Early Australian records

[Sue from Southend]

I've been looking some trees on Ancestry for a Joseph Salmon b C1809 married to Eleanor Donelly in Tasmania in 1832.

All of these trees, and there are over 150 so I haven't checked each and every one, seem to state that Joseph was born in St Marylebone, to Thomas Salmon and Elizabeth Morris. Thomas allegedly b in York and Elizabeth in St Marylebone where they also married. Thomas and Elizabeth were the original immigrants, according to the trees.

My question is how have these assumptions been reached? I can't see any sources on the trees and wonder if there are records available that I'm not aware of as my experience of Australian research is very limited. Or are these trees just the usual fairy stories?

[kiterunner]

If he is the Joseph Salmon who died 10 Mar 1846 at Oatlands, Tasmania, then there is a National Probate Calendar entry from 1863 but it is letters of administration, not probate, no will which might mention family members:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1904/images/31874_221775-00138?pId=5076346

If he was a convict there would be loads of convict records relating to him but it doesn't sound as though that is supposed to be the case if his parents took him to Australia. There are some Joseph Salmon convict records though.

Also have you looked at Trove newspaper search to see if there is any info about him on there?

[kiterunner]

His wife's name on the marriage record is Ellen / Eleanor McDonnell.

[kiterunner]

There is some info on here with a contact form which you could use to ask for sources: https://www.orphanschool.org.au/showorphan.php?orphan_ID=3574

It says that Joseph arrived as a free emigrant with his parents and two brothers in 1816 and that he received a hundred-acre grant of land in 1823, which would suggest that he was born earlier than 1809. Edit - having read the Australian Dictionary of Biography entry about his father (see post #6 below) I guess the birth date of 1809 is more or less accurate after all.

[kiterunner]

There are Tasmanian land grants (available on Ancestry) dated 30 Jun 1823 in the names of Joseph Salmon, Samuel Salmon, and Thomas Salmon junior, which does suggest that the father's name would be Thomas Salmon.

[kiterunner]

Ah, and here is the Australian Dictionary of Biography entry for Thomas sr, and it mentions that his wife was Elizabeth:
https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/salmon-thomas-2625

It says that the second son was Charles Frederick, so I don't know who Samuel in my previous post was!

[Sue from Southend]

I don't know how you do it Kite but you are a star!

According to the Australian Dictionary of Biography Thomas was born in Gloucestershire. I've found three possible births across Ancestry and FMP but haven't looked at them in any detail yet. But it would seem to disprove all Ancestry trees that give his pob as York.

My interest in Thomas is from a small DNA match that has his mother as a Mary Trimmer born in Shropshire and I am looking for an elusive Trimmer. It seemed doubtful to me originally and I'm still not convinced now but will look at the possibilities before dismissing it completely.

Thanks for taking the time to look at this for me Kite.

BTW- I could only find baptisms for Thomas, Samuel and Joseph, perhaps Samuel changed his name to Charles Frederick?

[Sue from Southend]

I take it all back, there may be some basis for these trees! I have found the will of Samuel Salmon, father of Thomas that clearly mentions Thomas and his brother James (who went toAustralia with Thomas according to to the Australian Dictionary of Biography) and his three grandsons, Thomas, Samuel and Joseph although no mention that I can see of them being in Tasmania. James had returned to England by this time.

I have also found an incredibly well sourced tree for James Salmon, Thomas' brother which still gives their mother's name as Mary Trimmer.

The issue is that Thomas wasn't born in Gloucestershire as stated by the Australian Dictionary of Biography....

Now to investigate the Mary Trimmer mentioned!

[Mary from Italy]

You can find Tasmanian BMDs here, but the index is a bit clunky to search, and the earlier records don't contain as much information as the ones from other Australian states:

https://librariestas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/names/

[Sue from Southend]

Thanks, Mary:)

[garstonite]

we know not all trees are correct .. but this tree has years of birth and death for every family member - so it might be genuine

Joseph Salmon
Born 15 January 1809 - London, London, England
Deceased 10 March 1846 - Oatlands, Tasmania, Australia, aged 37 years old

Parents
Thomas James Salmon 1781-1847
Elizabeth Salmon 1782-1849

Siblings
M Samuel Salmon 1805-1821
M Thomas Salmon 1807-1868
M Joseph Salmon 1809-1846

tree owner is name removed - do you have any connection to the surname name removed ??

added Samuel Salmon married Mary Trimmer at St Michaels church ,Derby ,Derbyshire
https://en.geneanet.org/fonds/individus/?country__0__=GBR&country__1__=&country__2__=&country__3__=&country__4__=&exact_day=&exact_month=&exact_year=&from=&go=1&ignore_each_patronyme=&ignore_each_prenom=&nom=trimmer&page=2&place__0__=&place__1__=&place__2__=&place__3__=&place__4__=&prenom=mary&prenom_operateur=or&region__0__=ENG&region__1__=&region__2__=&region__3__=&region__4__=&sexe=&size=10&subregion__0__=&subregion__1__=&subregion__2__=&subregion__3__=&subregion__4__=&to=&type_periode=between&zonegeo__0__=England,+United+Kingdom&zonegeo__1__=&zonegeo__2__=&zonegeo__3__=&zonegeo__4__=

[kiterunner]

Sorry, Allan, but I had to remove the tree owner's name from your post as they are presumably still alive.

[kiterunner]

And just to add that Samuel was named in a land grant in 1823 so I don't think he died in 1821.

[Sue from Southend]

Thanks for looking, Allan. I suspect it may be the well sourced tree that I found earlier.

Kite - The Land Grant issue is a tad confusing as there is a burial for Samuel Salmon in 1821 that names him as the son of Thomas and Elizabeth. https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1266/images/31768_210888__0021--04335?pId=304669 so I'm not sure what's going on unless there were two Samuel Salmons with parents named Thomas and Elizabeth in Tasmania?

[kiterunner]

Strange!

[HarrysMum]

Quite a few Samuel Salmons for such a small place. Poor young Samuel who died aged 16 from a venomous reptile bite. My bet on a tiger snake. So awful.