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Alexander Walker Davidson
Cowra Creek 1842
(Last changed Saturday April 02, 2016)

Genealogy  |  The Davidson Chronicles by Cheryl Moore


Alexander  Walker Davidson

Jane Davidson nee Simpson

George Dunbar Davidson


Isabella Davidson nee McArthur

Alexander Davidson

 

John Simpson Davidson

Archer Boswell Christie Davidson

Agnes Brodie and George Dunbar Davidson
 
Alice Coffey, Walter Thomas Davidson and baby Colin Dunbar Davidson.
    John Ambrose Davidson and Annie Power
 
   

Photos supplied by Cheryl Moore [chezem.cm-at-gmail.com]


ALEXANDER WALKER DAVIDSON left Scotland in 1841 for Australia. He had with him his wife, three sons,  John, Alexander (Sandy), and Archer and four daughters Margaret, Elsy, Jane and Isabella. The voyage lasted eleven months (they left 16th May 1841 arrived at Botany Bay 30th January 1842), and on the way a fire broke out on the vessel. The Captain, left the vessel with members of the crew who brought her in to Rio de Janeiro - where she was repaired. It is said that the reason the ship got through safely is that the planks which opened up by reason of the heat of the fire, were caulked and made watertight by some soap, part of the cargo, which melted, and filled up and caulked the seams. Alexander worked as a steward on the ship to pay for the bounty of his children. Refer to the ‘Reports by Immigration Board on Complaints of Migrants, 25/08/1838 to 18/04/1842 Pages 333-375’ at the State Archives. The Court of Inquiry at the Trial at which Alexander Davidson and William Goodwin amongst others gave evidence ruled that the bounties were not payable by the immigrants to the ships owners.

Alexander and Jane’s infant daughter Isabella died on the voyage.

Amongst the passengers on board the boat was William Goodwin, his wife and six sons. Both families became friendly being neighbours at Cowra.

Mr. Davidson stayed at Cowra for some time, but in 1855 acquired from Solomon the license of the hotel at Reid's Flat known as -The Squatters' Arms." This he held till 1857, when no renewal was granted. He then left Monaro for a time, but later returned. Subsequently he and the family went to Eden where he worked for Ben Boyd as a cabinet maker, a trade at which he was particularly skilful. Of his sons, Archer, John and Sandy became Master Whalers, and have their names associated for all times with the stories of whaling that are attached to Twofold Bay. George, his youngest son, a noted sport, remained in Cooma, for a time in the employ of Sturgeon Bros., Storekeepers. In later life he was better known as a Livery Stable Keeper. Alexander Davidson died at the age of 92, and is buried at Eden.


From Cheryl Moore [chezem.cm-at-gmail.com] 29.08.11

My name is Cheryl Davidson and I am a great grand daughter of the Eden Whalers and second great grand daughter of Alexander Walker Davidson and Jane Simpson. I notice on the Monaro Pioneers website that you have a fair amount of input from descendants of the 'Leslie' family from Bombala and Eden. It seems to me that the current descendants of the 'Leslies' are not aware that they are related to the Eden Whaling Davidson family.

When Alexander Walker Davidson and his wife Jane Simpson left Scotland in 1841 the only parent of either who was still alive was the mother of Jane Simpson who was Elspet Adams. Elspet Adams and her older sister Marjory Adams were living with James Dunbar Leslie, his wife Margaret Helen Simpson and their children and can be found in the same household on the 1841 census records. Elspet Adams and her sister Marjory Adams both died on the same day in Elgin, Moray Scotland which was 5th April 1845. The Leslie's did not end up in the Eden area by chance. Margaret Helen Simpson the wife of James Dunbar Leslie is the sister of Jane Simpson the wife of Alexander Walker Davidson. James Dunbar Leslie's son Adam Lind Leslie, who was the innkeeper in Eden, named his son Alexander Walker Davidson Leslie after Jane Simpson's husband. Given the significance of both families in the Eden Monaro area I thought this information would be useful to the Leslie descendants. I have enclosed a document for you. You can use it if it is useful to you.


Descendants of Alexander Walker Davidson

29.06.06
Dennis Hill <dhill1-at-bigpond.net.au> 28.08.07
Recompiled from the Monaro Pioneers database after
some additional research by Ian Harvey: 
18/11/07
with some additional information supplied by:
Cheryl Moore [chezem.cm-at-gmail.com] 29.08.11, 4.04.12

 

Descendants Report

 

 

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