Baptised date: 29 August 1819
Burial date: 1 January 1962

Some records note the name as "Anne" but the majority records are "Ann", also Ann Grubb signed her name as "Ann" on her wedding certificate.
Ann Grubb came to Australia on the 14th August 1840 on the vessel "Lady Clarke" as a free settler when she was only 21 years old. The vessel was of 430 tons and mastered by Alex Lawrence. It sailed from Plymouth on the 20th April 1840 with 208 emigrants (198 adults & 10 children), 24 crew, 14 passengers and 2 children. Ann came out with her brother, Thomas Grubb, and his wife Sarah Whittle, who married three weeks before leaving London on the 20th April 1840. Thomas & Sarah Grubb settled on a farm at Murrays Flats, NSW almost immediately, not far from Goulburn. On Ann's marriage certificate in 1840, she was described as a "housemaid". Ann's certificate on arrival to Australia shows that she was unmarried, 21 years of age, was a housemaid by calling, a protestant and that she could read and write. The certificate also showed she was a native of Weymouth, England and her father was William Grubb and mother Elizabeth Reid (sic.) of the same place.
After two months in a new country, Ann married Jonathon Harris (later referred to as Harriss) in the St. Saviour Church in Goulburn. He signed by his "X" mark, meaning he could not write. The Governor's consent was required for the marriage, confirming that Harris was a convict. (Refer to his notes). Witnesses to the marriage, were Thomas Grubb (Ann's brother) and his wife, Sarah of Darbys Murrays Flats, NSW. The minister who married them was William Sowerby, the first resident priest in the Diocese of Goulburn. He died in 1875. The church was commenced in 1839, and consecrated in 1845. St. Saviour's Cathedral is now on this site.
It appears Ann & Jonathon then lived at "Grampian Hills" near Marulan because on the 12th September 1841, a son was born at "Grampian Hills" to Jonathon & Ann Harris. This was the property of William Shelley jnr. to whom Jonathan was assigned for working. Their son was named William Thomas Harris. William Shelley Snr. (1774-1815) was a former Tongan Missionary and island trader who eventually settled on land in Macquarie St, Parramatta. He then became interested in the welfare of the local Aboriginal children. When Rev. Samuel Marsden's daughter Ann married Thomas Hassall, they lived in a cottage on Newlands Estate where their son was born in 1823. Thomas Hassall became a clergymen and his sister, Susan Hassall married William Shelley Jnr. in 1827. William Shelley jnr and his wife owned "Grampian Hills" near Marulan, and also owned a flour mill at Goulburn in the 1840's. The Hassalls and their connections also owned land at Burrowa.
Ann and Jonathan's second son, George Robert Grubb Harriss was born in Goulburn in January 1843. (George was later Baptised as a Olliver- see below) However, by this time, Jonathan, together with his son also named Jonathan, from a previous marriage, was convicted at Parramatta Quarter Sessions of Robbery and sentenced to 15 years transportation. (Refer his notes)
In the September 1842 trial, it appears all his property was ordered to be confiscated. The confiscation prompted Ann to petition the Govenor, Sir George Gipps, to authorize any surplus money from the sale to be given to her. (CS letter 43/74 Location 4/2623.3). In the petition she stated that she had a family of five children without any means of supporting them. These appear to be her own, William Thomas (George Robert Grubb not yet born) and four others of Jonathan's from his first marriage, who would be Henry, Sophia, Thomas and George Jarvis. What a mess. However, her petition which was signed by William Shelley was knocked back by the Governor marking same "I regret that I cannot interfere in this case"
Ann destitute, and only 23, must then have returned to her brother's property at Murrays Flats. However in 1843 she was seen living with William Olliver and they then lived in the Goulburn, Gundaroo & Gunning areas until moving to Burrangong in 1861.
On the 28th March 1857, Ann's parents, William Grubb at age 66, and Elizabeth Grubb (nee Read) at 62, arrived in Australia on the "Vocalist" and settled in Murray Flats with their son, Thomas & his wife, Sarah. Other siblings of Ann also arrived in the Goulburn area (refer to their notes). Her parents, and other relatives are buried at the Wesleyan Chapel Cemetery, Murrays Flats, NSW (since sold and levelled for farming).
The birth certificates of the Olliver children note William & Ann were married in Goulburn in 1843, but there is no civil registration of this marriage. Also Rev. Clancy's book, "Methodism in the Lilac City" also states they were married in Goulburn in 1843. However a file in Goulburn Library notes that Rev. Clancy cannot locate any reference to this marriage.
It would appear Ann was not in a position to marry William because her husband was sentenced to Port Arthur, Van Dieman's Land. However, having not heard from him by 1861, since his sentence in 1842, plus the 7 year rule, Ann was probably safe in describing herself as a "Widow of Goulburn" to her marriage with William Olliver. She also showed two living children, and none deceased from her previous marriage. She was 41 years in 1861 and the witness to this marriage, was again Thomas & Sarah Grubb of Murrays Flats.
Just over 10 months after her marriage to William, Ann died on the gold fields near Burrangong. Her death certificate records this happened on the Bathurst Road Rush and old mapping shows this is on the road near Monteagle outside Young. The funeral was conducted by the Rev. J. D. Thane from the Congregational Church, who was the first clergyman in Young in 1861. The church built in 1861, was blown down on Boxing Day in 1876. The death certificate records the children from the marriage as 3 males & 3 females living and 5 children deceased. The undertaker was Edward Millard.
The three males would be: William Thomas Harris, George Robert Grubb Harris and Henry Olliver. (George Robert Grubb Harris was later baptised as George Robert Olliver when Elizabeth Ann Olliver was baptised in 1848, and it would appear he took on this name when he took over his step father's bakery in Goulburn in 1861).
The three females would be: Elizabeth Ann Olliver, Rebecca Grubb Olliver and Jane Lake Olliver (later called Janet). It does not appear that the five deceased children were registered.
It would appear her husband, William adopted her two sons to Jonathan Harris. Also Goulburn City Library records also indicate they brought up the four Harris children from Jonathan's first marriage with Elizabeth Baker. Being older, the Harris children would have left the household a lot earlier than the Olliver children. However, Ann's first son, William Thomas Harriss appears to also be in Lambing Flat for gold prospecting according to his Obituary in a Goulburn newspaper.
Advices from Young Historical Society indicate Ann is buried in a unmarked grave in Young Cemetery which was first used in late 1861. Edward Millard, the Undertaker at the time, was also the caretaker of the cemetery. Young Shire Council recently dedicated a wall in the Lawn Cemetery for recognition of unmarked graves in the General Cemetery and a memorial plaque is now in place for Ann Olliver.

lpmkepert originally shared this on 01 Nov 2013 (on Ancestry)