Jane (Harris) Marsh (abt. 1830 - 1925)

Born about 1830 in Clarence River, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Wife of Thomas Wright — married 1852 (to 18 Dec 1886) in New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 1925 at about age 95 in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Jane was born about 1830. She passed away in 1925.^[1]

In 1852, Jane married Thomas Wright.^[2] They had at least 15 and perhaps 16 children. For Jane to have achieved what must have been a demanding feat, she is recorded as bearing children regularly from her early 20's through to her mid 50's with no apparent multiple births.

1. Amelia (Wright) Hoskins (bef.1854-1874)
2. Mary G (Wright) Wood (bef.1854-bef.1925)
3. Emma (Wright) Johnson (1854-1904)
4. Unnamed Wright (1858-abt.1858)
5. Thomas Wright (abt.1860-1891)
6. William Wright (1863-1872)
7. Elizabeth Jane (Wright) Eastment (1864-1935)
8. John Wright (1866-1940)
9. Rebecca (Wright) Jolley (1868-1950)
10. Martha (Wright) Flower (1871-)
11. Lucy Wright (1873-1875)
12. Jane (Wright) Fraser (1875-1900)
13. Charles H Wright (1877-1934)
14. William Wright (1879-1952)
15. Unnamed Wright (1882-)
16. George Wright (1885-)

In the census for New South Wales of 1891, Thomas Wright is recorded as a resident of Manly Street, Nymagee (Household reference 221) in a household of 11 males and 7 females, with the remark "Cardiff Arms Neoki(?)".^[3]

LATE MRS. JANE MARSH
The late Mrs. Jane Marsh, who recently, died in Lismore at the age of 95, was born on the Clarence River in 1830, being a daughter of the late Mr. William and Mrs. Rebecca Harris, and. is said to have been the first white child born on the Clarence River. About 1850 deceased came to the Richmond River and married the late Mr. Thomas Wright, and resided with him at Numulgi, where he was engaged in cedar getting. Later they removed to South Lismore, where they kept a hotel for a number of years, and where Mr. Wright died.

The late Mrs. Marsh then removed, to Grafton and married the late Mr. John Marsh. For the last 15 years deceased had been living with Mr. and Mrs. M. O'Connor, of North Lismore, Mrs. O'Connor being a grand-daughter of deceased. She remained in full possession of all her faculties until about two weeks before her death, and up to the age of 93 was remarkably active and energetic.

Deceased had 15 children from her first marriage, a number of whom predeceased her, and there are 58 grandchildren and 69 great grandchildren. Retaining her memory deceased was a fund of information in connection with the early days in the district, and could tell many stories of pioneering hardships and adventures with the blacks. She was ever ready to assist anyone in trouble, and in the days when the few women in the district were separated by miles of almost trackless scrub performed many good deeds at great personal inconvenience and often risk to herself.

Mr. W. Harris, of North Lismore, is her only surviving brother, and her children were Mrs. James Johnson, Mrs. R. Hoskins, Mrs. W. Woods, and Mrs. W. Fraser, all deceased ; two little girls, who died young ; Mrs. E. Eastment, Brisbane, Mrs. E. J. Jolly, Rock Valley ; Mrs. Flowers, Sydney ; Mr. Thomas Wright, deceased; Mr. John Wright, Brisbane ; Mr. Charles Wright, Wadeville; Mr. William Wright, Atherton, Q. ; Mr. George Wright, England; and one boy who died in his youth.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Register of Births Deaths and Marriages - Death. MARSH, JANE 1925. Daughter of WILLIAM and REBECCA. District: LISMORE. Registration Number: 8861/1925.
2. ↑ New South Wales Register of Births Deaths and Marriages - Marriage. WRIGHT, THOMAS to HARRIS, JANE 1852. Registration Number: 788/1852 V1852788 38C. Early Church Code: ML=Church of England; Alnwick, Butterwick, Clarence Town, Middlehope, Raymond Terrace and Seaham.
3. ↑ 1891 Census: "1891 New South Wales, Australia Census"
   State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 683; Book: 10; Item: [2/8420]; Roll: 2534
   Ancestry Sharing Link Ancestry au Record 1733 #140846 (accessed 9 April 2022)
   Thomas Wright.
4. ↑ Northern Star, Fri 26 Jun 1925. p. 4. AN EARLY SETTLER.