Monday 25 March 2013

1868 Robbery & Attempted Rape of Susan Jane Barton

This is just a small snipit that I found in the Police Gazettes for New South Wales


22 January 1868 - New South Wales Police Gazette
Susan Jane Barton, Gum Swamp Run, near Jerilderie, has reported that on the 16th ultimo, she was assaulted by a man hereunder described, who first attempted to commit a rape upon her and afterwards robbed her of one four-penny and one three-penny piece. Description: Middle stature, fair complexion, darkish hair, no beard or whiskers;dressed in moleskin trousers, red and black Crimeau shirt, cabbagetree hat with black band and blucher boots and spurs; carried a stockwhip, and had with him a grey horse and a black dog. A man known by the soubriquet of "The Bunyip",has been arrested for this offence by Senior Constable Holland, Jerilderie Police, and discharged, Mrs Barton having failed to identify him.

1867 - the first babies

In 1867 tragedy struck the family. Susan gave birth prematurely to twin boys. The boys were born on the 27th December 1867. One of the baby boys was to only live a few hours but the other baby boy survived for about 18hours. Both the boys were buried on the property where their father worked. The is no known grave for the boys. The logest surviving twin was buried on the 30th of December 1867.
The name of the property was Barigan Station. It is also spelt Berrigan Station or BeriganStation.
Barigan Station is situated about 30kms south of Jerilderie. In 1867, the only township in the area was Jerilderie, there being no Townships of Berrigan, Finley or Oaklands in existence at the time, and so Jerilderie served as the township for the vast area of the Riverina.
The original owner of Barigan Station was William Kennedy but he sold the lease to Messrs J and H Osborne in 1865.

I have a copy of the birth and death certificates for 1 of the twins.
This is infomation taken from the  Birth certificate.
Fathers name - Thomas Hugh Barton        Mothers name - Susan Jane formally Heath
Occupation - Laborer
Age - 34                                                      Age - 26
Birthplace - Ireland                                     Birthplace - England

The Informant - Thomas H Barton, Barigan
particularsof Registration - J A Broughton, 23rd Januaty 1868, Deniliquin.

Infoamtion taken from the Death Certificate -
Cause of Death - Premature Confinemant of Mother
Medical Attedant - John Stewart
When he last saw deceased - 28th December 1867

The informant was T H Barton, Father, Barigan.
The paticulars of Registration - J A Broughton, 27th January 1868.
When and where buried - 30th December 1867, Barigan Station.
Name of witness of burial - Alexander Johnstone.

I find it odd that the infomation for the births and deaths had different dates.
Jerilderie is about 100km from Deniliquin but in those days would have beeen a fair journey.
So why was the birth registered on the 23rd of January and the deaths registered on the 27th of January....4 days later...




Thomas Hugh Barton 1833 - 1906

Thomas Hugh Barton was born about 1833 in West Meath, Leinster, Ireland.
His father wasalso Thomas Hugh Barton, a Civil Servant, his mother Mary Ryan.
It is unknown when Thomas came to Australia but shipping records puts a Thomas Hugh Barton arriving in Melbourne & Port Phillip Bay on the 20th December 1852. Thomas has his age at 19, the Ship was called the "Hyderbad". I have been unable to confirm if this is my Thomas H Barton but we do know that Thomas Hugh Barton married Susan Jane Heath in New South Wales in 1867.

The marriage Certificate contains very little infomation.
Tomas Hugh Barton a Bachelor married Susan Jane Heath, a Spinster on the 3rd June 1867.
Thomas states his occupation as Draper, Susan states her as Nurse.
Their usual place of residence, Jerilderie but they married in Deniliquin.
The marriage was witnessed by Decimus Lamb and Isabelle Broughton.
Decimus Lamb was an Innkeeper in Deniliquin.
Isabelle Broughton was the wife of John Archer Broughton who was the CPS in Deniliquin.

There is no birthplace or infomation of parents on the Marriage certificate.

What this blog is about

The reason behind starting this blog is to try and connect and find out more about my family tree, in particular the Barton side of the tree........ from what I have researched no one has done a family tree on the Barton side and the reason I think is that infomation on the Barton family is very hard to find...
Please contribute if you can and I will share all that I have found