The Family of Thomas Staley (1769-1851)

Fourth Generation

Family of Jonathan STALEY (3) & Mary GOLDIE

4. Agnes STALEY. Born on 28 Feb 1820 in Muirkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland.15 Agnes died in Brunswick, Victoria, Australia, on 9 Mar 1882; she was 62.16 Buried on 11 Mar 1882 in Melbourne General Cemetery, Victoria, Australia.17
Agnes was a twin, Scots Origins Index lists Agnes and a Jonathan being christened on the same day, 1st. March, 1820. Agnes died of Chronic Nephritis (Kidneys) & Endocarditis (Heart). Agnes' Death Certificate lists 7 children, 3 named Mary, 3 named John or Jonathan, and Elizabeth, only 3 were alive at the time of her death.

On 11 May 1838 when Agnes was 18, she married Daniel BLYTHE, son of John BLYTH (1787-) & Elizabeth LAW (~1791-), in West Calder, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.18 Born on 5 Jan 1817 in Stevenston, Ayrshire, Scotland.19 Daniel died in Brunswick, Victoria, Australia, on 23 Jan 1887; he was 70.20
The records for his birth, baptism and arrival in Victoria, spell the name Blythe but in Victoria the "e" seems to have been dropped, Daniel and Agnes emigrated to Australia as assisted immigrants with their two children, John who was nine and Elizabeth aged three, they sailed from Plymouth on board the "Tasman" of 567 tons on 15 June 1848 arriving at Port Phillip on 18 October after a voyage which lasted just over 4 months, they may have gone to Geelong where Agnes' mother disembarked but they soon settled in Brunswick. In 1863 he is recorded in the Sands & MacDougall directory in Albert Street and later in Sydney Road, Brunswick. He was an early resident in Brunswick, in the late1840's, he owned several properties, later he built a brick shop at the corner of Albert Street and Sydney Road; it was a butcher's shop which remained there until 1917 when it became a fish shop, by 1872 Daniel had moved to a residence in Sydney Road, north of Albion Street, Blyth Street in Brunswick is named after him, he was well regarded in the area.

They had the following children:

John.

Born on 13 Aug 1839 in Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.21 John died in 1853; he was 13.22

ii.

Mary.

Born on 5 Jan 1844 in Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.23 Mary died in Scotland bef 1848; she was 3.
Mary was not on the ship to Australia, presumably she was dead before 1848

iii.

Elizabeth.

Born on 12 Nov 1845 in Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.24 Elizabeth died bef 1848; she was 2.
It is believed that Elizabeth died in Scotland prior to the family coming to Australia, she was not on the passenger list.

iv.

Jonathan.

Born abt 1851.
Jonathan was aged 31 in March 1882 according to his mother's D/C, he signed documents re the distribution of monies from the Estate of Allan Staley in 1906.

12v.

John (~1853-1916)

vi.

Mary.

Born abt 1855. Mary died bef 1859; she was 4.
It is believed that Mary died before the birth of the last Blyth child who was also named Mary.

13vii.

Mary Jane (1859-1931)

5. Thomas STALEY. Born on 23 Jul 1821 in Muirkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland.25 Thomas died in Moonlight Flat, Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia, on 21 Mar 1878; he was 56.26 Buried on 23 Mar 1878 in Castlemaine General Cemetery.27
Thomas and his wife Elizabeth sailed from Glasgow on 8 March 1853, aboard the vessel "Reaper" of 424 tons with five of their children and Agnes Wilson aged 13 years, who may have been Elizabeth's daughter by an earlier marriage, after a voyage of nearly 5 months they arrived in Port Phillip on 2 August 1853. They were soon in the Goldfields in the Castlemaine area where they remained until their deaths.

On 6 May 1842 when Thomas was 20, he married Elizabeth HAMILTON, daughter of William Boyd HAMILTON & Margaret YOUNG, in Greenburn, Parish Of Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.3 Born on 16 Jul 1816 in Greenburn, Parish Of Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland. Elizabeth died in Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia, on 14 May 1878; she was 61.28
Proof of Elizabeth's first marriage has not been found

They had the following children:

Jonathan.

Born on 29 Apr 1842 in Greenburn, Parish Of Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.29 Jonathan died in Near Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia, on 20 Dec 1859; he was 17.30
Jonathan was killed by lightning near Castlemaine on 20th December 1859 when he was 17 years old. A Coroner's Inquisition was held at the "Builders Arms" Hotel, Castlemaine on 21st December 1859. Jonathon was found on the ground close to a tree, he had severe burns to the neck, chest, hair and the soles of both shoes, confirming instant death from lightning strike.

14ii.

Mary (1844-1915)

15iii.

Elizabeth (1846-)

16iv.

Janet Elizabeth (Jane) (1849-1897)

Robert.

Born on 14 Sep 1851 in Greenburn, Parish Of Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.3 Robert died in Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia, on 27 Dec 1853; he was 2.3

17vi.

Robert (1854-1926)

18vii.

Thomas (1854-1925)

19viii.

Margaret (1859-1881)

20ix.

Jonathan (1862-1890)

6. Jonathan STALEY. Born on 12 Jan 1823 in Muirkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland.10 Jonathan died in South Dakota, USA, on 27 Feb 1890; he was 67.31 Buried in 1890 in Graceland Cem., Lakeview T'ship, Lake Co., SD, USA.32
Went to America around 1850, served in the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery in Civil War, 1880 US Census gives occupation as Laborer, living in Portage, Columbia, WI. listed on the Veterans Schedule of 1890 Census in Madison, Lake, SD with Asthma and died in SD 1890. Has a Headstone in the Graceland Cemetery which was readable in 2006.

On 19 Mar 1847 when Jonathan was 24, he married Catharine LAWRIE in Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.33 Born on 28 Feb 1826 in Levenseat, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.31 Catharine died in Madison, Lake Co, South Dakota, USA, on 3 Feb 1897; she was 70.
Catharine died in SD in 1897 and was buried with Jonathan at Graceland Cemetery, Lakeview Township, Madison, Lake, SD. Has a Headstone in the Graceland Cemetery which was mostly readable in 2006.

They had the following children:

Janet (Jennie).

Born on 5 Apr 1847 in Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.34 Janet (Jennie) died in Madison, Lake Co, South Dakota, USA, on 29 Jan 1937; she was 89.35 Buried on 1 Feb 1937 in Graceland Cem., Lakeview T'ship, Lake Co., SD, USA.36
Jennie married late in life and after not too many years she was a widow, according to her brother William's obituary, Jennie was instrumental in the raising of William's son Daniel. Jennie was a life long member of the English Baptist Church and for many years was a Sunday school teacher.

abt 1893 when Janet (Jennie) was 45, she married John H. ROBERTS in Madison, Lake Co, South Dakota, USA. Born on 6 Sep 1827 in England.36 John H. died in Madison, Lake Co, South Dakota, USA, on 20 Dec 1906; he was 79.36
John was a widower when he married Jennie, the 1900 Census says that they were living in their own freehold home and had been married 7 years, it also says that he and his parents were born in England and arrived USA in 1843 and John had been naturalized.

21ii.

Jonathan (1848-1929)

iii.

Mary.

Born abt 1850 in Wisconsin, USA. Mary died in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA, on 28 Sep 1875; she was 25.37
Mary died suddenly from Typhoid Fever whilst visiting Eau Claire, she was a well loved Teacher.

iv.

Thomas J..

Born on 23 Aug 1852 in Fort Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA.38,39 Thomas J. died in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, USA, on 14 May 1918; he was 65.38 Buried on 16 May 1918 in Graceland Cem., Lakeview T'ship, Lake Co., SD, USA.32
Thomas didn't marry, he spent his working life (52years) on the Railroad, starting as a Water Boy and rising to be an Engineer for the last 22years. 1860/70/80 Census' have him with his parents in Portage City, Wisconsin, 1900/10 has him in Madison, Lake Co. SD. Prior to his death he was living with his sister Catharine and her husband in Minneapolis as he wasn't in good health, his body was taken by train to South Dakota and buried in the same cemetery as his parents. (From Obit.)

Robert Bruce.

Born on 5 Aug 1854 in Portage, Columbia, Wisconsin USA.40 Robert Bruce died in Hennepin, Minnesota, USA, on 28 Jun 1931; he was 76.40
This couple appear at Ward 9, 2630 Polk St. N E, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota in the 1900/10/20/30/ Censuses. Listed as an Engineer with the Soo Line Railroad in Minneapolis 1890/91with several of his family in Polk St. (1890 census substitute) He retired from the Railroad, 1 August 1912 after 32 years service.

On 6 Jan 1884 when Robert Bruce was 29, he married Emma NELSON in La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA.41 Born abt 1856 in Norway. Emma died in Hennepin, Minnesota, USA, in 1934; she was 78.

22vi.

William L. (1856-1944)

23vii.

Catharine Elizabeth (1858-1945)

viii.

Daniel B..

Born on 3 Apr 1860 in Wisconsin, USA. Daniel B. died in Sevier, Utah, USA, on 16 May 1925; he was 65.42 Buried on 22 May 1925 in Richfield City Cemetery, Utah, USA.43
1880 in Chelsea, Taylor, WI, Farmer, with William, 1884 in Logan, Utah, Farmer, 1890/1 Engineer with Soo Line Railway, Minneapolis, 1900 in Monroe, Sevier, Utah, Silver Miner, with wife Elisabeth, 1910 in Maryvale, Piute, Utah, Loco Fireman, still married but alone, 1920 still there, Gold Miner, married and alone, he died of Tubercolosis in 1925, his Death Certificate states that he was Single, the Informant was his brother William, this contradicts the information on the Census'

abt 1893 when Daniel B. was 32, he married Elisabeth ??? in USA.44
Unable to find anything more on her after the 1900 Census, she wasn't with Thomas in the 1910 and 1920 census'

ix.

Marion C..

Born abt 1863 in Wisconsin, USA.45
1890/1 in Minneapolis with brothers Robert and Daniel, 1900 and 1910 in Madison, Lake, SD., housekeeping with brother Thomas, 1920 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minesota, with sister Katie and family, Multigrapher for School Supply Business and in 1930 Census, single, living with her sister Katie and working in Arthur Stevens's printing shop.

Isabella Kezia.

Born abt Jan 1867 in Wisconsin, USA. Isabella Kezia died in Portage, Columbia, Wisconsin USA, on 21 Mar 1867; she was <1.46
Isabella died of congestion of the lungs.

7. Mary Ritchie STALEY. Born on 8 Oct 1824 in Muirkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland.10 Mary Ritchie died in Forest Creek, Victoria, Australia, on 2 Mar 1856; she was 31.47 Buried on 4 Mar 1856 in Forest Creek Cemetery, Victoria, Australia.48
Mary arrived on the "Cambodia" in 1852 and did not enjoy a long life in her new land, she had a great deal of sadness in her short life, her first 2 children had not survived in Scotland, her mother died in 1854 and in the short time before her own death in 1856, Mary gave birth to 2 more children, John born in Brunswick and Agnes born at Forest Creek (Castlemaine).

On 12 Feb 1841 when Mary Ritchie was 16, she married Robert HAMILTON, son of Robert HAMILTON & Agnes WILSON, in Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.49 Born abt 1813 in West Calder, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.50 Robert died in Coburg, Victoria, Australia, on 25 Oct 1880; he was 67.50
After Mary's death in 1856 Robert remarried in the next year to Sarah Laird Thompson

They had the following children:

Mary Goldie.

Born in Scotland. Mary Goldie died in Scotland.

ii.

Agnes Goldie.

Agnes Goldie died in Scotland.

24iii.

Robert (~1845-1913)

iv.

Jonathan.

Born in 1847.

25v.

Mary Goldie (~1850-1921)

vi.

Thomas Cambodia.

Born in Dec 1851 in At Sea. Thomas Cambodia died in Pentridge (Coburg) Victoria, on 13 May 1861; he was 9.51
Thomas was born on the voyage out from England aboard the "Cambodia", hence his middle name,(recorded as Comebody on the Inquest Papers). His short life ended when was found drowned in a waterhole in the garden of the home where he lived, his body was retrieved by a neighbour, there was no mention of his father at the inquest, he may have been away at the time. On the Inquest Papers and in the Pioneer Index his death is recorded as Thomas Comebody Hamilton.

vii.

John.

Born abt 1855 in Brunswick, Victoria, Australia. John died in Kyneton, Victoria, Australia, abt 1924; he was 69.52

In 1878 when John was 23, he married Margaret NELSON, daughter of William NELSON (1807-1877) & Agnes NESBIT (1814-1893), in Victoria, Australia.53 Born in 1856 in Hutchesonton, Lanarkshire, Sco.54 Margaret died in Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia, on 12 Jun 1939; she was 83.55

26viii.

Agnes (1856-1885)

8. Robert STALEY. Born on 29 Jul 1826 in Muirkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland.56 Robert died in Inglewood, Victoria, Australia, on 19 Jul 1882; he was 55.57 Buried on 21 Jul 1882 in Inglewood Cemetery, Victoria, Australia.27
Robert and Jane arrived with their daughter Elizabeth, aged 1 and infant son Jonathon as assisted immigrants from the UK aboard the vessel 'Bourneuf' of 1495 tons. They sailed from Liverpool on 26 May 1852 and arrived in Geelong on 3 September 1852 after a voyage of just over 3 months. The assisted passage was £12/19/6, a fortune in those days. An extract from a book titled "The Roaring Days" by Michael Cannon gives a vivid picture of what the voyage must have been like..... "....In September 1852 Captain Robert Biddy sailed the Bourneuf into Geelong to report a total of eighty-eight deaths on the voyage - more than ten per cent of his passengers . Five women had died of consumption, puerperal fever, or been lost overboard. Of the 180 children under seven years of age who embarked, nearly half died of diarrhoea, measles, and other complaints. When the vessel docked, a further twenty adults and children were still suffering from disease . Arrangements for hygiene were primitive or non-existent . The main deck leaked, so that the two emigrant decks were usually damp. The water closets were of 'inferior construction and leaky.' The chutes for carrying off dirty water had been removed. The upper emigrant deck had 'a disagreeable smell' while the lower deck was dark and 'difficult to ventilate'. There was insufficient hospital accomodation or spare bedding, so that infected mattresses had to be used again. The matron was almost useless 'owing to physical want of activity or energy' while Surgeon McKevit was accused by the passengers of being 'so grossly intoxicated that he could not attend to his duty.' Many Scotch and Irish parents, through 'insurmountable prejudice' against medical treatment, refused to allow him to treat their sick children even when he was sober. The school-master, William Creeny, made an 'inflammatory' speech to the parents in which he said, 'We see around us preparations made for taking life with deadly instruments, instead of advising people, like rational beings, to do their duty.' The captain and surgeon locked up Creeny for the remainder of the voyage, but the complaints continued. One passenger, George Kidd, said that after his wife died it had been necessary to throw their infected bed overboard, but he had not been given another bed for himself and his child and had to sleep on the damp deck. And despite all the scandals of past years, no attempt was made to keep the seamen away from the female emigrants. The passengers' galley entered directly into the crew's galley: some of the women 'persisted in holding intercourse with the sailors.' When the ship arrived at Geelong the seamen rioted and police had to be called to control them...." It must have been horrific. Robert and Jane had a further eight children in the goldfields area of Victoria. On Robert's death an article in the Inglewood Advertiser on Wednseday Evening, July 19, 1882 reads "Once again we have to record a visit from the grim King of Terrors, who has been frequent in his visitations among us of late. The last one to depart from amongst is Mr. Robert Staley, who has been a resident fully 20 years, and who departed this life early this morning at the age of 56 years, after a long asthmatic affection. The deceased who leaves a wife and family of several children, all however of good age, followed the avocation of a miner. The Funeral procession will leave his late residence on the Maxwell's Reef at 2 p.m. on Friday.

On 7 Feb 1851 when Robert was 24, he married Jane GILLIES, daughter of Alexander GILLIES & Elizabeth BAILLIE, in Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland.58 Born on 3 Jul 1828 in Rumford, Stirlingshire, Scotland.56 Jane died in Inglewood, Victoria, Australia, on 25 Feb 1912; she was 83.59

They had the following children:

27i.

Elizabeth (1850-1888)

28ii.

Jonathan (1851-1897)

29iii.

Mary (1855-<1912)

iv.

Margaret Jane.

Born on 7 Aug 1857 in Forest Creek, Victoria, Australia.56 Margaret Jane died in Glenluce, Victoria, Australia, on 29 Apr 1860; she was 2.56

Alexander.

Born in 1859 in Chewton, Victoria, Australia.56 Alexander died in Chewton, Victoria, Australia, in 1861; he was 2.

30vi.

Margaret Jane (1862-1894)

31vii.

Agnes (1864-)

viii.

Janet.

Born in 1867 in Inglewood, Victoria, Australia.56 Janet died in Inglewood, Victoria, Australia, in 1872; she was 5.60

32ix.

Robert Alexander (1870-1904)

Thomas Allan.

Born abt 1875. Thomas Allan died in Inglewood, Victoria, Australia, on 5 Dec 1935; he was 60.61 Buried on 7 Dec 1935 in Inglewood Cemetery, Victoria, Australia.62
Thomas enlisted in the Army during WW1. His details were: 3997 Sapper - 2Tunnelling Coy

9. David Gray STALEY. Born on 3 Nov 1832 in Muirkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland.10 David Gray died in Yandoit, Victoria, Australia, on 24 Feb 1881; he was 48.63
Emigrated to Australia in March 1852 aboard the "Cambodia" when he was 19 years old, he lived in Central Victoria for most of his time in Australia, his descendants have quite a few success stories to tell.

On 25 May 1855 when David Gray was 22, he married Agnes LEISHMAN, daughter of David LEISHMAN & Helen GRANT, in Brunswick, Victoria, Australia.64 Born abt 1836 in Scotland. Agnes died in Victoria, Australia, in 1877; she was 41.65

They had the following children:

Jonathan James.

Born on 7 May 1856 in Forest Creek, Victoria, Australia.66 Jonathan James died in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, on 9 Feb 1888; he was 31.67 Buried on 10 Feb 1888 in Toowong Cemetery, Queensland, Australia.68

ii.

David.

Born in 1858 in Forest Creek, Victoria, Australia.69 David died in Victoria, Australia, in 1860; he was 2.70
David lived just 27 months

33iii.

Helen Blythe (1860-1928)

iv.

Mary.

Born in 1862 in Clydesdale, Victoria, Australia.71 Mary died in Vaughan, Victoria, Australia, in 1863; she was 1.72

34v.

David John (1865-1912)

35vi.

Allan William (1867-1913)

36vii.

Andrew (1869-1958)

viii.

Daniel Gray.

Born on 31 Jul 1871 in Yandoit, Victoria, Australia.73 Daniel Gray died in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on 3 Jul 1939; he was 67.74

10. Margaret STALEY. Born abt 1834 in Scotland. Margaret died in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on 16 Jun 1881; she was 47.75
Margaret arrived in Victoria on 31 March 1852 with some of her siblings and widowed mother on board the "Cambodia"

On 3 Feb 1854 when Margaret was 20, she married Thomas Law McMILLAN, son of James McMILLAN & Mary LAW, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.76 Born abt 1825 in Wanlockhead, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. Thomas Law died in East Malvern, Victoria, Australia, on 10 Jul 1892; he was 67.77
In the 1841 census Thomas was listed as a Lead Miner at Wanlockhead as was his father, in the 1851 census Thomas is a 26 years old medical student boarding with a family in Edinburgh, he arrived in Victoria around 1852, he and Margaret had at least two trips back to Scotland where two of his daughters were born, he was still a student when Mary was born in 1858 and he was a Surgeon when Edith was born in 1868. Thomas was President of the Medical Society of Victoria in 1878, he died of Pneumonia which he'd had for 6 weeks.

They had the following children:

37i.

Mary (1858-1928)

ii.

Alice Maud.

Born on 6 Jul 1865 in Kyneton, Victoria, Australia.78,79 Alice Maud died in Kyneton, Victoria, Australia, in 1866; she was <1.80
Born Bodkin Street, Kyneton

38iii.

Edith Agnes (1868-)

iv.

Frances Hope.

Born in 1870 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.81 Frances Hope died in Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia, in 1944; she was 74.82 Buried in 1944 in Melbourne General Cemetery, Victoria, Australia.83
Frances did not marry

11. John STALEY. Born in 1840 in Ayrshire, Scotland. John died in Sandhurst, Victoria, Australia, on 11 Sep 1882; he was 42.84
John died of chronic pneumonia which he'd had for 6 months.

abt 1870 when John was 30, he married Elizabeth GILLIES, daughter of Robert GILLIES & Jane BAILEY, in Dunolly, Victoria, Australia.85 Born abt 1852 in Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland. Elizabeth died in Inglewood, Victoria, Australia (Maxwell's Reef), in Jun 1888; she was 36.86
Elizabeth married again in 1885 to George Cole, they had one child , a daughter named Alice who died when five months old, mother and daughter are buried in Inglewood Cemetery.

They had the following children:

George Graham.

Born in 1872 in Fryerston, Victoria, Australia.87 George Graham died in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in 1892; he was 20.88

39ii.

Ethel Jane (1875-1924)

iii.

Ida Gordon.

Born in 1877 in Sandhurst, Victoria, Australia.89 Ida Gordon died in Sandhurst, Victoria, Australia, on 28 Dec 1884; she was 7.90

iv.

Agnes Gillies.

Born in 1879 in Sandhurst, Victoria, Australia.91

40v.

Jessie Frances (1882-1950)

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