My Greek Grandfather, Samuel Donnes
My Grandfather Samuel Donnes/Antonatos, was born on Kefalonia, Ionian Islands, he was the son of Constantine/Constantinos Antonatos, on whom I have not been able to find information other than that he was a master mariner on Kefalonia.
My Grandfather Samuel came to Australia and the story below is taken from my family history.
DONNES
DONNES / DONES
The sea has offered Greek-Australians employment opportunities in a variety of spheres. Many, like Samuel Donnes (Antonatos) and John Peters, both of whom arrived in Sydney during the 1830s, became mariners on coastal or river vessels, while others remained in port as wharf labourers. By 1916, there were thirty-three Greeks reported to be working on New South Wales coastal shipping alone.
Constantine ANTONATOS
Constantine Donnes (Antonatos) was born about 1780 in Greece.
His Son Samuel DONNES was born on Kefalonia, Ionian Islands, Greece.
Death: 19 May 1873 Tarilta, Victoria, Australia
Burial: 21 May 1873 Vaughn, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Mariner Before 1840 Ionian Islands?
Occupation: Miner From 1855 Castlemaine District, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Boarding House Proprietor 1844 To 1845 Sydney NSW Australia
Residence: Parish of St James 1840 Sydney NSW Australia
Residence: Frazers Lane 1841/42 Sydney NSW Australia
Residence: Essex Lane 1842/43 Sydney NSW Australia
Residence: Cumberland Street Sydney NSW Australia
Residence: Fryers Creek 1855 To 1873 Victoria, Australia
Spouse: Mary FERRENS
Born about 1815 in Killbeggan, Westmeath, Ireland
Buried: 24 Mar 1853 Place: Sydney, N.s.w. Australia
Married: Abt 1843 Place: Sydney, N.s.w. Australia
Father: John FARNES
Mother:
Samuel DONNES and Mary (Ferrens) DONNES
Children
1. James DONNES Born: 1852 Sydney, N.S.W. Australia Died: 19 Nov 1852 N.S.W. Australia
2. Mary DONNES Born: 9 Oct 1848 Sydney, N.S.W. Australia Died: 18 Sep 1934 Tatura, Victoria, Australia Buried:
19 Sep 1934 Fryerstown, Victoria, Australia
3. Samuel DONNES Born: 13 Mar 1842 Sydney, N.S.W. Australia Died: 21 Jan 1844 N.S.W. Australia
4. Michael DONNES Born: 31 May 1846 Sydney, N.S.W. Australia
5. John DONNES Born: 1 Jul 1844 Sydney, N.S.W. Australia
6. Isabella DONNES Born: 29 Jul 1841 Sydney, N.S.W. Australia
Second wife Catherine RILEY Born about 1836 in County Cavan, Ireland. Married 21 Feb 1857 Sydney, N.S.W. Australia
Samuel DONNES and Catherine (Riley) DONNES
Children
1. Constantine Cornelius DONNES Born: Abt 1858 Victoria, Australia
2. Rhenula Margaret DONNES Born: Abt 1862 Victoria, Australia
3. Julia DONNES Born: 26 October 1860 Victoria, Australia Died: 21 Oct 1896 Victoria, Australia
4. Samuel James DONNES Born: 1868 Victoria, Australia Died: 1 Aug 1868 Victoria, Australia
5. Demetruis David DONNES Born: 27 Aug 1870 Victoria, Australia Died: 6 May 1934 Victoria, Australia
6. Alexander (Alexandro) DONNES Born: 1865 in Tarilta, Victoria, Australia Died: 23 March 1865 in Tarilta, Victoria,
Australia
"The sea has offered Greek-Australians employment opportunities in a variety of spheres. Many, like Samuel Donnes (Antonatos) and John Peters, both of whom arrived in Sydney during the 1830s, became mariners on coastal or river vessels, while others remained in port as wharf labourers. By 1916, there were thirty-three Greeks reported to be working on New South Wales coastal shipping alone." (From Faces beyond the Greek cafe)
Individual:
The surname Donnes shows in many different forms in the family records of Marriage, Birth and Death Certificates... Donnes, Donnas, Dones, Dennis, Donnish, and Downs.
We do not know his correct name but the surname is assumed to be Antonatos, a surname found on the Island of Kefalonia. I travelled to Kefalonia in 1993 to discover more about Sam Donnes, but was unable to confirm anything. However, I am convinced his surname WAS Antonatos, after hearing the surname pronounced by Greek people, and to an untrained English - speaker any of the above surnames could be a guess by the authorities of the time to interpret Antonatos. From Fay Tuckey.
My father David Williams wrote in a letter dated 25 January 1978 that "His real name was Antoniadis, Anthonades or Antonatis. I am not sure of the correct spelling of the surname. I do know that one of Samuel Donnes' children was christened in his Greek name in the Roman Catholic Church , Castlemaine District as Demetrius An-------".
Lorraine Symes research states "The Greek Consulate and the Greek newspaper agreed that since he came from Cephalonia that the ending of his name would have been "natos" and since there is no "d" as such in the Greek language that his name may have been 'Antonatos." from Death Certificate... Born Cephalonia, Ionian Islands, 18 years in New South Wales and 18 years in Victoria. From Death Certificate # 162... Deaths in the District of Vaughan in the Colony of Victoria , Registered by John S Mackenzie. Nineteenth May 1973 at Tarilta, Mount Alexander Shire, County Talbot, Samuel Donnes, Miner formerly Seaman, Male aged 58 years.
Cause of Death Chronic Bronchitis for a Duration of about 2 years, Certified by Dr? Hutchinson who last saw him on 6 May 1873. Signature of Informant Michael Donnas Son, Registered by J S Mackenzie, 20 May 1873. Ref.. Death Certificate Samuel Donnes, buried 21 May at Vaughan Cemetery, William Cocks, Undertaker. Minister, Charles Lane, Wesleyan.
Occupation of father given on Marriage Certificate of daughter Mary to Charles Frederick Williams in 1873 is that of Mariner. This occupation given on Death Certificate. So we can assume Samuel Donnes and his family left Sydney about 1855 to travel to Victoria and settled in the Mount Alexander District, at Penn., Kangaroo and finally at Tarilta where he died. From City of Sydney Directory 1844/45.
Residence given at time of marriage to Mary Ferns (Ferren). Birth Records SMCR Citizen, paid rates Gipps Ward. From Lorraine Symes City of Sydney Directory 1844–1855, Electoral Roll, Gipps Ward.
Burial Notice SMH 24/3/ 1853 (Death of Mary), Marriage to Catherine Reily 21/3/ 1854 SMCR. From Lorraine Symes.
Gold fever was in the air so Samuel and his family travelled overland to join the Gold Rush in Victoria.
Marriage:
At St James Church of England, Sydney, 4 July, 1840 between Mary Ferns
and Samuel Downs. NSWR #151 Vol 24
Copy of Certificate states – #55 – Samuel Donnes of this Parish, Bachelor, and Mary Ferns, of the Parish of St Philip, Spinster married this day by banns this fourth of July in the year 1840, By me Robert Allwood. Both parties signed with a cross, signifying they were unable to read or write (in Samuel's case perhaps not in English?) at the time.
Witnesses were William Harding and presumably his wife Elizabeth Harding of Brougham Place.
Ref-NSWR #136 Vol 100-at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, 21 February 1854 between Catherine Reily and Samuel Dones. Catherine was illiterate when she married.
Copy of certificate states – #136 – I, Samuel Dones do hereby declare that I am a member of, or hold Communion with the catholic Church. Signed S Dones.
I, Catherine Riely do hereby declare that I am a membert of, or hold Communion with the Catholic Church. Signed with her mark.
I, John Maher of Sydney, Minister of St Mary's Cathedral do hereby certify, that Samuel Dones of Sydney and Catherine Riely of Sydney were joined together in Wedlock by me on the 21st day of February 1854, at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney. Witnesses were James and Mary Brown, both of Sydney. Samuel Dones,James Brown and the Minister John Maher all wrote their signatures but Catherine Riely and Mary Brown made a mark that was witnessed separately by. JPB casey – – Witness to all marks.
Title: Book...Australians and Greeks, Volume 1: The Early Years
Author: Hugh Gilchrist
Publication: Halstead Press, 80 McLachlan Avenue, Rushcutters Bay, New South Wales Text: Page 72. The first of these (free Greek settlers) appears to have been Samuel Donnes, son of the sea-captain Constantine Donnes (Andonis?) of Kefalonia. He was 22 when he arrived in Sydney in 1837, and he appears to have married a girl named Mary in Sydney almost immediately afterwards. Eighteen years later he married in Sydney again, this time to Catherine Riley. At first a seaman, later a gold-miner, he spent 18 years in New South Wales and 18 in Victoria, and died of chronic bronchitis at Tarilta, near Castlemaine, at the age of 58, most of his children having followed him to Victoria. By his first wife they were John, Michael and Mary, and by his second, Constantine, Julia, Margaret and David; but there is much to be discovered about this pioneer and his descendants. Page: Greeks and Australians by Hugh Gilchrist page 72
Title: Letters to David J Williams
Author: Benjamin Samuel Williams
Text: Our great grandfather Samuel Donnes is proving to be somewhat of a mystery man. According to the information I have gathered he and his first wife Mary Ferns both arrived in Australia on the ship "Hope" as free settlers in the early part of 1840. It would appear that they met on the ship, he could have been a passenger or a member of the crew. The records show many variations of the spelling of both their names, this is understandable in view of the fact they were both illiterateat the time of their marriage evidenced by the signing of their names with an "X", one of the witnesses Elizabeth Harding also signed with the mark X. (Sam could have been literate but only in Greek - comment by Fay Tuckey). This marriage took place on the 4th July 1840, by banns between Samuel "Downs" and Mary "Ferns" in the St James Church of England performed by Robert Allwood, Chaplin (#151 Vol 24). Samuel came from Greece and Mary from Kilbeggan County of Westmeath, Ireland, her father's name was Mr John "Farnes". This marriage resulted in the birth of six children, namely:
Isabella Donnish born 29/7/1841, baptised RC 11/8/1841, ref. 1219, Vol 133.
Samuel Donis born 13/3/1842, died 21/1/1844, aged 18 months, ref. 378,
Vol 140. John Donnes, born 1/7/1844, baptised RC 14/7/1844
Michael Donnes, born 31/5/1846, baptised RC 14/6/1846
Mary Dennis born 9/10/1848, baptised RC 12/11/1848, ref 828,Vol 65.
James Dones born 1852, died 1852, buried 19/11/1852 ref 1703 Vol 118.
Mary Dones the mother died aged 38 years 1852, ref 377, Vol 119, and was buried 24/3/1853, Roman Catholic Priest JF Sheridan,
At the birth of her daughter Mary, Mary the mother's name was shown as Ferrens. (My) sister Myrtle who will be 84 in January lived with Grandma and Grandpa Williams for two and a half years 1916 to 1918 and she told me that Grandma would not talk about her family but she gathered from what was said that there must have been a big "Bust-up" over religion. Myrtle remembers Uncle Con and Uncle Dave Donnes as they were both still alive then and she is quite sure that religion was a very sore point in the family.
Anyway, concerning Samuels second marriage to Catherine Reily on the 21st February 1854. He was then 40 and she 22years of age, They were married by John Maher in St Marys RC Cathedral. (Sydney). He, by this time had apparently learned to write, at least he signed S Dones, but Catherine signed with her mark X. The witnesses were James and Mary Brown, Mary signed with her mark X. James Brown must have been a long-standing friend of Samuel because later in Victoria James Brown's name appears on the Birth Certificate of Samuel's daughter Julia as the informant. The family must have moved to Victoria soon after the marriage to Catherine, where six more children were born, namely
Costantine Donnes b. 1859,
Julia Donnes b. 1860,
Margaret Donnes b. 1863,
Alexander Donnes b. 1865, Died 23/3/1865, 9 months old,
Samuel James Donnes b. 1868, died 1/8/1868, aged 6 weeks, and
David Donnes b. 1869.
By putting together various pieces of information which I have received from various quarters I have placed these names in the chronological order in which I conclude they were born, of course I could be wrong, but I don't think so. From this it would appear that Samuel Donnes our Greek Great Grandfather had twelve children in all, came to Australia on the ship "Hope" in 1840 about the age of 25, he could have been a free settler or he could have "jumped ship".
A few months after arriving in Australia he married an Irish girl Mary Ferns who arrived on the same ship, and it is probable, probably most likely that they met on the ship. He or rather they lived in Sydney where at one stage he ran aboarding house. They had been married 13 years when Mary died, a year later he married another Irish girl Catherine Riely aged 22, he was then 40. Catherine came from County Cavan Ireland and it is possible she could have been known to Mary Ferns the first wife even a relation as County Cavan adjoins County Westmeath in Ireland. There was about 17 years difference in their ages.
The family apparently left Sydney about 1855 and took up residence at Fryers Creek in Victoria where they lived until he died in 1873 at the age of 58 years. This is a bare outline of my supposition of the life of this man, so far I have not been able to fill out any further detail about his way of life. (Collated by Benjamin Samuel Williams). Page: Letters to David John Williams from Benjamin Samuel Williams
Title: Letters and Research in Family History Files under Samuel Donnes
(Antonatos)
Author: Lorraine Symes
Page: Family History Research Files....Fay Helen Tuckey
Julia Donnes 1
Birth: 26 Oct 1859 in Glenluce, Victoria, Australia
Death: 21 Oct 1896 in Glenluce, Victoria, Australia
Sex: F
Father: Samuel (Greek name unknown) Donnes (Antonatos) b. 1815 in Kefalonia (Cephalonia), Ionian Islands, Greece
Mother: Catherine REILY b. About 1832 in County Cavan, Ireland
1
Burial: 23 Oct 1896 Fryerstown, Victoria, Australia
Spouses & Children
John Alfred Williams (Husband) b. 12 Feb 1851 in Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
Marriage: 4 MAR 1879 in Castlemaine, Victoria, australia
Children:
John Edward WILLIAMS b. 9 Apr 1880 in Glenluce, Victoria, Australia
Henry Michael WILLIAMS b. 2 Jun 1881 in Glenluce, Victoria, Australia
Alfred David Williams b. 17 Mar 1883 in Glenluce, Victoria, Australia
Ernest Charles (Ern) Williams b. 6 Mar 1889 in Glenluce, Victoria, Australia
Catherine Mary (Kit) WILLIAMS b. 15 Aug 1891 in Glenluce, Victoria, Australia
Irene (Lil) Williams b. 21 Sep 1893 in Glenluce, Victoria, Australia
Julian Donnes (Jack) WILLIAMS b. 21 Oct 1896 in Glenluce, Victoria, Australia
Notes
Individual:
Death certificate states Father – Samuel Donnes, Miner – and Mother – Catherine Donnes, Maiden Name Hinds. This is an inconsistency, as other records state Maiden name of Catherine as Reily. Fayt. From Wendy Kelly WA. Julia Williams died 21 October 1896 about a week after giving birth to Julian/Jack, so Juliann's birth date may be incorrect, as I assumed Julia died in childbirth. Fayt. Source # 13 and From Death Certificate – Born at Strathlodden Fryers Creek.
From Birth Certificate #780 Births in the District of the Lodden in the Colony of Victoria 1859. At Pennyweight (Flat)- Registered by James Foley. Father's name-Samuel Donos aged 45 years, Miner,Birth-place-Greece. Mother's name- Catherine Reilly, aged 27 years, Birth - place - County Cavan, Ireland. Believed to have died in childbirth. Fom copy of Death Certificate # 1074 - Deaths in the District of Fryerstown in the Colony of Victoria, Registered by W Hargrave. On 21 October 1896 at Glenluce, Fryers Creek, shire of Mount Alexander, County Talbot, Colony of Victoria, Julia Williams, Domestic (Duties), female aged 36 years. Cause of Death – Confinement, Pulmonary Embolism 1 hour and a half, Certified by Dr Maxwell. Informant – George Williams, Farmer Brother–in–law. From notes on Burials at Fryerstown Cemetery by Ben Williams.
From Death Certificate – Buried 23 October 1896 at Fryerstown Cemetery. Undertaker Thomas Odgers. Officiating Minister Rev. Alexander McKay, Bible Christian.
Marriage:
From Copy of Marriage Certificate #253. District Talbot. No. in Register 847. On March 4th 1879 at Christ Church, Castlemaine. Marriage after Banns was solemnized between Us according to the Tites of the Church of England, signed John Alfred Williams, aged 27 of Glenluce, Farmer, Bachelor, Birthplace Bristol, Parents James Baker Williams (deceased, Engineer, England) and Mary Baker Williams, and Signature Julia Donnes, Resident of Guildford, aged 19. Birthplace Tarilta. Parents names Samuel Donnos (Miner, Deceased) and Catherine Watson. This poses a question – Did Catherine re–marry after Samuel's Death? Witnesses George Williams and Catherine Mc ?
Individual:
The surname Donnes shows in many different forms in the family records of Marriage, Birth and Death Certificates...Donnes, Donnas, Dones, Dennis, Donnish, Downs. We do not know his correct name but the surname is assumed to be Antonatos, a surname found on the Island of Kefalonia. I travelled to Kefalonia in 1993 to discover more about Sam Donnes, but was unable to confirm anything. However, I am convinced his surname WAS Antonatos,after hearing the surname pronounced by Greek people, and to anuntrained English-speaker any of the above surnames could be a guessby the authorities of the time to interpret Antonatos. Fay Tuckey. My father David Williams wrote in a letter dated 25 January 1978 that "His real name was Antoniadis, Anthonades or Antonatis. I am not sure of the correct spelling of the surname. I do know that one of Samuel Donnes' children was christened in his Greek name in the Roman Catholic Church , Castlemaine District as Demetrius An-------".
Lorraine Symes research states " The Greek Consulate and the Greek newspaper agreed that since he came from Cephalonia that the ending of his name would have been "natos" and since there is no "d" as such in the Greek language that his name may have been 'Antonatos. "from Death Certificate...Born Cephalonia, Ionian Islands, 18 years in New South Wales and 18 years in Victoria. From Death Certificate # 162... Deaths in the District of Vaughan in the Colony of Victoria , Registered by John S Mackenzie. Nineteenth May 1973 at Tarilta, Mount Alexander Shire, County Talbot, Samuel Donnes, Miner formerly Seaman, Male aged 58 years. Cause of Death Chronic Bronchitis for a duration of about 2 years, Certified by Dr ? Hutchinson who last saw him on 6 May 1873. Signature of Informant Michael Donnas Son, Registered by J S Mackenzie, 20 May 1873. Ref.. Death Certificate Samuel Donnes, buried 21 May at Vaughan Cemetery, William Cocks, Undertaker. Minister, Charles Lane, Wesleyan. Occupation of father given on Marriage Certificate of daughter Mary to Charles Frederick Williams in 1873 is that of Mariner. This occupation given on Death Certificate. So we can assume Samuel Donnes and his family left Sydney about 1855 to travel to Victoria and settled in the Mount Alexander District, at Penn., Kangaroo and finally at Tarilta where he died. From City of Sydney Directory 1844/45. Residence given at time of marriage to Mary Ferns. Birth Records SMCR Citizen, paid rates Gipps Ward. from Lorraine Symes City of Sydney Directory 1844-1855, Electoral Roll, Gipps Ward. Burial Notice SMH 24/3/ 1853 (Death of Mary), Marriage to Catherine Reily 21/3/ 1854 SMCR. from Lorraine Symes. Gold fever was in the air so Samuel and his family travelled overland to join the Gold Rush in Victoria.
Marriage: At St James Church of England, Sydney, 4 July, 1840 between Mary Ferns and Samuel Downs. NSWR #151 Vol 24 Copy of Certificate states-#55... Samuel Donnes of this Parish, Bachelor, and Mary Ferns, of the Parish of St Philip, Spinster married this day by banns this fourth of July in the year 1840, By me Robert Allwood. Both parties signed with a cross, signifying they were unable to read or write ( in Samuel's case perhaps not in English?) at the time. Witnesses were William Harding and presumably his wife Elizabeth Harding of Brougham Place. Ref-NSWR #136 Vol 100-at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, 21 February 1854 between Catherine Reily and Samuel Dones. Catherine was illiterate when she married. Copy of certificate states--#136---I, Samuel Dones do hereby declare that I am a member of, or hold Communion with the catholic Church. Signed S Dones. I, Catherine Riely do hereby declare that I am a membert of, or hold Communion with the Catholic Church. Signed with her mark. I, John Maher of Sydney, Minister of St Mary's Cathedral do hereby certify, that Samuel Dones of Sydney and Catherine Riely of Sydney were joined together in Wedlock by me on the 21st day of February 1854, at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney. Witnesses were James and Mary Brown, both of Sydney. Samuel Dones, James Brown and the Minister John Maher all wrote their signatures but Catherine Riely and Mary Brown made a mark that was witnessed separately by. JPB casey--Witness to all marks. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sources 1. Title: Book...Australians and Greeks, Volume 1: The Early Years. Author: Hugh Gilchrist. Publication: Halstead Press, 80 McLachlan Avenue, Rushcutters Bay, New South Wales. Text: Page 72. The first of these (free Greek settlers) appears to have been Samuel Donnes, son of the sea-captain Constantine Donnes (Andonis?) of Kefalonia. He was 22 when he arrived in Sydney in 1837, and he appearsto have married a girl named Mary in Sydney almost immediately afterwards. Eighteen years later he married in Sydney again, this time to Catherine Riley. At first a seaman, later a gold-miner, he spent 18 years in New South Wales and 18 in Victoria, and died of chronic bronchitis at Tarilta, near Castlemaine, at the age of 58, most of his children having followed him to Victoria. By his first wife they were John, Michael and Mary, and by his second, Constantine, Julia, Margaret and David; but there is much to be discovered about this pioneer and his descendants. Page: Greeks and Australians by Hugh Gilchrist page 72
2. Title: Letters to David J Williams
Author: Benjamin Samuel Williams
Text: Our great grandfather Samuel Donnes is proving to be somewhat of a mystery man. According to the information I have gathered he and his first wife Mary Ferns both arrived in Australia on the ship "Hope" as free settlers in the early part of 1840. It would appear that they met on the ship, he could have been a passenger or a member of the crew. The records show many variations of the spelling of both their names, this is understandable in view of the fact they were both illiterateat the time of their marriage evidenced by the signing of their names with an "X", one of the witnesses Elizabeth Harding also signed with the mark X. (Sam could have been literate but only in Greek - comment by Fay Tuckey. This marriage took place on the 4th July 1840, by banns between Samuel "Downs" and Mary "Ferns" in the St James Church of England performed by Robert Allwood, Chaplin (#151 Vol 24). Samuel came from Greece and Mary from Kilbeggan County of Westmeath, Ireland, her father's name was Mr John "Farnes". This marriage resulted in the birth of six children, namely: Isabella Donnish born 29/7/1841, baptised RC 11/8/1841,ref. 1219, Vol 133. Samuel Donis born 13/3/1842, died 21/1/1844, aged 18 months, ref. 378, Vol140. John Donnes, born 1/7/1844, baptised RC 14/7/1844 Michael Donnes, born 31/5/ 1846, baptised RC 14/6/ 1846 Mary Dennis born 9/10/ 1848, baptised RC 12/11/1848, ref 828,Vol 65. James Dones born 1852, died 1852, buried 19/11/ 1852 ref 1703 Vol 118. Mary Dones the mother died aged 38 years 1852, ref 377, Vol 119, and was buried 24/3/ 1853, Roman Catholic Priest JF Sheridan. At the birth of her daughter Mary, Mary the mother's name was shown as Ferrens. (My) sister Myrtle who will be 84 in January lived with Grandma and Grandpa Williams for two and a half years 1916 to 1918 and she told me that Grandma would not talk about her family but she gathered from what was said that there must have been a big "Bust-up" over religion. Myrtle remembers Uncle Con and Uncle Dave Donnes as they were both still alive then and she is quite sure that religion was a very sore point in the family. Anyway, concerning Samuels second marriage to Catherine Reily on the 21st February 1854. He was then 40 and she 22years of age. They were married by John Maher in St Marys RC Cathedral.(Sydney). He by this time had apparently learned to write, at least he signed S Dones, but Catherine signed with her mark X. The witnesses were James and Mary Brown, Mary signed with her mark X. James Brown must have been a long-standing friend of Samuel because later in Victoria James Brown's name appears on the Birth Certificate of Samuel's daughter Julia as the informant. The family must have moved to Victoria soon after the marriage to Catherine, where six more children were born, namely Costantine Donnes b. 1859, Julia Donnes b. 1860, Margaret Donnes b. 1863, Alexander Donnes b. 1865, Died 23/3/ 1865, 9 months old, Samuel James Donnes b. 1868, died 1/8/ 1868, aged 6 weeks, and David Donnes b. 1869. By putting together various pieces of information which I have received from various quarters I have placed these names in the chronological order in which I conclude they were born, of course I could be wrong, but I don't think so. From this it would appear that Samuel Donnes our Greek Great Grandfather had twelve children in all, came to Australia on the ship "Hope" in 1840 about the age of 25, he could have been a free settler or he could have "jumped ship". A few months after arriving in Australia he married an Irish girl Mary Ferns who arrived on the same ship, and it is probable, probably most likely that they met on the ship. He or rather they lived in Sydney where at one stage he ran aboarding house. They had been married 13 years when Mary died, a year later he married another Irish girl Catherine Riely aged 22, he was then 40. Catherine came from County Cavan Ireland and it is possible she could have been known to Mary Ferns the first wife even a relation as County Cavan adjoins County Westmeath in Ireland. There was about 17 years difference in their ages. The family apparently left Sydney about 1855 and took up residence at Fryers Creek in Victoria where they lived until he died in 1873 at the age of 58 years. This is a bare outline of my supposition of the life of this man, so far I have not been able to fill out any further detail about his way of life. (Collated by Benjamin Samuel Williams). Page: Letters to David John Williams from Benjamin Samuel Williams 3. Title: Letters and Research in Family History Files under Samuel Donnes (Antonatos)
Author: Lorraine Symes.
Page: Family History Research Files....Fay Helen Tuckey
Occupation: Mariner Before 1840 Ionian Islands?
Occupation: Miner From 1855 Castlemaine District, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Boarding House Proprietor 1844 To 1845 Sydney NSW Australia
Residence: Parish of St James 1840 Sydney NSW Australia
Residence: Frazers Lane 1841/42 Sydney NSW Australia
Residence: Essex Lane 1842/43 Sydney NSW Australia
Residence: Cumberland Street Sydney NSW Australia
Residence: Fryers Creek 1855 To 1873 Victoria, Australia
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