Hi everyone,
Today I started using the member's section of the Genealogical Society of Victoria's website. And Bingo!
We have been looking for my great great grandmother's brother John for a long time, and had only found his birth and death records.
The trouble with researching this family all along has been their multiple use of surnames. They were born with the surname CUMMIS, but for some reason unknown to us, all the children adopted the use of their mother's birth name, ARMSTRONG or her step-father's surname, SALTER. She used her step-father's surname of Salter until the day she died. Even in the newspaper upon her death she is referred to Elizabeth CUMMIS better known as Elizabeth SALTER.
My great great grandmother Louisa was born CUMMIS but married as Louisa SALTER. Her brother was born James CUMMIS but was known later as James Salter ARMSTRONG. Another brother Robert was born Robert Armstrong COMES, but later in life dropped the Comes and became Robert Armstrong. His descendants are all ARMSTRONG.
In looking for brother JOHN, I presumed he would adopt the name Armstrong as his two elder brothers did, and that was correct. His death records do show up as John Armstrong. However, it hadn't occurred to me to search under the name SALTER for John, and when I did, there he was.
John SALTER was admitted to Castlemaine Mt. Alexander Hospital on 4 Jan 1886 when he was 10 years old. He was there for about 10 days and was discharged cured. We will have to research more to find his diagnosis. He was recommended to the hospital by a Mr. Carbarns, who, five years later, also recommended John's mother Elizabeth be admitted to the same hospital for Rheumatic fever. We will have to research who Mr. Carbarns is.
I know it is just a hospital record. I know it is not a huge event in John's life. But the thrill of discovery and that electric realization that you've found a piece of that puzzle is one that all family historians live for.
Historically yours,
Valerius Copernicus.
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