I'm researching my husband's family, and have recently found information which suggests that they appear to be descended from Henry Featherston of Middle Rigg, Durham UK. According to the Durham 1841 Census, the family comprised Henry, 45, John 20, Ralph 15, Joseph 11, William 9 and Emerson 6. It seems that Henry's wife was no longer around at that date. Ralph married Mary Greggs in 1848 and emigrated to Australia around 1852, in the goldrush days, settling in Carngham/Snake Valley near Ballarat and having 12 children, including my husband's great grandfather Joseph, b Carngham Victoria in 1864, d. Ballarat 1914. Ralph d 1901 and Mary d 1907 are buried in Carngham cemetery. Joseph married Margaret Neilson in 1890 had 5 children, Joseph Henry ( b 1892 m Grace Calwell 1917 d 1951 Geelong, husband's gf), Emerson Ralph (b 1893 m Dorothy May Butcher 1918 Wentworth NSW, children Sylvia, Leslie, Clarence, Shirley, Lilly, Margaret, Ernest and Betty, d 1947 Mildura , Vic), Al! bert Leslie( b 1896 d 1916 WW1), Sylvia Mary ( b 1898 m Leonard Hamilton 1926 d 1949 Carlton Victoria ) and Lilian Myrtle b 1900. Any information regarding this family's antecedents, or connections to the other sons of Henry, some of whom may also have emigrated, or to other descendants of Ralph and Mary, or to Joseph's other children, Emerson Ralph Sylvia or Lilian, would be very welcome. cheers, Jo Featherston