Tracing Family Branches

Margaret Annie Ferguson formerly Donnelly nee Buckley was the wife of my second great uncle Edward Donnelly.  Born in Denby in 1874 to John and Mary Buckley.  She married Edward Donnelly in 1896 and together they had two children Sylvester Gervase Donnelly and Frances Eulalie Donnelly.  In 1908 at the age of thirty four Edward died and she was left a widow with two young children to raise.  In 1929 aged fifty five she married Joseph Samuel Ferguson.  Joseph died in 1949. Margaret died on the 17th of February 1955 and was buried at Coonabarabran.  Her burial details and photograph of her grave site can be found here . Source: OBITUARY (1955, February 2). Gilgandra Weekly (NSW : 1942 - 1955), p. 8. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article100346420 Transcript: OBITUARY. The death occurred at a private hospital in Tamworth of Mrs. Margaret Ann Ferguson 80.  Mrs. Ferguson was born at Denby in the Teridgerie district, and was the...

Today's post concerns the wife of my Great Great Uncle Edward Donnelly.  Edward died on the 9th February 1908 (see here for his headstone inscription and photograph) leaving his wife of twelve years Margaret (nee Buckley) a widow with two young children, Sylvester about eleven years old and Frances about nine years old, to raise alone.  I had never heard of this practice until I found this article and I am very glad that she was given an option like this to see her through an extremely difficult time.  Margaret married a Joseph S. Ferguson in 1929 and lived until she was 85 years old (see here for her headstone inscription and photograph). Source: A Humane Custom. (1908, November 19). Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954), p. 14. Retrieved October 14, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article157664199 Transcript: A Human Custom. Mrs. E. Donnelly (daughter of Mr. Luckie, of Mundooran, and widow of the late Mr. E...

This is a very recent find for me about my first cousins two times removed Sylvester Gervase and Frances Eulalie Donnelly.  A day at the beach quickly turned into a traumatic experience for them all.   Source:  DANGERS OF THE SURF. (1910, March 1). Singleton Argus (NSW : 1880 - 1954) , p. 3. Retrieved May 28, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76911473 Transcript: DANGERS OF THE SURF. Two Ladies in Difficulties. Shortly after five o'clock on Sunday afternoon a sudden commotion amongst the frequenters of the Newcastle beach drew attention to the fact that two lady bathers were placed in a dangerous position. Miss G. Buckley was bathing with her niece, Miss Frances Donnelly, in the breakers at the ladies' reserve.  The tide was almost to its ebb limit, and the girls were disporting themselves in the line of breakers close to the northern boundary of the reserve.  Suddenly Miss Buckley was startled by cries from her companion, and realis...