Ellen (Shoulders) Baker (1856 - 1922)

Born 1 Oct 1856 in Armidale, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Wife of George Thomas Matthews — married 12 May 1873 in Laura Station, Bundarra, New South Wales, Australia

Wife of Horatio Henry Baker — married 28 Mar 1921 (to 22 Sep 1922) in Bingara, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 22 Sep 1922 at age 65 in Bingara, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Ellen Shoulders was born 1 Oct 1856 at Armidale NSW to John Shoulders and Mary Ann, nee Ryan.

Ellen married George Matthews on 12 May 1873 at Laura Station, Bundarra NSW. Consent of Mary Ann Beezely, the mother of the bride, was given as Ellen was only 16 years old.

They would have 10 children:

1. George Thomas Matthews b 1875 Bingara – d 1960 Gunnedah
2. Louisa Matthews b 1877 Bingara – m Henry Jackson 1897 Bingara – d 1920 Murrurundi
3. Mary Jane Matthews b 1879 Connabarabran
4. James Matthews b 1881 Bundarra – m Eveline Ethel (Ellen) Warner 1909 Tamworth – d 1914 Muswellbrook (accidentally shot)
5. Ellen Matthews 1881
6. Susan Matthews 1883
7. Elizabeth Matthews 1885
8. William Matthews 1887
9. Mary Ann Matthews (Ancestor) 1890
10. Emily Matthews 1892
11. Maria Matthews 1894

From the children's birth records and electoral & census records we know that George and Ellen stayed at Bundarra for about 7 years after their marriage in 1873, then went to Narrabri, to Barraba, to Gunnedah and then to Boggabri around 1890.

George went missing in 1894, 3 months before the birth of Maria. An arrest warrant was issued in February 1895: A warrant has been issued by the Boggabri Bench for the arrest of George Matthews, charged with unlawfully deserting his wife, Ellen Matthews, at Boggabri, since the 17th September last, leaving her without means of support. He is about 50 years of age, 5 feet 7 inches high, light hair, beard, and moustache, bow-legged, blue eyes, slovenly appearance, right leg has been broken and is shorter than the left leg ; a horse-driver and shearer. May probably be heard of at Woolshed Station, near Bundarra.

There is no record of him after that.

After being deserted by husband George in September 1894, Ellen gave birth in December to another daughter, Maria, who lived only 10 months.

Ellen did marry again, to Horatio Henry Baker at Bingarra in 1921. She was 64 and he was 52.

She died 18 months later on 24 Sep 1922 at Bingarra. Horatio died in 1925 at Hurstville NSW.

Sources

• Birth

NSW BDM 2850 / 1856 - note: surname is shown as Shulders, parents John & Marianne

• Marriage to George Matthews

NSW BDM 1679 / 1873

• George Matthews desertion of family

New South Wales, Australia, Police Gazette, 6 Feb 1895

• Marriage to Horatio Baker

NSW BDM 7037 / 1921

• Death

NSW BDM 14048 / 1922

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 14 August 2019), memorial page for Ellen Baker (unknown–1922), Find A Grave Memorial no. 48853472, citing Bingara General Cemetery, Bingara, Gwydir Shire, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by T.V.F.T.H. (contributor 46496806) Find A Grave: Memorial #48853472