 Children
of Lewis

4. George Glenn William Morton 1874 #16602 lived 2 years
5. Mary Frances Morton 1876 #3449
6. Martha Rebecca Morton 1878 #9829
7. Sarah Georgina Morton 1880 #23382
8. Jessie Lewis Morton 1883 #26127
9. George Gordon Morton 1885 #13400

Jessie Lewis Morton 1884 - 1959 #22431 aged 75, wed 1908 #775 to John Penberthy 1881 #25980 - 1935 #18426 aged 54, 3 children

Mullavey

Patrick Mullavey came c1864 with Catherine Nowling (Noland) and lived at Tallarook then at Dookie

4 Children

1. Ann Mullavey 1865 #5475
2. Patrick Mullany 1866 - 1873 #8498R lived 7 years
3. Rosa Mullavy 1870 #19334
4. Mary Jane Mullavey 1879 #15500

5. Annie Mullavey 1865 #5475 wed 1882 #5641 to William Haynes 1864 #17303, 2 Children

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Began 1^st Nov, 1998.

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