Mary Stevens (Kent) Rosemergy (1834 - 1865)

Born 1834 in Illogan, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom

Wife of James Rosemergy — married 17 Feb 1859 in Illogan, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom

Died 16 Oct 1865 at about age 31 in At Sea

Biography

Mary (Kent) Rosemergy was born in Cornwall, England.

Mary Stevens Kent daughter of Stephen (occupation porter) and Mary of Portreath, was baptised 14 Sep 1834 in Illogan, Cornwall ^[1]

In 1841 Mary Kent age 7 with her father Stephen 30 and step-mother Elizabeth 25, brother William 12, and step-brothers and sisters Sampson Merratt 6 Christian Merratt 5 and Richard Merrat 4 are living in Illogan, Cornwall ^[2]

In 1851 Mary Kent age 17 is a servant at the home of John James and family in Illogan, Cornwall ^[3]

Mary Stevens Kent married James Rosemergy on 17 Feb 1859 in Illogan ^[4]

In 1861 Mary Rosemergy age 26 and her husband James 34 (miner) live in Church Town, Illogan, also at their residence is James' mother Elizabeth Rosemergy 72 widow and boarders Charles Thomas 21 and John Thomas 18 ^[5]

Mary Rosemurgy age 33 and her husband James age 36 emigrated to South Australia on the Adamant departing Plymouth on 30 Jul 1865.
Also onboard is Mary's brother Stephen Kent
Mary drowned in an incident that occurred on the 16 Oct as the Adamant passed Cape Borda.
The Ships List reports:
The entire voyage passed without incident of import, till after making Cape Borda when a fatal casualty threw the passengers into a fever of consternation and crippled the vessel by losing maintopgallant and mizentopmasts. It appears that on making the land the people crowded along the lee rail to watch the appearance of Kangaroo Island, as the vessel bounded along at her top speed under a heavy press of canvas. One of the women, named Mary Rosemorgan, was sitting in a position near the maintopgallant staysail-sheet which belays in the waist when it gave a flap and threw her over the side. The alarm instantly became general ; but Mr. Ramsay, the chief officer, pitched a lifebouy, and the order was at once passed to put the helm down, bringing the ship to the wind with everything flat aback. The maintopgallant mast was at once carried away, taking with it the head of the mizentopmast. In the meantime a smart crew, headed by the chief officer, rushed to the lee quarter-boat, which, being furnished with the patent lowering gear, was let go by the run, precipitating her into a most violent seaway, in which they pulled, as near at possible, towards the spot where the woman was lost. The crippled condition of the ship for a time disabled her from proceeding to the rescue ; but as soon as possible the wreck was cleared away, and she wore round to seek the boat, which was not descried by the anxious look-out till three and a half hours had passed. The praiseworthy attempt at the poor woman's rescue had failed, and on nearing the ship it was seen that to pick up the boat was a matter of danger, from the terrific sea on. After much difficulty, however, this object was accomplished, but only by hooking on stern-first, and running her up with a rush. The painful accident and concurrent circumstances caused such intense feeling that an amount of confusion continued till the vessel reached the anchorage, and when standing inshore towards the Red Light, the leadsman furnished incorrect soundings, so that the vessel was much closer to the beach than was anticipated, and anchored in a position where she grounded at low water, being within hail of the jetty end, or quite close to the pilot cutters' moorings. ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Cornwall Online Parish Clerks Baptisms database
2. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQYB-W77 : 5 March 2021), Mary Kent in household of Stephen Kent, Illogan, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SG2T-KQC : 9 November 2019), Mary Kent in household of John James, Illogan, Cornwall, England; citing Illogan, Cornwall, England, p. 21, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
4. ↑ "England, Cornwall Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJHB-2QLK : 9 March 2021), James Rosemergy and Mary Stevens Kent, 17 Feb 1859; citing Marriage, Illogan, Cornwall, England, Cornwall Records Office, Truro.
5. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M78M-24B : 3 March 2021), James Rosemergy, Illogan, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
6. ↑ The Ships List passenger list Adamant