John Rowley (b 1822 Minto
NSW, m Mary Jane (Jane) Onslow 1846 Liverpool, d 1856 Liverpool)
Jane Onslow (b 1829 Liverpool NSW, also m Thomas Donald 1867 Bendigo
Vic, d 1909 Petersham NSW) John Clarkson
Rowley (b 1847 Liverpool, NSW, m Sarah Jane
Smart 1874
Beechworth Vic, d 1928 Bethanga) Joseph Smart Rowley (b 1875
Yackandandah Vic, m Eircell
Broome 1909 Albury NSW, d 1957 Bethanga)
m Avis Sirl
1922 Albury
Eliza Elizabeth Rowley (b 1849, m Frederick Yabsley
1875, d 1929)
Mary Rowley (b 1851 Liverpool, d 1854 Holdsworthy)
Catherine Rayson Rowley (b 1853, m John Yabsley
1877, d 1920, buried Rookwood)
Henrietta Rowley (b 1855, m William Myler Grafton, d
1888)
John is shown on John Clarkson Rowley's birth certificate as a
"mariner". Other than that. all we have about John is the bare bones of
a life shown above. For
discussion of his family after he died, see John
Clarkson Rowley,
451743 DONALD Jane, Late of Petersham, Widow
This is the Last Will and Testament of me Jane Donald of Yule St
Petersham in the State of New South Wales Widow. I give devise and
bequeath unto and to my Executors and Trustees hereinafter named the
whole of my real and personal estate Upon trust as to the land and
hereditaments mentioned in the will of Thomas Donald late of Petersham
and described therein as the allotment with a cottage being number
thirty six and the allotment in Yule Street on which we at present
reside and being the whole of the lands comprised and described in the
Certificate of Title Volume 771 Folio 19 and the whole of my real
estate wheresoever situate to divide the same equally between my
daughters Eliza Elizabeth Yabsley and Catherine Rawson Yabsley and
Agnes Cole of North Yass. As to my personal estate to divide the same
equally between Martina Donald and Pearl Ella Shehan. I declare that my
trustee may postpone the sale and conversion of my real and personal
estate or any part thereof for so long as they think fit. I desire and
it is my Will that George Leslie Beard may claim within two months all
or any pictures painted or drawn by him. I appoint my daughter Eliza
Elizabeth Yabsley the guardian of the said Pearl Ella Shehan until she
reaches the age of twenty one years. And I appoint the said Eliza
Elizabeth Yabsley and Martina Donald the executors and Trustees of this
my will. In Witness thereof I the said Jane Donald have herewith set my
hand to this and the one preceding page of paper of this my Will this
seventeenth day of November in the year one thousand nine hundred and
eight.Jane Donald Signed by the Testatrix Jane Donald as and for her
last Will and Testament in the sight and presence of us together
present at the same time who at her request in her sight and presence
and in the sight and presence of each other have hereunto subscribed
our names as attesting Witness.
Arthur J R Yabsley Solicitor Sydney Bessie J Nichols
8th February 1909 by Act of Court probate of the said deceased
was granted to Eliza Elizabeth Yabsley of Tintern Rd Summer Hill and
Martina Donald of Yule St Petershan Spinster the Executors in the said
Will named Testator died at Petersham on 17th January 1909. Estate
sworn at Pounds 886.10.6. (A J R Yabsley)
Notes, Les Rowley
Claude Rowley remembered Pearl. She was Pearl
Rowe then. Also he remembers "Ma Donald". George Beard was a good
friend of Joe Rowley when they were young, though he never stayed at
Joe's place after he married Avis. His mother was an actress, and he
was reared by someone else, possibly Ma Donald?
Les Rowley I can remember George Beard
staying with us. He could take two pens, one in each hand, and write
simultaneously from the middle of the page. He would write the same
text,
normal in one hand, mirror writing in the other. CJR says he wrote a
first letter to a girl friend in mirror writing - she wasn't impressed,
apparently.
Thomas Donald's Will
11694 This is the last will and testament of me Thos Donald of Yule St
Petersham in Sydney in the Colony of New South Wales. I hereby direct
that after all my first debts funeral expenses are paid that the 3
vacant allotments situated in Crystal St being 33 34 35 os section
seven in the village of Wardellville parish of Petersham County of
Cumberland NSW be sold within a reasonable time say 12 months after my
death and the money be deposited in the Bank of NSW Sydney or some
equally safe institution. The allotment with the cottage on Number 36
of the above mentioned estate may at the discretion of my wife be sold
and the proceeds be deposited in the Bank as above as a fixed deposit
for the sole use of my wife during her life maiden name Mary Jane
Onslow relic of the late John Rowley of Bierpool(?) NSW before the
money is deposited in the following legacies must be paid to my mother
Mrs Jane Donald of North Yass in the Colony on NSW fifty pounds stg and
to Mrs Elizabeth Rowley of Crystal St Petersham ten pounds stg. I also
bequeath to my aforesaid wife all money in banks and all money that may
be due to me at the time of my death for her sole use absolutely also
my land or other property. The allotment on Yule St on which we at
present reside may be kept or sold at the discretion of my wife as
aforementioned. At her death all the money in Bank deposited to her
credit shall be divided equally amongst her surviving daughters and my
niece Agnes Cole of North Yass in the Colony of New South Wales. For
her kindness to my mother if my mother survives the death of my wife
the money that would be the portion due to my niece Agnes Cole shall be
placed in Bank the interest to be paid to my mother during her life
when at her death the money so deposited shall become the property of
my niece aforementioned absolutely. one allotment at St Johns Wood
being No 8 Section 13(?) being portion of the Chisholm Estate near
Auburn Cr Cumberland (see title deeds) may be sold at the discretion of
my aforesaid wife and the money be for sole use absolutely. And I
hereby appoint Mr Frederick Yabsley of victoria Square Ashfield and Mr
John Yabsley of Paramatta Rd Petersham to be my Executors to carry out
the provisions of this will. In witness ..... I hereby set my hand on
this 5th of January 1885. Thos Donald . Signed by the said Thos
Donald in the presence of us present at the same time when in his
presence and in the presence of each other attest and submit our names
as witnesses hereto - James B Ridge Clarence C Rowley.
6th August 1885. This day by act of Court Probate of the last
Will and Testament of Thomas Donald late of Yule Street, Petersham near
Sydney in the Colony of New South Wales, Inspector of Government
Tramways deceased was granted to Frederick Yabsley and John Yabsley the
Executors of the said will named.
Testator died 12 May 1885. Estate sworn under 1762.0.0
pounds.
Some Melbourne
Directories Research
Jan'e movements are auncertain after John Rowley died, but enteies in
the Melbourne Directories shed some light
1884 George, City Inspector of Weights
and Measures. 280 King St
1888 George, U/C
Mrs, Simpson St, Yarraville
John Rowley gone
1889 George gone
Mrs Jane, 35 Tarrengower St, Yarraville
1890 - Missing Volume
1891 Mrs Jane, U/C
Rowley John, McGregor St, S Melb
1892 Mrs Jane, Montague St,
Yarraville
1910 No Mrs Jane,
Miss Jane, Fitzroy
NOTES - Les Rowley
George is most likely Thomas Donald's Father, and this could be
why Jane came to Melbourne in 1886 when Thomas died. George's wife was
also Jane, so the entry in 1889 is not conclusively Jane Donald/Onslow.
However, Jane (ONSLOW) was already in Yarraville, so it looks like her.
The John Rowley who appears, who knows? Not John Clarkson, as he was
well established on the farm in Bethanga by now, with 5 children, and
Claude Rowley knows nothing of him going to Melbourne.
Note the similarity of George and Thomas's professions.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Maree Woods and Betty Robinson for input to this page. Does
anyone have a current address for Betty robinson?
Research Notes
Genes Reunited checked for Jane John and Thomas Donald
If you have additions or corrections to
this page, please contact
us Bones in the Belfry home page
Page last updated - 16 Jan 2006
