John Henry Amos (1874 - 1924)

Born 9 Sep 1874 in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Son of John McNamara and Sarah Emma (Heatley) Collins

Husband of Rachel May (Clayton) Amos — married 5 May 1900 in Parkside, South Australia, Australia

Descendants

Died 20 Dec 1924 at age 50 in Keswick, South Australia, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Karyn Homburg [send private message]

Biography

John Amos was born in the Colony of Victoria (1851-1900)

Born 9 September 1874 in Sandhurst, Victoria as John Henry Heatley, he was the son of Sarah Emma Heatley (who was aged 18). No father is recorded on the birth certificate.^{[1] [2]}

He was 6 months old when he was baptised on 5 March 1875 at All Saints Church, Bendigo, as John Henry Hickley Amos, son of Thomas and Ann Amos, residence Back Creek. He was baptised the same day as their daughter Janet Amos. ^[3]

Recorded as John Henry Amos Vickery, he married Rachel May Clayton on 5 May 1900 at the residence of her father John Clayton, Parkside. Witnesses were John George Amos and Henrietta Clayton. The certificate states he is the foster son of Thomas Amos. ^[4]

Rachel had a 3 year old son John Clayton, who would be known as John Clayton Amos. John and Rachel had 6 more children:

• Ivy May Harriett Amos
• Winifred Clarice Amos
• William Edward Amos
• Rachel Gertrude Amos
• George Albert Amos
• Arthur Amos

On the 11 October 1915 John enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, the same day as John Clayton Amos. He is recorded as being 39 years old born in Bendigo (formerly known as Sandhurst), occupation Plasterer, married with 6 children living at 40 West Terrace, Adelaide. He is described as being 5' 4.5" tall, weight 132 lb, Blue eyes and dark hair. Religious denomination is Baptist. ^[5]

A correction was made to the marriage entry for John and Rachel, dated 26 October 1915 stating : whereas the name John Henry Amos Vickery appears on this certificate it should read as John Henry Amos. This was just after he enlisted in the A.I.F.

Both John Henry Amos and John Clayton Amos embarked from Adelaide on the 7 February 1916 on HMAT Miltiades A28. On arrival in Egypt John Henry Amos joined the 50th battalion, and John Clayton Amos joined the 1st Anzac Cyclist battalion.

John was invalided to England and on the 15 October 1916 was admitted to Edinburgh War Hospital. He is diagnosed with Acute Valvular Disease (Heart) and was returned to Australia in July 1917.

John passed away age 49 on the 20 December 1924 at the Repatriation Hospital, Keswick ^[6] and was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery, Kendrew Oval. ^{[7] [8]}

AMOS. On December 20, at Repatriation Hospital, Keswick, John Henry Amos, late 50th Battalion, A.I.F., the beloved husband of Rachael May Amos, 40 West terrace, Adelaide, aged 49 years. ^[9]

Research Notes

Father confirmed with DNA as dna match is less than 3rd cousin, but Mother cannot be confirmed with DNA at this time as matches are greater than 3rd cousin and still need to be confirmed using triangulation.

DNA matches for Karyn Homburg using MyHeritageDNA and AncestryDNA with descendants of Sarah Emma Heatley (birth mother) and John McNamara (birth father) not married to each other, but both having other children, also descendants of Sarah's parents Joseph Heatley and Mary Jane Campton, and John's parents James McNamara and Catherine Guerin.

John Henry Hickley Amos was the name recorded at his baptism, and John Henry Amos Vickery the name used at this marriage.
Where did the name Hickley or Vickery come from?
Ann (Moyston) could not read or write when she first came to Australia, Thomas Amos was Scottish and would have had a strong accent. Perhaps Heatley was mistaken for Hickley, and Hickley evolved into Vickery after 25 years (from baptism to marriage).

Sources

1. ↑ Birth Certificate Karyn Homburg
2. ↑ Victoria State Government, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. John Henry HEATLEY. Birth. Registration number 19084/1874. Mother Sarah Emma HEATLEY, Father unknown. Place of birth Sandhurst. Link to search page
3. ↑ Bendigo Family History Group: Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies Inc., All Saints Bendigo record of baptisms
4. ↑ South Australia Marriage Index. (Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php : accessed 26 Jun 2022) database entry for John Henery Amos (age 25, marital status S, father Thomas Amos) and Rachel May Clayton (age 20, marital status S, father John Clayton) 5 May 1900, Res of John Clayton Parkside. Reference: District Adelaide, Book/Page 203/698. Notes: Symbol XC: VICKERY John Henry Amos.
5. ↑ Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office; B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, AMOS John Henry : SERN 3751 National Archives Australia: 3032835 Item image
6. ↑ South Australia Death Index. (Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php : accessed 26 Jun 2022) database entry for John Henry Amos (Death date 20 Dec 1924, age 49, marital status M, place of death Keswick, residence Adelaide) Reference: District Adelaide, Book/Page 475/239
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 13 April 2021), memorial page for John Henry “Jack” Amos (19 Aug 1874–20 Dec 1924), Find A Grave: Memorial #157320673, citing West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, Adelaide City, South Australia, Australia ; Maintained by KarynnotKaren (contributor 50145815) .
8. ↑ Monumental Inscription. West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia. In loving memory of, No. 3751, Pte John Henry Amos, 50th Batt A.I.F., Died at Keswick, December 20th 1924, Aged 49 years, Dearly beloved husband of Rachel May Amos. Photographed by: Karyn Homburg taken 25 April 2010.
9. ↑ "Family Notices" The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954) 20 December 1924: 5. Web. 26 Jun 2022 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63795507>.

• Paternal relationship is confirmed by an autosomal AncestryDNA test match between Karyn Homburg and V.U., her half 2nd cousin 1x removed. Their most-recent common ancestor is John McNamara, the great great grandfather of Karyn Homburg and great grandfather of V.U.. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 4th-6th Cousin, based on sharing 66 cM across 2 segments.