Edward Wilson
Edward Wilson was the eldest son of Winifred (nee Seery) and William Wilson.
He was born on 17 December 1856 (NSW BDM 8760/1857) at a gold-mining settlement called Devil's Hole Creek (later renamed Clarke's Creek) near Windeyer in the Mudgee area of New South Wales. His father, William, had come to New South Wales from America in search of gold.
I am not sure how Edward's mother, Winifred, came to be in the Windeyer area however she had previously been married to John Manton with whom she had a son, also called John Manton. Winifred and John seem to have parted company sometime between their son's birth in August 1854 and Edward's birth in 1856.
Little is known of Edward's life except that the family appears to have moved the Woodhouselee/Tarlo area in the 1860s when Edward would have been about ten years old. A school opened in Windeyer in 1859 and it is possible that Edward attended it.
We know from family stories that William became a farmer in the Woodhouselee area and that he was, at one stage, reasonably prosperous, with each of his children having cattle of their own. Apparently their fortunes changed at some time after this, perhaps due to drought.
He was born on 17 December 1856 (NSW BDM 8760/1857) at a gold-mining settlement called Devil's Hole Creek (later renamed Clarke's Creek) near Windeyer in the Mudgee area of New South Wales. His father, William, had come to New South Wales from America in search of gold.
I am not sure how Edward's mother, Winifred, came to be in the Windeyer area however she had previously been married to John Manton with whom she had a son, also called John Manton. Winifred and John seem to have parted company sometime between their son's birth in August 1854 and Edward's birth in 1856.
Little is known of Edward's life except that the family appears to have moved the Woodhouselee/Tarlo area in the 1860s when Edward would have been about ten years old. A school opened in Windeyer in 1859 and it is possible that Edward attended it.
We know from family stories that William became a farmer in the Woodhouselee area and that he was, at one stage, reasonably prosperous, with each of his children having cattle of their own. Apparently their fortunes changed at some time after this, perhaps due to drought.
Later Life: where did Edward go?
Edward's sister, Catherine Wilson (later Withers) told her family that Edward went to America and they never knew what happened to him. They did not hear from him and never knew where or when he died. They did not even know whether he ever made it to America.
The story about Edward going to America was never fully understood by my mother and her sisters (Catherine's grand-daughters) until my research uncovered the fact that William was, in fact, American. It makes sense that Edward may have wanted to visit his American relatives in search of adventure.
I have been unable to discover any records relating to Edward's departure from New South Wales. I am guessing he would have left some time between 1874 (when he would have been 18) and about 1900 however shipping records for that period are incomplete and unreliable and Edward Wilson is a fairly common name. The NSW State Archives note that "outward passenger lists were not regularly maintained until 1898."
Note that Edward's step-brother, John Manton, junior, who was frequently in trouble with the police from his teenage years, used the name Edward Wilson as an alias on several occasions.
The following newspaper article suggests that in 1879 Edward was living on some land acquired from his brother, James, who'd acquired it under the Conditional Purchase scheme. In late 1879, Edward was working as a shearer in Deniliquin where he 'lost his reason' and was confined in Deniliquin jail for his own protection. After his release he disappeared and six months later his brother, James, had gone to look for him. Perhaps he died or perhaps he went to America.
The story about Edward going to America was never fully understood by my mother and her sisters (Catherine's grand-daughters) until my research uncovered the fact that William was, in fact, American. It makes sense that Edward may have wanted to visit his American relatives in search of adventure.
I have been unable to discover any records relating to Edward's departure from New South Wales. I am guessing he would have left some time between 1874 (when he would have been 18) and about 1900 however shipping records for that period are incomplete and unreliable and Edward Wilson is a fairly common name. The NSW State Archives note that "outward passenger lists were not regularly maintained until 1898."
Note that Edward's step-brother, John Manton, junior, who was frequently in trouble with the police from his teenage years, used the name Edward Wilson as an alias on several occasions.
The following newspaper article suggests that in 1879 Edward was living on some land acquired from his brother, James, who'd acquired it under the Conditional Purchase scheme. In late 1879, Edward was working as a shearer in Deniliquin where he 'lost his reason' and was confined in Deniliquin jail for his own protection. After his release he disappeared and six months later his brother, James, had gone to look for him. Perhaps he died or perhaps he went to America.