To the memory of Robert Currans Native of County Down Ireland who departed this life November 13 1863 Aged 72 Years.
Robert Currans arrived at Geelong in the 1850s with his wife Agnes and the youngest daughter Rachel (age 17). They had other children who had already emigrated and were living near Moruya so Robert and Agnes moved up that way. Rachel did not accompany them as she married soon after their arrival. With her husband she followed the Victorian gold fields eventually reaching Omeo and later moving up into NSW. When the family moved to NSW they left in Omeo their eldest daughter Anne (age 16) who had recently married. Anne and her husband went on to have 14 children in Omeo one of whom was my grandfather.
I have since discovered that my great-great-great grandmother Agnes is also buried in Moruya cemetery. She outlived her husband by 20 years dying in 1882 at the ripe old age of 92.
Great that you can trace your ancestors. Unfortunately mine weren't Christians and so are very hard to track.
ReplyDeleteNow thinks I to self: how can Joan have 3xG when I can only do 2xG in same timespan. All that early marrying would do it.
ReplyDeleteYou must have come from wealthy stock, m'dear. My ancestors back that far have nary a marked grave between them.
Did that comment and then went onto Ancestry.com. Are you a member of this search machine? There is a lot of information about this family line in there.
ReplyDeleteBoth Robert and Agnes were born in 1789. Agnes' maiden name was Agnes Nancy Chambers. Robert's father was John Currans and his mother was Elizabeth Wilson.
Rachel is listed as Rachel Kidd Currans (1835 - 1916).
Ann is listed as Ann Reed Francis (1854 - 1942).
Sorry if this is all stuff you already know backwards.
Golly that line had large families.
Oh that's really interesting.
ReplyDeleteWhy did all the kids go to Moruya?
And why does the grave say "Jane, Ball, Samuel"?
Winam, you may not find graves but following birth and death certificates is the way to dig out a lot of facts, plus talking to older family members before they pass on.
ReplyDeleteJulie, no I have not joined Ancestry.com but I did know the facts you listed. Most of my research was done 25 years or so ago. I don't really have the time to pick it up again right now. The web certainly has made the info more accessible so it could be fun to add to the research one day. Like I found out that Rachel's husband was a horse thief, that she was left destitute and could not feed her children. When one died of starvation the rest were taken from her. In her old age she returned to Ann's care and is buried in Omeo. A sad story of bad eggs and hardship.
Letty I don't know of the attraction of Moruya. Jane is the daughter of Robert and Agnes who died age 32, 2 years after her father, leaving 7 children one just 2 weeks old so I guess she died of child birth complications. She was married to Samuel Ball.
The other daughter Elizabeth who was living in Moruya died aged 52 and my informant told me that at the time of her death had 10 children all deceased! Ugh .. life was tough back then,
That's why is is somewhat surprising to see Agnes living to 92.
So many people to follow up, and this be but one line!
ReplyDeleteOn Ancestry, Jane has very few details. Like no husband. I thought the Jane might be her, but there is an errant comma is there not.
How come could they afford a headstone?
Re Jane I find the wording very strange. When I first saw this headstone 20+ years ago the it was very very worn. I believe the names have been re-carved in the intervening years. The other parts are still worn like they were then.
ReplyDeleteHow they afforded the headstone I have no idea. I have very little info about them beyond their names. Someone back in the past was researching the Ball family and that is how I got the info I have.
I guess that makes you a real Aussie. It must be exciting to find gravestones of earlier generations.
ReplyDelete14 children?! WOW! Lovely post, Joan.
ReplyDeleteLots of kids in those days and to add to the searching dilemma there's always the confusion over names - Jack or was it really John- Lillibet could have been Elizabeth or even Ann Elizabeth!! I've been doing Family research for years but too many missing links and unanswered questions.
ReplyDeleteWonderful that you were able to find the grave of your Great Great great grandad - that must have been special.
Wow! A lot of fascinating family history! Have you managed too 14 offspring to ensure the family line?
ReplyDelete