Hi Ian

I have started to do some in depth family research (recently retired, and now coronavirus locked-down driven). My family (Kidman) was initially at Gegedzerick/Cowbed Creek, then settled around the Paupong, Moonbah, Jindabyne area in the mid 1800’s. The Monaro Pioneers website has been of great assistance and a brilliant information source. Happy to contribute back.

Suggested Change: John Elliott: ID I83839:

John Elliott was one of my great great grandfathers. Family records indicate he had 9 children: the second one, Simon Elliott (b around 1857) is missing from the Monaro Pioneer’s website’s family listing. Simon was apparently named after John’s father (I125288). The name has since been passed down through my grandfather and myself.

Elliott, Simon, b. 1857, Omeo, Victoria, d. 26 October 1946, Woollahra, NSW (age 88 years).

·        Married Mary Jane Lawler 20 February 1886, St. Peter’s Catholic Church Surrey Hills, Sydney. Mary b. 1856, was the daughter of John Lawler (labourer) and Johanna Collins, she resided at Manly, near Sydney. At the time of their marriage Simon was a coachbuilder and Mary a dressmaker. Witnesses were David Williamson and Ellen Coleman (it is possible both had connections back to Paupong, Beloka where John Elliott had selected land and raised his family).

·        Simon d. 1946, his death certificate lists that he was a manufacturer of motor tyres; obviously a more modern step up from his “coachbuilding” of the 1880’s. he was a widower at this time and had three children:

o   Katie (b. 1888)

o   Madeline (b. 1890)

o   Elaine (b. 1897)

I have attached the marriage and death certificates verifying the above info.

Assistance request: I was not able to find birth certificates (and/or baptism records) for either of John’s two oldest children: Jane (b. 1856, my great grandmother) or Simon (b. 1858). This was explained somewhat by the Omeo discovery on Simon’s marriage and death records (time searching NSW birth cert records was wandering up a blind avenue to say the least). Monaro Pioneers has Jane Elliott (I53612) listed as born at Windsor NSW: can you tell me where this specific info on Jane was sourced from (and/or from who)? I cannot see any specific source indicated on the website. Windsor looks to be correct (according to her marriage cert. etc) but I need to understand where the general birth info for Monaro Pioneers comes from as I have a number of other queries/potential corrections on other family members/pioneers. This would be of great assistance. Happy to take a phone call (mob. 0447 916 595) if it’s easier than an email. 

Once I have done a bit more preliminary research I would also love to contact anyone with interest/knowledge of pioneer families in the Paupong/Moonbah/Jindabyne/Snowy Plains area. My family history (Kidman) was closely entwined with many other Monaro families: Robertson’s, McPherson’s, Elliot’s, Coleman’s, Cogan’s, Brooks’, Pendergast’s, Barry’s, Napthali’s, Quarry’s, Williams, Woodhouse, McPhie’s etc etc. I expect that recent advances in digitalising many relevant historic records has given scope to research in ways that previously would have been hugely difficult if not impossible. The more recent info re Amos Crisp is a fascinating case study of history emerging from the mists (the author of Earliest Monaro, Alan E J Andrews, would have appreciated the additional “new” history I expect; and I wish I’d found it before reading Andrews).

Great website! Look forward to hearing from you.

Regards, Simon Kidman