Mary Jane Nicholson1

#286, (23 July 1852-2 October 1934)
FatherDonald Nicholson (12 Jan 1812-3 Nov 1899)
MotherMargaret Brown (14 May 1818-22 May 1874)
ChartsBrown family - descendants
Miller Family (Scotland) - descendants
Nicholson Family 1 - descendants
Four generations
Last Edited8 Sep 2022
WikiTree ID:https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Nicholson-7316.
Mary Nicholson
Olliver family headstone
     NOTE: The information on this page is my research to date and is subject to change as I become better informed. I very much welcome any corrections or additional info you might have - my email address is at the bottom of this page. Whilst historical facts are not copyright, my writing about these facts are. If you wish to use any text from this site on Ancestry or on any other website, please ask me first - Tim Hill.
+ + + + + + + + + +


Mary was born on Friday, 23 July 1852 at Yass, New South Wales.2 She was the daughter of Donald Nicholson and Margaret Brown. Mary Jane Nicholson was baptised on Sunday, 10 October 1852 at Yass, New South Wales. She was baptised in a Presbyterian ceremony.2 In her early childhood Mary presumable lived with her family in Yass, and later at Limestone Creek. In her early teens her family lived in Forbes, where she met her husband-to-be.3,4,5 She lived with her parents at Limestone Creek, in the district of Yass, New South Wales, in January 1859.6 She lived with her parents at South Lead, in Forbes, New South Wales, in October 1865. Donald and Margaret were to remain residents of the town for at least three years.7

She may have attended the wedding of her sister in the marriage of Hugh Joseph Sutherland and Margaret Nicholson in a Wesleyan ceremony at the house of Donald Nicholson on Tuesday, 31 October 1865 at Forbes, New South Wales. Although not the oldest child, she was the first to be married - she also seems to have understated her age by as much as two years. Margaret and Hugh went on to have nine children together.8 She moved with her parents to Bushman's Lead, New South Wales, in 1871. They made the move just after gold had been discovered, when the town 'consisted of a butcher's shop, a bakery and a few houses which the hardy pioneers had constructed from the timber around them.9,10'

She may have attended the wedding of her brother in the marriage of James Brown Nicholson and Lydia Horsnell at St. Michaels and St. Johns Catholic Cathedral on Sunday, 20 August 1871 at Bathurst, New South Wales. Lydia was ten years younger than James.. James and Lydia went on to have 12 known children together.11 She lived with her parents at Bushman's Lead, New South Wales, in September 1872.9

She married Henry Olliver, a local blacksmith, son of William Olliver and Ann Grubb, in a Presbyterian ceremony at her father's house on Sunday, 8 September 1872 at Bushman's Lead, New South Wales. She was 20 and her husband Henry was 21. The wedding certificate was also signed by Susannah Alletta Nicholson. Others who may have attended the wedding include Margaret Brown as mother of the bride, Donald Nicholson as father of the bride, an unknown person as mother of the groom and William Olliver as father of the groom. Mary and Henry went on to have 10 children together.9

Her mother died 22 May 1874 at the age of 56. Mary was aged 21 when this happened.12,13

She may have attended the wedding of her sister in the marriage of Michael Bourke and Susannah Alletta Nicholson in a Wesleyan Methodist ceremony at her father's house on Saturday, 26 December 1874 at Parkes, New South Wales. Michael and Susannah went on to have five children over the next 10 years.14

She may have attended the wedding of her sister in the marriage of John William Aplett and Frances Nicholson in a Presbyterian ceremony on Saturday, 18 November 1876 at Forbes, New South Wales. The marriage took place at the home of Henry Clancy in Browne Street. Frances was the sister of the runner that John had recently beaten at Parkes. Frances and John went on to have about nine children together.15,16 She presumably lived with her spouse Henry at Victoria Street, in Parkes, New South Wales, circa 1889. Henry and Mary were to remain there for another 45 years (after having lived in three other houses in town).10,5

Her mother died 3 November 1899 at the age of 87. Mary was aged 47 when this happened. A family photograph circa 1920.
Photograph by User
She and Henry Olliver celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on 8 September 1932.
Henry Olliver and Mary Nicholson - Diamond wedding anniversay


Mary died on 2 October 1934 at 14 Victoria Street, in Parkes, New South Wales, at age 82 following a short illness.17,10 She was buried at Church of England cemetery, in Parkes, New South Wales.18

Mary was memorialised in an obituary on 8 October 1934:
" ...Of a deeply religious nature Mrs. Olliver attended the Presbyterian Church regularly until recently, and brought her family, to whom she was devoted, up in a way which made, them honored throughout the district.
The family, of whom two are deceased, is as follows: William (Dundas), Margaret (Mrs. F. P. Goudge, of Parkes), Alexandria (Mrs. A. McDougall, Sans Souci), Hughie (New Zealand), Arthur (Sans Souci), James (Bondi), Hilton (New Zealand) and Jack (Young). There are also 30 grandchildren and 17 great, grand children.19

Timeline

DateEventPlace
Family
1852BirthYass, New South Wales2
1852BaptismYass, New South Wales2
1857Note memo only3,4,5
1872Married Name9
1872Marriageher father's house, in Bushman's Lead, New South Wales9
1932Note
Henry Olliver and Mary Nicholson - Diamond wedding anniversay
1934Death14 Victoria Street, in Parkes, New South Wales17,10
BurialChurch of England cemetery, in Parkes, New South Wales18
1934Quotation type 119

Family

Henry Olliver (11 Mar 1851-11 Apr 1938)
Children

Citations

  1. [S452] Private Nicholson Source, Genealogical Notes, unknown date p.4 (middle name).
  2. [S248] Parish Registers for Yass, 1788- 1856 Vol. 51 entry 1305.
  3. [S1] New South Wales, Birth Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1870 No.9613.
  4. [S1] New South Wales, Birth Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1859 No.14301.
  5. [S645] The Western Champion, Barcaldine, Qld, Australia, 'Diamond Wedding' September 1932.
  6. [S1] New South Wales, Birth Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1859 No. 14301.
  7. [S3] New South Wales, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1865 No.2533.
  8. [S3] New South Wales, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1865 No. 2533.
  9. [S3] New South Wales, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1872 No.2094.
  10. [S644] The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser, New South Wales, Australia, 1934 'GENERAL NEWS.', The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser (NSW : 1876 - 1948), 8 October, p. 3, viewed 3 August, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112820901
  11. [S3] New South Wales, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1871 No.1637.
  12. [S2] New South Wales, Death Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1874 No. 4743.
  13. [S1] New South Wales, Birth Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1875 No. 10,895.
  14. [S3] New South Wales, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1874 No. 2353.
  15. [S3] New South Wales, Marriage Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1876 No.2551.
  16. [S596] The Windsor and Richmond Gazette, Richmond(?), New South Wales, Australia, 1925 'JOHN APLETT.', Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1954), 10 July, p. 5, viewed 16 March, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article85902281
  17. [S2] New South Wales, Death Certificate, Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages 1934 No.21,853.
  18. [S646] A photograph by Mary Martensz taken early 2013 of early 2013.
  19. [S644] The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser, New South Wales, Australia, 1934 'GENERAL NEWS.', The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser (NSW : 1876 - 1948), 8 October, p. 3, viewed 3 August, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112820901 ("GENERAL NEWS
    OBITUARY.
    MRS. MARY OLLIVER.
    One of Parkes' pioneer ladies, Mrs. Mary Olliver, wife of Mr. Harry Olliver, of Victoria-street, passed away in her home early on Tuesday morning, following a short illness, at the age of 82 years.
    Born in Yass, Mrs. Olliver came to Parkes in 1871, just after gold had been discovered, and the town, then known as. 'The Bushman's Lead,' consisted of a butcher's shop, a bakery and a few houses which the hardy pioneers had constructed from the timber around them. In 1872 she was married to Mr. Olliver who had also recently arrived in the town, and together they set about making a living following farming pursuits in the district. Mr. Olliver was able to build a comfortable home in Victoria-street in 1889, and they, have resided there ever since.
    Of a deeply religious nature Mrs. Olliver attended the Presbyterian Church regularly until recently, and brought her family, to whom she was devoted, up in a way which made, them honored throughout the district. The family, of whom two are deceased, is as follows: William (Dundas), Margaret (Mrs. F. P. Goudge, of Parkes), Alexandria (Mrs. A. McDougall, Sans Souci), Hughie (New Zealand), Arthur (Sans Souci), James (Bondi), Hilton (New Zealand) and Jack (Young). There are also 30 grandchildren and 17 great, grand children.
    There was a special service at the Presbyterian Church, on Tuesday afternoon, when the Rev. H. S. Bunn gave a brief, but very fine address. At 3 o'clock the funeral cortege moved off to the cemetery where the Rev. Bunn again officiated.
    Deep sympathy is felt for the family and the aged widower in their loss of one of whom it could truly be said, 'She was one of God's good women.' — 'Champion-Post.'
    Many friends in this district extend their sympathy to Mrs. McDougall and Mr. J. Olliver.").