Welcome to my family tree website, AncestryUnited.com.au
This secure website is an accumulation of information, from a variety of sources, aiming to document the families of predominately the Stewart and Skehan families through proven research. With all family trees there are several branches of many families and I am interested in any connection to anyone in this tree. As an added advantage, this website is powered by webtrees, an advanced genealogy solution and as a registered user you can log in securely from anywhere in the world and edit or add to the existing information.
I have highlighted below some of the early details I have on my family line. If you believe you have a connection feel free to ‘Request a new user account’ from the option to the right or click here. After the vetting process you will gain access to further information, as a user of the website. This access includes further linage, images of persons or certificates and detailed information on sources and much more. You will also be part of a collaborative effort to update, correct and explore our past.
Hetherington (Heddrington)
I am able to find information as far back to William Heddrington (b.1698 Lancashire, England) married Anne Johnston (b.1704 Kendall, England). They had Richard Hetherington (b.1737 Westmoreland, England). Richard owned Sugar Estates and was the President of the council on Tortola. He married Mary Pickering (b. 1743) and had a son Richard Hetherington (b. 1785 Thornaby, England). Richard was the President of the British Virgin Navy between 1811 and 1839, In 1843 he became a Lieutenant of the Royal Navy. Richard married Mary Bell to whom he had five children. Only two children survived into adulthood who were Caroline (b.1817) and Bell Hetherington (b.1819). Bell would later marry Alan Stewart.
Stewart (Steuart)
I am able to find information as far back to John Steuart who had a son Alan Stewart. Alan married Bell Ellis (nee Hetherington) in East Stonehouse, Devon, England in 1846. He was a teacher of mathematics at the time. Alan and Bell had a son John Ellis Stewart (b.1849 Plymouth, Devon, England d.1919 Prahran, Victoria, Australia). John received the greater part of his education at the Old Grammar School at Plympton Maurice under Rev Dr. Patey, M.A. John, due to his frail health during boyhood he was educated at home. He later left England for the colony of Australia on the ship True Briton in 1869. He later went to work for his uncle Dr David Griffith Jones at the Pastoral Times in Deniliquin in NSW. John moved to Melbourne with his mother where he had an extensive career in many areas. These included a Journalist, Industrial and Reformatory Schools Department and mercantile pursuits. He later became connected to public institutions, including as an agent for the promoters of the Denilquin and Moama Railway. He negotiated with both the New South Wales and Victorian Governments to build a bridge between the two colonies. John was elected Honorary Secretary to the Victorian Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In this role he enforced the transport of poultry in crates or boxes and made it an offence to tie their legs. He assisted on the Bass Strait surveys and in 1874 formed the Humane Society. In 1877 he insisted that State Schools be taught life saving techniques, which later spread to the other colonies. He assisted Government to enable statute law for the protection of females under 18 for an offence to entice them into any house for immoral purposes. He facilitated a survey on the Gippsland Lakes and River. John was a promotor for the hospital of the incurables and was a member of the “Austin Hospital for Incurables”.
Little is known about Alan and his linage, other than a death notice published for John Ellis Stewart stating that, “Mr. Stewart was one of the Stewarts of Galloway, Ayrshire of which the Earl of Galloway is chief of the clan”. And in a publication in 1882 by Capt. H. Morin Humphreys cite regarding John Ellis Stewart is “… descendant on the father’s side, from one of the most ancient families in Scotland”. Any information on this line would be greatly welcomed.
Staton
Emma Elizabeth Staton (b.1862 Newton Bushell, Devon, England d. 1949 St Kilda East, Victoria, Australia) married John Ellis Stewart in 1890. They had 7 children together. Emma was born to George Amos Staton (b.1832 d.1896) and Eliza Bowden (b.1832 d.1911). George’s parents were John Staton (b.1812) and Mary Elizabeth Surl (b.1813). They had at least 2 children. I have been unable to trace the Staton linage back any further.
Skehan
James Skehan (b.1760) married Mary Foran (b.1764 d.1813). They had three children together John, Patrick (b.1795 d.1865) and James (b.1800 d.1875) in Craigavalla, Rathgormack, Waterford, Ireland. James married Johanna Power (b.1803 d.1875) in Waterford, Ireland. They had a son John Skehan (b.1833 d.1904) who immigrated to Australia. John married Bridget Nolan in 1861in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. They had two children Johanna Skehan (b. 1865 d.1943) and James Skehan (b.1874 d.1953). Johanna and James married in Sale, Victoria where the first of their 8 children were born.
More families to be added later.
AncestryUnited.com.au is a constantly evolving project last updated on 22 March 2024. To date, there are 995 surnames in this family tree with the earliest recorded event being the Birth of Private in 1024. While the most recent event is the Death of Private in 2024.
If you have any comments, feedback or any information about the above please contact Shaun.