Hazel Magann wrote: > Hello Neville > How lovely to hear from you especially as you have connections to Rooty > Hill. > > At this time I am winding up the church database and have set a deadline of > 16 June 2007 foe my book on William Lawson the explorer and his family > members and I have included 780 biographies on convicts assigned to various > of these men. > > As President of Mount Druitt Historical Society I feel it is important that > I research my area. My love of research is people from all aspects of life. > So I have decided to put together a book on people in our local area. I have > already started visiting elderly people in the area and collecting > information it will not be a Pioneer Index just a book very like my other > two which gives biography on those who resided in our area. My first thought > was to enter my ideas on the Australia site in hope of gaining help from > those who have descendants connected to the districts. > > Would you be interested in contributing to this publication all recognition > will of course go to you. > > Warm Regards > Hazel Hazel I'll do all I can to help. Following is an extract from the story of the Taylor family, the family of my late wife Irene: All the foregoing information about the Swans is relevent and interesting but it is in the family of Elizabeth and George Mackenzie that the we have to look to find the line of descent to the present day Taylors and their progeny. The children of this marriage where Rachael born 1860, died at St. Leonards in 1910; Madeline born 1862, died at Ashfield in 1862; George born in 1864, died in 1934; Leah born at Chippendale in 1866, died at Rooty Hill on 3/8/1899, buried at St. Marys; Adah born at Sydney in 1868, died at Sydney in 1871; Martha born at Glebe in 1870; Ruth born at Glebe in 1872, died at Windsor in 1912; Laura born in 1874, died in 1910; Violet born at Sydney in 1877, died at Penrith in 1924; and Ethel May born at 497 Pitt Street, Sydney on 23/7/1879, died at Sydney in 1880. We had often wondered if there is any significance in the naming of the girls, as they have almost without exception Jewish or Biblical names. The fact that their step-grandfather, George Dolman re-married his wife in the Christian Israelite Church, and that their father was bought up while the family was under the influence of that Church, as deduced earlier, seems to point in that direction. It would be of great advantage if we were able to contact some of the descendants of the MacKenzie clan to ascertain if they have anything historic that would shine a light on this mystery. We have only been able to discover the marriages of the females of this family and do not know if George married but have found that he died in 1934. Rachael Mackenzie was the first to marry, this was to Edwin A. Arditto, at Sydney in 1884. Edwin was born at Sydney in 1862 and died at Granville in 1895. He was the son of an Italian migrant, Angelo, and his wife Mary. So far no children have been found for this marriage. Angelo prospered in Sydney going into the hotel and travel business in a big way eventually owning an hotel and stables in Pitt Street near the present day railway station and in about the same location as the old Hotel Sydney. Rachael married for a second time, her new husband being Frank Edwin (Elwin) Lonsdale, this was at Newtown in 1897 and, in 1901, at Camperdown, she gave birth to Harriette M. Lonsdale. Harriette married Raymond W. Gant at Paddington in 1922. Frank, son of William James and Harriette Ann Lonsdale, died at Wyong in 1945. Prior to his marriage to Rachael, Frank had, at Sydney in 1886, married Fanny Barker and with her produced sons Frank L. Lonsdale born at Paddington in 1887; Lionel Marcellus Lonsdale born at Sydney in 1890, died at Newtown in 1970; and Cyril A. Lonsdale born at Waterloo in 1897, died at Penrith in 1925. Fanny, daughter of Edward Baker, died at Newtown in 1937 Madeline Mackenzie married George William Grace at Sydney in 1885. George, the son of Thomas and Margaret Grace, died at Sydney in 1928, their children were Edward George Grace born in 1886, died at Hurstville in 1964; Rupert Claude Grace born in 1892, died at Kogarah in 1970; Gladys Grace born and died at Granville 1894; Vera Grace born at Parramatta in 1896, died, aged 73, at Peakhurst in 1970; and Myra Jean Grace born in 1901, died at Monterey on 8/8/1976. Edward Grace married Alma Helena Parker at Petersham in 1907. Children to this marriage wereEdward james Grace born in 1908, married Alma Agnes Amy at Hurstville in 1938; Arthur Robert Grace born in 1914, married Kathleen Aileen Morrison at Rockdale in 1940. Kathleen died at Carinbah on 13/6.1993; Marjorie Alma Grace born in 1916, died at Sydney on 27/1/2002, married Aubrey Milton Whitbread at Marrickville in 1940. Aubrey died at Mosman on 26/3/2003. Elsie Grace married Francis W. Brennan at Sydney in 1911. Francis died at Wahroonga on 9/12/1936. Children to the marriage were Francis W. Brennan born in 1912, died at hurstville on 16/5/1974; Lilian M. Brennan born in 1914; Marjorie Brennan born in 1914, died at Parramatta in 1914; Dorothy M. Brennan born in 1917. Rupert Grace married Emily J. Webb at Parkes in 1919. Emily, the daughter of Richard Henry and Elizabeth Webb nee Nash, was born at Parkes in 1893 and died at Hurstville in 1935. Rupert and Emily had a daughter Marcia A, who died at Ashfield in 1924. Vera Grace married Peter J. Kemp at Petersham in 1915. Peter, the son of Peter and Henriette Kemp, was born at Windsor in 1888 and died at Nowra in 1965. Children born to the couple were Vera Madeline Kemp born in 1916, married Jack Raymond Porter at Rockdale in 1936. Jack was born c1895 and died, aged 88, at Cardiff Heights on 4/8/1983, they had a stillborn male child at kogarah in 1938; Peter Leonard Kemp born in 1918, married Elva Lillian Bower at Kogarah in 1950. Myra Jean Grace married Martin J. A. Easton at Annandale in 1929. Leah Mackenzie married John Henry Taylor at The Christ Church, Sydney on 13/5/1885. John was the son of John and Ellen Taylor, he was born at Castlereagh Street, Sydney on 4/1/1862 and died at Parramatta hospital, Blacktown on 26/12/1944, witnesses to this marriage signed as Madeline MacKenzie and Rachael Arditto. As the family of Leah and John constitute our main interest we will return to them after detailing the families of the other sisters. Ruth was the next to marry, she wed Owen Lane at Sydney in1895. Owen was born in1871 and died at Parramatta in 1930. There are three births attributed to the pair, Marcia Elizabeth Lane born at Penrith in 1896, died at Newtown in 1915; Una Margaret Lane born at Penrith in 1902, died at Auburn in 1941; Ruth E. Lane born in 1907. Following the death of Ruth, Owen married for a second time, his new bride was Miriam L. Pearce born at Murrumburrah in 1894, they had three children, Francis O. Lane born 1916 - died 1918, Winifred Lane born 1917 and Alan L. Lane died 1919 at Parramatta. Of Ruth's daughters with Owen, Marcia married Albert Edward Roche at Newtown in 1915. Albert was born at Balmain in 1887 and died at Parramatta in 1956, his parents were Daniel Pius and Leah Roache nee Hanslow. Albert and Marcia had three daughters, Roma R. Roache who died at Parramatta in 1928; Eileen Myrtle Roache, born at Casino in 1915 and died at Randwick in 1936; Beryl Grace Roache born at Parramatta in 1917, married 1 John Thomas Ibbett Sherwood in 1935. John died at Parramatta in 1943, married 2 Patrick Mulligan at Burwood in 1955. John's parents were Joseph and Priscilla Sherwood nee Ibbett, they having married at Granville in 1902; Una Margaret Lane married Norman Clarence Hillary at Parramatta in 1929. Norman died at Yamba on 9/2/1975. Laura Mackenzie married Hugh S. Jones at Balranald in 1899. Children to the marriage were Hugh F. T. Jones born at Moulamein in 1905; Jessie Jones born in 1906; Alexander K. S. Jones born at Moulamein 1908. Violet married John Burns at Penrith in 1904. At Burwood in 1905 she was delivered of Alan James Burns who died at Penrith in 1973. At Newcastle in 1940 Alan married Nancy Clarkson; Violet's second child was a daughter, Linda M. Burns. Linda was born in 1907 and died at Penrith (St. Marys) in 1911. Ethel May was born at 497 Pitt Street, Sydney on 23 July, 1879 and died in 1880 in Sydney. Leah was born in Chippendale on the 28/5/1866 and was only 19 years of age when she married John Henry Taylor at the Christ Church, Sydney, requiring her mother's signature for permission to marry as her father was in the Rookwood Asylum. John Taylor, a woodturner, of Bath, Somerset, England, born 1833, and Ellen MacNamara of Campbelltown, N.S.W., born 1835, married on 10 November, 1858 at Pitt Street South, Sydney according to the rites of the Presbyterian Church. Witnesses to the marriage were Caroline Walton and Ann Taylor. From the marriage, on the 4/1/1862, a son John Henry Taylor was born. The birth took place at their Castlereagh Street residence. The children of the marriage of John Henry Taylor and Leah Mackenzie were Rachael Helen Taylor born at Penrith in 1885, died at Redfern in 1941; William Duker Taylor born at Rooty Hill in 1888, died at Chatswood in 1957; Ruby M. Taylor born at St. Marys in 1893, died at Newtown in 1917; Norman John Taylor born at St Marys in 1893, died, aged 92, at Willoughby on 10/4/1986; Olive A. Taylor born at St. Marys in 1896, died at Newtown in 1957; Frank Wentworth Taylor born at St. Marys in 1899, died at St. Marys in 1899. Frank and his mother both died in 1899, several months apart and, according to Leah's death certificate, her demise was not due to childbirth. Rachael was married Harold Arthur Andrews at St. Marys in 1908. Harold was born at Penrith in 1884 and died at Redfern in 1939, his parents were Edward Clement and Susan Mary Andrews nee Chesham. The couple had three children, Hilton Arthur (Mac) Andrews born in 1909, died at Homebush on 5/12/1973. Hilton married Melita Mary Luce Symons at Newtown in 1927. Melita died, aged 69, at Sydney on 27/7/1975: Thelma Muriel Andrews born in 1912, died 1951, married Roy Thomas McCartney at Redfern in 1934; Gordon Clement (Blue) Andrews born at Chatswood in 1914 , died at Stanmore in 1972. There is a story told within the family that one of the Andrews boys lost both his legs when he fell under a tram while selling papers. The unfortunate one may have been Gordon. I make this supposition simply on the fact that I cannot find a marriage for him even though he lived to his 58th year!! Ruby M. married Charles Edward Andrews at St. Leonards in 1908. Charles was born at Penrith in 1883 and is the older brother of Rachel's husband Harold. They were blessed with a son and two daughters. Roy E. Andrews was born at St. Marys in 1909, , died at Sydney in 1973, married Marjorie W. Marks at Dubbo in 1925; Sylvia G. Andrews born at Camden in 1911, married James C. Grant at Parramatta in 1935; Doris Irene Andrews born at Paddington in 1915, died in 1997, married Alfred Clyde Dyer in 1937. Norman John Taylor married Ada Grace Dalzell at Chatswood in 1915. Ada was born at Singleton in in1894 and died at St. Leonards in 1966, her parents were John Robert and Mary Anna Dalzell nee Butler, they having been married at Singleton in 1893. Norman and Ada had three daughters Norma Joan born in 1915, died in 2000; Edna M. born at Chatswood in 1916; Ruth birth not known. Olive Ada Taylor married William J. Richards at Newtown in 1916. They had a son Ronald William Richards born in 1917, married Lilian Valerie Cook at Newtown in 1938.. The marriage between William Duker Taylor and Violet Emma Hendry took place at All Souls Church, Leichhardt on the 13/12/1913, with Ada McGlashan and Norman Jeffress as witnesses. Violet died at Bellambi in 1963. The marriage produced six children. These were Evylin Leah Taylor born at Leichhardt in 1914, died at Annangrove on 5/12/2005; William Hendry Taylor born at Thirroul in 1916, died in New Zealand in 1968; Jean Margaret Taylor born at Goulburn in 1919, died at Bathurst on 21/11/1923; Olive Daisy Taylor born at Orange on 19/2/1921, died at Warilla on 2/8/1996; Donald Mackenzie Taylor born at Blackheath on 15/10/1926, died at Wollongong in 1977; Irene Isabel Taylor born at Portland on 28/9/1931. When Donald's wife Gwyneth died childless and because at his death in 1977, he had not remarried, it was left to the son of William Hendry Taylor and Thelma Kemp, Ian Andrew Taylor, to carry on the Taylor name and this he has done by forming a New Zealand branch of the family with his two sons, Scott Hendry Taylor, and Andrew Taylor, as flag bearers. Scott married in 1993 and has a son Jordan Taylor born there in 1995. But first things first. In order to bring the family up to date here are the descendants of William and Violet Taylor. The eldest, Evylin Leah, named for her two grandmothers, was born at Leichhardt in 1914 and died at Annandale in 2005. She and Charles Cecil Arthur (Mac) Herbert, sometime after WWII, formed a partnership that endured through some trying times, they married at Bankstown in 1953. They had two children, Charles Herbert and Pamela Ann Herbert, both are married and have families that are spread far and wide. Even so the blood of the Gardiners, Coulsons, Butchards, Hendrys, Alcocks, Swans, Dolmans, MacKenzies, Kings, MacNamaras, as well as that of the Taylors, flows on in the veins of the children and the childrens' children ad infinitem. If you have a dig through this you will find mention of Rooty Hill. John Taylor had property there which he later sold to Minchinburys(?). The descendants of the Swan family, the ancestors of the Taylors, still live in and around the Campbelltown area. Lea and Sharon have done a lot of work on the families and can be contacted at: leashaza@hotmail.com. Let me know if you find anything of interest - I have a photo of Grandma MacKenzie sitting in front of Violet Cottage in Rooty Hill. Regards Neville