Hi Marina, I'm sorry the death certificate did not provide you with more information. I have a similar situation with my ggg-grandfather James HINCH who disappeared into smoke around 1853. I think it is he who died in Mudgee in 1877 - but how to prove it..... His wife remarried in 1855 but in those days a couple of years' desertion was sufficient to assume the spouse was dead. The evidence supports the fact that he left the marital home because his wife was probably cavorting with his friend and next door neighbour who she ultimately married. He sold his land to the neighbour and disappeared - maybe back to where he first started life in Australia as a convict. His death was the subject of an inquest but unlike Victoria the NSW records appear to be incomplete, so no joy there either. I won't be giving up but his life story becomes an obsession. Hi eldest daughter married in Beechworth in 1865 and the certificate suggests that he was still alive. His occupation at the time was the same as the person of the same name who died in 1877. How much proof does one need ?? Kind regards and I hope something turns up in the not too distant future. Wendy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marina & Bruce Borland" <matilda@snap.net.nz> To: <AUS-VIC-HIGH-COUNTRY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 11:34 AM Subject: [HC] Josephus Murphy and Catherine Arnold > Hello Everyone, > > Thank you to Joan, Wendy and Zola and Ronda for their responses to my initial message. > The enigma of Catherine Murphy continues. > Having purchased a death certificate from Prov for a Catherine Murphy, am, "none the wiser". The cited Catherine died in Prahran, (a suburb of Melbourne!), in a hotel, in 1863, aged 28. All other data unknown to the informant, thus of no use. > > So, it's back to the elusive Josephus Murphy for information on, in the Beechworth region. He is not cited in the Ovens and Murray Biographical Dictionary so I have been informed via an inquiry. > > As yet no one has been able to inform me about mining registers held at the Burke Museum. This is of much interest to me. Does anyone have access to these please, who could do a look up for me. > > Most grateful for anything on this person. > > Regards, > Marina in New Zealand > > > >