Rebecca Foster : Short Biography

When Rebecca Foster was born on 1 January 1842 in Tyrone, her father, Robert, was 32, and her mother, Eliza, was 22. She married John Kyle on 16 February 1858 in Castlederg, Tyrone. They had ten children in 20 years. She died on 23 July 1924 in Bowen, Queensland, at the age of 82, and was buried there.

John & Rebecca emigrated to Australia aboard the ship Maryborough. They departed from Liverpool on the 9th February 1865 and arrived in Port Denison, Queensland, Australia on 20 May 1865. They travelled with their three young children, Robert (6), Eliza Anne (3) and Margaret (1). Their daughter Margaret died at sea, it is believed from the Typhoid outbreak on the ship. 

When they arrived in Australia they were employed at Adelaide Point, Bowen by J.G. McDonald. They then bought land along the Don River to farm that they called Mayflower which they farmed for a number of years. They then moved across the river and started the farm Willowbank, this farm is still in the family today (though it was sold out of the family for a period of time).