Home Surname List Name Index Sources GEDCOM File Email Us | Living (private). Parents: Vernleigh F "Vern" GREGSON and Helene Emiline BALLEW. Spouse: Living. Children were: Living, Living. Vernleigh F "Vern" GREGSON was born on 3 September 1913 in Quinn, Pennington Co., South Dakota, USA. He appeared in the census in 1940 in Hill City, Pennington Co., South Dakota, USA. He lived in Puyallup, Pierce Co., Washington, USA in 1997. Vern died on 13 April 2000 at the age of 86 in Puyallup, Pierce Co., Washington, USA. Find A Grave Memorial# 104466525 ----- Vernleigh F. Gregson, his family will miss him. Vernleigh "Vern" F. Gregson, 86 of Puyallup, died April 13th (2000) in Puyallup. He was born and raised in Quinn, SD and lived in Puyallup for 50 years. He was married to his wife Helene for 62 years. He was devoted to his daughter and he was a very special grandpa. He retired in 1979 from Tam Engineering. He is survived by his wife Helene of Puyallup; a daughter Judy Metzentine, brothers Dale Gregson, Gary Gregson and Othal Gregson, his sister Joy, all of South Dakota; and two granddaughters. A memorial service will be at the Summit View Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness at 1:00 p.m. April 22. A reception will follow. ===== USA Public Records Name: Vernleigh F Gregson Also Known As: V Gregson Residence Date: 01 Sep 1994-01 Dec 1997 Residence Place: Puyallup, Washington Birth Date: 03 Sep 1913 Phone Number: (206) 845-5401 Phone Number Recorded Date: 15 Nov 2007 Address: 601 3d SW., Puyallup, Washington 98371 Address Date: 01 Sep 1994-01 Dec 1997 2nd Address: 601 3rd St SW., Puyallup, Washington 98371 2nd Address Date: 01 Jan 1993-15 Nov 2007 Possible Relatives: Helene E Gregson Record Number: 250854372 Spouse: Helene Emiline BALLEW. Helene Emiline BALLEW and Vernleigh F "Vern" GREGSON were married on 6 March 1938 in Rapid City, Pennington Co., South Dakota, USA. South Dakota Marriages: Annie GREIG was born in 1875 in Navan, SA, Australia. She died on 10 December 1952 at the age of 77 in Murray Bridge, SA, Australia. She was buried on 11 December 1952 in Murray Bridge Cmtry., Murray Bridge, SA, Australia. S. Australia deaths show: b791 p6944. CHATFIELD, Annie The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : Thursday 10 December 1953) Find A Grave Memorial# 59223959 Spouse: George William CHATFIELD. Annie GREIG and George William CHATFIELD were married on 11 June 1902 in Methodist Church, Daly, SA, Australia. SA Marriage Index 1902 211/1127 CHATFIELD, George William & GREIG, Annie Daly Florence GREIG was born on 21 March 1894 in Cookstown, Ontario, Canada. She died on 17 June 1965 at the age of 71 in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., California, USA. She was buried in Golden Gate National Cmtry., San Bruno, San Mateo Co., California, USA. Find A Grave Memorial# 3560517 Spouse: Rey Edwin CHATFIELD. Living (private). Parents: Thomas GREIG and Mary COWAN. Thomas GREIG was born in 1836 in Scotland. He died in 1890 at the age of 54 in Wallaroo, Copper Coast, SA, Australia. Spouse: Sarah Ann BENNETT. Sarah Ann BENNETT and Thomas GREIG were married on 27 March 1860 in Wallaroo, Copper Coast, SA, Australia. Spouse: Mary COWAN. Mary COWAN and Thomas GREIG were married in 1862 in Riverton, SA, Australia. Children were: Annie GREIG, Living. Living (private). Parents: Living and Living. Spouse: Living. Living (private). Spouse: Living. Children were: Living. Living (private). Parents: Russell H GRELE and Katherine CHATFIELD. Spouse: Living. Children were: Living, Living, Living, Living. Living (private). Spouse: Living. Children were: Russell H GRELE. Russell H GRELE was born on 14 February 1916 in Seymour, New Haven Co., Connecticut, USA. He died on 13 December 1986 at the age of 70 in Vernon, Tolland Co., Connecticut, USA. He was buried in Pine Grove Cmtry., Ansonia, New Haven Co., Connecticut, USA. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records: Name: Russell H Grele Birth Year: 1916 Race: White, citizen Nativity State or Country: Connecticut State: Connecticut County or City: New Haven Enlistment Date: 8 Oct 1941 Enlistment State: Connecticut Enlistment City: Hartford Branch: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers Branch Code: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers Grade: Private Grade Code: Private Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men) Source: Civil Life Education: 2 years of college Civil Occupation: Cashier or Stock Record Clerk or Bookkeeper, General Marital Status: Single, without dependents Height: 70 Weight: 188 Occupation: Accountant, Sterling Sales. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=48664458&ref=wvr Spouse: Katherine CHATFIELD. Katherine CHATFIELD and Russell H GRELE were married about 1942. Children were: Living, Russell Timothy GRELE. Russell Timothy GRELE was born in 1949 in USA. He died in 2006 at the age of 57 in USA. Parents: Russell H GRELE and Katherine CHATFIELD. Laughlan Hugh "Lock" GRESHAM died before 2016. Spouse: Kathleen Atholl "Taff" CHATFIELD. Kathleen Atholl "Taff" CHATFIELD and Laughlan Hugh "Lock" GRESHAM were married in 1939 in New Zealand. New Zealand Marriage Index Michael Gerald Vincent "Gerry" GREW was born on 7 December 1900 in Epworth, Dubuque Co., Iowa, USA. He died on 24 January 1983 at the age of 82 in Lancaster, Grant Co., Wisconsin, USA. He was buried in Mount Calvary Cmtry., Dubuque, Dubuque Co., Iowa, USA. Wisconsin, Death Index Name: Gerald Vincent Grew Event Type: Death Event Date: 24 Jan 1983 Event Place: , , Wisconsin Residence Place: ??, Wisconsin Certificate Number: 002382 ===== He was born in Epworth and worked at John Deere Dubuque Works for more than 20 years until his retirement in 1965. He later worked at the University of Dubuque. He was president of United Auto Workers Union Local 94 the 1950s. Gerry spent several years in Catholic Seminary. He had only one marriage, Eileen Margaret (Daly) (Chatfield) Grew. They knew each other as children and re-met after her 1st husband died. Occupation: Worked for John Deere; college maintenance worker. Spouse: Eileen Margaret "Sally" DALY. Eileen Margaret "Sally" DALY and Michael Gerald Vincent "Gerry" GREW were married on 21 July 1961 in Dubuque, Dubuque Co., Iowa, USA. Living (private). Spouse: Frances Louise COPELAND. Louisa Caroline GREY was born on 6 September 1893 in Eastbourne, Sussex East, England. She died in 1978 at the age of 85 in Lewes, Sussex East, England. Birth GRO 4th qtr 1893 Grey, Louisa Caroline Eastbourne 2b 67 Death GRO 3rd qtr 1978 CHATFIELD, Louisa Caroline 6SE1893 Lewes 18 1074 ===== Census, 1911 Name: Louisa Grey Gender: Female Age: 17 Birthplace: Eastbourne, Sussex Schedule Type: Household Registration District: Eastbourne Parish: Eastbourne, Sussex Spouse: David CHATFIELD. Louisa Caroline GREY and David CHATFIELD were married in 1921 in Eastbourne, Sussex East, England. Marriages GRO 1st qtr 1921 Anna Laura GRIBBLE was born about 1851 in Kentucky, USA. She appeared in the census in 1870 in Ohio, USA. She appeared in the census in 1880 in Portsmouth, Scioto Co., Ohio, USA. Reportedly died 3 Feb 1885. Spouse: Jesse Alexander ROSS. Children were: Luella ROSS. Althea Melissa GRIDLEY was born on 20 March 1846 in Wisconsin, USA. She appeared in the census in 1880 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin, USA. She appeared in the census in 1900 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin, USA. Althea died on 27 October 1912 at the age of 66 in Wauwatosa, Waukesha Co., Wisconsin, USA. She was buried in Wauwatosa Cmtry., Wauruatosa, Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin, USA. Burial Plot: 58-3-NW #389. Find A Grave Memorial# 79254746 ===== Occupation - Althea Melissa GRIDLEY was a Teacher. Issue - Had 10 children with 6 living to maturity. Locale - Lived in Milwaukee County. Info from Beatrice J. (GRIDLEY) SHARPE. ----- USA Census, 1870 Name: A M Gridley Birth Year (Estimated): 1846 Gender: Female Age (Original): 24y Race: White Birthplace: Wisconsin Event Place: Wisconsin, USA Household Gender Age Birthplace L L Gridley M 52y New York Mary Gridley F 51y New York A M Gridley F 24y Wisconsin L R Gridley M 19y Wisconsin L V Gridley M 18y Wisconsin Emma Gridley F 15y Wisconsin O L Gridley M 12y Wisconsin O G Chatfield M 7y Wisconsin E Grant Chatfield M 5y Wisconsin Patsey Chatfield F 8m Wisconsin Parents: Leander Lot GRIDLEY and Mary Ann ROBERTS. Spouse: Theodore Edward "Theo" CHATFIELD. Althea Melissa GRIDLEY and Theodore Edward "Theo" CHATFIELD were married on 5 February 1862/3 in USA. Children were: Oliver Gould CHATFIELD, Edwin Grant CHATFIELD, Cora Lunette CHATFIELD, Mary Estelle "Mamie" CHATFIELD, Lorena Maria CHATFIELD, Harrison CHATFIELD, Rosamond CHATFIELD, Elmer Zina CHATFIELD, Sarah Althea CHATFIELD, Kathleen Isabel CHATFIELD. Living (private). Parents: Leander Lot GRIDLEY and Mary Ann ROBERTS. Leander Lot GRIDLEY was born on 8 March 1817 in Vernon, Oneida Co., New York, USA. He died on 11 November 1906 at the age of 89 in Wauwatosa, Waukesha Co., Wisconsin, USA. Other marriages: Tilden, Julia Spouse: Mary Ann ROBERTS. Mary Ann ROBERTS and Leander Lot GRIDLEY were married on 3 January 1844. Children were: Althea Melissa GRIDLEY, Living. John H GRIESEL was born about 1851 in Germany. He was naturalized in 1871 in New York, USA. He appeared in the census in 1905 in Manhattan, New York City, New York Co., New York, USA. John appeared in the census in 1910 in Manhattan, New York City, New York Co., New York, USA. He died before 1943 at the age of 92. Father's Birthplace Germany Mother's Birthplace Germany ===== QUERY New York Naturalization Index Name John H Griesel Event Date 1871 Event Place , New York, New York Birth Country German ----- New York State Census, 1905 Name John H Griesel Residence Place Manhattan, New York, New York Age 54 Birth Year (Estimated) 1851 Birthplace Germany Relationship to Head of Household Head Race White Page 39 John H Griesel Head M 54y Germany Nellie H Griesel Wife F 46y USA ----- USA Census, 1910 Name John H Griesel Event Place Manhattan Ward 22, New York, New York Gender Male Age 59 Marital Status Married Race White Relationship to Head of Household Head Birth Year (Estimated) 1851 Birthplace Germany Immigration Year 1851 Father's Birthplace Germany Mother's Birthplace Germany Sheet Letter A Sheet Number 1 John H Griesel Head M 59 Germany Nellie H Griesel Wife F 50 New York Mary E Murray Servant F 48 Ireland Amelia Lisson Servant F 28 Sweden Spouse: Nellie Hatch ROGERS. Living (private). Parents: Paul F GRIESSMER and June Beverly CHATFIELD. Spouse: Living. Children were: Living, Living, Living. Paul F GRIESSMER died on 13 July 1945. He was buried in Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, Saint-Avold, Moselle, Lorraine, France. Find A Grave Memorial# 56655680 Spouse: June Beverly CHATFIELD. Children were: Living. Adelina / Addeylina GRIFFEN was born in 1786. She died in 1841 at the age of 55 in Hastings, Sussex East, England. Death GRO 4th qtr 1841 WELFARE, Adelina Hastings 7 252 Spouse: Stephen WELFARE. Adelina / Addeylina GRIFFEN and Stephen WELFARE were married in 1809 in All Saints, Hastings, Sussex East, England. Marriage Lillie A GRIFFEY was born on 30 August 1940. She died on 10 November 2001 at the age of 61 in Inverness, Citrus Co., Florida, USA. USA Social Security Death Index Age 61 Given Name Lillie Middle Name A Surname Rush Birth Date 30 Aug 1940 State Kentucky Last Place of Residence Inverness, Citrus, Florida Previous Residence Postal Code 34450 Event Date 10 Nov 2001 Spouse: Robert L RUSH. Lillie A GRIFFEY and Robert L RUSH were married on 30 August 1995 in Whitley, McCreary Co., Kentucky, USA. Kentucky, Vital Record Indexes Living (private). Spouse: Living. Living (private). Spouse: Living. Children were: Bessie GRIFFIN. Living (private). Parents: Living and Living. Bessie GRIFFIN was born on 6 January 1892 in Caro, Tuscola Co., Michigan, USA. She appeared in the census in 1930 in Vermontville, Eaton Co., Michigan, USA. She appeared in the census in 1940 in Indian Fields Twp., Tuscola Co., Michigan, USA. Bessie died on 6 February 1973 at the age of 81 in Michigan, USA. She was buried in Wahjamega Cmtry., Caro, Tuscola Co., Michigan, USA. USA Social Security Death Index Given Name: Bessie Surname: Chatfield Birth Date: 6 January 1892 Social Security Number: 384-38-0026 State: Michigan Last Place of Residence: Caro, Tuscola, Michigan Previous Residence Postal Code: 48723 Event Date: February 1973 Age: 81 ----- Find A Grave Memorial# 80143576 Parents: Living and Living. Spouse: Eli E CHATFIELD Sr. Bessie GRIFFIN and Eli E CHATFIELD Sr were married about 1922 in Livingston, Park Co., Montana, USA. Children were: Living, Living. Betsey Maria GRIFFIN was born on 10 August 1843 in Connecticut, USA. She died on 25 June 1860 at the age of 16 in Oxford, New Haven Co., Connecticut, USA. She was buried in Humphreysville (now Seymour), New Haven Co., Connecticut, USA. Parents: William J GRIFFIN and Laura Maria SPERRY. Living (private). Spouse: Living. Children were: Living, Living, Living, Living. Living (private). Parents: Living and Living. Charles GRIFFIN was born about 1847 in Hilsea, Hampshire, England. He appeared in the census in 1881 in Wymering, Hampshire, England. He died in 1891 at the age of 44 in Fareham, Hampshire, England. Death GRO 2nd qtr 1891 GRIFFIN, Charles 44 Fareham 2b 411 ===== England and Wales Census, 1881 Name: Charles Griffin Event Place: Wymering, Hampshire, England Registration District: Fareham Gender: Male Age: 34 Marital Status: Married Occupation: Railway Labourer Relationship to Head of Household: Head Birth Year (Estimated): 1847 Birthplace: Hilsea, Hampshire, England Page Number: 6 Registration Number: RG11 Piece/Folio: 1168/83 Affiliate Record Type: Household Charles Griffin Head M 34 Hilsea, Hampshire, England Mary Griffin Wife F 33 Hilton, Dorset, England Edith Louisa Griffin Dau F 10 Copnor, Hampshire, England Sydney Herbert Griffin Son M 8 Buckland Portsea, England Frank Lewes Griffin Son M 4 Hilsea, Hampshire, England Joseph William Griffin Son M 3 Hilsea, Hampshire, England Clara Mekebava Griffin Dau F 1 Hilsea, Hampshire, England Spouse: Mary CHATFIELD. England and Wales Marriage Registration Index Clara Mehetabel GRIFFIN was born on 28 January 1880 in Hilsea, Hampshire, England. She appeared in the census in 1881 in Wymering, Hampshire, England. She appeared in the census in 1891 in Copnor Rd., Fareham, Hampshire, England. Clara appeared in the census in 1911 in Copnor, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. She died in 1969 at the age of 89 in Gosport, Hampshire, England. Birth GRO 1st qtr 1880 GRIFFIN, Clara Mahatabel Fareham 2b 588 ----- Death GRO 3rd qtr 1969 WILCOX, Clara Mehetabel 28 Jan 1880 Gosport 6b 850 ===== Census, 1901 Name: Clara M Griffin Gender: Female Age: 21 Relationship to Head of Household: Servant Birthplace: Hilsea, Hampshire Schedule Type: Household Registration District: Portsmouth Sub-District: Portsmouth And Mid Southsea Ecclesiastical Parish: St Peters Civil Parish: Portsmouth, Hampshire Census, 1911 Spouse: William WILCOX. Clara Mehetabel GRIFFIN and William WILCOX were married in 1907 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. Marriages GRO 2nd qtr 1907 Edith Louisa GRIFFIN was born in 1870 in Copnor, Hampshire, England. She appeared in the census in 1881 in Wymering, Hampshire, England. Birth GRO 2nd qtr 1870 Griffin, Edith Louisa Portsea 2b 404 Parents: Charles GRIFFIN and Mary CHATFIELD. Living (private). Parents: Living and Living. Emeretta F GRIFFIN was born on 20 March 1845 in Wyoming Co., Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 27 December 1919 at the age of 74 in Falls, Wyoming Co., Pennsylvania, USA. She was buried on 30 December 1919 in Roberts Cmtry., Falls, Wyoming Co., Pennsylvania, USA. Father: Greene Griffin, born Connecticut. 1817–1874 Mother: Elizabeth Myers, born Connecticut. ----- Find a Grave Memorial ID 143185199 Spouse: Perry Nathan SICKLER. Eugene / Hugh GRIFFIN was born about 1796 in Co. Cork, Ireland. He died on 30 March 1860 at the age of 64 in Armidale, NSW, Australia. Samuel Griffin also a possible name. CONVICT Gender: Male Age on Arrival: 18 Hair: Dk bro Eyes: Grey Remarks: Star between finger & thumb left hand Voyage: Asia I, 1835-1836 Transported for: Stealing a Handkerchief Stated this offence: Stealing a Handkerchief Statement (other): Single Sentence: 7 years Native place: Birmingham Trade: Laborer (Labourer) ----- Death not found in NSW. Name could be Griffith. NSW Death 2807/1860 GRIFFITH, HUGH AGE 64 YEARS DIED ARMIDALE ----- Eugene (Hugh) Griffin, was an Irishman who had fought in the Peninsula War (Spain). Convicted for stealing a shirt and sentenced to 7 years transportation in Australia. He was granted freedom after few years and married Jinnie an Aboriginal from Coonabarabran, NSW. His wife, Jane was a full-blooded aboriginal woman. In the fifties they worked on Bomera Station, which at the time belonged to Mr. Hale and Mr. Durham. Jane shepherded the sheep whilst Eugene did general work, farmed, grew and harvested wheat, tobacco, etc.; and attended to the cattle. ----- Eugene Griffin 1833, New South Wales (Convict record) Name: Spouse: Jinnie ?. Jinnie ? and Eugene / Hugh GRIFFIN were married in Muswellbrook, NSW, Australia. Children were: Living, Mary Jane GRIFFIN. Frank Lewes GRIFFIN was born in 1875 in Hilsea, Hampshire, England. He appeared in the census in 1881 in Wymering, Hampshire, England. Birth GRO 4th qtr 1875 Griffin, Frank Lewis Fareham 2b 508 Parents: Charles GRIFFIN and Mary CHATFIELD. Harriett Rebecca GRIFFIN was born in 1882 in Hilsea, Hampshire, England. She appeared in the census in 1891 in Copnor Rd., Fareham, Hampshire, England. Birth GRO 2nd qtr 1882 Griffin, Harriet Rebecca Fareham 2b 584 Parents: Charles GRIFFIN and Mary CHATFIELD. Living (private). Spouse: Living. Children were: Living. Living (private). Spouse: Living. Children were: Isabella "Bella" GRIFFIN. Isabella "Bella" GRIFFIN was born on 3 August 1877 in Ahoghill, Toome, Co. Antrim, Ireland. She appeared in the census in 1910 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 21 December 1936 at the age of 59 in 1509 Shunk St., Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania, USA. Bella appeared in the census 1920/1930 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania, USA. Parents: Living and Living. Spouse: Thomas Francis "Brass" BRENNAN. Isabella "Bella" GRIFFIN and Thomas Francis "Brass" BRENNAN were married on 2 September 1903 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania, USA. Children were: Rev. Francis Hugh BRENNAN, Mary Immaculata BRENNAN, Joseph James BRENNAN, John Adrian "Jack" BRENNAN, Elizabeth Anna BRENNAN, Living, Living. Living (private). Parents: Eugene / Hugh GRIFFIN and Jinnie ?. Joseph William GRIFFIN was born in 1878 in Hilsea, Hampshire, England. He appeared in the census in 1881 in Wymering, Hampshire, England. He appeared in the census in 1891 in Copnor Rd., Fareham, Hampshire, England. Birth GRO 1st qtr 1878 Griffin, Joseph William Fareham 2b 563 Parents: Charles GRIFFIN and Mary CHATFIELD. Living (private). Parents: Living and Living. Living (private). Parents: Living and Living. Living (private). Parents: Living and Living. Spouse: Living. Children were: Living. Mary Jane GRIFFIN was born on 18 February 1844 in Toorawandi Station, Castlereagh, NSW, Australia. She died on 29 July 1929 at the age of 85 in Burra Bee Dee, Coonabarabran, Warrumbungle Shire, NSW, Australia. She was buried in Burra Bee Dee, Coonabarabran, Warrumbungle Shire, NSW, Australia. NSW Birth 1145/1844 V18441145 62 GRIFFITH, MARY Parents: HUGH & UNKNOWN ----- Find A Grave Memorial# 124770066 ===== Mary Cain was born amidst the apparent frontier chaos of the 1840s. She has been described as a ‘larger-than-life-figure’ who grew to create a unique legacy for the Aboriginal people of Coonabarabran. ----- Robertson Mail (NSW : Friday 6 September 1929) CHRISTENED IN THE SADDLE. When she was 14 years of age, Mrs. Mary Jane Cain, of BurraBee Dee Mission Station, Coonabarabran, who died recently at the age of 85 years, was taken in to Mudgee to be christened. The priest had left the town, but was overtaken on the road between Mudgee and Coonabarabran, and there, with the girl sitting in her saddle, the rite was performed. Among Mrs. Cain's vivid recollections, was that of the rush to the Ophir goldfields. At the time, she often said, the big squatters were supplanting black labor with Chinese, but with the gold discovery the Celes- tials decamped, leaving the flocks they were shepherding to the mercy of the dingoes. Serious losses soon followed, and, in desperation, the squatters went cap in hand to the blacks, and induced them to come to the rescue. Thereafter sheep-owners steered clear of Chinese labor. ----- Western Age (Dubbo, NSW : Thursday 22 August 1929) Wonderful Woman The Late Mrs. Mary Cain First Half-Caste Born on Castlereagh CHRISTENED ON HORSE-BACK ? When the late Mrs. Mary Jane Cain died recently at Burra-Bee-Dee Mission Station there was snapped a link between Coonabarabran as it is to-day and times when full-blooded aboriginals were ... 931 words ----- The North Western Courier (Narrabri, NSW : Monday 11 August 1947) Aboriginal names and meanings submitted by the late Mrs. Mary Jane Cain, of Coonabarabran : - I have selected a few well-known names of a fairly large list, which was published in the official souvenir of March, 1934, in Back to Coonabarabran Week. Mrs. Cain was born at Toorawandi on February 26th., 1844. Her father, Eugene Griffin, was an Irishman who had fought in the Peninsula War; her mother Jane was a full-blooded aboriginal woman. Mrs. Cain was brought up by a Mr. Cox, of Mudgee. The parents of Mrs. Cain, in the fifties worked on Bomera Station, which at the time belonged to. Mr. Hale and Mr. Durham. The mother shepherded the sheep whilst the father did general work, farmed, grew and harvested -wheat, tobacco, etc.; and attended to the cattle. ----- Extract from Cultural Excursion to Burra Bee Dee. While at Burra Bee Dee, we visited the cemetery where most of our past elders and family are buried to pay our respects. As we walked around the cemetery we discovered the grave of Mary-Jane Cain - the founder of Burra Bee Dee, and her daughter, Queenie Robinson. ----- Mary Jane Cain From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Born Mary Jane Griffin Much of what is known about the life of Mary Jane Cain was recorded in oral history interviews conducted by Margaret Somerville with four of her descendents—Marie Dundas, May Mead, Janet Robinson and Maureen Sulter. Somerville described Mary as "the woman who straddles two eras of history—the time before white settlement of this land and the time after. She moves between two worlds of such profound difference, and she gives her people the strength to move forward. 'We gotta make it good for ourselves to go forward, the people say. How can I move across this space between Nganyinytja and me?'. After the death of her mother, Jinnie Griffin, in 1882, Mary became the leader of her community and was known to everyone as "Queenie" Cain. Mary Jane Cain petitioned the government and as a result Burra Bee Dee Aboriginal Reserve (no. 47521) was gazetted on 21 February 1912, it included a small parcel of land at Forky Mountain that had already been granted to Mary and her family by Queen Victoria. Mary Jane Cain died at Burra Bee Dee, Coonabarabran, NSW on 29 July 1929 aged 85. Mary Jane Cain spoke a local indigenous language, possibly Gamilaraay, and a manuscript compiled by Mary is held at the State Library of New South Wales containing wordlists of place names and the natural environment. Source: Thematic History of the former Coonabarabran Shire 2006 <http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkHeritage.aspx?id=N0035> The first European record of the Aboriginal people of the district comes from the journals of John Oxley who passed through in August 1818. Oxley, apparently depressed by the difficulty of his passage through ‘these desolate wilds’, refers a number of times to ‘the fires of the natives’ who ‘attend on our motions pretty closely’ and ‘the natives who continue in our vicinity unheeded and unheeding’. As squatters began to move into the country from the 1830s, starting a struggle for resources, tensions began to be recorded. Connor recounts a series of incidents in 1837 that led to a punitive expedition by the NSW Mounted Police. Many of the first European settlers in the region were assigned convicts who worked as shepherds and labourers for the squatters. Convicts were sent with flocks of sheep beyond the limits of the colony such as those surrounding the Warrumbungle Mountains. Convicts and ex-convicts were in many cases the first Europeans with whom Aboriginal people had substantial contact. Colonial governments encouraged assignment of convicts as it was a far cheaper method of keeping them than maintaining them in penitentiaries or on road gangs. In 1837 it cost £17 per year to keep a convict on a chain gang. A convict on assignment cost £4.48 Landholders reaped the benefit of the cheap labour force provided by assigned convicts to build up their fortunes. In her account of the Aboriginal people of Coonabarabran Somerville quoted from Police Sergeant Ewing’s diary recordings of the tales he had learned as a child from Jinnie Griffin. These recordings include an account of a battle between the local Aboriginal people and a raiding party from the area now known as Cassilis. The raiding party was chased by the men of the local group to caves above the present day Coonabarabran and slaughtered. This story contains many elements of what is considered to be the traditional pattern of warfare between Aboriginal groups, the aim of which was ‘to continually assert the superiority of one’s groups over neighbouring groups’. Ewing recorded other reminiscences of Aboriginal people, including accounts of raiding parties that were later used by author Ion Idress in developing works of historical fiction such as The Red Chief of the Gunnedah Tribe. Ewing’s papers include the following description of the Coonabarabran group: They are numerous that Coonabarabran tribe and have their camps large ones miles apart – but there are small parties camped in numerous places – some within a day’s walk of here up in the mountains there Warrumbungles there are many many caves – great ones that our whole tribe could fill – up there in the daylight you could see a man coming up the mountain a half day before he could get up to you. … we came down to the scrubby land and day after day watched parties of women and children leave camp to go fishing – musselling in creeks and rivers and hunting small game. Kamilaroi (Gamilaraay) women were being abducted by stockmen and this probably led Kamilaroi men to kill Frederick Harrington in June at Charles Purcell’s station in the Warrumbungles. On 21 September Lieutenant George Cobban of the 50th Regiment, commanding the Hunter River division of the Mounted Police, was ordered to look for Harrington’s killers. During the same period Aboriginal people began to work on the properties being developed by the settlers. Mary Cain, who was born at Toorawindi in 1844, recalled that, during the gold rushes of the 1850s, European workers left the pastoral stations to head to the goldfields. She noted that James Orr and Robert Campbell of Borah station tried labour from India. This was unsuccessful and Orr later employed Chinese workers. These were more successful but Aboriginal people ‘made the best servants … and were kindly treated’. Ebenezer Orr leased a number of properties around Yaminbah Creek. He readily employed Aboriginal people and particularly favoured women whom he dressed in red flannel. He lived with at least two of these shepherdesses in a house he built on Yaminba Creek. Mary Cain was born amidst the apparent frontier chaos of the 1840s. She has been described as a ‘larger-than-life-figure’ who grew to create a unique legacy for the Aboriginal people of Coonabarabran. She was born to Jinnie and Eugene Griffin and grew up to be a shepherd. Jinnie was described by Sergeant Ewing as ‘the consort of King Cutttabush of the Coonabarabran blacks, a small scattered wandering band that is still represented at Burrabeedee Mission Station’. Burra Bee Dee Mission was founded in 1908 Mary married George Cain, a shearer, and by 1892 was living with George and their five children at Forky Mountain north of Coonabarabran. She had agitated for recognition of ownership of the 400 acres of land that she and George had taken up and were developing as a farm. Forked Mountain Station was gazetted on 6 February 1892. Mary Jane Cain wrote to Queen Victoria on numerous occasions requesting that the land was to be granted to her. Queen Victoria granted that Burra Bee Dee or part thereof be handed to Mary Jane Cain and Queen Victoria requested that Mary Jane was to manage the property and was required to provide a place for the Dark people to live on The story of Burrabeedee is quite a different one from the usual story of Aboriginal people being forced into reserves and missions and governed by officialdom beyond their control. In Mary Jane’s case, she claimed the land on behalf of her family, and people came from all around the district when they heard ‘she had made a reserve for the dark people’. Mary Cain not only founded Burrabeedee but also was an influential and respected citizen of Coonabarabran from whom other civic leaders sought advice. Burrabeedee has stood as an early example of Aboriginal people taking responsibility for their own wellbeing within a colonial economy. After World War I revocation of Aboriginal farms commenced and there was a ‘sudden acceleration of taking Aboriginal children from their families’. A number of Aboriginal men from the district had served in the Australian Imperial Force in World War I. These included Tommy Fuller of Baradine who was wounded at Passchendaele in 1917 and Bill Chatfield who served in the Light Horse. During the 1950s the official policy of governments changed from protection to assimilation. Changes in administration encouraged the residents of Burrabeedee to move into Coonabarabran. In 1954 the school at Burrabeedee closed down and over succeeding years the settlement was gradually dismantled by the government. Some houses and the school were sold off and moved on to various properties around Coonabarabran. An ‘Aborigines Reserve’ was set aside in Portion of the Town of Coonabarabran between North, Namoi and White Streets. The church from Burrabeedee was relocated to the new Aboriginal housing project in Coonabarabran known as Gunnedah Hill. Not all Aboriginal people lived at Burrabeedee. Many families lived and worked in the townships of the shire, including Baradine and Coonabarabran. Somerville recounted the recollections of some of these people who experienced life on the fringes of the community. Others lived within the township of Coonabarabran. Spouse: Henry Joseph BUDSWORTH. Mary Jane GRIFFIN and Henry Joseph BUDSWORTH were married on 2 July 1857 in Mudgee, NSW, Australia. NSW Marriage 2200/1857 BUDSWORTH, JOSEPH GRIFFIN, MARY MUDGEE Spouse: George William CAIN. Mary Jane GRIFFIN and George William CAIN were married on 21 November 1865 in Weetaliba, NSW, Australia. Children were: Living, Jane Mary CAIN, Annie Maria (Queenie) CAIN. Living (private). Parents: Living and Living. |