Alice Pummeroy - Another Piece to the Puzzle

A short time ago I posted about my great aunt Alice May Pummeroy, who eluded me for some time until I discovered she had emigrated from Victoria, Australia to New Zealand where she married as May Alice to David Moorhead.  I traced her through the census in New Zealand before she moved back to Victoria with her husband, where he died in 1951.

Fellow genealogist Clare has now sent me another piece to the puzzle, with a death notice and cemetery record which shows May Alice Moorhead died 1st September 1989, age 92, in Salisbury North, South Australia.  She was cremated at Enfield Memorial Park, SA.

Why she chose to move from Melbourne, Victoria to South Australia I don't know - possibly she had children who settled there and she moved to be closer to them.  All her siblings lived and died in Victoria - she was the one who travelled away.  This just goes to show that people can change their names, move to places you don't expect, and you just need to keep looking and broaden your search if you don't find them where you expect them.

A fresh pair of eyes doesn't hurt either.  Thanks Clare!

Finding Alice Pummeroy

Over the last few weeks I have finally made progress on a family history mystery that has been annoying and frustrating me for many years - the fate of my great aunt Alice May Pummeroy.

According to the Victorian Birth Index, Alice May Pummeroy was born in Carlton in 1897 to Alfred Henry Pummeroy and Eliza (Beseler).  Alice was only 3 years old when her father died of pneumonia, leaving his widow destitute with 4 young children -  Edith Margaret (who was a deaf-mute) 4, Alice May 3, Alfred Edward 2 and William Henry 4 months.  Eliza took in washing to support her family, and the local ladies benevolent society gave her 3 shillings a week in assistance.

On 8 March 1901, newspapers I located on Trove report Eliza making an appeal to the courts for help.  When asked if she wished to surrender her children to the state she refused, wanting to keep them at home.  The court described the children as clean and neatly kept, and committed the children to the Department with the recommendation they be handed over to their mother.  Eliza was granted 10 shillings from the poor box.

Eliza struggled on before surrendering her two boys to the orphanage, but kept her girls with her, and in 1911 remarried to Edward Jennion, with whom she had two more boys, Edwin and Daniel.   All the other siblings can be traced through electoral rolls and other records, but Alice disappears, and for several years I searched for her in vain.

Then came the breakthrough.  In New Zealand, I found a record for a May Alice Pummeroy marrying David James Moorhead in 1918.  Looking in New Zealand for May Moorhead, I located several electoral roll listings before she disappeared again, reappearing in Australia as May Alice Moorhead in electoral rolls from 1950 to 1980.  David James Moorhead is recorded as dying in Victoria in 1951, age 77.  His death certificate lists him as being born in Christchurch, New Zealand.

I have not located a death certificate for Alice May yet, but according to the electoral rolls she was still alive in 1980.  There is no death notice in the Ryerson Index or in the Victorian Death Index, nor can I find a will with the PROV.  I'll just have to keep looking, but at least I have her marriage, and I know she was known by her middle name.

Setting Some Genealogy Goals

Thinking about setting some goals to help you make further headway with your family tree this year? Here are a few ways to make it happen - focus on one or two that work for you and see how you go.

1. Book a trip

There’s nothing like standing in the spot where your ancestors once stood. Taking photos of the places they lived, worked, visited or played.  Perhaps you could take some time to access local records not available to you at home.  Wherever your ancestors lived, make a goal to book that trip you’ve always wanted.

2. Hold a family reunion

Get together for a chance to swap photographs, memories and stories. It could be just immediate family, or it could be with cousins you’ve never met, it could be a particular branch of your family tree – it is up to you. Book a place to meet that is easy for everyone to get to, and ask everyone to bring their memorabilia. Be prepared with a computer, scanner and other equipment for copying all the goodies each person brings, and make sure everyone gets a set of copies.

3. Have your DNA tested

Millions of people across the globe have chosen to do a DNA test in recent years. It’s a terrific way of discovering more about your heritage, and finding cousins you didn’t know existed. Most tests are easy – you just need a sample of saliva – and your results will be available in 6-8 weeks.  Just make sure you are prepared in case there is a surprise in the results.

4. Focus on overcoming one particular brick wall

It can be daunting when there is lots of gaps in your family tree. Just like anything else, break it down into specific areas and set realistic goals. Then choose one thing that you want to discover and focus on that. Perhaps it’s to find a grave of an ancestor, or to uncover the ship on which your ancestor arrived, or fill a gap in someone’s lifeline. Targeting one thing will help you focus your research, make the most of your time and feel like you’ve accomplished your goals.

5. Reorganise your files

Scan those old photographs and name them, back up your research, labels your files properly, update software and throw out or shred anything that you no longer need. It’ll help you focus, identify areas you need to spend time on, you will be able to find things when you want them  and you’ll feel like spending more time researching when what you have is well organised.

6. Interview a family member

We all make promises to ourselves that, one day, we’ll interview family members and record their memories. You don’t need a lot of tech – taking a video on your smartphone will do, or record your chat to transcribe later. There’s loads of free editing software out there if you want to get a bit more creative. Take along some questions or a photo or two to help get the conversation started, but don’t stick too rigidly to the plan – if something unexpected comes up, run with it – you may not get another chance.  Make sure you save everything and create a back up file as well.

7. Join a historical society

There are more than 1,000 history and family history societies in Australia and many more around the world, so chances are there is one near you. For a small annual fee you’ll have access to a network of fellow genealogists, events and advice. Most societies have regular meetings, open days, and usually a library of local history and genealogy books.  Take a look around your area – or join a society in a place your ancestors lived – sometimes local knowledge of where records are stored that are not generally open to the public can be invaluable, especially when you are researching from a distance.

The Mystery of David Mulholland and Eliza Jane McCrae

One of my favourite (and most frustrating) family mysteries is that of David Mulholland and Eliza Jane McCrae.  Both were born in Ireland and emigrated to Australia, settling in the area around Bright, Victoria.

David Mulholland was born in Ireland sometime around 1830 and emigrated to Australia around 1860.  These details are only approximate, taken from the details in his death notice and cemetery headstone.  He married Eliza Jane McCrae, although no marriage record for the two has been found, either in Australia or Ireland.  For many of their children details are sketchy – most were never registered at birth, some died registered under their mother’s name, others under their father’s name.  For some the only details come from their cemetery records, as no other records seem to exist.

The death notice for David Mulholland reads “Mulholland.  On the 10^th April, at his late residence, Eurobin, David Mulholland aged 71 years, after a short illness.  Father of E.M., D.M., M.M., J.M., P.M., J.M., H.M.  Interred in Bright Cemetery Saturday 12^th inst.  Beloved by all who knew him.  A colonist of 42 years.”  This death notice was published in the Argus 15^th April 1902, the Australian 19 April 1902 and the Leader 19 April 1902.

The initials refer only to his surviving children – Ellen (Stoddart), David, Mary (Pape), Jane, Pricilla (Cark), James and Henry.  His wife Eliza is not mentioned, although she still lives.  All these children are also mentioned in David’s will, with the married names of daughters Ellen, Mary and Pricilla also included in the document.

David was buried in Bright Cemetery, 1F, Presbyterian, plot 35.  In the same or neighbouring plots are the following :

• Mulholland, Elizabeth Jane 85 years  Died 30/10/1925  Daughter of James McCrae and Mary
• Mulholland, Henry 4 years 8 months Died 29/1/1872 Son of David Mulholland and Eliza Jane McCrae
• Mulholland, Margaret 10 years Died 5/9/1885 Daughter of David Mulholland and Eliza Jane McCrae
• Mulholland, Margaret Jane 6 years Died 2/2/1872 Daughter of David Mulholland and Eliza Jane McCrae
• Mulholland, Samuel Thomas 4 months Died 29/4/1879 Son of David Mulholland and Eliza Jane McCrae
• Mulholland, Thomas 14 months Died 15/2/1872 Son of David Mulholland and Eliza Jane McCrae
• Mulholland, Thomas 10 days Died 26/1/1887 Son of David Mulholland and Eliza Jane McCrae

From the details that I have, I can conclude David Mulholland and Eliza Jane (or Elizabeth) McCrae had the following children :

1. Ellen born 1862.  No birth record.  Married James Stoddart 1886.  Died 1905 – on her death certificate father David Mulholland mother Ellen (unknown), no place of birth given.  Her initials are included in David’s death notice and she is included in his will.
2. David born 1863.  No birth record.  Died 1951 - on his death certificate father David Mulholland mother Elizabeth Jane (McCrae), born in Eurobin.  His initials are included in David’s death notice and he is included in his will.
3. Margaret Jane born 1865.  No birth record.  Died 1872 - death record is under the surname McCrae, mother Eliza Jane McCrae, father unknown.  Buried in Bright Cemetery under the surname Mulholland.
4. Henry born 1867.  No birth or death record.  Died 1872 - buried in Bright Cemetery under the surname Mulholland.
5.  Mary born 1869.  No birth record.  Married John Pape.  Died in 1950 - on her death certificate father David Mulholland mother Eliza Jane (unknown), born in Eurobin.  Her initials are included in David’s death notice and she is included in his will.
6. Thomas born 1870.  No birth record.  Died in 1872 - death record is under the surname McCrae, mother Eliza Jane McCrae, father unknown.  Buried in Bright Cemetery under the surname Mulholland.
7. Jane born 1872.  No birth record.  Never married.  Died in 1948 - on her death certificate father David Mulholland mother Elizabeth (McCrae), born in Eurobin.  Her initials are included in David’s death notice and she is included in his will.
8. Margaret born 1874.  No birth record.  Died in 1885 - on her death certificate father David Mulholland mother Eliza Jane (McCrae), born in Eurobin.  Buried in Bright Cemetery under the surname Mulholland.
9. Pricilla born 1877.  No birth record.  Married James Clark.  Died 1976 - on her death certificate father David Mulholland mother Eliza Jane (McCrae), born in Eurobin.  Her initials are included in David’s death notice and she is included in his will.
10. Samuel Thomas born 1879.  No birth or death record.  Buried in Bright Cemetery under the surname Mulholland.
11. James born 1879.  Registered in 1880 (he was born 30 December 1879) born in Eurobin.  Died in 1970 - on his death certificate father David Mulholland mother Eliza Jane (McCrae), born in Eurobin.  His initials are included in David’s death notice and he is included in his will.
12. Henry born 1883.  Registered in 1883, born in Eurobin.  Died in 1966 - on his death certificate father David Mulholland mother Eliza Jane (McCrae), born in Eurobin.  His initials are included in David’s death notice and he is included in his will.
13. Thomas born 1887.  No birth or death record.  Died 1887 - buried in Bright Cemetery under the surname Mulholland.

I have also checked New South Wales records but found nothing.  I am descended from child no 9, Pricilla Veronica, who married James Nicholas Clark.  Anyone out there descended from David Mulholland and Eliza Jane McCrae, I’m interested in hearing from you and swapping information.