Horner History.

1

Australia. So a new life in South Australia began for the family with Nathan being employed as a

stone mason.

Throughout his life he continued as a stone mason building bridges, houses and roads

but more of that in another article.

The following account of the family in Australia has been checked and verified as far as possible

against actual source material.

Of the children of Nathan and Anne Wells who came to South Australia in 1894 on the Dirigo.

The eldest, MaryAnn Horner married John Simmons, a widower, and a man seventeen years

her senior, on 1st January 1873 at the residence of the Reverend C. Manthorpe, in Glenelg,

South Australia.

It was John’s second marriage. His first wife also called Mary, died in 1872

John Simmons, a blacksmith and son of Henry Simmons, came from Liverpool in 1839 aged

twenty two.

John died in 1894 aged 77 years at Blackwood, South Australia.

His occupations include storekeeper, quarry worker, blacksmith, and Publican.

* In 1851 he built and became the Licensee of the Blythewood Inn at Torrens Park. Mitcham.

The Blythewood Inn was de-licensed in 1912, and demolished in 1958.

In 1853 John built Blythewood cottage at Anderson creek.

Next he worked for Samuel Saunders in his quarry whilst it seems that Sam then became

licensee of the Blythewood Inn.

By 1857 John was again licensee of the Blythewood Inn.

In 1862 he subdivided his 10 acres by Anderson creek into 24 allotments and named the suburb

Blythe Woodville. Two streets bear the names John and Mary the latter after his first wife.

Blythewood is now part of Torrens Park.

It seems that John met Mary Ann Horner through his associations with Sam Saunders and

Nathan Horner.

Mary Ann Horner/Simmons died on 21st November 1910, also at Blackwood South Australia.

Both she and John are buried in the Mitcham Cemetery.

Henry Horner the next child of Nathan and Ann I think died in Victoria in 1855 aged eighteen.

Little is known of him, but being the eldest son, he may have joined many who went to the

goldfields in Victoria. (1854-5) Maybe Henry thought to strike gold and make his fortune

further a-field. Unfortunately this was not to be.

I found this record in Victoria many years ago. It is more than a coincidence.

Australia Vital records, Reg. No 2887

Victoria

Henry Horner d. 1855

Age 18

Born, 1837 in England.

Note : 1837 is Henry’s birth year in England.

Horner History.

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The second son Nathan Isaac Horner married MaryAnn Saunders on 26th

February 1866.

Nathan’s younger sister Eliza Horner and her husband William Wooding were witnesses at the

wedding. Eliza and William had married two years earlier in 1864.

MaryAnn Saunders was born in Horsley, Gloucestershire on the 28th

January 1848. Her parents

were Samuel Saunders and Harriot Harvey. .

Samuel Saunders was born on 25th

April 1824 in Horsley, Gloucestershire.

The 1841 census lists the following family for him:

James Saunders age 50 years, Agricultural Labourer;

Susan Saunders age 49 years,

Samuel Saunders age 16,

Daniel Saunders age 14 years,

James age 11 years and

Elizabeth age 8 years

The 1841 census of Horsley, Gloucestershire.

Horner History.

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Harriot Harvey, Mary Anne’s mother was born on the 28th

August, 1825 also in Horsley,

Gloucestershire. She and Samuel were married in Horsley on the 7th

December 1845.

Information from their marriage certificate shows that both Harriot and Samuel made their mark

with a cross, with Samuel’s father given as James Saunders, and Harriot’s father as Thomas

Harvey.

Samuel’s parents were Susannah Brinkworth (Bunkworth) and James Saunders. They

married on 3rd October 1816 in Horsley, Gloucestershire, England.

Samuel was the eldest at 16yrs and his siblings were Daniel 14yrs, James 11yrs and Elizabeth

8yrs in the 1841 census.

Harriot’s parents were Maria Webb and Thomas Harvey and they married in Horsley on the

16th

September 1807. Harriot was their eighth child.

The Harvey children were

James was born about 1808 and baptised in St Martins Church on 11th

of April 1814. He died in

1828 and was buried in the grounds of St Martins Church Horsley on May 18th

1828.

Samuel was born about 1810 and baptised on the same day as James. He married twice in

England before going to Australia in 1851on the Oregon. Son Jesse was also on board. He died

at Yacka in South Australia.

Elizabeth born in 1812 was baptised on April 14th

the same day as her two elder brothers. She

married Thomas Brinkworth of Nailsworth. They arrived in South Australia aboard the

Somersetshire in 1839 with three of their four children, one having died at sea.

They had a total of ten children. Elizabeth died in 1881 and Thomas in 1892.

Peter was born in 1816 and died in 1821. He is buried in Horsley.

Jane was born about 1818 but nothing more is known of her.

Ann was born in 1820 and died in Freeling South Australia in 1891.

Peter the 2nd

was born in 1822 and died at Walkerville South Australia in 1875

Harriet was born in 1825 and died at Lower Mitcham South Australia in 1873

Thomas jr was born in 1827 and died at Crystal Brook South Australia in 1890

James the 2nd

was born about 1830 and died at Nailsworth South Australia in 1888.

The wife of Thomas Harvey, Maria Webb was born on June 8th

1788. She had many siblings one

of whom was a younger sister Harriot, spelt with an O.

Her parents, John Webb and Sarah Manning were married on the 9th

September 1787. The

other siblings of Maria found when searching this family were Mercy, Peter, Jesse, and Sarah.

Visiting St Martins church, Horsley in Gloucestershire we found inside the church the following

plaque:

Entrance to

Dan’l Saunders

Vault

Also in the church itself are three early memorials for the Webb family.

Horner History.

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In the church yard are adjacent headstones which read:

In Memory of

Thomas and Maria Harvey

also of

their son James

Thomas departed this life

Feb 7th

1866

These stones were erected at the expense

of their family in South Australia

The second memorial is for another Harvey family. It is possible that John is a brother of

Thomas, with relatives in Australia.

In

the memory of

JOHN HARVEY of this parish

who departed this life

January 11th

1854

Aged 53 years

Also of SARAH youngest daughter of

JOHN and ELIZABETH HARVEY

Who died December the 17th

1870

Aged 17 years

Also of the above

ELIZABETH HARVEY who died

October 7, 1877, aged 66 years

On the June 11th

1850 Harriot and Samuel Saunders with MaryAnne aged two, arrived in

South Australia on the sailing ship The Stag .

Samuel is listed as a Cornish miner. This is possibly so that he could get a passage on a ship that

left from Plymouth, which is quite a journey from Horsley.

Three more children were born to Harriot and Samuel Saunders in Australia.

Harriot Saunders b: 11th

January 1855?

Henry James Saunders b: 17th

February 1858 d: 19th

November 1944. He went to Victoria.

Elizabeth Saunders** b: 7th

February 1863 d: 9th

March 1941; married Edward Holly and they

head an extensive family in South Australia of Hollies, McMillans, and Kings.

Samuel Saunders b: 31st March 1867 d: 7

th August 1950. He also went to Victoria where he

married twice. Firstly to Catherine Everitt in 1891 having one daughter Elsie and then to

Dorothea Anderson in June 1913. There were five children by this marriage.

Harriot senior died in 1873 of cancer and is buried in North Road cemetery, whilst her

husband Samuel re-married the much younger Ellen Baker in 1874. She was born in 1841

and her Parents were Job Baker and Ellen Halliday who married in1838 and had a large family.

Samuel died on the 1st March 1885 and is buried in Mitcham cemetery. Ellen died in 1920 at the

Grange.

Horner History.

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Nathan Isaac Horner and Mary Ann Saunders had 9 children:

Henry Samuel born on the 2nd

July 1866 at Mitcham; Christened 11th

Nov 1866, and died on

the 22nd

May 1944;

married 1st Emily Steer, born 28.3.1860; died 27.6.1913; married 19 June 1886.

2nd.

Francis Lloyd, born 1868, died 26th

June 1956 they married on the 18th

April, 1914.

Henry’s brother, C L Horner a cycle builder, was a witness at the wedding.

An advertisement in the SA Sands and McDougall Almanack for 1921 gives his place of work

as Horner’s Motor House 104-106 Pirie Street.

Nathan Isaac born on the 19th

March 1868 at Blythewood (Mitcham), South Australia. At 19,

and working as a bricklayer he went to Victoria where he married May Constable a farmers

daughter in February 1892. He died on 6th

December 1892 ten months later at Kyneton Victoria

aged 24 of cerebro spinal meningitis.

Clara Anne born on the 3rd

March 1870 at West Mitcham.

Clara married Thomas Osborne on the 12th

March 1890.

Thomas was born in 1860 at Angaston.

His parents were Thomas Osborne and Mary Savage.

They came to Australia aboard the William Prowse from Somerset in August 1854.

Thomas died in April 1915 at Norwood age 55yrs. I have his Bible.

Clara died 13th

June 1932 at Unley and is buried in Mitcham cemetery.

Ellen (Nellie) born 15th

February 1872 at Mitcham, died in childbirth on the 14th May 1904;

married Thomas Charles Samuel Clayton on the 17th July 1894 at St Lukes Church, Adelaide.

He was born about 1860 died 13th

July 1938 Adelaide South Australia.

Frederick born at Yacka 10th

October 1875, died 13th

February 1940, in South Australia and is

buried in Payneham cemetery.

Married 1st Mary Catherine Dixon

2nd

Constance Olive Bowering, widow on 21st May 1927, at the Residence of John

Hicks, Fullarton Estate, South Australia. She was born 22nd

May 1885, Glen

Osmond S.A. and died 3rd

January 1954, Adelaide, South Australia.

Arthur born 23rd

September 1877 at Crystal Brook; died Ackland Hill 23rd

July 1951,

Married Fanny Maria Baldwin, on the 23rd

May 1900 at the residence of Mrs Horner,

Parkside, South Australia. She was born 22nd

February 1869, Echunga, South Australia; died

15th November 1952, Eastwood, South Australia.

Elizabeth Mai born 27th

March 1880 at Crystal Brook, died in NSW 26th

May 1968;

married 1st Frank Roland Harvey on the 10

th August 1905. He was born 20

th February 1880

Leicester, UK. He died in N.S.W on the 21st Sept 1910, of Meningitis, but family

records suggest he was buried in South Australia.

His parents were William Harvey and Jane Brocklesby, born in Derby, married in

Leicester England; died in South Australia.

Horner History.

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2nd

Thomas (Tom) James Falvey, on the 3rd

April 1926, Bondi, NSW.

Tom was born in Sydney N.S.W. about 1888 and died on the 2nd

July 1970, at

Bondi.

Tom is listed as a correspondence clerk and Mai as a costumier on their marriage

certificate. Tom’s parents were John Falvey, a storeman and his wife was Marie

Josephine Foley.

Alice Beatrice born 27th

February 1883, West Mitcham, died 24th

July 1977 Adelaide; and is

buried in Mitcham cemetery.

married Charles Edward Sutton on the 8th

June 1910. He was born about 1881 at Rotheram

near Sheffield, and died 12th

February 1958, Colonel Light Gardens, Adelaide South Australia;

He is also buried in Mitcham cemetery.

Charles Lindsay was born April 6th

1885 at West Mitcham, and died, 19th

June, 1947.

He married Catherine Olive Mary Crundwell on the 15th

August 1904 at St Mary Magdalene

Church, Adelaide South Australia. She was born 28th

October, 1884, Angle Grove South

Australia and died 19th

August 1946, Magill, South Australia.

Both are buried together in Paynham cemetery South Australia.

Nathan Isaac Horner died in May 1909 at Brighton.

Mary Anne Horner (Saunders) his wife died at the home in Colonel Light Gardens of her

youngest daughter Alice Beatrice Sutton on 13th

November 1929. I have her Bible.

Eliza Horner the fourth child of Nathan and Ann Wells married William Wooding on the 31st

January 1864 in North Adelaide.

William was born in born Q4 1840 in Yardley Hastings, Northhamptonshire, England, and was

the son of Joseph Wooding and Elizabeth Eyre.

He was a carter and died on the16th

September, 1919 at Victor Harbour in South Australia.

Joseph an agriculture labourer, his wife Elizabeth Eyre and son William a ten year old at the

time had arrived on the vessel Oregon on the 2nd

November 1851 along with Joseph eight, Eli

four, and Roseanna an infant. They had three more daughters in South Australia: Elizabeth

2.7.53; Mary Ann 12. 11. 1855; and Sarah Jane 1.10.1859.

On board the Oregon were another Wooding family. William also an agriculture labourer and

his wife Mary Ann (Lack) with children Elizabeth 10 and James 9 being listed as niece and

nephew, and then Jonathon 4 and William 1 as their own.

William and Mary Lack went on to have six more children in South Australia Mary Ann, b

14.9.1852, Josiah b 17.3.1856, Charles Henry b 23. 3. 1859, Charles Alfred b 18.11.1860,

Elizabeth Ann b 22.11.1861, Joseph Spencer b 11.8.1863

Horner History.

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Also on board the Oregon travelling as a single woman was Hessy/Epsebah Wooding, twenty

two, a servant, seemingly sister to William and William’s aunt. She went on to marry Isaac

Gould on the 14th

August 1854 at Macclesfield, South Australia and they had seven children

together. Sarah Ann 15. 3 1855: Elizabeth 6.4.1857: Mary Ann 10. 12. 1859: Emma 17.9.1862:

Isaac William 16. 2.1865: Martha Elder 25.12.1867: Hepzibah 28.7.1871

Eliza Horner and William Wooding had 3 children:

William Nathan Wooding b: 4th

August 1865 at Prospect Village; d: 17th

March 1868 at

Prospect, aged 3yrs old

Ruth Elizabeth Wooding b: 23rd

March 1869 at Prospect Village; d: Bowden on the Hill 13th

December 1883 aged 14 years old.

Florence May Wooding b 30th

August 1874 at North Adelaide. She married Hubert Coultas

on 7th

March 1900 in the Baptist church North Adelaide.

Born in 1873, Hubert was the son of Catherine Fredrickson and Thomas Coultas.

Florence and Hubert Coultas had two boys: Hubert Palmer Coultas born 29th

July 1901 and

Gordon William Coultas born 18th

March 1904.

Sarah Elizabeth Horner the last surviving child of Nathan and Ann married James Muir in

Adelaide on the 5th

December1866.

James was born in Scotland in 1844.

They had 4 children:

Sarah Elizabeth Muir b: 3rd

September 1867 in O’Halloran Hill, South Australia.

James Muir b: 19th

December 1868

Nathan William Muir b: 1870, Ballarat Victoria, died 1943 Ballarat Victoria.

Walter Muir b: 9th

May 1872/3 Unley Park / Ballarat, Victoria, died 30.3.1949 at Smiths

Gully, Victoria.

Sarah Elizabeth Muir nee Horner died on March 1st 1876 at the RAH Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Cause of death was diseased Enteric Glands. Two years earlier, also recorded at RAH, she had a

still born baby.

I think James then took the children back to Victoria after Sarah died. Certainly they had family

in Victoria.

Their daughter Sarah Elizabeth Muir married William Thomas in Richmond, Melbourne on

12th

November 1888. He was a Mining Expert from Broken Hill at this time.

They had three children.

Ethel Morton Thomas was born in 1889 at Northcote, in Victoria on 20th

October 1889. She

did not marry and died in Glenhuntly in September 1954.

After the birth of Ethel the family returned to South Australia where

Andrew William Thomas was born at Blackwood in May, 1891.

He married Josephine Richie ( Ina) Dobson from Glasgow.

They had two sons. Andrew died in Victoria in 1956.

Horner History.

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Cyril Percy Thomas was born at Blumberg (now Birdwood) on 21st December 1894.

He married Margaret Pond in 1921 and they had one son.

The family stayed in South Australia till about 1903 when they moved to Western Australia.

William died on 6th

August 1911 at Southern Cross, west of Coolgardie aged 59 yrs.

Sarah Elizabeth Thomas and the three children mentioned above are named as beneficiary in the

will of Mary Ann Simmons, nee Horner, wife of John Simmons, and eldest sister of Sarah

Elizabeth, nee Horner.

The IGI records for Ethel Morton Thomas and Andrew William Thomas show William Thomas

as there father, with Sarah Elizabeth or Lizzie Muir as the mother.

Sarah Elizabeth’s death at 93 is recorded on the IGI as Lizzie Muir. She outlived all her

children and her husband, the latter by 50 years.

Second son, James Muir? No details so many James’!

Their third son Nathan William Muir married twice:

1st

to Emily Naden 26th

.12.1866, b 22.5.1881 d.1948. They had four children:

Nathan 1904;

William Thomas, born 1906, and died Condoblin in 1931;

Elizabeth Mabel born Condoblin, September1909, died there 22nd

November 1910.

Josephine Mary, born 1909 Errebenderry NSW, died in Condoblin 1934; she married

Bertram Gordon Dixon b 1905. They have two daughters

2nd

to Sarah Jane Wilstencroft in Sydney in 1930. She was born in 1870 in Ballarat,

Victoria and died Hornsby NSW 1943. no issue.

Lastly Walter Muir married Jessie Charlotte Knevitt in Adelaide, 1893 or 1895.

They had:

George Maurice, born in Carlton in 1896

Ethel Rose, born in Fitzroy South in 1901

Anecdote

**There are families of Woodings (s) in South Australia coming from a different area of

England than our William Wooding . ‘Fanny Woodings’ who married Edward King is

distantly related.

I have worked out that there is a distant connection between these two families through

MaryAnne’s sister Elizabeth Saunders** who married Edward Holly and Nathan’s sister

Eliza who married William Wooding.

August, 2010

Liz Jackson

Hemel Hempstead

Hertfordshire.