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Euphemia
Hardie (1861 - 1948)
Euphemia Hardie,
was the fourth child and second daughter of William
Hardie and Jessie Stoddart, was born on 9 October 1861 in
Gladsmuir, East Lothian.
Little is known
of Euphemias life between 1861 and 1879. Euphemia
emigrated to Australia with the family aboard the Oaklands which
arrived in Adelaide, South Australia on 23 September 1879. Immigration
records give her age at the time as 17.
Euphemia was
first married on 18 April 1881, at age 20, to Thomas Sullivan.
The marriage took place in the Adelaide South Australia. Her sister
Christina Hardie was a witness.
Euphemia and
Thomas Sullivan travelled to the Flinders Ranges to work on the
land. It is uncertain whether Thomas recieved a land grant, or whether
he was a station manager of Willipa Station. Life out there was
very hard. Many settlers, including Thomas and Euphemia started
farming the area after a few years of exceptional rainfall, but
soon afterward the area had become too dry to sustain farming in
the long term. The family lived out there for 6 to 8 years.
Euphemia Hardie
and Thomas Sullivan had the following children:
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Jessie
Willipa Sullivan born. 18 January 1882 Willipa Station,
Flinders Rangers, South Australia ; m. Christian Anderson 1901,
Cooktown ; d. 14/7/1947 Samarai Papua |
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John
Ernest Sullivan born.16 April 1883 ; m. Amelia Palmer 1911
Bundamba ; d. 28 January 1937, Ipswich, Queensland ; b. Ipswich
General Cemetery |
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Euphemia
Adelaide Sullivan - b. 12 September 1884 Adelaide, South
Australia. |
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Thomas
William Sullivan - b. 1 October 1888. m Ann Reid (nee White)
8 January 1923 d. 19/12/1942 buried Brisbane |
It appears that
Thomas deserted the family some time around 1889, and then died
on 10 Jun 1890. There are limited details on his death certificate,
possibly meaning that it seem that the informant didn't know him
well. When he died his occupation was given as Barman.
Euphemia left
a widow, started working as a charwoman. She entered Adelaide Hospital
16/12/1890 for reasons unknown. Just after this, she relocated to
Queensland to be nearer her family. Oral history suggests that upon
her arrival, she gave her youngest daughter to one of her brothers
to be raised. One other possibility is that Euphemia Adelaide Hardie
died some time before the family arrived in Brisbane.
By 1892 Euphemia
was living in Spring Hill. Euphemia appears to have had a number
of liaisons in the following years giving birth to two more children,
she gave both of the children the surname Sullivan.
Euphemia Hardie
and William Wyatt had one child:
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William
Edwin Sullivan b. 21 December 1892 Spring Hill, Brisbane
; m. Claudia Noble 8 Feburary 1918, Ebbw Vale, Queensland ;
d. 3 January 1956 Ipswich, Queensland ; b. Ipswich General Cemetery |
William Edwin
was raised by Euphemia's brother William.
It appears that
between 1893
and and 1899 Euphemia travelled to Far North Queensland living in
Cooktown (it is believed she travelled via Normanton). She had returned
to Brisbane by 1901 when she gave birth to another child. However
her daughter Jessie remained there and married.
Euphemia Hardie
and Charles Mockton had one child:
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Florence
May Sullivan - b. 13 May 1901 Enoggera Queensland ; m. Charles
White, 27 November 1921 Swan Hill. Queensland |
Whilst May's
marriage certificate gives her father as Charles Mockton there is
no father on the birth certificate. May's appearance suggested a
Chinese father, so it may be that Charles was only Euphemias 'adopted'
father.
Euphemia remain
in the Brisbane area after that, moving to Ipswich some time in
the 1920's, where she lived in a cottage behind May's house. Sometime
in the 1940's she moved to Sandgate where she died on 2 February
1948.
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