Climbing our Family Tree

William Stone and Susannah James - I have been told that these are the parents of my great grandfather. At this stage I do not know anything about them. The IGI has an extracted marriage record: 25th April 1791, Saint Anne Soho, Westminster, London, England.

Thomas Horner Stone & Harriet Jeffery

Thomas Horner Stone was born around 1808, somewhere in Middlesex. An online tree has him born 1809 in Bishop Street, London, the son of William Stone and Susannah James. This same tree has the wrong death and burial date, and also the wrong marriage year for him. However, these wrong dates are also on other websites, and I have been known to perpetuate them myself, until I see evidence otherwise.

I know exactly where Thomas was at about nine-thirty on the evening of the 28th May 1831 since it is documented in the online records of the Old Bailey. He was caught red-handed with a large basket of silk and made up silk velvet from the shop of William Barrett Snr and Jnr. His companion in crime escaped. Thomas was sentenced to death at the Old Bailey session of July 8th.

On August 18, The Times reports that Thomas Horner Stone, recently capitally convicted at the Old Bailey and now a prisoner in Newgate, was one of "whom His Majesty was graciously pleased to respite during his Royal Pleasure". I can only imagine how glad Thomas was to be spared the gallows, but wonder how he felt about being sent to Australia almost two months later.

You can read the Old Bailey transcript here. (you leave this site)

He arrived on the Asia 1 (6), which left Portsmouth on the 16th October 1831, carrying 200 male convicts all bound for Sydney. The ship arrived in New South Wales on the 13th February 1832. The Master was Thomas F Stead, the surgeon was And D Wilson.

Jean Stone, the widow of Walter Stone, has written a book about her husband, called "The Passionate Bibliophile, The Story of Walter Stone, Australian Bookman Extraordinaire". In this book she states that Thomas had a wife and two children who did not join him in Australia. Jean also says that Thomas did not have any previous convictions, his description being given as: 5 ft 4 1/2 ins, a ruddy complexion, dark brown hair and light hazel eyes; Education, none; Occupation, Tiler. Thomas was 23 years old.

Thomas received his Ticket-of-Leave on the 7th April 1843, and was allowed to stay in the District of Carcoar following the Dec 1842 recommendation of the Carcoar Bench.

Harriet Jeffery was born 4th April 1829, at Brenchley, Kent, England and was baptized as Harriott Jeffery on the 12th April of that year. Harriett appears to be the eldest child of eight to William Jeffery and Mary Ann Martin. In later records her name was recorded as the more common spelling as Harriet. Harriet was nine years old on arrival in Australia with her parents and older sister on the Lady Nugent in 1838.

Thomas and Harriet married at Spring Grove on the 3rd February, 1845. Thomas was noted as a member of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Harriet was not. Both lived at Cox's River at the time of their marriage. The Presbyterian ceremony was performed by Rev. Colin Stewart. Thomas could not sign his name and made his mark. The witnesses appear to be Harriet's parents Mary and William Jeffrey. William could not sign, Mary did. Ages were not recorded on the document, but Thomas would have been around 27 and Harriet was possibly not yet 16 years old.

The typed transcript (from NSW Reg. of BDMs) says that the minister's abode was not stated, however in the place marked religion there is the additional information - The Vale of Clwyd - and I believe that this is the ministers abode, especially as the BDM index indicates that the district of "PJ" denotes "Bowenfels, Vale of Clwydd (Rev. Colin Stewart - Itinerant)". This theory was proven correct with the arrival of another document.

Cousin Suzanne has sent me a copy of a document regarding the marriage. On this, Thomas Stone makes his mark, declaring that he holds Communion with the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Colin Stewart then declares that he is the Minister from the Vale of Clywd and gives the declaration that he had joined the couple in wedlock at Spring Grove, both currently residing at Coxs River. A third witness signs their name to the document, but I find it hard to decipher. Harriet has not left any mark at all on this page.

Their first child, William, was baptized on the same day. He was born on the 29th January, five days beforehand. I expect that they were hoping he would not be born until after the minister's visit. On William's baptism, it looks like Thomas was recorded as a Servant.

Thomas receive his Pardon on the 20th March 1850.

Known Children

William - born Cox's River on 29th January and baptized five days later on 3rd February at Spring Grove, the day his parents married. William married Jane Bowman in 1867 and had around 11 children. He died 9th June 1922 at Condobolin, being buried in the local cemetery with his wife who had died some weeks beforehand. Their grave has a memorial headstone erected by their children.
Martha - baptized 25th June 1848, Parish of Bathurst, by J. Beagly Naylor. It is recorded that she was born 12th February 1847. Thomas was a labourer, the family living at Carcoar at the time of the baptism. Martha married Enoch Nicholls 1866. I have found evidence of five children. I have also been told that Martha married George W Booth in 1885 - the registration for that marriage shows him marrying a Martha Rigney. Further delving reveals a marriage for Martha Nicholls to Edward Charles Rigney in 1878. Possible death? Martha died 12th March 1925, and is buried in an unmarked grave at the Condobolin General Cemetery. The death was registered in West Wyalong, parents recorded as Thomas and Martha.
Sophia - baptized the same day as Martha. Her birth date recorded as 8th June 1847. Sophia married William Gerstenberg in 1878. Sophia died 1930 at Condobolin.
Frederick - born October 28th, and baptized 27th November 1849 at the Parish of Carcoar. His father, Thomas, was recorded as a Settler at Lachlan. Frederick married Ellen Bates in 1870. He died in 1926 at Condobolin.
Ellen Marie - born 1850 according to the online information, but her baptism not in the registration index. Ellen was deceased before April 1867 when Annie's birth was registered, being one of the 3 unnamed dead girls on that registration.
Mary Ann - born 8th February 1852, and baptized 4th April at the Parish of Bathurst. Thomas again recorded as Settler from Lachlan. Mary Ann married John Lees. She died 1930.
Harriet - born 8th June 1853, baptized as Hariot Jeffry on 4th April 1854. Thomas was noted as a farmer from Lachlan. Harriet married Samuel Waller in 1874, and died four years later.
Thomas - reportedly born 1858 at Moulamein, no birth registration found. In 1886 Thomas married Elizabeth Crampton, the widow of Alfred Ambrose Bloomfield.
Henry Francis - reportedly born Condobolin in 1863, a birth registration not found in NSW. This age is supported by his death in 1938, aged 75 years. Henry was a witness to his younger sister Annie's wedding in 1889. Henry married Ada Edith Sutcliffe in 1895.
Ann - her birth and death were registered in 1861. Jean Little's web site informs us that little Ann died, aged 13 days, on the 13th August - the child of Thomas Stone, squatter. Ann's name appears on the memorial plaque at the old cemetery, as 13 days old, 18th August 1861. The plaque was erected by the Lachlan Shire Council in 1990, listing the known burials that took place there between 1861 and 1878. The cemetery has been renamed Condobolin Sacred Park Cemetery and turned into a park, all the headstones being removed.
Alfred Phillip - born 1862 at Condobolin, married Ann Victoria Bourne in 1882, and died 1923.
Female - there was another little girl who had died before Annie was born. I do not know her name, nor her order in the sibling lineup.
Annie Phyllis - On the 21st April 1867, Thomas registered Annie's birth at Forbes. Annie was born 22nd February that year in Condobolin. Thomas was a 55 year old squatter, born Middlesex, England. He said that Harriet was 37 years old, and born in Kent. A nurse attended the birth. Thomas stated that he and Harriet had married at Cox's River, a date not given, and that they had twelve previous children of which 5 boys and 4 girls were living and 3 girls were dead. Annie is my Great Grandmother, she married Isaac Holland Whiley.
Adelaide Jane - born 1869 at Spring Grove. There is not a birth registration for this child. Adelaide married Albert Edwin Pye. She died, at Chatswood, in 1932.
Maud Matilda - birth registered at Forbes in 1872. Maud was a witness at Annie's marriage. Maud married Thomas Arthur Loftus, and died 1919 West Wyalong. Her husband appears to have remarried in 1936, to Maud's niece, Thelma Lillian Stone.
Samuel Herbert - birth registered 1874 at Forbes. Samuel married Bertha Byrnes in 1894 according to Jean Little's web site. He died 1905 at West Wyalong.

Some other children appear as children of this family in other researchers work. There are just too many children in the time frame for a family of this size for me to feel that it is all correct. I have not yet purchased any death certificate of either Thomas or Harriet to determine if children are named. So, without sighting sources, I prefer to leave these children out of things for now.

Edward - b 1867, died 29 November 1929 - The death registration index says his parents are William and Jane.
Sarah - sources say that this girl was born 1874 at Mallory Creek, Condobolin, and married Alfred Lord Anderson. I believe her to be the daughter of Frederick and Ellen Bates.
Ellen Margaret - born 1875 at Spring Grove, Condobolin 1875. Again no birth registration. Ellen married George Anderson, and died Chatswood, 1920. I believe her to be the daughter of Frederick and Ellen Bates.
Frances - born 1876, died 20 December 1912. No registrations.

25th September 2007