Harris

www.irishgenealogy.ie has Baptism/marriage records in Diocese of Cork & Ross parish of Bandon. Regards Frances

Hello Anne

My name is Robyn Smith nee Poynton and Christian Abel was my great great grandfather.  I don't know any personal details about him just facts and sadly no photos.

As you have detailed he was born in Bandon Cork Ireland in 1828 and in 1853 at the age of 25 years emigrated to Victoria Australia and my assumption as to why he came to Victoria would be for the gold rush as gold had been in discovered in the Ballarat area in 1851.

On the 27 January 1860 and at the age of 31 he married Ann CROCKETT according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Presbyterian Church and named John HARRIS (Gentleman) and Margaret MOOR(E) as his parents.  His occupation was "Miner" and their present residence was named as Rockwood Diggings Usual residence Lamplough.

Ann Garnock CROCKETT was born on the 23 August 1834 at Stirling Scotland and appears on the 1841 Scottish Census as a 6 year old living at Baker Street Stirling with her family.  Also found on the 1851 Census.

On the 25 January 1854 together with her parents (Thomas and Mary CROCKETT nee GARNOCK) and five siblings, Ann arrived at Portland Victoria on the ship "Utopia".  Ann's parents were aged 59 and 49 respectively and to move to the other side of the world at Thomas and Mary's age seems unusual.  Perhaps their children had decided to emigrate and they couldn't bear the thought of being separated from them.

Christian and Ann together had 12 children.  Their first two were twins, Mary and John born on the 30 September 1860.  Sadly John died (I think) at birth and Mary (my great grandmother) lived to the age of 96 and died on the 17 August 1956.  Mary married Charles POYNTON.

Christian died on the 2 March 1896 at the age of 68 years due to Chronic Pleurisy, Chronic Indigestion and Exhaustion and was buried on the 5 March at the Pitfield Cemetery (now called Cape Clear Cemetery).  At the time of his death his occupation was recoreded as "Farmer".

Ann died on the 24 April 1924 and is buried with Christian.

I can give you more information on their children if you so wish.

Do not have any information on Allan Moore except found on Trove recently:-

HARRIS On the 15th June 1869 at Bulldog Allan Moore eldest son of the lae John Hawkes HARRIS of Bandon in the County of Cork aged 50 years.  Bulldog is now called Illarbarook.

I would be interested in any information you have on John Hawkes HARRIS and Margaret MOORE.

My email address is:-

rob_russ@aapt.net.au

Regards

Robyn Smith

SYDNEY Australia