Mary (Gray) Dalton (1839 - 1890)

Born 19 Nov 1839 in Cotton Valley, Pejar, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Wife of Michael Seery — married 20 Jun 1859 in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia

Wife of John James Dalton — married 3 Nov 1878 in Grenfell, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 1 Mar 1890 at age 50 in Thargomindah Queensland Australia

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Biography

Mary Gray was born on either 9 November (according to her mother's prayer book) or 19 November 1839 (according to St Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Goulburn registers) at her parents' farm "Cotton Valley", in the Pejar district near Goulburn NSW.^[1][2] She was baptised with her siblings Peter, William and Elizabeth on 11 March 1840 by Father Michael McGrath the Goulburn Roman Catholic priest, probably on his Parish rounds, at the family farm, and later entered in the St Peter and Paul Catholic Church register at Goulburn^[3][1]

In 1859 Mary gave her abode as "Cotta Walla" when she registered the birth of her nephew John Bristow, and the death of her brother in law John Bristow.^[1]

Mary Gray "farmer's daughter" married Michael Seery, "farmer", abode of both "Pejar", on 20 June 1859 at Goulburn by Fr. Richard Walsh. Witnesses were Peter Gray (Mary's brother) and his wife Catherine Gray. They all marked the register with a cross.^[4]

They had three children.^[2]

• John George Seery 1859–1925
• James Stephen Seery 1862–1910
• Michael Seery 1864–1884

Early in 1864 Mary Gray's Husband, Michael Seery was convicted of bushranging and sentenced to 12 years on the roads, leaving her with three small boys.^[2]

In May 1866 Mary was arrested and admitted to Goulburn Gaol. She was accused of stealing two counterpanes, sheets, nightdresses and other wearing apparel from Mrs McMillan, the wife of Thomas McMillan of Middle Creek. On 12 October 1865 the McMillans left their house for 2 days and during that time their house was broken into. Mrs McMillan recognised her items at Mary's house in May 1866. At the trial on 4 June 1866, Mary's lawyer submitted that it could have been Mary's husband who stole the items. Found not guilty by the jury, Mary was acquitted.^[1]

In 1868 Mary had a daughter, Rose Ann Seery, to George Wall.^[2]

• Rose Ann Wall Seery 1868–1925

In 1869 Mary entered into a de facto relationship with John James Dalton. By July 1870 they were living at Bumbaldry Station, two miles west of Cowra, where John was a shepherd.^[1] She had 3 sons and a daughter to John.^[2][5]

• George Henry Dalton 1870–1938
• Matthew Dalton 1873–1932
• Joseph Francis Dalton 1875–1929
• Jane Lillian Dalton 1878–1920

In July 1871 a warrant was issued by the Goulburn Bench for John Dalton's arrest, for stealing bullocks, horses, a dray, tools etc from Mary's father, George Gray. Dalton was arrested by Young police in September 1871, and he was remanded, but discharged in October 1871 for "Insufficient Evidence".^[1]

Mary and John later married legally in Grenfell on 3 November 1878, after the death of her husband Michael.

By 1880, they were living in the Gunning - Yass District of NSW. Dalton was before the Yass Circuit Court in October 1881, when he tried for the theft of a horse, and found not guilty.^[1]

By 1888 they had moved to Bourke where John was a teamster-carrier, probably with a bullock-team and wagon.^[1]

By early 1890, they had moved to southern Queensland, where John was a labourer at Eurongilla Station, Thargomindah.

Mary died at Thargomindah on 1 March 1890 of acute nephritis. She had seen Dr Fitzgerald the day before her death. She was buried in Thargomindah Cemetery on 1 March 1890.^[2][6][7]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} Gray, Colin, Great Aunty Mary Gray : the story of Michael Seery and Mary Gray. Crookwell & District Historical Society.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Dalton, Vic. Who We Are : A Family History, Vol.1, by Vic Dalton. 1st ed. Mt. Isa, Qld.: V. Dalton, 1989. (Volume 1 is actually an introductory volume and does not have citations). Vol 5 and Vol 10 apparently have more information
3. ↑ The birth date for Mary is in her baptism record: Baptisms solemnized in Sts. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church, Goulburn. Date of Baptisms: March 11, 1840. PETER Born Sept 18 1826; WILLIAM Born Sept 18 1826; ELIZABETH Born March 29 1830; MARY Born Nov 19 1839 Parents: George GREY and Mary CONNORS. Many thanks to Marie Cribbin for sharing this image on Ancestry.com
4. ↑ Marriage certificate 1916/1859 SEARY MICHAEL GRAY MARY GOULBURN quoted in Gray
5. ↑ Marriage St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Grenfell. NSW BDM Index - 2656/1878 DALTON JOHN; GRAY MARY; GRENFELL.
6. ↑ Australia, Death Index, 1787-1985 (Ancestry.com): Name: Mary Dalton, Death Date: 1 Mar 1890, Death Place: Queensland, Registration Date: 1890, Registration Place: Australia, Father: George Grey, Mother: Mary McLeish, Registration Number: 004344, Page Number: 5998
7. ↑ Death certificate QLD 1890 No.67298, quoted in Gray. Her husband John Dalton was the informant, and gave her mother's name as Mary nee McLeish

This profile was created by Anthony Marrinan through the import of marrinan (tony_marrinan).ged on Jun 14, 2020. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Heather Stevens and others.