John Charles Adams 1891-1899 in Barraba
History Notes
Yet another busy week for members of the Historical Society with more family history on Saturday morning. This time we welcomed a descendant of one of the policemen - she was researching the name Adams! John Charles Adams and his wife, Mary Adams and family who were living and working in Barraba from 9th January, 1891 until March, 1899.
John Adams could well have been mixed up with the Bank Robbery in 1894 as he was out of town attending to an electoral matter that morning. On the way back to town later in the day the two policemen met the bandits travelling west at a great pace but did not have a reason to try and stop the two men. On reaching Barraba, they found that the bank manager had been murdered in a botched robbery and it was very probable that they had met the criminals on the road.
There were three police in Barraba in those days and together with a number of citizens the search for the robbers began. As we know from the newspaper reports the men were captured within a few days and paid a big price for their crime. The story of the whole event is in the museum collection.
Anyway, back to policeman's family. There were three children born to the Adams' family while they were living in Barraba and there is a mention of Mrs. Adams in the hospital history - she was matron for a short time when the board changed the staff format from a married couple, to a matron with a probationary nurse instead of a wardsman in 1899.
Also, this week there has been more research on the Giddens and Stevens families and I have learnt a bit of family history re Stevens - Caroline Maud Stevens married Charles Frederick Mell in 1908. They were married in Upper Bingara and I had not looked there thinking that the Stevens family were more Barraba/Woodsreef/Gulf Creek residents.
William Henry Ponsonby was the only person to lose his life in the mine and it turns out that he is connected to these Gulf Creek families as well. It is all in a tangle at present but not impossible to sort out! Hopefully before next week's notes
This Saturday we have a Ryan descendant coming. He is on his way to Queensland so it should be a short visit. I wonder how many people can remember J.B.Ryan, Barraba's solicitor. His house is on the north side of Orchard Lane and almost opposite the Currell house as he told me - so he remembers the family home quite well.