George Thomas Nix is born on December 3, 1850, in the hamlet of Azeby, Heydour parish, Lincolnshire, England [1][2][3][4]. He is baptised in the church of St Michael in the village of Heydour on December 4, 1850 [1]. His parents are Thomas Nix (1820-1909) and Sarah Clarke (1820-1853).
Azeby, sometimes spelt “Aseby” although the modern spelling is “Aisby,” is a hamlet about 12 kilometres southwest of Sleaford. Heydour, both the village and the parish, is often spelt “Haydor.” Sarah Clarke’s surname is spelt “Clark” on some records. And the full name of the church is St Michael and All Angels.
In 1853 George’s parents set sail on board the ship Java as government-assisted immigrants to Australia [5]. They travel with George, a four-year old sister, Jane Nix, and an 11-year old William Clark (or Clarke). This is George’s step-brother. Sarah Clarke’s had a son before she married Thomas Nix. Sarah Clarke dies on the voyage, so when the family arrives in Australia there is only Thomas with his two young children and what appears to be the step-son, the 11-year old William Clark (no “e” on the immigration record) [5].
In Australia the family settles in the town of Raymond Terrace, New South Wales, where the aunt and uncle of George, George and Mary Priestley, had settled in about 1848. His parents move from Raymond Terrace to Port Stephens in the mid-1860s and from there to Port Macquarie in about 1869 and then finally back to Port Stephens sometime around 1870.
At some point (?maybe for most of his adult life) George Thomas works as a miner.
On April 6, 1874, George marries Mary Bowden (1852-1875) in Port Stephens [2][3][4][6]. Mary was born in Port Stephens. George and Mary have one child in Wallsend, NSW. Wallsend is just outside of Newcastle.
• Hannah Mary Nix 1875-1951 + (1904) Charles Edward Margery 1877-1959
Mary Bowden dies on September 20th, 1875, in Minmi, NSW (perhaps the death is related to the child birth?).
George marries Eliza Ann Farley (1856-1882) on May 23, 1882, in Stroud, NSW [2][3][4][7]. Stroud is 40-50 kilometres north of Raymond Terrace. Eliza dies in December of the same year. She dies in Minmi which is just to the west of Wallsend.
George marries his third wife, Elizabeth Jarrett in 1884 in Paterson, NSW [2][3][4][8]. Paterson is 50-60 kilometres south of Stroud and more-or-less the same distance inland from Newcastle. George and Elizabeth have four children:
• Henry Jarrett Nix 1886-1937 + (1908) Alice Mary Parsons 1887-1974
• George Thomas Nix 1888-1961 + (1926) Victoria Humble c1901-1987
• Francis William Gladstone Nix 1889-1957 + (1921) Myrtle Lavinia Hosking 1896-1988
• John Edward Nix 1891-1916
George dies on July 18, 1914 in Townsville, Queensland [9]. Townsville is on the coast 1,335 kilometres north of Brisbane.
The fourth child of George and Elizabeth Jarret, John Edward, is killed in World War I in 1915. At the time of his death, Elizabeth (Mrs. G. Nix) is living on Electra Street, Bundaberg, Queensland. Bundarberg is about a thousand kilometres south of Townsville.
Elizabeth dies in 1930 in Queensland.
[1] www.freereg.org.uk: baptism record for George Nix on Dec 4, 1850 in St Michael church, Heydour parish, Lincolnshire, England. The parents are Thomas Nix, a labourer, and Sarah. The abode is Azeby.
[2] Newlin-Noakes family tree at wc.rootsweb.ancestory.com: This shows George Thomas Nix born in Aisby on 3 Dec 1850, the son of Thomas Nix (1820-1909) and Sarah Clarke (1820-1853). It shows the death of George Thomas in 1914 in Queensland, Australia. His occupation was a miner. George Thomas marries Mary Bowden (1852-1875) on 8 Aug 1874 in Port Stephens, NSW. George and Mary have one child: Hannah Mary (1875-1951). George marries Eliza Ann Farley (c1856-1882) in 1882 in Stroud, NSW. George marries Elizabeth Jarrett (1851-1930) on 22 July 1884 in Paterson, NSW. George and Elizabeth have four children: (1) Henry Jarrett (1886-1937), (2) George Thomas (1888-1961), (3) Francis William Gladstone (1889-1959) & (4) John Edward (1891-1922).
[3] Stuart Gregory at http://stuart.scss.dyndns.info/FamilyTree/individual . . .. George Thomas NIX was born December 3, 1850 in Azebury, Lincolnshire and died about 1914 in Queensland, Australia. He married Mary BOWDEN daughter of Thomas BOWDEN and Hannah WATERS April 6, 1874 in Port Stephens, NSW. She was born June 28, 1852 in Raymond Terrace, NSW and died September 20, 1875 in Minmi, NSW. He married Eliza Ann FARLEY daughter of George FARLEY and Helen BOWEN before December 20, 1882 in Stroud, NSW. She was born 1856 and died December 20, 1882 in Minmi, NSW. He married Elizabeth JARRETT about 1884 in Paterson, NSW. She was born about 1851 in NSW and died about 1930 in Queensland. He shows one child with Mary Bowden: Hannah Mary Nix (1875-1951) and he shows 4 children with Elizabeth Jarrett: (1) Henry Jarrett (1886-1937), (2) George Thomas (1888-1961), (3) Francis William Gladstone (1889-1957) & (4) John Edward (1891-1916).
[4] Helene Shepherd’s family tree: GEORGE NIX was born on 03 Dec 1850 in Azeby, Lincolnshire. He died on 18 Jul 1914 in Townsville, Queensland (Townsville General Hospital). He married (1) ELIZA (ELIZABETH) ANN FARLEY on 23 May 1882. She was born about 1856. She died on 20 Dec 1882 in NSW. He married (2) ELIZABETH JARRETT in 1884 in Paterson, NSW. She was born about 1852 in Eccleston, NSW. She died in 1930 in Queensland. He married (3) MARY BOWDEN, daughter of Thomas BOWDEN and Hannah WATTUS, on 06 Apr 1874. She was born on 28 Jun 1852 in Raymond Terrace, NSW. She died on 20 Sep 1875. She shows 4 children with Elizabeth Jarrett: (1) Henry Jarrett Nix (1886-1937), (2) George Thomas Nix (1888-1961), (3) Francis William G. Nix (1889-?), & (4) John Edward Nix (1891-1916).
[5] Australia – immigration. https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/ These records show Thomas Nix (32) arriving in Sydney or Newcastle on board the Java in 1853. They also show Sarah Nix (32) “died at sea,” George Nix (2) and Jane Nix (4). They also show a “William Clark” (11) “travelling with Nix, T” The list of passengers on the Java, arriving in Sydney on April 24, 1853 can also be seen at https://immigrantships.net/1800/java18530424.html This list shows the Nix family but it does not show William Clark.
[6] https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search/result?3 George Nix married Mary Bowden in Port Stephens in 1874. Marriage certificate #3666/1874.
[7] https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search/result?7 George Nix married Eliza Ann Farley in Stroud in 1882. Marriage certificate #4465/1882.
[8] https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search/result?5 George Nix married Elizabeth Jarrett in Paterson in 1884. Mariage certificate #4608/1884.
[9] Queensland BDM at https://www.familyhistory.bdm.qld.gov.au/ registration # 1914/C/461 George Nix died on July 18, 1914. His parents were Thomas Nix and Elizabeth Clarke [his mother was actually “Sarah Clarke”]
This biography was originally written by Fred Nix in about 2018. Daryl Murphy added important information in March 2023. This revised biography was prepared by Fred Nix in January 2024. Fred and George are first cousins, three times removed.
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