Mary Jane Fisher (1821 - 1906)

Born 3 May 1821 in Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales

Wife of John Plew — married 19 Mar 1842 in Adelaide, South Australia

Descendants

Died 16 Sep 1906 at age 85 in Undalya, South Australia, Australia

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Biography

Book - It All began at Wadnama - The family of John and Mary Plew 1842-1984 , Yvonne Nicholson

Mary the daughter of Thomas Fisher was born in Swansea, Wales on 3 May 1821. In 1839 Thomas Fisher, his second wife Jane, three daughters, Mary, Hannah and Eliza, and two sons aged ten and eight, together wuth his married si John, wife Ann, and baby arrived in South Australia on the Ship Duchess if Northumberland.

They left London on 6 August and landed in Adelaide on the 19 December 1839. John and Ann's year old daughter died of diarrhoea and was buried at sea and five weeks later Ann gave birth to a son, who was named Thomas.

The families settled at Hindmarsh and later reports show they had a small farm at Albert Town (Alberton) and at Sturt.

When Mary married John Plew, in the Holy Trinity Church, North Terrace, Adelaide 19 March 1842.

John died in 1862 leaving Mary with 11 children and expecting another.( Richard Charles was born four months later)

Mary transferred her interest in the 'Wadnama' Property to her son John for the sum of 500pounds on September 1887. It was always her home and she continued to live there until her death on 16 September 1906 at the age of eighty-five.

It is believed that the family worshipped at the Church of England Church at Riverton and Rhynie, but in later years Mary supported the Woolshed Church. The old cemetery in the main street of Riverton had been closed for many years when Mary died, so permission had to be sought to have it re-opened for her to be buried there beside John.

The Advertiser, Adelaide Wed 19 Sept 1906

Death Notice:

THE COUNTRY, DEATH OF AN OLD COLONIST. RIVERTON, September 16

The death occurred on Sunday of an old and respected resident, Mrs Mary, Plew, of Wadnama, near Undalya, She was 85 years, of age. She had been hale and hearty all her life, and had a wonderful memory She was born in Swansea, Wales, being the daughter of the late Mr Thomas Fisher. With her parents she came to South Australia in the ship Duchess of Northumberland, arriving here in 1839. The family settled in Hindmarsh where she was married to Mr. John Plew. Mr. and Mrs. Plew came to the Lower Wakefield, where her husband worked for the late Mr. Fry. About 57 years ago they took up land on the Wake field, where Mrs. Plew had resided ever since. Her husband was killed by being thrown out of a cart 44 years ago, leaving her with a family of 12 children. She struggled through hard times, and was able to command a comfortable position in after life She had been interested in grazing and farming, and her son, Mr. John Plew, had remained with her on the farm. In the early days about 30 cows were milked, and all the produce carted by road to Adelaide. A family of 10 grown-up children survive, and there are between 70 and 80 grand-children, and 30 to 40 great-grandchildren. The children are Thomas Plew, Western Australia; John Plew, Undalya; William Plew, Eurilpa; David Plew, Booleroo Centre; and Charles Plew, Skilly, Auburn; Mrs. D Kemp, Koolunga; Mrs.T. S Parsons, Booleroo Centre; Mrs. C. Barber, Broken Hill; Mrs. Orchard, Auburn, and Mrs. Nock, Western Australia.

[1] Trove Newspaper Article

Sources

• Pioneer Families South Australia - Old colonist arrivals, births & marriages

Barry Leadbeater

http://www.familyhistorysa.org//colonists.html

• Book - It all began at Wadnama : the family of John and Mary Plew, 1842-1984 / Yvonne Nicholson.

Citation

| title=It all began at Wadnama : the family of John and Mary Plew, 1842-1984 / Yvonne Nicholson | author1=Nicholson, Yvonne, 1927- | year=1985 | publisher=Y. Nicholson | language=English |National Library Australia = https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1550438 | ISBN = 0958990204

• THE DUCHESS OF NORTHUMBERLAND - 1839 from the Bound For South Australia database (Copyright 2010-2017 by Diane Cummings) at: http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839DuchessOfNorthumberland.htm

• Peter Knowles

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Peter Knowles for creating Fisher-4933 on 14 Oct 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Peter and others.

• Thank you to Lee-Roy Harton for contribution of Trove Article