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Ongoing research into the identity and background of William Crawford (b. abt. 1795-1800). Father of Joseph Crawford (b. abt. 1821) and husband of Mary. Son Joseph is believed to have married between 1838-1841 in Ballymore, a parish and townland in the County of Armagh, Northern Ireland, UK. He married Eliza Jane Annett (b. abt. 1821), whose gravestone shows her to be a native of Cargans, a rural place about a mile or two from the township of Tandragee, both a part of the Ballymore area.
A number of Annett family members lived in Cargans around this time, leasing and sometimes sub-letting farm property from the Duke of Manchester, owner of the Ballymore lands. Ballymore and nearby Banbridge over the border in County Down were major linen manufacturing areas and the work in the region included flax growing and processing as a major industry.
Joseph and Eliza Jane immigrated to Australia, arriving in the state of New South Wales aboard the ship Nabob on 3 Feb 1855. They came as assisted immigrants with four children (Mary, Thomas, Sarah, Joseph). Son Robert was born on ship. Two further children were born in New South Wales (Eliza and James). Their other son William, born in Northern Ireland in 1845, appears to have been left behind when they migrated (though he would only have been aged 9 on their departure) and to have come later to Australia. Eliza Jane appears on the ship register simply as Jane. Her use of middle name only appears in a number of other documents including her gravestone.
William Crawford, Joseph's father and the subject of this project, is said to have been deceased at the time of his son's departure in 1854. It is worth noting that the Great Famine of Ireland was between 1845-52.
The ship arrival register for the Nabob at the New South Wales State Archive shows Joseph Crawford and family to be Church of England on arrival in 1855. This probably means they were Church of Ireland in their home country. Both adults (aged 31) are able to read and write. Son Thomas (aged 11) is also able to read and write; daughter Mary (aged 13) is able to read. Joseph's occupation is shown as farm labourer.
Joseph and Eliza Jane settled in the Nowra/Shoalhaven district of New South Wales and lived out their lives there, leaving behind many descendants.
Common male names in the family: William, Joseph, Thomas, James, Robert
Common female names in the family: Eliza(beth), Mary, Ann(ie), Sarah