Orphan Number: 4449

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Joanne Saville wrote:

James Nathaniel Priest was born March 27th 1848 (Australia Birth Index #627 Tasmania). His name wasn't decided on until after he was registered. Father, John Priest left his wife Elizabeth, née Stewart/Steward to follow the gold rush in California and later died in Victoria in 1870. James absconded from the orphan home in March 1859, but is later found to be marrying and fathering children in New Zealand. Later his family moved to Sydney in New South Wales where he died in 1912. I have just become aware that James was admitted to the orphanage with his brother Henry Walter Priest (b. 1855), who was actually fathered by a man named John Saunders. John Saunders and Elizabeth also had a girl named Ellen, who died when she was two, and another son named William. The three boys were all admitted as orphans. I wonder if James was also a possible son of John Saunders? Still need to investigate. As well as find out what happened to their mother, as there is a discrepancy with her death details.

Tabitha Melgalvis wrote:

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