Family History Mysteries

*Warning - this episode contains reference to deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders*Billy Jonas was a buckjumper and roughrider with Martini’s Buckjumping Show in the early 1900s.

Anne Hanson got in touch as she not only uncovered mysteries in her family research but wrote a fantastic book on her discoveries! It is a gripping journey into forgotten history, identity, and the power of family. This true story will resonate with anyone who has ever wondered what mysteries might lie within their own family tree.“Buried Secrets is as suspenseful as a detective novel." ~ Akron Beacon Journal“It’s hard to put this book down, to be honest, because it is well written and full of surprises.”~ Genealogists’ MagazineYou can purchase Anne's book https://annehanson.com/ or listen to it as an audiobook https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0BF2XBBTN?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_auYou can get early access to this episode by subscribing for only $5.00 per month!Click on the following link: ⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/.../familyhistor.../subscribe

In 1944 in court, Karl Adolph Ernst Schultz’s criminal history was summed up by describing 35 previous convictions. Karl had six aliases by this time, including surnames such as Rafferty and Sinclair. He had almost as many weddings as he had aliases, “marrying” a total of five times, committing bigamy three times! Thank you to Mélanie Méthot who allowed me to use her blog as a basis to this episode.https://www.thebigamyproject.com/

Tommy Freeman was an Echuca based paddle steamer captain and as a youth was coined the Echuca Blondin! He was a born adventurer, a hard taskmaster and an impatient man – he was said to have served the worst meals on all the paddle steamers on the Murray and his enemies called him ‘Tear Arse Tommy’!

Joseph Hawdon and Charles Bonney were pioneers and overlanders who took cattle from Albury NSW to Adelaide in 1838. This venture helped to fill in the map and would be the impetus for a succession of other parties making the long journey, and for pioneering alternative routes.

Joseph Hawdon and Charles Bonney were pioneers and overlanders who took cattle from Albury NSW to Adelaide in 1838. This venture helped to fill in the map and would be the impetus for a succession of other parties making the long journey, and for pioneering alternative routes.

Andrew Stenhouse owned a grand home called 'Willyama' in St Kilda Victoria. He owned a successful sawmill in Broken Hill NSW prior to purchasing this property. Legend had it that Andrew hid 2,000 gold sovereigns in this home.

In the 1850s Christopher Bagot was considered one of the most successful squatters in the Riverina region of NSW.

George S Melville, nicknamed ‘Frenchy’, was born in about 1815 in Scotland. He was a convict who was involved in the famous McIvor Diggings gold escort robbery in July 1853.

The Murray Downs Homestead is a heritage-listed homestead at Moulamein Road, Murray Downs, NSW, just over the bridge from Swan Hill on the Murray River.In 1848 the Murray Downs Station was a vast expanse of land. Bell and Wilson applied to lease this from Crown Land. It was originally 150,000 acres.The Officer brothers purchased the property in 1862.

American Charles Sherwood Stratton, a small statured man, achieved international fame as a member of PT Barnum’s touring sideshow troupe and named himself Tom Thumb – he appeared in Melbourne in 1870 which encouragedAustralian versions.This episode covers the stories of two Australian 'Tom Thumbs'.*Warning – there will be terminology used in this episodethat does not reflect modern acceptable terms*

Born Thomas Henry Augustine Penney, Cecil Pierpont was one of a number of aliases he used in Australia. Others included Cecil Rowe, Professor Gordon Rowe and Cecil de Vere, Gordon Vane Tempest Simpson, Gordon Tempest, Gordon Burge, Gordon de Burgh, Cecil Royal Aubrey, Cecil Devine, John Soames, Sydney Bruce Burge. He was also married a number of times, including to several women at the same time.

Born Thomas Henry Augustine Penney, Cecil Pierpont was one of a number of aliases he used in Australia. Others included Cecil Rowe, Professor Gordon Rowe and Cecil de Vere, Gordon Vane Tempest Simpson, Gordon Tempest, Gordon Burge, Gordon de Burgh, Cecil Royal Aubrey, Cecil Devine, John Soames, Sydney Bruce Burge. He was also married a number of times, including to several women at the same time.

Percival George Whittall Percy was born into an English merchant family, educated in England, multilingual and employed by the large Far East trading company, Jardine, Matheson & Co. He came to Australia in 1879. He started off well but by 1895 was charged with imposition.

In a 1923 newspaper article, it outlined how William Mowbray under the title of Dr William De Vale, had slept with a number of his patients even though he was a married man with children.

Ethel Benn was an extraordinarily athletic thief who never learned from her mistakes.

Ethel Benn was an extraordinarily athletic thief who never learned from her mistakes.

Esther Eggers was born Esther Ann Reardon in Sydney in 1896. She first features in public documents as a 15 year old and was still committing misdemeanors in her late forties.

John Wagner was born in Canada in 1827. He emigrated in 1852 via California to Melbourne. During his travels, he recognized the difficulty of transport over long distances and in Australia developed a line of quality coaches and travel routes. He became a partner with Cyrus Hewitt of Hewitt & Co. and later joined A.W. Robertson to form Robertson & Wagner to purchase coach lines in Victoria, Australia.John was also a partner in Cobb & Co., another coach line service, and held an interest in the Mt. Morgan Gold Mining Company which made him very wealthy.

Charles Thomas Scoringi Jnr was born in 1891 in New Zealand. He was in trouble with the law as a young boy, and committed crimes both in NZ and Australia. Interestingly, in all but one case, targeted Chinese to steal from.