History Notes - Loder and Finn families research
History Notes
A Happy New Year to everyone. The museum is open on Friday mornings and on various other days – if the gate is open and/or the open sign is in the street, do come in and say hello. There are several members who may like to come in and pay their membership. At this stage the February markets will be on the second Saturday in the month – the 12th February. We just hope that the virus comes under control by then.
History has taken a bit of a back seat during the holiday period but is getting on the move again now. One of our members has been following a line of the Natty family for a family researcher and would love to know where in Barraba Elizabeth Loder was buried in 1909. After some detective work she has been found in the unknown burials as Betsy White, daughter of James. There is some thought that she may be buried in the north west of the cemetery. Her parentage is also unknown at this stage, as James could have been her husband. We would love some assistance with this puzzle so it can be passed on to the family researcher.
Another puzzle has also been showing some progress. John Robert Finn married Harriett Ann Saunders in 1887 at Woods Reef. John was a son of Robert Finn, miner at this time. It was suspected that Robert had come from Queensland but more information is coming to light.
There is quite a bit of information re the name Finn – some connected and some belonging to other families. There are Finn burials in Bingara and then there is the marriage of Thomas Finn in 1878 – he was born in Western Australia so is unlikely to be connected to the Barraba family.
The sad story of Thomas Finn, born circa 1826, and found in Manilla in need of medical attention. The Manilla newspaper reported in 1899 that he had, had a sad life losing his wife and two daughters in a Hunter River flood 30 years before. We doubt that he is a member of the Barraba family either.
Thus, we have a few puzzles and hope someone can help with some information to help these two people. More news next week.