Martha Ellen (Minchin) Watson (abt. 1849 - 1888)

Born about 1849 in Ireland

Wife of Johan Christian Tanck — married 19 Jan 1866 in Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand

Wife of George Thomas Watson — married 15 Feb 1869 in New Zealand

Descendants

Died 30 Jan 1888 at about age 39 in Oamaru, Otago, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Catherine Watson [send private message]

Biography

Martha (Minchin) Watson was born in Ireland.

An unsourced Ancestry Tree says Martha's immigration records state her parents were Irish and named William and Ellen, and she had siblings William and Sarah.

Victorian migration records record the 1854 departure of Ellen 33, William 22, Sarah 9 and Martha 7 on the "Black Swan II" for Tasmania.^[1] They arrived in Launceston Tasmania 7 Jul 1854 as 'Bounty Regulation Migrants' which records that they sailed 'per "Star in the East' to Melboune and then per "Black Swan" to Launceston". The family is recorded as Ellen Minchin 33 b Dublin dressmaker, William 12 b Dublin, Sarah 9 and Martha 7. William Minchin is recorded as the name of the 'person on whose application sent out'.^[2]

William Minchin could be the WIlliam aged 40 'gold seeker' arriving in Melbourne from Hobart 26 Apr 1852^[3]. It is more likely he was a convict, with a trial at the old Bailey in 1845. He was then sent out to Tasmania on the Palmyra, which arrived in 1846. The conduct record of this William Minchin can be found in the Tasmanian Names index, and states that William is married with three children.

According to her death certificate Martha came to New Zealand some time around 1862. Her marriage to Johan Christian Tanck on the 19th of January 1866 was announced in the West Coast Times, Issue 129, 15 February 1866, Page 2 ^[4]. Martha and Johan left for Guam on the 2nd of February 1866 ^[5]. Martha's eldest son , later known as Chris, was born in Valparaiso,Chile ^[6]. It is unclear what happened to Johan Christian Tanck, but mid way through 1868 Martha and son return to New Zealand. In 1869 Martha married George Watson (15/2/1869 Waipori, Otago), a miner, whose name young Chris then took. Together with George, Martha went on to have nine more children. Her family with George Watson was William James 1870-1957. Sarah Ann 1871-1939, Eliza 1873-1956, George Daniel 1875, Rachel 1877, Arthur Robert 1881-1958, Alexander1883, Albert Henry 1885-1962, Walter Francis 1887.

Martha's eldest son went on to become the Australian Prime Minister Chris Watson in 1904

Deaths:

• Martha Watson 1928 1888 aged 39 (b 1849) (2 Feb 1888 Oamaru, Otago)
• George Thomas Watson 1924 aged 85 (b 1839) (par Daniel & Elizabeth)

She died on 30 Jan 1888 , this was noted in the Oamaru Mail, Volume X, Issue 4021, 31 January 1888, Page 2. She is buried in the Oamaru Cemetery, Otago: "Martha E. Watson died 30 January 1888 aged 39 years. ."^[7] Also her husband George T Watson died 11 July 1924 aged 85 years

Sources

1. ↑ Victoria Outward Passenger Lists 1852-1915 on FindMyPast
2. ↑ Ancestry.com. Tasmania, Australia, Passenger Arrivals, 1829-1957 Original data: Selected Immigration Books from the Archive Office of Tasmania. Tasmania, Australia: Archives Office of Tasmania.
3. ↑ Victoria Coastal Passenger Lists 1852-1924 on FindMyPast
4. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WCT18660215.2.8]
5. ↑ J. C. Watson, a Genealogical Note by B. Nairn, https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/27508314.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A179db5ab9b78591ab61d283d6e1a9b74&ab_segments=&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1
6. ↑ J. C. Watson, a Genealogical Note by B. Nairn, https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/27508314.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A179db5ab9b78591ab61d283d6e1a9b74&ab_segments=&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1
7. ↑ Burial Database (Waitaki District Council, https://www.waitaki.govt.nz/Services/Cemeteries/Cemetery-search-and-maps/Cemetery-search) entry for Watson, Martha (Burial Date: 1 Feb 1888, Cemetery: Oamaru Old - Anglican, Block: 31, Plot 3)

• BDM records
• Source: S1531601589 Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Record Collection 1030Ancestry Family Tree

• Source: S1531601664 New Zealand, Cemetery Records, 1800-2007 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2014 Provo, UT, USA Record Collection 60547 Note: New Zealand Cemetery Records. New Zealand Society of Genealogists Incorporated.

• Source: S1531869848 New Zealand, Marriage Index, 1840-1937 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2014 Provo, UT, USA Record Collection 8950Ancestry Record 8950 #117331

• Source: S1531869982 Australia and New Zealand, Find a Grave Index, 1800s-Current Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2012 Lehi, UT, USA Record Collection 60528 Note: <i>Find a Grave</i>. Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi.