mtDNA - Aunt Elizabeth's Female Line

I've been in Sydney this weekend visiting my Aunt Elizabeth. This morning I asked her if she would spit in a tube for me, and she kindly agreed. Her DNA is ready to send back to Ancestry. Yay! I am really keen to see what her DNA tells me, particularly in regards to her mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA). As she is my Aunt (my Dad's sister), and not my mother, she will have different mtDNA to me. mtDNA is passed down from mother to child (men receive it but cannot pass it on). mtDNA enables you to trace your direct maternal line, ie. your mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's mother and so forth.

My mtDNA line is my mother, her mum Nancy (my Grandma), Nancy's mum Pauline etc. Aunt Elizabeth will have my Nanna's mtDNA from her female line. It occurred to me a few minutes ago that I am actually at a brick wall here, so I thought I would introduce you all to my Aunt Elizabeth's female ancestral line.

My Nanna, Eunice Hazel Dyer, 2011.
[Source: Personal]

1. Aunt Elizabeth

2. Eunice Hazel Dyer 

My Nanna.

B: 3 May 1916, Bowraville, New South Wales (NSW), Australia
D: 4 June 2012, Sydney, NSW Australia

3. Eva Florence Mackay (Great Grandmother) 

B: 25 Jul 1888, Bowraville, NSW, Australia
D: 14 May 1976, Bowraville, NSW, Australia

2x Great Grandmother
Elizabeth Lucilla Gill
[Source: Personal]

Great Grandmother
Eva Florence Mackay, 1913
[Source: Personal]

4. Elizabeth Lucilla Gill (2x Great Grandmother)

B: 1867, Kempsey, NSW, Australia

D: 20 Sep 1905, Bowraville, NSW, Australia

5. Alice J Wright (3x Great Grandmother)

B: 1845, Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia
D: 17 Dec 1926, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia

3x Great Grandmother, Alice J Wright
[Source: Personal]

6. Elizabeth Graham (4x Great Grandmother) 

B: approx. 1815, England
D: 24 Dec 1895, Kempsey, NSW, Australia

Elizabeth Graham was a convict and sent to Australia in 1833 for stealing spoons when she was 18.

Who were her parents? Where in England was her family from?

I'm hoping my Aunt Elizabeth's mtDNA will give me some clues.

Have you had any success with mtDNA? Share your stories below!

Two Families, One Ship.

Welcome to my first post for 2016! I thought I would start with something I found quite funny. I had a *facepalm* moment the other day, and discovered a fact about my family history I probably should have known a few years ago.

My Great Great Grandfather Walter Thomas Dyer (1843 - 1911) arrived in New South Wales, from England, in 1849 when he was 6 years old. He traveled with his parents Thomas and Grace, and his older siblings on the ship Emigrant, which arrived in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbor) on June 8th, 1849.

Shipping Record of Walter Thomas Dyer and four of his older siblings on the ship Emigrant. His parents are listed on the previous page.
Source: New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828 - 1896, Ancestry

In 1871, Walter married my Great Great Grandmother Mary Ann Gore (1851 - 1889). Mary was born in 1851 in the Maitland area, 2 years after her parents Henry and Mary arrived in New South Wales...in 1849. 

Can you see where this might be heading?

The other day I was adding sources to Henry and Mary's profiles in my tree on Ancestry. I had another look at their shipping record. Date of Arrival: June 8th, 1849. Ship: Emigrant. Me: Wait. That sounds familiar. THE DYER'S! Double checked the Dyer's shipping record. June 8th, 1849. Emigrant. 

Shipping Record of Henry & Mary Gore, & eldest child Elizabeth on the ship Emigrant. My 2x Great Grandmother Mary was their second child two years later.
Source: New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828 - 1896, Ancestry

Yes. The Dyer's and the Gore's arrived on the same ship. I also saw that both families are listed on the same page! The Dyer's at the top. and the Gore's further down the page. That, dear readers, was my face-palming moment. When I first found the Gore's shipping record a couple of years ago, I did not even think to read the other names. 

*facepalm*

I started laughing once the initial realization had passed. But seriously, how did I not realize this until now?

Shipping Record of the Emigrant showing both families.
Source: New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828 - 1896, Ancestry

It does explain though, how my Great Great Grandparents Walter and Mary might have met. Their parents could have known each other from the ship and kept in touch upon arriving in New South Wales. It is possible. The other funny thing is, a few of Walter's older sisters married into a Brown family who also arrived on the Emigrant. 

As today is Trove Tuesday, there could not be a more perfect time to have a search on Trove for any mention of the Emigrant's arrival. I found the following two articles -

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. (1849, June 9). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 4.
Retrieved January 19, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12906995

HOBART TOWN. (1849, June 9). The Shipping Gazette and Sydney General Trade List (NSW : 1844 - 1860), p. 153. Retrieved January 19, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article161033595

The Dyer's and the Gore's are the only ancestors I have found that arrived on the same ship. Small world! Or should I say small ship?

Do you have any two (or more?) families in your ancestry that arrived on the same ship? 

A Year Ago Today...

My beautiful Nanna passed away. ♥♡♥

Everyone is a bit sad today, but we know you’re in a much better place.
I hope you’re having a good day with Poppa up there, watching the French Open. You sure loved the Tennis! I miss watching it with you and talking about who your favorite players are.

Rest In Peace Nanna.

Eunice Hazel Gow nee Dyer ♥

03/05/1916 - 04/06/2012

Poppa & Nanna with my brother & I, January, 1994.

Mappy Monday - Dyer's Loop Road.

Dyer’s Loop Road, Bowraville, NSW, Australia.

My Nanna grew up on a farm on this road - in fact, quite a few of my ancestors and relatives owned farms on this road. Dyer’s Loop Road is named after her father, my Great Grandfather, James Albert Dyer.

Graces Road was named after the Grace family, some of whom were Nanna’s cousins. A recent drive up there in January 2013, revealed that Grace's are still living in the area.

Walter & Mary

My Great Great Grandparents Walter Thomas Dyer & Mary Ann Gore.
Bowraville Cemetery, New South Wales.

Walter Thomas Dyer
Born: 1 Jan 1842, England.
Arrived: 1849, New South Wales.
Died: 6 Aug 1911, Bowraville, NSW.

Mary Ann Gore
Born: 15 Mar 1851, Maitland, NSW.
Died: 13 Jul 1889, Bowraville, NSW.

They married 21 March 1871, NSW.

Mary died 2 years after my Great Grandfather James Albert Dyer was born. He was the youngest. He told my Nanna that his 5 older sisters helped his father raise him, along with his 3 older brothers.

Wordless Wednesday - Bowraville Cemetery.

Wordless Wednesday.

Great Uncle Claude Dyer & My Great Grandparents James Albert Dyer & Eva Florence Mackay.
Bowraville Cemetery, NSW.

Tombstone Tuesday.

Happy 125th Birthday In Heaven to my Great Grandfather, James Albert Dyer!

I’ll be coming to visit you in Bowraville Cemetery for the first time in approximately 2 weeks. 

Photo: http://austcemindex.com/inscription.php?id=7597454

The 15th of December.

I was unable to post this yesterday because I was travelling.

Yesterday, the 15th of December 2012, was one year since my Great Uncle Curly died. He was an amazing man with a wide variety of interests - growing huge vegetables, inventing cleaning products & bee-keeping to name a few. He worked right up until the day he died. Funnily enough, the 15th of December 2012, marks four years since my Great Uncle Noel died. He was Uncle Curly’s younger brother. I didn’t know Uncle Noel, but I know he was a great man. I’m hopefully going to meet his wife soon. Uncle Curly & Uncle Noel were my Nannas' younger brothers.

Earl James Dyer
Born: 1918, Bowraville, NSW.
Died: 15 Dec 2011, Gold Coast, QLD.

Noel George Dyer
Born: 1925, Bowraville, NSW.
Died: 15 Dec 2008, Gosford, NSW.

They died on the same day, 3 years apart.

Rest In Peace Uncle Curly & Uncle Noel <3

James & Eva's Wedding.

Great Grandparents James Albert Dyer (1887 - 1966) & Eva Florence Mackay (1888 - 1976) on their wedding day in 1913, Bowraville, New South Wales. He was 26. She was 25. Eva was a shy & quiet person. I think you can see it in her eyes.

James & Eva.

My Great Grandparents James Albert Dyer & Eva Florence Mackay.

James was born on Christmas Day, 1887 in Bowraville, New South Wales. He died on June 1st, 1966 in Bowraville. Eva was born in 1888 at Bowraville. She died 10 years after her husband on May 14, 1976 in Bowraville. They married in 1913. Where? You guessed it. Bowraville. They had six children - Claude, Eunice, Earl, Vera, Noel & Enid. Only 2 are still alive today.