Tracing Family Branches

With Beechworth and its surrounding area featuring prominently in my family history and this past Valentine's Day marking the one hundred and sixty four year since my 4th Great Grandfather murdered my 4th Great Grandmother Catherine Rhall near there (see posts here ,  here , here and  here ) I thought that I would post some of our family photographs from trips we taken there over the years.  While it has changed greatly since the days when James and Catherine and family lived there Beechworth is one of our favourite places and I have so much more exploring and research I want to do there when time allows!  Other posts of mine mentioning Beechworth and surrounds can be found here , here , here  and here .  More information on Beechworth can be found here . Beechworth Beechworth Beechworth Beechworth Beechworth Beechworth Beechworth Beechworth Beechworth Beechworth Beechworth Lake Sambell, Be...

Today’s post involves my 5th Great Grandmother Mary Rhall nee Cassidy’s second husband Michael Reynolds.  Michael Reynolds was a convict who was transported to Australia with a life sentence and arrived on board the ship Lord Sidmouth in 1821. More information on him can be found here .  He is also mentioned in previous posts here  and here . TICKET OF LEAVE PASSPORT No. 44/586       28th August 1844. Name:  Michael Reynolds Ship:  Lord Sidmouth (2) Year of Arrival: 1821 Where Tried: Leitrim When Tried:  July 1820 Sentence: Life Ticket of Leave No. 42/1825 Allowed to . . . travel to Manero for the purpose of collecting stock for 12 months    On the recommendation of the Berrima Bench, dated 22 Aug 44 44/9038 Source: New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1810-1869 for Michael Reynolds.  Retrieved from Ancestry.com.au

As a result of receiving one of my favourite Christmas presents last year (my daughter and son in law gave me money for a birth, death or marriage certificate) I believe that I have made another family record search breakthrough.  My 4th Great Grandmother Catherine Rhall had a relationship with a convict named John Glithero/Glitherow and together they had at least three known children Sarah Glitherow who also was known as Sarah Baxter and Sarah Casey, William Glitherow and Richard Glitherow who was known as Richard Worldon.  Searching the Victorian birth, death and marriage indexes I came across this entry in the birth indexes and allowing for illiteracy and accents I believe that it is highly likely to be Sarah's baptism record. CLITTHEROW Given names Sarah Event Birth Father's name / Spouse's family name John Mother's maiden name / Spouse's given name Catherine (Rehill) Reg. year 1840 Reg. no 35931 Source: Victorian Baptism record for Sarah...

Brickwall knocked down at last!  Catherine Rhall was murdered by her partner James Baker Worldon on the 14th February 1855 at Beechworth.  The Trove articles do involve my 4th Great Grandparents James Baker Worldon and Catherine Rhall!  I guess the family tree book will need updating now ;) I looked up the following record from the Public Record of Victoria and bingo the details match my ancestors records.  Catherine Rhall's fate is now known at last, she was murdered by her partner and he was only sentenced to two years imprisonment for it and by the look of it was released early in 1856!  I also found out he used the alias Milbank, which will give me new avenues for future research. Public Record Office of Victoria Series title: Central Register of Male Prisoners Sub-Item title: Worldon, James; (Milbank); (Jas Baker Worldon): No. 2265 Sub-Item number: Page 199 Date range: 1854 Public access: Open Format: Digital Source: Public Record ...

Today's article has really piqued my curiosity.  It involves the charging of one James Walden with the murder of his 'wife' Catherine Walden at Beechworth in 1855.  My 4th Great Grandfather was James Baker Walden later known as James Baker Worldon and his 'wife' was Catherine Rhall.  Catherine had married a convict John Casey in 1835. She is also known to have had a relationship with John Glithero/w another convict to whom she had at least three children (Sarah b.1840, William b.1843 and Richard b.1845) before her relationship with James Walden/Worldon.  James and Catherine had at least two children together, Elizabeth b.1850 and James Baker b.1853.  While we know that James died in Gundagai in 1878, Catherine's fate has not been definitively proven yet.  A Catherine Rall died in Bathurst in 1856, but there is no proof that this was our Catherine.  A point of interest is that Catherine's immediate family were in the Beechworth area in the 1850's, her ...

Elizabeth was the daughter of James Baker Worldon and Catherine Rhall, she was born in 1850.  My connection with her is that she is my 3rd great grand Aunt.  In 1870 she married William Leonard Boyd in Beechworth, Victoria.  Elizabeth died on the 15th August 1933 at Rutherglen, Victoria. Source: Family Notices. (1933, August 17). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 1. Retrieved November 15, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4755904 Transcript: BOYD . - On the 15th August, at her residence, Rutherglen, Elizabeth, loving wife of William L., and devoted mother of William (Sydney), Steve and Charles (Western Australia), Alf  (South Africa), Frank (Frankston), Horace (Horsham), Maud, Olive (Mrs. W.H. Turner), Ethel (Mrs. Warby, England), and Beatrice (Mrs. G.H. Turner), aged 83 years. - At rest. Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922 about Elizabeth Warldon Name: Elizabeth Warldon Birth Date: 1850 Father's Name: James B Warldo...

My first cousin five times removed, Ada Lucy Baxter nee Rhall was born in 1882 the daughter of Peter 'John' Rhall and his wife Mary Ann (nee Camfield).   She married Henry Baxter in 1923 in Sydney, New South Wales.  Ada died on the 21st April 1937 at a private hospital in Sydney and was buried in the Catholic portion of the Young Cemetery near her parents and some of her siblings (see here ). Source: MRS. ADA LUCY BAXTER. (1937, May 13). The Catholic Press (NSW : 1895 - 1942), p. 33. Retrieved October 1, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104396082 Transcript: MRS. ADA LUCY BAXTER Her many friends were grieved to hear of the death at a private hospital, Darlinghurst, on the 21st ult., of Mrs. Ada Lucy Baxter, formerly of Young.  Born in 1883, the late Mrs. Baxter was educated by the Presentation Sisters at Young, and spent most of her earlier life in that district.  After coming to Sydney she married Mr. Harry Baxter, Rev. Father E. Mc...

Today's post involves Albert John Rhall who is my second cousin four times removed.  He was the son of Michael Rhall and his wife Mary Elizabeth (nee Connors) and was born in 1897, with his birth registered at Young, New South Wales.  He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on the 5th January 1916.  Albert Rhall died of wounds in France on the 15th May 1917. First World War Embarkation Rolls - Albert John Rhall Service Number: 5437 Rank: Private Roll title: 2 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 23 Reinforcements (December 1915 - November 1916) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 14 April 1916 Place of embarkation: Sydney Ship embarked on: HMAT Ceramic A40 Source: Albert John Rhall. First World War Embarkation Roll.  Retrieved from  http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/nominal_rolls/first_world_war_embarkation/person/R2042960/ His digitised Embarkation file can be found  here Red Cross Wounded and ...