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Eliza Smith

Meath

My great grandmother, Eliza Smith, married James Edmeades Tolhurst at the Catholic Church in Brighton, Victoria  11 April 1861. The marriage certificate indicated that she was 24 years old, had been born at Kells, was a Catholic and her parents were Patrick Smith, Farmer and Julia Egan or Eaton.

The family lived in Melbourne, Moulmein (NSW) and Geelong (Victoria) before settling in the new town of Torrumbarry, on the Murray River, in 1874 where they established a farm, a Store and Post Office and, subsequently, the Post Office Hotel. They had five children. James Edmeades died in 1881 and Eliza carried on the enterprise until 1901, when she moved to a small farm in Melton (Victoria) with her youngest son.

This was partly to be closer to her older sister Julia Mary, who had married Paddy Coburn. Eliza died 14 Jun 1911 and is buried in the Echuca Cemetery, Victoria

I have nor been able to locate a Birth Certificate or a Baptismal Certificate or on which ship she travelled to Australia.

Any additional information would be greatly appreciated.

j tolhurst

2 replies

J Tolhurst:

The subscription site Roots Ireland has a December 21 1832 baptismal record for an Elizabeth Smith with father Patrick and mother Judith Eaton. The RC parish was Kilskyre/Ballinlough. Kilskyre RC parish is just to the west of Kells RC parish. Elizabeth had older siblings Patrick 1825 Catherine 1827 Anne 1829 Bridget 1831 and a younger sister Judith 1834.

The parents were married in Kells RC parish February 10 1823.

Civil birth registration did not begin in Ireland until 1864.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Roger

Thank you very much for this information and for your very prompt response.

It is wonderful to receive this information as we knew so little about Eliza's family.

The information also indicates that she was 28 years old when she married and not 24 years as shown on the Marriage Certificate.

There have been discrepancies in age in some of the other members of our family tree.

Many thanks

Jim Tolhurst

j tolhurst

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