TRAVELLING THE MID NORTH COAST

IN THIS YEAR : 1838 -JESSIE – JENNET-JANET MCLEAN (later MCNEIL) ON THE BRILLIANT

 

1838 The BRILLIANT brought Scottish Bounty Immigrants including : JESSIE(JENNET, JANET) MCLEAN MOTHER OF MARY ANN MCNEIL( later to become known as GRANNY BELL of LAURIETON, wife of the Invalid Mr John Bell. ) Janet was born in 1831 so she was only a child of 6-7 when she came. Her parents were JOHN MCLEAN and GRACE MCINNES(McGuiness) The John Bells during the 1880s are said to have had a house at Palm Vale on the Tweed and the accident which invalided him. apparently rendering him unable to walk and preceding their removal to LAURIETON, took place in the sugar industry on the Tweed near CONDONG and TUMBULGUM. Mary Ann married John  in 1878 in Taree.

 

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4168774 The Hobart Town Courier Friday 17 November 1837 Supplement: Supplement to the Hobart Town Courier., page 2.

The Hobart Town Courier, Friday 5 January 1838, page 2 With the BRILLIANT due later in JANUARY.

JESSIE – JENNETT – JANET MCLEAN AND THE BRILLIANT 1838 THIRD AND LAST EMBARKATION OF HIGHLANDERS TO AUSTRALIA FOR THE SEASON Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh, Scotland), Saturday, October 14, 1837; Issue 18331.

Ships to Australia 1837-39 From the British Parliamentary Papers of 1839 II – Respecting Emigration to the Colonies http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/au1838.htm The Brilliant, a sailing ship of 428 tons, left Scotland for the Australian Colonies on September 27, 1837 and carried some 300 Scottish people who were leaving their homeland under the bounty immigration system. The selection was made by a selecting officer. 320 people embarked on the BRILLIANT and there was only one death recorded. The BRILLIANT was built in MONTREAL in 1834 and was 429 tons. She was taken up by the EMIGRATION DEPARTMENT on August 19 1837 in LEITH . The emigrants embarked in the HEBRIDES. The name of the owner was S PATERSON and she was hired at the rate of 4pounds 17/6 per ton.  A. Campbell was the Surgeon Superintendent on the voyage. The BRILLIANT departed on the 27 Sep 1837 and arrived in NSW on 27 Jan 1838. 126 days at sea with a touching at the Cape on 29 Nov 1837. 74 males. 84 females. 59 children between 14 and 7. 103 children under 7. 320 in total with 2 children born on the voyage. The 1 death was that of a child. "They Came in the Brilliant: A History of the McLaurin, McMee" Author: J. O. Randell Title: They Came in the Brilliant: A History of the McLaurin, McMeekin and Paton Families Publisher: Brown Prior Anderson Location: U.S.A. From Log Of Logs, Vol.2. By Ian Nicholson Brilliant, ship 428t, Gilkinson; Tobermory, Mull, 27/9 with 318 Highland 1837-1838 immigrants for Sydney. + Account of departure published in *Inverness Courier, reproduced in *Australian Biography & General Record, No. 15. (Sydney July 1990)

 

 

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/AUS-IMMIGRATION-SHIPS/2007-12/1197018234

http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/australia1837.htm

 

Watterson Family http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~watterson/wattersonrootsweb.html

McLeod Family of Ulmarra

• Letters published in Sydney Morning Herald in January 1838 regarding the voyage of the "Brilliant"

NSW State Records film # 1288 SCOTTISH BOUNTY MIGRANTS.

ON THE BRILLIANT	1837-1838
JOHN McGREGOR . John, Elizabeth and their young family came to Australia in 1838 on the ship "Brilliant" and settled in the Williams River area. They later moved to the Clarence River district where John and Elizabeth resided for the remainder of their lives. John McGregor died 28th August, 1888 at Ulmarra, NSW, and Elizabeth on 25th August, 1869, also at Ulmarra.	http://www.angelfire.com/bc/juliette/page4.html ULMARRA 2008
	Meanwhile  Queen Victoria was being crowned as per following article When Victoria Was Crowned; DESCRIPTION OF THE CORONATION OF 1838, BY AN EYE-WITNESS OF THE IMPOSING CEREMONIAL. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F0CEED6103DEE32A25752C1A9639C946397D6CF
FROM THE CEMETERIES SITE OF GREAT LAKE HISTORICAL MUSEUM http://greatlakeshistorical.museum.com/cemeteries.html http://greatlakeshistorical.museum.com/krambach.html Obituary notice. Donald Cameron. The death of Mr. Donald Cameron of Port Stephens of which the usual Obituary Notice was inserted in the "Empire" of Friday last deserves a more extended notice than it then and there received. Mr. Cameron was a native of Ardnamurchan, Argyleshire, Scotland and was upwards of sixty years of age when he emigrated with his family to the colony per ship "Brilliant" which sailed from Tobar Mory in the Isle of Mull in the year 1838, being ninety years of age when he died on the 12th instant. READ ON	JANET/JENNETT MCLEAN ALSO SAILED FROM TOBER MORY IN THE ISLE OF MULL. TOBER MORY BY JAMES WISEMAN http://www.jameswiseman.com/tobermory.php OTHER MCLEANS ON THE BRILLIANT. Allan McLean and Janet McFarlane http://jamesobrien.id.au/genealogy/allan-mclean-and-janet-mcfarlane/
Inverness Courier Index 1837, p212… A large body of emigrants sailed from Tobermory on the 27th of September for New South Wales. The vessel was the Brilliant, and its size and splendid fittings were greatly admired. “the people to be conveyed by this vessel are decidedly the most valuable that have ever left the shores of Great Britain; they are all of excellent moral character, and from their knowledge of agriculture, and management of sheep and cattle, must prove a most valuable acquisition to a colony like New South Wales.” The Rev. Mr Macpherson, of Tobermory, preached a farewell sermon before the party sailed. The total number of emigrants was 322, made up as follows:—From Ardnamurchan and Strontian, 105; Coll and Tiree, 104; Mull and lona, 56; Morven, 25; Dunoon, 28; teachers, 2; surgeons, 2. A visitor from New South Wales presented as many of the party as he met with letters of introduction, and expressed himself highly gratified with the prospect of having so valuable an addition to the colony. A Government agent superintended the embarkation.	THERE are a lot of MCLEANS on this BRILLIANT trip of 1838. Some of them include: MCLEAN Allan 49 Brilliant 24/01/1838 Wife 40; boat builder MCLEAN Allan 28 Brilliant 24/01/1838 Wife 20; shepherd MCLEAN Allan 19 Brilliant 24/01/1838 Unmarried; farm servant MCLEAN Anne 18 Brilliant Unmarried; country servant MCLEAN Anne 15 Brilliant 24/01/1838 Unmarried; country servant
MORE MCLEANS ON THE BRILLIANT 1838 MCLEAN Archibald 22 Brilliant 24/01/1838 Unmarried; farm servant MCLEAN Archibald 16 Brilliant 24/01/1838 Unmarried; farm servant MCLEAN Bell 25 Brilliant 24/01/1838 Unmarried; housemaid MCLEAN Charles 36 Brilliant  24/01/1838  Wife 35; farm servant	MORE MCLEANS ON THE BRILLIANT 1838 MCLEAN Donald 28 Brilliant Wife 30; mason MCLEAN Donald 30 Brilliant Wife 28; farm servant MCLEAN Dugald 30 Unmarried; fam overseer MCLEAN Ellen 20 Unmarried; country servant MCLEAN Hugh 23 Unmarried; shepherd MCLEAN Isabella 20 Unmarried; housemaid
MCLEAN James 16 Unmarried; farm servant MCLEAN Janet 18 Unmarried; country servant MCLEAN Janet 29 Unmarried; housemaid	MCLEAN John 32 Wife 28; farm servant MCLEAN John 32 Wife 27; farm servant
MCLEAN Marion 68 Widow; farm housekeeper MCLEAN Mary 27 Unmarried; housemaid	MCLEAN Roderick 35 Wife 35; farm servant MCLEAN Roderick 30 Wife 22; farm servant
The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Saturday 27 January 1838 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2550732	The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Tuesday 30 January 1838, page 3 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2550113

 

 

The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Saturday 3 February 1838, page 4

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2547105

 

MCLEOD ON CONDONG PLAINS

So far we have placed John and Normal Bell with their families on the TWEED RIVER. We also have their sister Wilhelmina who married GEORGE DINSEY. There is a MR BELL christian name unknown supervising at ABBOTSFORD MILL( I don’t yet know which mill that was. ) Now a JOHN MCLEOD appears and McLeod is the maiden name of the mother WILHELMINA who came on the JAMES MORAN in 1839. She had other children with her whose names I don’t as yet have.

WANTED to Let, on Clearing Leases, Seven FARMS, of from forty to fifty acres each; fine scrub land; river frontage, Tweed River ¡ eight miles from the Heads. Apply to Mr. JOHN M’LEOD, Condong Plains, Tweed River ; or E. W. S. HAYLEY, Southgate, Clarence River. 2575

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1295006

The Brisbane Courier Friday 30 August 1872, page 1.

This is 3 years after JOHN BELL acquires his land and 6 years before he married MARY ANN MCNEIL.

 

And in 1881;

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article919217 he Brisbane Courier Saturday 30 April 1881, page 5 “Unique” writes from the Tweed River: ” On the evening of Easter Monday the rather monotonous course of life on the Tweed was broken by a ball given by the employes of the C.S.R. Company, and which, under the kind auspices of Mr. and Mrs Isaacs, bids fair to become one of the annual events of the neighbourhood. A range of the barracks had been prepared for the festive occasion, and, although the weather was unpropitious, a goodly array of the votaries of Terpsichore assembled. The room had  been most effectively decorated by the hands of f$air neighbours-wreaths, crowns, and pendants of varied colours relieved tbe sombre green of the foliage with which the walls and roof had been profusely ornamented, and with the brilliancy of the lights and the bright eyes and flowing drapery of the ladies, combined to produce a tout ensemble seldom seen in the neighbourhood. Dancing commenced at 8 o’clock to the enlivening strains of three musicians, and dance succeeded dance in rapid succession till long past the small hours of the morning. At a late hour the party broke up with many expressions of pleasure on the part of the hosts that their guests had been sufficiently enterprising to brave such stormy weather, and of hope that on a future occasion Condong might again be honoured by their presence.

THE COTTAGE BILAMBIL 2008

James had been born to John and Mary Ann by this time and Norman was born in 1881.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3429862 FROM BRISBANE COURIER THURSDAY MAY 8 . In 1884, Mr T Steel from the CONDONG MILL sent a large series of animals to the QUEENSLAND MUSEUM for nomenaclature.and two of those were included in science and named as follows;

1. a tree frog resembling in coloration an American  species. Now named HYLA FENESTRATA and
2. a fish of the GENUS GALAXUS which was to be described as GALAXIAS BREVIANALUS

The ABBOTSFORD MILL I find in the BRISBANE COURIER 5 AUGUST 1882 was erected near the JUNCTION – the village now called TUMBULGUM. This one did not belong to the massive COLONIAL SUGAR REFINING COMPANY to which CONDONG belonged. It belonged to PRINGLE, SHANKY and CO. Small but enterprising beginners.  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3412851

 

IN 1886 the schooner CONDONG, of the TWEED RIVER, was carrying logs of beech, cedar and pine into BRISBANE. In the same year a general servant was wanted for the CONDONG MILL at 15s per week.

IN 1889 E DOWLING of Condong won 900 pounds in the  TATTERSALLS MELBOURNE- CUP SWEEPS.

And in 1892, the BELLS went south to LAURIETON. Some of the family remained. Wilhelmina Dinsey for one.

AND FROM TUMBULGUM, where I lived from 2002-2005;

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3701412

The Brisbane Courier Tuesday 12 September 1899,

A correspondent of a New South Wales
top-country paper questions whether the
Hunter district is entitled to the credit of
producing the largest pumpkins. He says :
-” I read an account of prolific pumpkins
in the Hunter. The Hunter may be a won-
derful place for pumpkins, but a neighbour
of mine, at Tumbulgum, lost a sow not long

since. He searched everywhere for several
days without success, and at last came to
the conclusion that she was dead.- But one
day, while riding across his farm, he no-

ticed something peculiar about one of his
pumpkins. He rode over to see, and was
surprised to find his sow. She had eaten
her way into the pumpkin, made a bed, and
had a litter of thirteen young ones all inside
the pumpkin

 

the DEATH OF GEORGE DINSEY http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3963005

JOHN BELL LANDHOLDER PRIOR TO 1892

 

ALONG THE TWEED RIVER NEAR CONDONG	EARLY 2008
IN THE VICINITY OF THE BELL LAND	ON TWEED VALLEY WAY

 

 

 

JOHN BELL’S land survey is dated 1869. His marriage to MARY ANN MCNEIL took place 27 June 1878 down South in the Taree district. Was he in the north before that or did he not come north until that time ? 

From ROY BURTON; at the time of the marriage John gave his place of residence as RAWDON VALE district of GLOUCESTER. Witnesses to the marriage were JOSEPH LAURIE and MARGARET BELL. JOSEPH LAURIE Senior owned property in the RAWDON VALE locality. The witness Joseph was probably the 5th son of Joseph Snr. Refer to the Early History of the Camden Haven p 16. “THE LAURIES”. He was probably best man and was living at PEACH GROVE now known as LAURIETON at the time of the marriage. MARGARET BELL is possibly JOHN’S SISTER. It is possible John worked for the Lauries at Rawdon Vale. After the wedding they moved to the Tweed River where John was cane farming. he was invalided after an accident and the family move from the Tweed to Laurieton in 1892. John died in 1919 and Mary Ann died in 1935.

We still have not located JOHN’S birth in BDMS.

 

CONNECTIONS FROM MURWILLUMBAH AND THE TWEED – BELLS, BIGNELLS, LAURIES AND MORE

NORMAN BELL was the older brother of JOHN BELL wife of MARY ANN MCNEIL. They had adjoining land at CONDONG on the TWEED.

Their parents were JAMES AND WILHELMINA as noted elsewhere. James was the housebreaker transported from Glasgow in 1831 on the YORK and WILHELMINA was the daughter of WILLIAM MCLEOD and JANET MACKAY who came on the JAMES MORAN in 1839. They married in 1839 at MAITLAND when WILHELMINA was 17 years old. Check in the search engine to the right for further details. It appears at this time that the Mcleods and Mackays came as a result of the ruthless clearances of the Sutherland Shires in the HIGHLANDS of Scotland. In the 1860s the BELL boys have land on the TWEED. The NSW BDM records indicate that their father JAMES died in 1859( to be verified). I do not know what brought the boys ( and perhaps more members of their family north from the Maitland Area). Land is also indicated to belong to WILHELLMINA BELL – mother ? sister ? daughter ?

NORMAN BELL was born 1845 and died 15 June 1924 . He is buried in BARRINGTON CEMETERY. His occupations are listed at TWEED RIVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY as farmer/grazier. Whilst on Tweed he was resident at CONDONG. Norman married in 1870 at DUNGOG NSW. His wife was AGNES FRASER HIGGINS and her mother was JANET LAURIE. As my mother used to tell me the BELLS and the LAURIES were ‘tied in somehow”. Her father was JOHN HIGGINS. Agnes Higgins was born at Pt Stephens in 1846 and died in CHATSWOOD, SYDNEY in 1929.

Their children;

names	birthdate and place	marriage date and spouse	death date and place
JANET LAURIE	1871 TWEED RIVER	1898 GEORGE BIGNELL MURWILLUMBAH
WILLIMINA A	1872 TWEED RIVER	JOHN A. GUNN COPELAND 1895	1911 STROUD NSW
JAMES WALTER	1874 PORT STEPHENS		15-8-1886 NSW
AGNES MARY	1876 PORT STEPHENS	GORDON A D CLARK STROUD 1915
ELIZABETH J	1878 PORT STEPHENS	JOHN STACE	PORT STEPHENS 1903
MARGARET CHRISTINA	1881 BARRINGTON	THOMAS FARLEY CRICK SYDNEY 1907
MARY HENRIETTA	1883 COPELAND	WILLIAM JAMES MARTIN STROUD 1907	22-8-1938 KRAMBACH NSW
JOHN JAMES	1889 COPELAND		1923 BARRINGTON
NOREINE F	1893 COPELAND

From these dates it appears Norman left the Tweed district by the early 1870s whereas John’s Children are born on Tweed between 1879 and 1890 with the youngest being born at Laurieton in the early 90s. Hmm. A rethink required again.

THE INFORMATION I HAVE IS THAT NO 49 IS JOHN BELL’S LAND . ( YET TO BE VERIFIED AS ONE MAP INDICATES CONDONG AND ONE IS FURTHER ALONG NEAR STOTTS CREEK)

 

_____________________________________________________________

GEORGE  BIGNELL. IN 1898 AT MURWILLUMBAH MARRIED JANET LAURIE BELL DAUGHTER OF NORMAN BELL WHO WAS BROTHER OF JOHN BELL, GRANNY’S HUSBAND.  http://www.aif.adfa.edu.au:8080/showPerson?pid=22518

 

______________________________________________________________

FROM THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA HISTORIC NEWSPAPERS

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1368785 There is mention of a MR BELL managing the ABBOTSFORD SUGAR MILL on the TWEED.

 

_______________________________________________________________

MURWILLUMBAH LINKS

http://www.mit.edu/~dfm/genealogy/sercombe.html Sercombe Families

GRANNY BELL IN LAURIETON 1892 – NOV 5 1935

JOHN BELL WAS INJURED IN A CANE ACCIDENT -so we are told- on the Tweed. By 1892 the land at Condong is no longer in his name and John becomes known only as the INVALID MR BELL. The Bells then move to LAURIETON and Granny lives there till her death on Nov 5 1935.

THE CHILDREN OF JOHN AND MARY ANN BELL :

NAME	DOB	PLACE OF BIRTH
JAMES	1879	TWEED RIVER
NORMAN	1881	TWEED RIVER
ANNE MCLEOD	1883	TWEED RIVER
JANET	1885	TWEED RIVER
LESLIE DONALD RAYMOND	1887	TWEED RIVER
MARY HENRIETTA	1890	MURWILLUMBAH
ROY MCNEIL	1895	LAURIETON
WILHELMINA ELIZABETH	1897	LAURIETON
WILLIAM ALLEN	1898	LAURIETON

 

_____________________________________

LINKS TO THE BELLS IN LAURIETON.

SON OF JOHN AND MARY ANN BELL ( GRANNY).

ROY MCNEIL BELL.

Regimental number
1785

Religion
Presbyterian

Occupation
Baker

Address
Laurieton PO, Laurieton, New South Wales

Marital status
Single

Age at embarkation
20

Next of kin
Father, John Bell, Laurieton, New South Wales

Enlistment date
14 March 1916

Rank on enlistment
Private

Unit name
34th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement

AWM Embarkation Roll number
23/51/2

Embarkation details
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A15 Port Sydney on 4 September 1916

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

LAURIETON IN THE 1890s

Marshalls of Laurieton – A Family Who Gave More Than Most for King and Country http://www.alchin.info/volume5/volume5_007_sawyers_east_indoa_docks_descendants_william_alchin.html

 

On 5th November 1891, James STACE who was 67, died in the De Frains Timber Mill at Laurieton. Twelve (12) years later, Mary also passed away with the couple buried at Laurieton Cemetery.

http://www.whatismyname.zoomshare.com/2.html

 

Sussex to New South Wales:
- the Fairhall Family

http://www.fairhall.id.au/families/web/p391.htm

 

John Flynn http://www.midcoast.com.au/~rotohous/john.htm

 

WAUCHOPE PUBLIC SCHOOL http://www.bebo.com/Blog.jsp?MemberId=4044601510

GRANNY BELL: BORN ON THE MANNING RIVER IN 1859

3708/1878 BELL JOHN MARRIED MACNEIL MARY A MANNING RIVER

3708/1878 BELL JOHN   MCNEIL MARY A MANNING RIVER

 

Born at Taree on June 27 1859 she married John Bell in 1878 and from this union came a family of nine children : James, Norman, Anne, Janet, Mary, Roy, Elizabeth and William.

Henry Flett (ca.1810-1877), was born at Caithness, Scotland and arrived at NSW in 1834. In 1841 he married Mary Wynter whose father Lieutenant William Wynter owned the Taree Estate. After buying the Taree Estate from his father-in-law, Flett divided it into tenant farms. He had Taree surveyed and laid out as a town in 1854. He was elected a member of the NSW Legislative Assembly for the seat of The Hastings (1859-1864).

http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=442656

 

LINKS TO THE MANNING IN THE 1800s;

http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=442656

Manning Valley Historical Society

http://www.manninghistorical.org/P&E8.htm

 

COMMERCIAL BANKING COMPANY OF SYDNEY OFFICERS CLUB http://www.cbcbank.com.au/

 

PEERS OF MARY ANNE MCNEIL.

 

Family History pages of Diane Edwards JAMES WILLIAM TISDELL http://www.diane.sheather.co.uk/_sgg/m3m1_1.htm

 

Brabyns and Mills http://www.ayton.id.au/gary/genealogy/MyAncestors_brabyn_mills.htm BRABYNS ARE IN TAREE AS WELL.

 

http://familyhistory.celyoneill.com/davis.html  The Davis Family

 

BULMER – Lord http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GENANZ/2005-04/1112764594

 

Descendants of *Patrick Hough http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ewfamily/Descendants%20of%20Patrick%20Hough.htm THOMAS³ HOUGH

(JOHN, PATRICK HOUGH ) was born 1858 in Raymond Terrace, NSW, Australia, and died 1957. He married BRIDGET A MOYLAN 1887 in Taree, NSW, Australia. She was born 1859 in Taree, NSW, Australia

Bridget Agnes MOYLAN Born 11th December 1859 in Taree. http://www.pmoylan.org/pages/family/KenMoylan/OtherMoylanFamilies.html

Ancestors of Marc Hillman http://users.tpg.com.au/mhillman/hillman/f14.htm  (CHECK Mary HOSEGOOD This family includes DEVONSHIRE people possbly inc Tiverton. One Homeplace of Sanders) It also includes a Bellinger man;

Thomas Burchill FOGARTY  AKA: John Thomas SHAW           Born: 1866 – Bellingen River, NSW, Australia

 

OwenJones Family Historyhttp://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~owenjones/des_gen/ind874.html

 

Taree Estate Pioneer Cemetery   http://www.ozgenonline.com/aust_cemeteries/nsw/greater_taree/tareestate.htm 

 

PARTRIDGES http://www.ezitree.com.au/HTML/index015.htm TAREE AND MCLEAY These PARTRIDGES are connected to the SANDERS SANDERS, Charles Henry  1858 Macleay River NSW AUS-16Jul1926 Macksville NSW AUS

SANDERS, Ernest Albert  22Dec1862 Macleay River NSW AUS-20Nov1911 Kempsey NSW AUS
SANDERS, Mary Ann  – (see Mary Ann PARTRIDGE)

 

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3512543

SHIPS THAT NEVER RETURNED.

THAT LEFT AUSTRALIAN Ports.

The Brisbane Courier Tuesday 25 March 1890, page 6.

TWEED RIVER

THANKS TO THE TWEED RIVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY, I HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BELLS ON THE TWEED. AT CONDONG CREEK.

TWEED RIVER AT TUMBULGUM NEAR THE BELL LAND.	MT WARNING FROM BILAMBIL.	TUMBULGUM STORE.

 

James Bell’s widow, Wilhelmina Bell (b 1820) did not remarry. She died in 1903 under the name Bell as a widow. She was 83. She was the daughter of William McLeod and Janey McKay. She died on the 2nd March 1903. She married James Bell at age 17 years at Maitland.

At the time of her death her children were:

Mary (Laurie) 57	Wilhelmina (Dinsey) 56
Norman 54	John 52
Margaret (McEachran) 50	Elizabeth (Walker) 48
Christina (Quirk) 47

_________________________________

Now John it was who was married to Granny Bell ( Mary Ann Mc Neill) . He had land on the Tweed from 1869 till app 1890 when they went South and Laurieton became the centre of our Bell universe. My own Grandfather Mick Bell ( William Allen) was one of their children. Mick ( Poppa Bell) and Jessie Sarah Ready ( Nana Bell) spent most of their married lives in Redfern and then in TWEEDMOUTH Avenue , ROSEBERY . Coincidence ?

Now in the 21st Century , Lynne Bell Sanders, lives in Bilambil on the Tweed and lived from 2002-2005 in TUMBULGUM which is within 5 kilometres of where the 3 BELLS had their land grants . That was Norman, John and Wilhelmina. Susan Sanders Pomroy lives in Port Macquarie within kilometres of LAURIETON. ( Note that Mary Bell married a LAURIE) . 

http://lynnesheritage.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/bells-and-dinseys-and-tweed-pt-2/

__________________________________

THE TWEED FROM THE NATIONAL LIBRARY AUSTRALIA NEWSPAPERS DIGITISATION PROJECT.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2186819 SYDNEY GAZETTE 1826	It is thought by some, that the river lately discovered by Captain Logan, 50 miles to the South  of Moreton-bay, and immediately under Mount Warning, designated the DARLING RIVER, is the same of which the late Mr. Uniacke speaks, in Judge Field’s compiled work on this Colony Mr.Uniacke accompanied Mr. Oxley in a tour to Moreton-bay, and it appears that they fell in with a bay, or river, to the south of Moreton-bay, to which the name of the Tweed was given, but we cannot bring ourselves to believe that the Tweed and the Darling are one and the same, READ ON.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2188791 THE STORY OF CAPTAIN LOGAN’S EXPLORATION SOUTH OF MORETON BAY AND DOWN TO MT WARNING The Sydney Gazette and… Friday 17 August 1827, page 2	June 13th. Continued my route eastward, over a very diflicult and mountainous country ; at length perceived Mount Warning, direct in my course   READ ON
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2193237 The Sydney Gazette and… Saturday 22 August 1829, page 2.	EXTRACT FROM THE DIARY OF CAPTAIN BARBUS HM COLONIAL SCHOONER “ALLIGATOR” : AS HE SEARCHES IN 1827 FOR THE WRECK OF THE “ELIZABETH”, POWDITCH. BETWEEN CAPE BYRON AND THE SOLITARY ISLES. COMING ACROSS  RIVER ENTRANCES AND BARS AND NOTING THE LATITUDES ETC. THE HEADLANDS OF CAPE BYRON AND POINT DANGER PROVIDE THE PRIMARY SIGNIFICANT LANDMARKS FOR THESE RIVER MOUTHS.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2193497 The Sydney Gazette and… Saturday 26 September 1829	THE CONCLUSION OF AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY A MEMBER OF CAPTAIN LOGAN’S PARTY  EXPLORING THE NORTHERN RIVERS. HE TELLS OF PIERCING COLD AND A PLAIN COVERED WITH EMU.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2201896 The Sydney Gazette and… Saturday 26 December 1835, page 2.	A PROSPECTUS IS ISSUED FOR A COMPANY WHICH ENCOMPASSES MUCH OF THE NORTH. “……..the territory within the limits specified in the Prospectus, possesses no less than five large beautiful rivers; viz. the M’Leay, or the Trial of Cunningham, the Brimbo, or the Big River, the Brisbane, one unnamed as yet, which empties itself into the sea near Double Point, and the Boyne, besides the Tweed, and a multiplicity of minor ones; and that it possesses numerous harbours, bays, and roadsteads for the anchorage of shipping; some of them as yet but very imperfectly known ” READ ON This article has implications for many matters including immigration which is the method by which Wilhelmina Mcleod and her mother Janet Mackay later came from the SUTHERLAND SHIRE ( arriving in 1839 ) . THIS IS THE STORY OF A GRAND VISION.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article678614 The Maitland Mercury… Wednesday 28 January 1846, page 3.	The Barque, GOLDEN FLEECE, 120 tons , CAPTAIN JOHNSON,arrived in Sydney from the RIVER TWEED with 70,000 feet CEDAR.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article680149	The steamer, THISTLE, making its way between SYDNEY and MORETON BAY spotted a large boat on the beach. Unable to land a boat due to conditions the Thistle proceeded into Moreton Bay to discover that two of the crew had arrived there. The boat belonged to Mr Burgess and had been making its way from TWEED to MORETON BAY. READ ON
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article682934 The Maitland Mercury… Saturday 11 July 1846,	THE death of two sawyers is reported on THE TWEED RIVER. A murder it was. READ ON
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article683611 The Maitland Mercury… Saturday 8 August 1846, page 2	THE barque Golden Fleece and the cutter Catherine still remained bar-bound at the Tweed ; the crew of the latter had been overland to Brisbane to obtain supplies.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article684452 The Maitland Mercury… Wednesday 2 September 1846, page 2	Loss of the ” Coolangatta.”-The Tamar, steamer, which arrived on Sunday from Moreton Bay, brought intelligence of the loss of the schooner Coolangatta, which vessel was driven ashore from her anchors in a gale of wind a short distance to the northward of the River Tweed
1846	ARRIVAL IN SYDNEY Golden Fleece, barque, 120 tons, Captain Collins, from the Tweed, with a cargo of cedar.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article696503 The Maitland Mercury… Saturday 9 February 1850, page 4	A NUMBER OF NEW POLICE DISTRICTS ARE FORMED. ONE OF THESE IS : 47:  Tabulam-In the squatting district of Clarence, and embracing the county of Rous, and part of the county of Richmond, bounded on the north by the range dividing the waters of the Logan, and other rivers from those of the Clarence, Richmond, and Tweed Rivers, from Point Danger to the great dividing range , on the west by the great dividing range, and a Line bearing south crossing the Rocky River at a point where the banks close in abruptly, about miles east of “Frocester,” Mr Bloxsome’’s station, to a line bearing east from the Bolivia Range , on the south by that line to the Clarence River, thence by a line bearing north-east to the range dividing the waters of the Clarence and Richmond Rivers, and by that range to the sea , and on the east by the sea to Point Danger aforesaid
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article680846 The Maitland Mercury… Saturday 23 August 1851, page 3.	The Effort, from the Tweed River, reports the Ocean Queen, schooner, ashore on the North Head of the Tweed Bar, on the 12th instant, and not likely to be got off
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article679073 The Maitland Mercury… Wednesday 8 October 1851	ARRIVALS OF STEAMERS IN SYDNEY Naughten, from the Tweed River, with 34,000 feet cedar
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article667445 The Maitland Mercury… Saturday 28 May 1853,	ARRIVALS OF COASTERS. Flirt, from the Tweed, with 30,000 feet cedar ;
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article682053                        1853	EXPORTS TO LONDON FROM THE NORTHERN RIVERS
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2458489 The Courier (Hobart,… Saturday 21 March 1857, page 2.	LOSS OF ANOTHER SHIP ON THE TWEED BAR – THE “FAVOURITE ” .
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1279444 The Brisbane Courier Saturday 30 September 1865	A HARD CASE – A story  of mistaken identity as Mr William Smith of the TWEED RIVER assists a friend in tracking down a horse thief.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1302592 The Brisbane Courier Saturday 24 April 1869, page 4.	The ketch Maid of the Mill has arrived, with a small parcel from the Tweed River
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1297593 The Brisbane Courier Saturday 2 October 1869, page 4.	CLEARANCE. October 1.-Sarah and Jane, cutter, 15 tons, Captain W. Griffin, for the Tweed River. Passengers : Mr. and Mrs. W. Jones and family (3), Mr. and Mrs. Hy. Carey and family (4).
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1297561 The Brisbane Courier Saturday 2 October 1869, page 4.	THE MAIZE TRADE BECOMES BIG ON TWEED
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1303128 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1300217	THE KETCH MAGGIE LOGAN 1869
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1302073 The Brisbane Courier Saturday 20 November 1869, page 4.	Maize maintains its price, but the supply seems to be small The shipment from the Tweed River by the Sarah and Jane realised 4s 3d per bushel

 

 

http://lynnesheritage.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/bells-and-dinseys-and-tweed-pt-2/

A LETTER FROM JOSEPH LAURIE

The BELLS were closely associated with the LAURIES and LAURIETON.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article814750

TIMBER RESERVES. (To the Editor of the Maitland Mercury.) SIR,-I notice in your issue of the 8th inst., a letter on the reservation of timber, signed by Thomas Shaw, I believe some of his hints are good, and as this is a matter which concerns many, perchance a hint from one who has had 40 years’ experience may not be out of place. So I will be as brief as possible, and confine myself to a few remarks only. First-The wilful and shameful destruction of timber. At present the law is, that any man holding a license can go on to Government land (except Reserves) and cut away at any tree or sapling he thinks fit. No one has a right to interfere with him, so long as he holds his license ; he is never asked what he means to do with the timber he falls. No doubt you will say, surely no man on earth will fall timber without making use of it. But I can prove to you that it has been done, and that in a wholesale manner. On the Nambucca there have been hundreds of trees, both cedar and pine, cut down many years ago. And they are still there, and will ever remain so, as they are now too rotten for any use. On Camden Haven, a few years ago, the inhabitants took a sudden fit and cut down every beech tree that could be found ; in fact millions of feet, and there it lies, rotting on the ground ; and many a tree of hardwood as well-and yet the people who cut the said timber had no way of removing it to market. So there it remains, a loss to the man who would have used it, a loss to the colony, and a loss to the world at large. And yet the present licensing system allows this wholesale destruction, Surely this system could be improved upon, and before I close I shall give you my idea on the matter, and I hope some of your readers will give a better. Second,-I will now make a few remarks on the reservation of timber. Government has adopted a plan of making a reserve of certain portions of land in various places on the East Coast, for the sake of preserving timber. My opinion is, the plan is rotten in the core. The reserves are made where the best timber is to be found. So far so good. But tell me what they mean by preserving timber that has arrived at its full growth, and every day turning back to its mother earth. This seems to me to be wilful waste, and almost as bad as the men who cut timber and leave it to rot. I may be wrong, but I am against all special timber reserves. I would say, throw it open, and let us have free trade, and encourage colonial industry. At the same time I would make it the special duty of the local constable to ascertain if each man had a license, and what they were cutting for ; see that they mean to use the timber they ore cutting down. And above all, see that no hardwood timber is cut down less than two feet, or six feet in girth, three feet from the ground. This would be preserving timber in the right way ; for timber in this country does not take so long to grow as some think it does, I know large trees that were only saplings thirty years ago ; and at this place we have trees a foot through that were only whipsticks six years ago. And Mr. Hibbard, of Port Macquarie, tells me he knows trees at Shoalhaven three feet through that were mere saplings seventeen years ago (spotted gum). I will now draw to a close, and I trust that some other hand will take the matter up. I have merely given my own opinion, and I think any one who does so deserves a certain amount of credit, let him be right or wrong If I was to go on and state the use and durability of each kind of tree I do not know where I would end. Third.- This much I may say : people must not run away with the idea that because timber is of a certain kind it must be good. Such is not the case. For instance, the ironbark at this place is a poor wood indeed ; at Gloucester, the kitchen at the old accommodation house was shingled with ironbark shingles in the year 1836, yet the roof is waterproof. It depends on the ground and locality where the timber is grown, In the school house, in Port Macquarie, the rafters are saplings, known as the leaf tea-tree ; and although they were put there under the cruel lash and the bitter years of tyranny, yet the said rafters are as sound as the day they were put there. -Yours respectfully, J0SEPH LAURIE. Laurieton, 14th January, 1881. [We need scarcely say that we shall be glad at any time to receive and publish letters such as the above, and we hope the important subject of timber conservation will receive due public attention till amendment in the law and "practice is achieved.

James Bell was transported for housebreaking in 1831. He married Wilhelmina McLeod on 29/9/1840 at the SCOTS CHURCH, PATERSON. Wilhelmina was the daughter of WILLIAM MCLEOD and JANET MACKAY and was 17 years old when she married JAMES. Their son , JOHN BELL, married Mary Ann McNeil in Taree on 27th June 1878. At the time John gave his place of residence as RAWDON VALE , district of Gloucester. Roy Burton was told by a now deceased aunt that John’s parents were James and Wilhelmina which we now know to be so.  Witnesses to the marriage of John and Mary Ann were JOSEPH LAURIE and MARGARET BELL. Joseph Laurie Snr owned property at RAWDON VALE locality. The witness Joseph Laurie was probably the fifth son of Joseph Senior. (Refer to “EARLY HISTORY OF THE CAMDEN HAVEN” Page 16. The LAURIES.The LAURIES were then living at PEACH GROVE now known as LAURIETON. John’s eldest sister married a LAURIE. His brother NORMAN BELL married AGNES FRASER whose mother was JANET LAURIE and named their daughter JANET LAURIE BELL. When John Bell and Granny Bell left the Tweed they lived the rest of their lives in LAURIETON. __________________________ An article with Joseph Laurie presiding as magistrate http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article862425 The Maitland Mercury… Thursday 23 November 1882, page 6 __________________________   LAURIETON HOTEL

NATIONAL LIBRARY AUSTRALIA NEWSPAPERS : CONDONG ON THE TWEED RIVER

Having found the NLA NEWSPAPERS: I am deeply engaged in HUNTING through them. These are a very good find. Free access and the opportunity to assist with editing the electronically transcribed articles. Easy and efficient and a treasure trove. 1803 to 1945. Who knows what’s hidden in there ? Today I am looking at Condong. Condong is a wee village on the Tweed River of NSW. Close to Tumbulgum and Murwillumbah. The significance for us is that John and Norman Bell had land on the River somewhere along the stretch between Condong and Tumbulgum.  The Tweed Heads Historical Society added this dimension to my knowledge of the family earlier this year. Stunned me. They have an image of Bells’ Wharf which I shall purchase at some time and put up here.   I have taken some Photographs myself at Dinsey Creek and across the river where perhaps the land was.

John Bell was known to have 100 acres of land at Condong in 1869 but had left the area by 1892 following an accident which left him invalided. (http://lynnesheritage.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/granny-bell-a-legend-in-her-own-lifetime/) Condong Creek it says. Portion no. 30.  His brother Norman had 300 acres adjoining and sister Wilhelmina had 55 acres.(according to LANDS RECORD DATA TWEED VALLEY 1866-1966 OF TWDHS)