Hello listmates, I have been trying for a number of years to find further information on John FOSTER or FORSTER and his wife, Harriet, Harriett, Harriot, or Harrietta, maiden name unknown, but this has been a very solid "brick wall." I will copy here part of my recent query to the Manchester, England Rootsweb Mailing list as it contains the bulk of my current data on John FOSTER. I am trying to confirm their birthplace, arrival and purpose in Australia. Their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th children were baptized at Goulburn 24 Aug 1845 by the Rev. William Sowerby. The Manchester query follows: "I am still looking for the parents and siblings of my ggreat-grandfather, John FOSTER, brick maker, born 16 April 1816, supposedly at Manchester. The birth date is from the family bible of his daughter, Martha, and her husband, John LEE. John FOSTER may be the son of Thomas and Sarah FOSTER of Manchester. However, there are TWO Thomas and Sarahs in Manchester at that time. The first Sarah is Sarah HILLEDGE, married to Thomas FOSTER 13 Nov 1803 at Manchester Cathedral. The second is Sarah WALKER married to Thomas FOSTER 3 Jan 1814, again at Manchester Cathedral Closest possibilities for christenings in the IGI, EXTRACTED RECORDS ONLY, are at Manchester Cathedral, 3 June 1816, Thomas and Sarah as parents; 19 Feb 1817, John and Margt. as parents; 12 May 1816 at Saint Katherine, Blackrod, Lancashire, Edward and Mary as parents; 26 Jul 1816 at Saint John, Preston, Lancashire, William and Mary as parents; 27 April 1817 at Deane By Bolton, Lancashire, Peter and Eliz. as parents. I believe John went to Australia during either 1840 or 1841 with wife Harriet, maiden name still unknown, date of marriage still unknown, and their infant son, Abraham., date of birth 29 December 1839, place of birth always given as England in all later records Purpose of their time in Australia is unknown, although I have been able to rule out some of the convict matches suggested. Convict, remittance man, assisted, unassisted or bounty immigrant are all still possibilities. Abraham's insistence on an English birth is the only preclusion to an earlier arrival date, but I have found no record for him in any location. The younger five children, Isaac, Martha J., Mary Ann, Jacob and John Jr., born between 5 February 1842 and 2 August 1849 are confirmed born in Australia with the baptism certificates from Goulburn and Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia, all Church of England. Birthdates given in the family bible are all confirmed by those baptism certificates. John FOSTER or FORSTER was listed as a brickmaker on all five baptism certificates and daughter Martha's marriage certificate. John FOSTER disappeared in the California gold rush, sometime between 1849 and 1852. There is a John FOSTER at Manchester in the 1841 Pigot's Directory. The address is 6 John St., Chancery Lane, A. His occupation is given as a bricklayer. I hoped he was mine, but have found this family in the 1841 census, and he is fifteen years older, wife Phebe with several children, including a six-year-old daughter named Harriet. I still hope this John might be a cousin or uncle in the family business. Does anyone know any of these families to confirm or deny their connection with my John FOSTER? I continue hoping to hear from my English FOSTER cousins." Any Australian cousins are equally welcome! I have tried contacting St. Saviour's at Goulburn and St. Stephen's at Camperdown as I wonder if he was involved in the earliest construction of both these churches. St. Saviour's has responded with no archive material available through them, but continued interest in my findings. St. Stephen's has not responded and I have been informed that they may not have sufficient staff to respond. Information on any early brickworks would be greatly appreciated as I have found nothing earlier than the 1870's at Goulburn. Any chinks anyone can make in this wall would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter, In peace, MaryAnn in California