William Pearce (abt. 1865 - 1935)

Born about 1865 in Richmond, New South Wales, Australia [uncertain]

Husband of Hannah Mary (Shelton) Pearce — married 1885 (to 1904) in New South Wales, Australia

Husband of Mary Caroline (Deal) Pearce — married 1911 in Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 21 Aug 1935 at about age 70 in Upper Duroby Creek, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

William Pearce was born in New South Wales, Australia

William was born about 1863-1865 "on the Hawkesbury". ^[1] His parents were William and Mary. ^[2]

In 1885 at Richmond, New South Wales, he married Hannah Mary Shelton. ^[3]

They moved to the Tweed district; William was a blacksmith. He operated at Bangalow and Murwillumbah. ^[1]

Hannah passed away in 1904; William remarried in 1911 to Mary Caroline Jordan (nee Deal). ^[4] Mary's sons Roy and Russell born in 1906 and 1908 respectively, took the Pearce name; and could perhaps have been William's biological sons.

After suffering heart trouble he switched to dairying the year prior to his death, moving to Upper Duroby Creek. ^[1]

He passed away 21 August 1935 at his residence, Upper Duroby Creek. The surviving children from the first marriage were: ^{[2] [1]}

• Mr. William Pearce (Tenterfield)
• Stanley (Broadwater)
• Mrs H. Hart (Eppin)
• Mrs W. Whiting (Sydney)
• Leslie (Brisbane)

And from the second marriage:

• Roy (Murwillumbah)
• Russell (Murwillumbah)
• Lindsay (Upper Duroby Creek)

Research Notes

The list of children in the obituary clearly matches the birth registrations below, and they are nearly all found at the given places in other records.

Hundreds of ancestry-com trees give different death details for William and Hannah -- although none that I can see with a valid death registration source attached. Presumably they have overlooked this obituary.

Birth

This might be his birth registration; the parents' names match the death registration, and Richmond is on the Hawkesbury River:

• PEARCE WILLIAM, 14611/1865, WILLIAM, MARY, RICHMOND

The obituary stated 1863 but there is no William Pearce born 1863 in NSW BDM.

The death registration of daughter Laura names her father as "William Joseph", so perhaps he had a middle name that was not mentioned on other records.

First wife

The obituary calls his first wife "Hannah Shields". However, son Leslie's Queensland death registration names mother as "Hannah Shelton". So this seems to be a mistake in the obituary.

Furthermore, son William (born before the marriage) has a matching registration, registered as William Joseph Shelton.

Second wife

The obituary incorrectly names Mary Deal as a spinster. The children Russell and Roy named in William's obituary were registered to Mary's first husband.

Children's records

Birth registrations from NSW BDM:

• PEARCE HARRY, 22851/1885 WILLIAM, HANNAH, RICHMOND
• PEARCE LESLIE W, 23738/1886 WILLIAM, HANNAH, RICHMOND
• PEARCE RAYMOND H, 24822/1888 WILLIAM, HANNAH M, RICHMOND
• PEARCE CECIL H F, 23648/1889 WILLIAM, HANNAH M, RICHMOND
• PEARCE OLIVER A, 31304/1892 WILLIAM, HANNAH M, RICHMOND
• PEARCE EILEEN V W, 31553/1893, WILLIAM, ANNA M, RICHMOND
• PEARCE LAURA A, 25171/1896 WILLIAM, HANNAH M, RICHMOND
• PEARCE STANLEY H, 34500/1900 WILLIAM, HANNAH M, PENRITH
• PEARCE LINDSAY E, 7017/1912 WILLIAM, MARY C, MURWILLUMBAH
• PEARCE ALLENBY A, 50979/1918 WILLIAM, MARY C, MURWILLUMBAH

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} "Obituary - Mr. William Pearce", Tweed Daily (Murwillumbah, NSW : 1914 - 1949) View title info Fri 23 Aug 1935 Page 4
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} NSW BDM Death search: PEARCE WILLIAM, 18278/1935, WILLIAM, MARY, MURWILLUMBAH
3. ↑ NSW BDM Marriage search: 5346/1885 PEARCE WILLIAM, SHELTON HANNAH MARY, RICHMOND
4. ↑ NSW BDM Marriage search: 2246/1911 PEARCE WILLIAM, JORDAN MARY C, MURWILLUMBAH