Gould or Gilbert?
By Pat Harris
TFHS Inc. Member No. 97
From all branches on our Family Tree, the first born Australian was Sarah, born in 1792.
Early research reveals that Sarah Goulds married William Fellows Baker in Hobart, on 17 September 1818. William was a free settler having arrived at Sydney in 1815 on the Marquis of Wellington. There were four children to the marriage, all born in the Launceston area and baptised by Rev. John Youl of St Johns Church of England, Launceston.
Sarah Elizabeth was born 14 March 1820, baptised 21 May 1820. Bennett Thomas Fellows born 18 February 1822, baptised 3 December 1822. Frances Mary Ann born 8 March 1824, baptised 16 March 1824. Theophilus William born 13 July 1826, baptised 23 January 1827.
Unfortunately Sarah died in child birth on 25 July 1826 partly due, according to a newspaper report, to the intoxication of the midwife. William was a respectable free settler and at the time was having difficulties managing his farm. The death of his wife must have been devastating. The next morning he attempted to cut his own throat. Drs Smith and Mountgarret were very concerned and thought William should not be left alone. At about 10 pm on Friday 28, while Mr Sam Feutrill was with him, William went to a box holding some papers-and withdrew a small lancet and immediately cut his throat again-and died instantly. What a terrible tragedy for the four children. Sarah and Bennett were taken to Mr and Mrs Powell who had a boarding school. Frances went to Dr John Smith and the baby Theo was given to Mrs William Griffiths to be nursed.
What were the origins of Sarah Goulds? Different records say she was born in the colony-the date about 1792. Other information which has been found:
She was a witness to an incident in the house of her master Thomas Smyth, the
Provost Marshal in Sydney in 1803, aged 10 years.
One 1806 muster states she was on stores, a servant with John Gowen.
Another 1806 muster states Sarah Gould was a concubine (not married to her partner) and had one natural daughter. (Sarah was then 14 years!)
A notice in the Sydney Gazette states Sarah Gould is leaving for Hobartown per John Palmer8 March 1817.
Mrs Sarah Baker and Elizabeth Feutrill (10 years) travelled to Sydney per Jupiter, August 1819 and returned November 1819.
Finding a reference to the death of William in the Land Commissioner's Journal 1826- 1828, led to locating papers in the Archives Office of Tasmania dealing with the disposal of his property and the future of the children.
Within days of the death of William, the neighbours Ritchie and Field made application to the Government for land grants for each of the children. William's farm was lost due to a debt, but these neighbours proposed to form a Trust to take care of the poor orphan children, if granted the land and given control of the stock from the farm. The stock included ninety head of sheep and twenty-one homed cattle. The application was denied.
Among the Archives Office of Tasmania papers was a letter from E. A. Abbott stating that there was no need for Ritchie and Field to care for the orphans as they had relatives in Launceston. Mr Theophilus Feutrill was a brother of the late Mrs Sarah Baker and a maternal uncle to the children. So what was the connection between Sarah and Theo?
Theo was a son of Theo and Ann Feutrill. Theo snr had married in Sydney on 13 August 1799, Ann Gilbert, widow of Stephen Gilbert. There is no record for the marriage of Stephen Gilbert and Ann Carey. It is November 1791 on Norfolk Island. (No records survive.) Stephen was a 1st Fleet marine per Scarborough1788. Ann Carey was a convict arriving per Neptune in 1790 after being convicted in Norwich on 3 August 1789 by Mr Justice Gould. Also on board the Neptune was a contingent of the NSW Corps, including Theo Feutrill snr.
On 4 March 1790, Stephen was sent to Norfolk Island per Supply and by February 1792 was working a grant of sixty acres. Ann Carey, after only five weeks in Sydney, was sent to Norfolk Island per Surprize on 7 August 1792. The family of three returned to Sydney per Kittyon 9 March 1793. 'Sarah' was baptised in the little wattle and daub chapel by Rev. Johnson on 18 May 1793. Later, another daughter, Hannah was born in 1795 and a son John in 1797. John died 1 799. The little chapel was the origins of St Philips Church.
Stephen received a grant of land at Bankstown and had applied for another when he appears to have died. There is no record. The application for the second piece of land was allotted to his widow, Ann Gilbert.
Theo and Ann had four children in Sydney and moved to Van Diemen's Land with the three surviving children, Theo, Mary and Elizabeth, sometime between 1806 and 1810. Samuel, James and Thomas were born in the Launceston area.
Theo jnr was the brother of Sarah Baker and uncle of the four orphan children. Sam who witnessed the death of William was also a brother. Elizabeth who travelled to Sydney in 1819 with Sarah was a sister.
Gould or Gilbert? Was Sarah, Sarah Gilbert, or is there another story to be found concerning Ann Carey to explain the Goulds/Gould/Goold name?
Even though Sarah died at an early age her story has been intriguing and has involved many early names in history.
Post Script
Theo Feutrill snr returned to Sydney with his Regiment in 1815 and died in England in 1821.
Ann Carey/Gilbert/Feutrill died in Launceston in 1830 aged 58 years.
After the death of his first wife, Dr John Smith married his ward Frances Mary Ann Baker in 1842.
This story was originally published in 2001 by the Tasmanian Family History Society Inc in My Most Interesting Ancestor.
The original introduction to this publication may be found here.