Spencer Hall Green-Child 9
Spencer Hall was born a year after his nephew, William Richard Smith son of Frances Green and her convict husband ,on 11th August 1819. He like his siblings was baptised at St Philip Church on 23rd January 1820. Frances his eldest sister and John aka Richard Smith her husband would still be living in Sydney at the time of Spencer’s birth. I wonder if the two boys played together? I am sure they would have. Both boys married Barsden women. Spencer Hall married Margaret Jane Barsden, daughter of Josephus Henry Barsden and Mary Ann Blackman in 1840 in Kelso, Bathurst. William Richard Smith married her sister Mary Ann Barsden on 2nd March in the same year 1840 in Bathurst. See the Chapter on William Richard and Mary Ann. I wonder if that is how Spencer and his family ended up in Bathurst when the rest of his siblings except Frances were Sydneysiders. Frances, WR Smith’s mum and Spencer’s eldest sister had moved by 1840 to Sewells Creek with Joseph Sewell. See chapter on John aka Richard Smith and Frances for their story. Did William Richard Smith introduce Spencer Hall to the Barsden girls who were based in Bathurst/Kelso or did Frances? We know William Richard Smith would have been at Sewells Creek from a young lad circa 1830’s, did Spencer Hall follow him there?
It is these two families ie descendants of William Richard Smith and Spencer Hall Green in our family who pioneered the Rockley , Native Dog Creek, Fish River and other regions of this area from the 1840’s. There is no reason to suspect that these two families were not close. The two sisters I imagine would have raised their children together in this hard and small community. I know from meeting a descendant of Spencer Hall and Margaret, Gloria Armstrong that the families remained connected up to my poppy’s era, John Joseph Smith and indeed my dad Henry Edwin Smith probably went to school with his cousins and would have known that. Alas this information came too late to ask dad.
In the 1828 Census Spencer Hall was 9 years old and still living with his parents in O’Connell St, Sydney. Records of his land acquisitions tell us something about his movements as an adult:
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22nd Sept 1843 purchases 640 acres at Native Dog Creek near the confluence of the creek with Davys Creek bounded on the west by Joseph Sewells property, in the east by Native Dog Creek and north by a section line. Interestingly on a current map Davys creek and Native Dog Creek do not cross. Native Dog Creek empties into Sewells Creek. Perhaps this was before the creek was named Sewells Creek? If it was then obviously the land is where Joseph and Frances settled. This is notably larger than William Richard’s 100 acres at Native Dog Creek.
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1847 in the Sydney Morning Herald he is described as Spencer Hall Green of Campbells River
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1854 he purchased land at Fish River 40 acres for 40 pounds near the Badger Scrub Fish River Creek about 3 miles south east of Sewells 2560 acres on Parlour Creek. See description on next page.
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1858 purchases 2 lots of 30 acres each in Westmoreland county which is where Fish River . Native Dog and Davys Creek are.
Therefore, like her sister’s family very few children lived to adulthood.
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John Thomas GREEN: born 20th May 1845 in Kelso and died 1924 in Bathurst. He was baptised on 15th March 1846 at Kelso likely Holy Trinity Church where he is buried. John Thomas married Ann Jane Sloggett. He was 79 years when he died. He is buried in Holy Trinity Church with the extended family. There appears to be no children from the marriage. John Thomas however was named in probate as inheriting Willow Springs from his father. At some stage his property was Norway and his brother Phillip Gidley Green obtained Willow Springs at Fish River.
At his death on 1st October 1867 at the age of aged 48 yrs he is recorded as residing at Fish River Creek. He died intestate and an inquest was held on 5th October in Kelso where it was deemed he died of natural causes. The death certificate cites he died of a severe cold and affliction of his liver. His son John Thomas was witness and illiterate as he placed his mark on the certificate.
Margaret Jane Barsden also died in 1867 on the 8th October, 7 days after her husband. We don’t have a death certificate for Margaret but could assume she may have died of the same severe cold as her husband. William Richard Smith and Mary Ann’s son Joseph Barsden Smith died on 13th May 1867 from typhus and his sister Margaret Jane died on 14 May 1867 at Native Dog Creek from Typhoid. Charles Smith was born and died in 1867 also. Did Margaret and Spencer die of typhus too but listed as a severe cold? Typhoid was certainly going through the area. How awful for Mary Ann to lose 3 children and her sister in a few months in 1867.
Margaret Jane Barsden was born on 1st October 1822 in Liverpool the eldest of Josephus Henry Barsden and Mary Ann Blackman.
In 1824 the census has Margaret with a new sister Mary Ann Barsden our grandmother. She is the daughter of the Constable of Bathurst.
By 1828 she remains living with her siblings and parents in Bathurst most likely Kelso known as the district of Melville. The 1828 census has the family living at LockUp House on the Great Western Rd likely because her father was the local Constable at that stage.
Margaret was just 44 years old when she died.
Margaret and Spencer Hall had 12 children like her sister Mary Ann. Of these children 4 died before their 5th birthday:
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Charles A GREEN 1855-1862.
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Edwin A GREEN 1860-1861
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Frances A GREEN 1862-1863
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Frederick Augustus GREEN 1863-1865
2 children died in their teens:
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Elizabeth A GREEN: 23rd Jan 1842 Sydney – 1854 Kelso
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Jonathan Joseph GREEN: born 1850 died 24th Sept 1862 Bathurst. This identifies that Spencer Hall and Margaret lived at Willow Springs Fish River. Grandad Josephus at Poplar Cottage Kelso.
2 children died in their early 20’s:
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George Spencer GREEN their first born : 20th Dec 1849 Campbells River and died 14th December 1862. He left his wife Mary Ann Cash daughter of Thomas Cash and Margaret Cosgrove and their daughter Selina Margaret Green [16/9/1862-5/11/1947]. Mary Ann Cash was the sister of Thomas Cash who married Mary Ann Smith the eldest daughter to William Richard and Mary Ann Barsden and of course Margaret Jane’s niece.
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William Francis GREEN: 1853 Kelso to 1875. He had married Ann and left a young child Anne Jane Green who died in 1929
The brother and sister mentioned here would have been Phillip Gidley Green and either Mary Jane or Emma Margaret. The only children who survived into older adulthood.
John Thomas’s wife Ann is buried alongside him having passed in 1928. There is no headstone for these Greens except for John Thomas. The O row lies bare in the photo here.
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Phillip Gidley GREEN; named after Governor Philip Gidley King who the family would have had some connection with through Josephus Henry Barsden Margaret's father. Phillip was born on 9th August 1848 in the Bathurst region and baptised on 30th March 1849 in Bathurst. He was the fourth child and third son of Spencer Hall and Margaret Jane. At his baptism they lived at Native Dog Creek and Spencer Hall was a farmer. He probably grew up with his cousins one of which was John Thomas Smith my great poppy.
He married Sarah Jane Robinson [Janey] daughter of William Robinson and Jane Margaret on 15th June 1871 in the Bathurst district. Many thanks to Lindy Kingsford for these wonderful original photos
They were a
striking couple.
We know Phillip and Janey sold Willow Springs in 1899
From Bathurst Free Press and Mining Journal - Tuesday 7 March 1899
"Successful Stock and Property Sale.
At Oberon on February 28th, 1899, E. H. Taylor & Co. report having sold by auction and privately on account of P. and J. Green.....
.....privately 60 mixed cattle 17s to Mr. Bourke. 6 horses to 65s, on account of P. and J. Green...
Properties. — On account P. and J. Green, Willow Springs estate containing 190 acres freehold, 774 conditional purchase, 191 conditional lease, 900 acres annual lease, with an improvements thereon, purchaser Mr. Knout; on account Trustees North Glyndeer Estate, 3 small farms, 2 allotments, purchaser R. J. Badwick; 4 allotments, purchaser W. McDougal. Satisfactory prices were obtained for everything sold."
There is an interesting case of horse stealing which gives us a magnificent view of who was who in the days of Native Dog Creek and Willow Springs. I have unpacked it with commentary in bold throughout the article.
Phillip and Janey went on to have 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls. Their eldest Phillip Edward Green was 1 when he died [ 1872-1873]. Elizabeth Jane Green [19/5/1875-26/12/1957] married Edward Cooper Webb in Oberon in 1899. Rebecca Mabel H Green was born in 1877 in Bathurst region and not alive at Phillip’s death. Joseph Augustus Green [Gus] [ wonder if his name came from Augustus Hook?] born in the same year as his cousin John Joseph Smith my poppy 1880 and died in Faulconbridge 4th October 1967.He had married Mary Elizabeth Whalan [ photo and account of their wedding below courtesy of Lindy Kingsford]. Their last child was Aubrey Sylvester John Green born 7th Sept 1885 in East Macquarie District and baptised at All Saints Cathedral Bathurst on 1st October 1885. He married Edyth MacQueen on 28th Dec 1935. She died very young at the age of 46yrs on 22nd July 1938 just 3 years after they had married. We don’t know when he died.
From The Bathurst Times
Thursday 28 October 1909 Wedding
A very pretty wedding took place at 10 o'clock on Wednesday morning, in St. Barnabas' Church, Oberon. The Rev. F. J. Harris officiating. The Church was filled with friends to witness the marriage of Miss Mary Whalan, fifth daughter of Mr. J. C. Whalan of Jerula, and Mr. Gus Green, eldest son of Mr. Phillip Green, of the Royal Hotel, Oberon. The church was tastefully decorated by friends of the bride and bridegroom. A large wedding bell was hung immediately over the bride and bridegroom, and a smaller one over the centre of the aisle. As the Bride entered on the arm of her father, (who gave her away), the choir sang the wedding hymn, 'The Voice that Breathed O'er Eden.' The Bride was dressed in a trained gown of white taffetta silk, and wore a wreath and veil, and carried a shower bouquet of maiden hair ferns. Miss Florrie Whalan, who was the only bridesmaid, wore a dress of white silk muslin, and carried a shower bouquet. The bride groom's present to the bride was a gold pendant, and a gold bangle, and to the bridesmaid a gold necklet. Mr A. Green, brother of the bridegroom acted as best man. The marriage, service was semi-choral. As the bridal party left the church, Miss Douser (organist), played Mendelssohn's Wedding March. Mr. and Mrs. Green left for Tarana, en route for Sydney, where the honeymoon was spent. The bride travelled in a dress of brown cloth, and green hat, trimmed with silk margarettes. The happy couple were the recipients of a large number of useful and valuable wedding presents including a piano from the mother of the bridegroom.
This is a lovely account of the wedding at the public display of presents given! Augustus is listed as Gus and the eldest not youngest son. Phillip by this date in 1909 owns the Royal Hotel Oberon following the Green traidiotn of owning pubs. Gus gave his bride a gold necklet and pendant and a gold bangle.His best man was his brother Aubrey. What family attended? Phillip and Janey obviosuly did and gave separate presents of an afternono tea set and silver jam and tea spoons and from Jney a piano! There appear no Smith’s in the wedding party so perhaps the cousins were no longer close.
Morrows are related to my mother’s family the Cunninghams.
From The Sydney Morning Herald, Friday 3rd September 1897 "OBERON, Thursday
Mr J E Lee, storekeeper of Swatchfield, was entertained at dinner by a number of his friends at the residence of Mr P. G. Green, Willow Springs, prior to his departure for England. He left here last night to join the Orizaba at Sydney."
On Phillip’s death his obituary read: He died on 2nd December 1934
Mesdames Robinson was Mary Jane Green and Wilson was his youngest sister Emma Margaret Green. They were both living at Black Springs in 1934 and Phillip had moved into Bathurst. His daughter who is mentioned is Elizabeth Jane Green who married Edward Cooper Webb and were living in Petersham Sydney.
The next child who survived:
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Mary Jane GREEN: born 28th November 1857 in Bathurst region and married a Robinson! Edward Robinson [below] in Kelso NSW in 1875. Edward Robinson was born on 5/9/1854 in Kelso and died on 20/8/1945 in Black Springs. Edward was the brother of Sarah Jane Robinson wife of Phillip Gidley Green. They had 11 children many who lived into the 1970’s. Mary Jane is my 1st cousin 3 times removed and would have grown up with my great Pop John Thomas Smith. Mary Jane died 24th October 1942 in Oberon. Photo sources: Lindy Kingsford
Above: Edward , Harriet and George Robinson outside Dickygundi NSW
Photo courtesy of Merleen Robinson. Back Row: Edward, Phillip, Joseph, William, Roderick, Leslie. Middle Row: Ida, Emma, Mary, Ethel. Seated: Edward and Mary Jane (nee Green). Source: Lindy Kingsford Family Tree
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Emma Margaret GREEN born 1866 Bathurst region. She married Ralph Terry Wilson in 1833 in the east Macquarie District likely Rockley or Oberon. They had 8 children 5 of whom we know well into the 1950’s to 1970’s. We are unsure when Emma died. Photo courtesy of Lindy Kingsford.
