Genealogy bug


My answer:

Like many genealogists or family historians, I first got the genealogy bug back in primary school when we had to create a family tree as part of the social sciences curriculum. The bug continued by asking questions about family photos shared by mum and dad as well as looking at photo albums around the house.

But it developed more once I started visiting the local archives and library where records were kept for convicts I had found in my family. At this time I also started connecting with others through internet forums. Nothing was digitized at this stage and we were looking at original records in the actual books. Some though were on microfilm.

I am so glad the invention of the computer and ways of saving information have made it much easier for the newer generations of genealogists as they get the genealogy bug.

Largest family in your tree

My answer

My Davey family seem to be having the largest number of children in my family tree.

3x great grandparents:

John Davey and Mary Anne Jennings married 1828 – 12 children, but 3 died under the age of 10

2x great grandparents:

John Davey and Anne Dixon married 1859 – 12 children, youngest one died aged 17 in childbirth

great grandaunt and uncle:

Mary Elizabeth Davey and Adam Brown married 1879 – 17 children, 6 died under the age of 5

great grandparents:

George Davey and Martha Colgrave married 1890 – 12 children, 2 girls died at 11 and 8

Readers: Is there a surname in your family tree that are having large families?

A challenge faced by an ancestor

 

This is the first question I have chosen for the 16 for 16 challenge.

My Answer

I think all of my convict and free settlers faced the challenge of crossing the seas to a new country on the other side of the world. Some came of their own accord, but others had no choice. But as far as I have researched, they all survived and built a family and life here in Tasmania which was known as Van Diemen’s Land.

But it must have been challenging for my great great great grandmother Mary (Mayday) Dixon nee Pickering. Arriving in Launceston in August 1841, Mary and her husband David had a young daughter under 3 travelling with them, but Mary was also pregnant whilst on board. My great great grandmother Ann Dixon was born 4 months after their arrival on 31 December 1841.

David’s occupation was as a shepherd on the property called Curramore owned by Henry Stevenson. The family lived in a small hut at Spring Plains. While David was out working, Mary and her two daughters were vulnerable to bushrangers who were often escaped convicts. On 1 April 1843, three men robbed Mary of men’s clothing and money then locked her in the hut. Mary testified at their trial. At the time she was three months pregnant again.

To read what happened check out the newspaper report starting at the bottom of column 2.

Readers: What challenge was faced by an ancestor of yours?