Hi Beryl & All I haven't had time to put together my list of people from this area but I did notice that in you list of surnames you have both Carey, Wilson & Mills. I'm helping my brother-in-law with his family research and he also has Carey, Wilson & Mills all from the Portland area. This could be exciting! Israel Abbott Jerimiah Carey ( b approx 1832 Dorset d 1865) (Lighthouse keeper?) & Elizabeth Wilson (b approx 1836 d 1882 Portland) had five children. One of them being Mary Ann Mathias Carey (b. 1858 Portland d. 10 Nov 1891 Portland) m James Mills (b. 1 May 1858 Portland, d. 19 Apr 1898 Portland) One of Mary & James' five children was Alexander Leslie Mills (b. 18 Aug 1883 Portland d. 28 Apr 1914 Villers-Bretonneux) married Margaret Mary Huddlestone (b 3 Sep 1887 Corack d. 22 Apr 1922) Of their four children - the oldest was Jessica Beatrice Mills (b 1908) who was my brother-in-laws grandmother and died only last week. It is only early days in our research of this family but if anything that I have written is familiar to you I would love to hear from you. Kind regards Karen McCormack Melbourne, Australia karenm@bigpond.net.au -----Original Message----- From: Beryl O'Gorman <wordweav@bigpond.net.au> To: AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT-L@rootsweb.com <AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Tuesday, 5 September 2000 19:36 Subject: [AUS-VIC-West-Dist] My names are legion >Hi All >Well I just don't know where to start with my surname interests in the >Western District as most of my family history is centred there and I have >dozens of names. >The main ones are >HOLMES WILSON MCSWAIN CAREY BREWSTER MILLS all around Portland, Merino, >Casterton, Hamilton areas. >It would be good if we could share local history on this list too wouldn't >it? > >Beryl O'Gorman >Greensborough Victoria Australia >

Hello to Everyone, My research starts in Portland with the arrival of my 6th grandfather George Witham and Sarah Bricknell.They arrived in 1853 on the ship "Eliza" They married in 1854 in Portland and went to work for Young & Turnball, Koriot. Portland. If anyone has any information about the above, l would be very grateful for it. Look forward to many hrs. of reading all the emails and hope that everyone enjoys this list. TIA Kerry in Churchill, Australia, bennett@nex.net.au

> Hi All, > > I am looking for any information on the BOOKER family who resided in and around Mortlake in the 1860,s. > > Peter Booker >

> Hi my name is Lynda Young > > I am very interested in this list as both of my paternal grandparents and their ancestors were from the Western District. > > Main surnames from the area are: > > WHITE - Coddrington, Yambuk (descendants of Patrick Francis WHITE and Eleanor WYNNE) > SCHOLFIELD - Casterton (descendants of William Hall SCHOLFIELD and Agnes BENSON) > BENSON - Casterton (descendants of John BENSON and Jane TAIT) > TURNER - Port Fairy (descendants of George TURNER and Catherine ROBERTS) > ROBERTS - Port Fairy (descendants of George ROBERTS and Mary Ann SULLIVAN) > > Cheers > > Lynda Young > Melb >

Hi All, I have had a number of queries relating to the boundaries of this list - and I am open to suggestions! As far as I know there is nothing else that covers any part of the West of Victoria - but how far do you all want it to reach? I had suggestions of west of Colac to the border, which is what I had in mind, but how far up will we take this list? Anyone with thoughts? Also thank you to all that emailed both myself and the list with their congratulations - it is most appreciated. Debbie Down List Admin

Hi Debbie Congratulations for starting up this mailing list! Our Geelong list has been a great success and for those wishing to share knowledge of the Western District which extends well past Geelong, this will be a great list to forward them to! As for my own interests in your region: MELDRUM at Merino. Again good luck and we all look forward to learning new things about the area! Regards, Pam Jennings

Hi All Well I just don't know where to start with my surname interests in the Western District as most of my family history is centred there and I have dozens of names. The main ones are HOLMES WILSON MCSWAIN CAREY BREWSTER MILLS all around Portland, Merino, Casterton, Hamilton areas. It would be good if we could share local history on this list too wouldn't it? Beryl O'Gorman Greensborough Victoria Australia What's your story? Wordweavers Weaving your memories Weaving your stories http://www.wordweavers.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kathy & Phil Creer" <creerpak@senet.com.au> To: <AUS-VIC-WESTERN-DISTRICT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, September 04, 2000 10:14 PM Subject: [AUS-VIC-West-Dist] Posting my Interests > Hi All > Glad to see this list up and running. I would like to post my interests in > the Western Districts of Vic

Hi Listers Congratulations to Debbie for commencing this Western Victorian genealogy and local history list. I have particular interests in the Glenelg River basin areas of Carapook, Dartmoor, Digby, Hotspur, Merino, Sandford and Casterton. I have started a simple website related to the genealogy and local history of some of these areas at - http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/digby/ and will happy to assist where possible with research into pioneers from these areas. I would be happy to publish stories, etc on this website related to families, properties, events, etc., related to these areas on this website. If some of you also have interests as far east as the Ballarat Goldfields then I publish the Ballarat & District Genealogy website at - http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/ . Both of these sites are aimed at helping to spread the interest in genealogy and local history and to be a part of the development of the internet as a wonderful communication tool to help interested researchers share their information so that our children and grandchildren may have a growing opportunity to understand some aspects of the lives of their ancestors. I have a vision that we may be able to develop a virtual network of internet sites to tell some of the stories associated with the settlement of Western Victoria and the role of ordinary folk in this wonderful story. It would be great to have a map of western Victoria on the Internet and to be able to click on any hamlet or area and locate information from the earliest settlements - photos, biographies, stories, house histories, soldiers, etc, etc..... I see the internet of the future almost becoming the storyteller of old, and helping to pass on the stories from the older generation. This is a little philosophical but it certainly opens wonderful opportunities. Many of you could start websites related to your family, town, property, hobby, ..... and then we link then into one large Western Victorian mosaic. Have you recorded your elderly relatives stories, thoughts, impressions, visions for the future? Later it will be too late !!! A few thoughts, Daryl Povey, Ballarat, Vic (ex Carapook, Casterton with ancestors from Dartmoor, Digby, Hotspur & Sandford) Ballarat Genealogy - http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/

William ARTSO b.1831 Canton, China d.1898 Warrnambool m.1875 to: Martha HAMMOND b.1855 Dandenong d.1943 Warrnambool ch: Annie / Alice / William / George / Emily / Margaret / Elizabeth / Frederick / Edward / Eva. anyone interested? cheers, Leone

Elizabeth Gerrish HENLEY b.1872 Warrnambool d.1938 East Melbourne m.1893 to: Walter George DRINKWATER b.1872 Cornwall. d.1951 Malvern. ch: Laura / Alma / Irene / Walter / William / Stanley / Olive. any one interested? cheers, Leone

My knowledge of where this list starts and ends, geographically is woeful so please excuse me if I test your goodwill. I am trying to find the birth or anything about John William Armstrong said to have been born in Koroit to John William Armstrong and Annie Smith about 1882. However on another certificate he says he was born in Carlton. I presume his parents were Scottish farmers so I would be grateful for anything about Koroit that might help me in my quest. thanks in advance Sandra in hot and sunny Maryborough Qld

Hello all, Glad to be a part of this new list. My interests are:- COLE arrived 1852 Warrnambool/Colac areas. HETHERINGTON Warrnambool BENNETT Warrnambool CROCKFORD Warrnambool. Just to name a few. I held a successfull Cole family reunion in Mailor's Flat near Warrnambool in 1992. Still tracing ancestors and descendants. kind regards, Lorene

Hi All, It is wonderful to see so many people subscribing to this new list. In the first 24 hours of this list we have had 47 subscribers in list mode and 25 in digest mode! What a great start! I had been wishing that some one would start this one but then decided to take the plunge and do it myself!! Hopefully we will all make many connections. To give you a bit of my interest in this area. Both my main lines originate in the Western Districts. My SHARROCKS arrived in Geelong in July 1848 and by the early 1850's were located in Penshurst on a property called "Lovely Banks". There are still many Sharrock descendants in the area. My DOWN line started with Henry Down arriving in Portland in 1856 as a young man of 21. Again many descendants are still in the area. I don't want to make this too long, so please enjoy the list. If you have any problems or wish to discuss something off the list with me - my email address is debralr@iprimus.com.au. My inbox is always open! Best of luck in your research Debbie Down Werribee, Vic List Admin

Yes, Sandra, I have spoken to a couple of families who are related to these Colac Murray families. Someone else may make contact with you, but I feel sure that Dorothy Ware of Terang (not a researcher) in Victoria is from that family. There is another lady from Buderim in Queensland. There is much in books too, so the Victorian libraries would have much for you to seek out. Hope this is of some help. Thelma (Bostock) Birrell in Queensland. BOSTOCK Links http://www.ozemail.com.au/~mrbirrell/ BIRRELL Story www.electricscotland.com/webclans/atoc/birrell2.html CROSS Stitch http://mrbirrell.freeyellow.com/ From: Sandra & Russell Duck <rsduck@our.net.au> >Two families I'm researching the Western District (both Colac) are Samuel DUCK & Jane Howarth who arrived in the area in 1846, and Hugh & Elizabeth MURRAY. Hugh was the first white man to settle in the Colac area in 1837. >Sandra.

Two families I'm researching the Western District (both Colac) are Samuel DUCK & Jane Howarth who arrived in the area in 1846, and Hugh & Elizabeth MURRAY. Hugh was the first white man to settle in the Colac area in 1837. Sandra.

G'day Debbie, Congratulations on your new list - I know you'll be flooded with subscribers! If we get enquiries on the Geelong and District Mailing List which are closer to your territory, we'll point them in your direction. All the best ........ Susie Z, Geelong and District Mailing List

Dear friends, This may be better to read !!-- Thanks to Guy for this great site reference. From: Kermie <kermie4@optusnet.com.au> >Sorry, forgot to say that these photo's are of St Davids Church. Photo's of St Davids Cathedral are on the following page. >http://www.pictureaustralia.org/servlet/pa/retrieve?pn=7&el=B&db=current&rp =1&mr=6&ac=current&cid=25033 >This is a relatively new site with a mine of photographs etc. Definitely worth bookmarking for future reference. > >Guy

Dear List members Sorry about the break in web page address, but it worked for me like this. Let me know if it does not work for you. Where it opens up and says about a mistake, just click on 'Pictures' and it should work for you. Sincerely in Searching ...Thelma >>>From: Kermie <kermie4@optusnet.com.au> >>>> Early photograph(s) of St Davids are available at >>>>http://www.pictureaustralia.org/servlet/pa/retrieve?pn=7&el=B&db=current & >rp=1&mr=6&ac=current&cid=25033 BOSTOCK Links http://www.ozemail.com.au/~mrbirrell/ BIRRELL Story www.electricscotland.com/webclans/atoc/birrell2.html CROSS Stitch http://mrbirrell.freeyellow.com/

Thanks to Guy, (Kermie) we are informed of a marvellous site for Australian pictures. >Thankyou Guy (Kermie) > >This is a most MARVELLOUS site - and I only had time to follow part >of the trail of Colonial Art - which was full of historical names and >places. Your ancestors could be there. Put it on your favourites for late night >checking. You will just need time !!!!! But it is a great site.. THANKYOU. >Thelma > >BOSTOCK Links http://www.ozemail.com.au/~mrbirrell/ >BIRRELL Story www.electricscotland.com/webclans/atoc/birrell2.html >CROSS Stitch http://mrbirrell.freeyellow.com/ > >From: Kermie <kermie4@optusnet.com.au> >> Early photograph(s) of St Davids are available at >>http://www.pictureaustralia.org/servlet/pa/retrieve?pn=7&el=B&db=current&r p >=1&mr=6&ac=current&cid=25033

Dear Deb and Listers, Hope this new mail list is of mutual enlightenment for many people. My forbears came the region from Tasmania (like many others) around 1835. I love the great history and the beauty of the country and coastal regions. Just for now - I will list main names of BOSTOCK-AITKIN PATTERSON - CONNOLLY - COX - WARE and MANIFOLD. I have done much research and have a lot to share from old diaries and documents. Hope I can help in a small way. Thelma (Bostock) Birrell in Maroochydore, Queensland. BOSTOCK Links http://www.ozemail.com.au/~mrbirrell/ BIRRELL Story www.electricscotland.com/webclans/atoc/birrell2.html CROSS Stitch http://mrbirrell.freeyellow.com/