Thomas Omond Miller (1871 - 1917)

Born 10 Jan 1871 in Swansea, Tasmania, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Marion Alice (Bradshaw) Miller — married 27 Jun 1900 in Buninyong, Victoria, Australia

Husband of Amalia Ann (Roberts) Evans — married 9 Jun 1908 in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 16 Nov 1917 at age 46 in Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Pip O'Brien [send private message]

Biography

Thomas Omond MILLER was the ninth and youngest child of Peter MILLER and Mary Ann OMOND. He was born at Swansea, Tasmania on 10 January 1871. ^[1] Thomas would have been about 5 years old when the family moved to Victoria, staying there for eight years before moving again, to Murwillumbah, New South Wales, where his father Peter was employed in the Railway Yards.

Thus, one wonders if young Thomas also took up employment for the railways? The Lithgow Mercury (NSW) 25 Sept 1907 informs us that :RAILWAY APPOINTMENTS.The following changes in the railway appointments are amongst those notified in the “Railway and Tramway Record” for September: […] Thomas O. Miller, probationer to- junior porter at Eskbank.^[2]

Marriage 1: ^[3] married in Buninyong, District of Ballarat, on 27th June 1900 - Thomas Omond Miller, 30, bachelor, born Swansea Tas, Carpenter, present residence Buninyong, usual residence Kingston, parents Peter Miller Govt Inspector & Mary Omond, AND: Marion Alice Bradshaw, 30, spinster; born Buninyong, Music Teacher, Usual residence Kingston, Buninyong, parents Edward[?] Buller Bradshaw storekeeper & Jane Vincent. I, Saml Withington being a Wesleyan Minister do hereby certify that I have, this day, at Buninyong duly celebrated marriage between Thomas Omond Miller of Kingston and Marion Alice Bradshaw of Buninyong after Notice and Declaration duly made and published, as by law required. Marriage by license was solemnised between us according to the rites of Wesleyan Methodist Church (signed); Witnesses William E. Trembath & Mabel E. Bradshaw.

Sadly, Marion died in October just over a year later.^[4] As she was buried with an unnamed stillborn child, it is likely she died in childbirth.^[5]

Marriage 2: ^[6]MILLER–ROBERTS. At the Cathedral (in Newcastle, New South Wales^[7]) on the 8th June. 1908., by the Rev. John Kirkland, Vice-dean, Thomas Omond, youngest son of Peter Miller, Broadmeadow, late of Hoxton Park, to Amelia (Millie), second daughter of Captain R. R. Roberts, Newcastle.^[8]

Death: Registered twice (Johannesberg where he died and Booysens, Pretoria, where wife registered the death with more details) South Africa : Thomas Omond Miller ^[9] Thomas Omond MILLER; birthplace and Nationality - British Tasmania; father - unknown (dec); mother - unknown (dec); age 47 (the Johannesberg form said 44); Carpenter; usual residence 12 Robinson Deep Mine (Johannesberg form said 12 Married quarters, Robinson Deep Mine). Married. Name of surviving spouse and whether married in community of property or not - Amalia Annie MILLER, out of community of property. Names and approx date of death of predeceased spouse/s - married before, name and date of death unknown. Place of last marriage - Newcastle, Australia. Day of decease - 16 November 1917, at Johannesberg Hospital. Names of children of deceased and whether majors or minors - Leonard MILLER minor, Max MILLER minor, by second marriage; no children by first marriage. Names of children and date of birth for minors - Leonard Robert MILLER born 1/2/09, Max Omand MILLER born 1/12/11. Has deceased left any moveable property? NO. Has deceased left any immovable property? NO. Is it estimated that the estate exceeds £300 in value? NO. Has deceased left a Will? YES. Dated at Booysens [Booysens is a western suburb of Pretoria, South Africa]; 5 January 1918; (Signed) A. A. Miller, wife, not present at death. (Johannesberg form dated at Johannesberg, 20 November 1917 (Signed) [illegible signature], Acting Superintendent Johannesberg Hospital).

A third death notices for Thomas - called “Form of Information of a Death” ^[10] gives his occupation as Carpenter; cause of death as Menigitis for 4 days; burial in New Cemetery Johannesburg; medical practitioner as J. B. K. TOUGH MD; and the informant is S. J[?] SINCLAIR, occupier, Johannesburg Hospital.

Research Notes

This Thomas Omond MILLER should not be confused with the following family… The Victorian BDM registration give also a Thomas Oman MILLER: born 1891 in Seymour,Vic and died 1970 in Kyabram, Vic, parents Thomas Oman MILLER (?-1938 Seymour) of Woodsomlee, Northwood, Seymour, grazier and Lillias COCHRANE. A second child in this family was Archie Claude MILLER, b 1889 in Costerfield,Vic, died 1976 in Wind[abbr], Vic.

Like our family, these folk originated from Orkney, Scotland. They are descendants of the “Stronsay” Millers. This is in comparison to the “Sanday” Millers from whom we are descended; and “Eday/Westray Millers” who are related to us through marriages to the OMOND family of Eday. At this time I do not know if all three MILLER trees share one distant ancestor? I am currently looking for Y-DNA testees to check out if they do match.

Sources

1. ↑ Archives Office of Tasmania - Birth: Miller, Thomas Omond; Male; Father: Miller, Peter; Mother: Omond, Mary Ann; Date of birth: 10 Jan 1871; Registered: Glamorgan; Registration year: 1871; Record ID: NAME_INDEXES:930254; Resource RGD33/1/49 no 591 [1]
2. ↑ NOTE this could be (unrelated) Thomas Oliver MILLER who died in NSW 1945? If so, not our Thomas Omond MILLER
3. ↑ Certificate #2715 Victoria 1900 District of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
4. ↑ Death Registration VIC: 1901/12143, Allandale Vic: Marion Alice MILLER, age 31; parents Edw Buller BRADSHAW & Jane VINCENT.
5. ↑ Pers.comm. Denise LAY: Marian Alice ( my g g Aunt) had a stillborn baby, born on 21 October 1901. Marian died the next day 22 October as a result of childbirth. No name or sex recorded in the cemetery register.
6. ↑ Newcastle Herald, 27 Jun 1908, p4: family notices
7. ↑ Christ Church Newcastle Register: B7812 Marriages: 18/10/1899 to 22 [2]: Page 68, number 209; Thomas Omond MILLER, 37, of Newcastle & Amalia Ann ROBERTS, 27, of Newcastle; performed by J. KIRKLAND.
8. ↑ NSW marriage registration: 5419/1908 MILLER, THOMAS O & ROBERTS, AMALIA A, at NEWCASTLE] ¶Hoxton Park is a suburb of Sydney. ¶Birth of wife New South Wales: ROBERTS AMELIA A, 20221/1880, ROBERT R & SARAH E, NEWCASTLE.
9. ↑ "South Africa, Transvaal, Probate Records from the Master of the Supreme Court, 1869-1958," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG27-3BS7 : 7 September 2018), Thomas Omond Miller, 1917; citing Probate, Transvaal, South Africa, Pietermaritzburg Archives (formerly Natal State Archives), South Africa; FHL microfilm [3] and adjacent images, 6 in all, including will.

   Event Type: Probate

   Transvaal, South Africa

   Age: 47

   Birth Year (Estimated): 1870

   Death Date: 16 Nov 1917

10. ↑ Family Search [4]