AUS-Tasmania-L Archives

From: Colin Adam <>
Subject: [AUS-Tas] FW: Emery Golding/Adams
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 13:51:45 +1000

Listers,
Subject: RE: Golding/Adams Emery Families, Port Dalrymple, ca 1820

My name is Colin Adam, I retired from CSIRO two years ago and live in
Wantirna VIC.
I am researching my Emery family backgrounds - they lived in the Patterson's
Plains/Morven area near Launceston from about 1818 onwards, and appear to
have been farmers. George Henry Emery b.17 November 1824 (Tas BDM
R6D32/1/1825/1916) is my gg grandfather.

I am looking particularly for Listers with similar intersets in early Port
Dalrymple inhabitants, who may have insights into the early social structure
of the area. I have cited the original EMERY references below as I have
researched them.

Starting with Charlotte Golding/Adams.
She died at Morven in 1878 aged 92 - listed as Charlotte Emery
R6D35/47/1878/402 - Informant son, John Emery, farmer ,Nile. She married
William Emery in January 1825 at St Johns (R6D36/1/1825/836). This marriage
record describes her as Charlotte Golding, widow.

The NSW Archives entries for PD October 1819 (Reel 1254 Vol 4/1235.6) lists
Charlotte Adams in "Wives of Civil Officers, Settlers and Free People" as
having "come free" to VDL. She is listed again under this heading in the
1820 and 1821 muster records (Reel 1255). She is also in Irene Schaffer's
book, p.153, as a free woman.
No entries exist for Emery children in 1819, but the November 1820 muster
(Reel 1255) lists John Emery (age 2) and Thomas Emery (age 1/4) under
"Children of Free Settlers". I have a copy of the St Johns Baptism register
#45 from Tas Archives for "John, son of William Emery and Charlotte Adams,
both of Launceston Port Dalrymple born June 26 1818 - was baptized this 20th
day of January 1819 ... by me Rev Youl, Acting(?) Chaplain - Witness Thos.
Macqueen". The 1820 Register of St Johns Baptisms, p9 #57 (R6D32/1/1820/962)
cites Thomas Emery born 25th July 1820, baptized 2nd December 1820, parents
Charlotte Adams and William Emery of Pattersons Plains. George Henry was
born 17th November 1824 and baptized 27th March 1825 (R6D32/1/1825/1916)
This data would suggest William Emery's presence at PD from 1818, with
Charlotte having at least three children with William Emery cited as father.
My guess is that Charlotte's maiden name was probably Golding, then an
earlier relationship with (?) Adams, marrying Wm Emery in 1825. Origins of
the parties at this point obscure.

The October 1821 census record again lists John and Thomas EMERY, as well as
a William Emery aged 13 or 15, as "Children of Free Settlers". This William
Emery, aged 13/15, is probably William Adams, who left Tasmania in 1839 and
died (VIC BDM 1862/ 5700) at Warrnambool (Innkeeper) in 1862 aged 54, and
whose death certificate cited the Informant as "George Emery, half
brother" - parents were Charlotte Adams and William Adams, with his
place-of-birth given as VDL. I recently checked the 46th Regiment pay lists
in the Mitchell Library PRO 3796, and found a William Adams and a John Adams
in 46th - but no record of William having come to VDL from PJ. The 46th
arrived in Sydney in February 1814 and John Adams "embarked for VDL on 21
October 1815". The Sept 1816 - Dec 1816 report has the entry for John Adams
"died at VDL 2nd November". The Hobart Town Gazette on 16 November 1816
reported the "death of a Private Adams of 46th Regt. while attempting to
ford the Lake River at Port Dalrymple, with a cart and bullocks, owing to a
strong current flowing at the time, was unfortunately drowned". Further 46th
Regt. records show William Adams still in Sydney in March 1817. The father
of William Adams/Emery b. abt 1807 remains obscure, but could have been John
Adams, rather than William Adams. Any other ideas, or knowledge of other
William Adams?

So to William Emery, farmer, who died at Morven in 1860 aged 78
(R6D35/35/1860/792) - Informant son, John.
I think the 1822 "Arab" convict candidate William Emery is too late, but I
would appreciate any other assessment of the foregoing data re this
conclusion.
There are other Emery families in the area somewhat later. Max Emery in Qld
has researched the descendants of convict William Emery "Midas" 1827, who
married Mary Elizabeth Roffey in Launceston in 1828. Max has a complete
family tree of their descendents.
My latest assumption was that my William Emery was connected with the PD
military establishment, which may explain his absence from the civil musters
lists. Any comments? I am now researching some English records, but current
progress is best described as glacial.

I look forward to hearing from any of the group with similar interests.

Kind regards,
Colin Adam
Wantirna VIC

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