The Family of Edward Joseph KEITH and Louisa HANKSEdward was not alone in Sydney society in having children with both his wife and his mistress. It would appear that several of his colleagues were in the same situation. Here I cover his family with Louisa HANKS. His other family, with his wife Ann Boleyn KEITH is here. Louisa HANKSLouisa HANKS was the youngest of the eight children of James HANKS and Sarah TRAPNELL. Both were convicts.
It would appear that James HANKS and Sarah Trapnell never legally married, although Sarah is recorded as living with James in 1806 and as the "wife" of James in the 1822 Convict Musters. Note too that the 8 children of James and Sarah are listed in the 1822 Muster so their relationship was recognised by the government authorities:
The eight children of James HANKS and Sarah TRAPNELL are:
The life of Louisa HANKSLouisa was born in Sydney on 23 October 1814. She was baptised in St Lukes Church, Liverpool, Sydney on 1 December 1833. At around 17 years of age Louisa began a relationship with Edward Joseph KEITH. She had 3 children with Edward:
After Edward Joseph died on 29 May 1837, Louisa was left with the 3 children. The two boys, Edward and Alfred were taken in by Mr Thomas Deane ROWE, a city businessman, who had married Louisa's sister Harriet. Thomas died in 1838 and soon after Harriet married Dr William SHERWIN, the Colony's first locally-born doctor. Sherwin appears to have obtained land in Mittagong and may have helped Louisa and her husband to obtain land there. Louisa married Thomas TROY in 1843 and lived in Mittagong, but they soon took up land at Cootamundra. Louisa had another four children with Thomas Troy:
Louisa died in Mittagong, NSW on 25 January 1897. The Children of Edward Joseph KEITH and Louisa HANKSEdward James KEITHEdward James was born in Sydney on 4 August 1832. He was with Louisa in Mittagong after she married Thomas TROY and when they moved to new farm land at Cootamundra. He married Charlotte WEBB on 30 March 1854. Charlotte had previously married Edward PERKINS on 17 April 1848 and had 3 children (Edward, Caroline and Emily) before Edward died on 1 November 1852 after falling from a buggy.
Charlotte died at Wallendbeen, Cootamundra on 19 September 1891. Edward and Charlotte had 2 children:
Isabella KEITHIsabella, the second child, was born in Sydney in 1833. It is reputed that she was cared for my her aunt Mary SHERWIN (nee HANKS) after her father Edward Joseph KEITH died in 1837. She married Joseph Frederick WATSON in 1858 in Sydney, and had three children:
Little further is known about Isabella and her family. Her death, or the marriage or death of her children are not in the NSW records. There is a report that the family moved to Dunedin (New Zealand or Scotland ?) where Isabella died in 1910. Their son William returned to NSW, although I cannot find the shipping record for his return. Alfred George KEITHAlfred George was born 14 August 1836 in Sydney. He married Frances Elizabeth WEBB on 31 December 1856 in Berrima, NSW. Frances was the younger sister of Charlotte WEBB who had married Alfred's brother Edward. Alfred and Frances had 11 children Frances died in Murrumburrah, NSW on 8 January 1885. Alfred subsequently married Agnes CRENEY (nee DONALD) in 1889. Agnes died in 1906 and Alfred then married her sister Jean. Alfred died on 30 July 1929 in Mosman, NSW. There is more detail on the life and family of Alfred George here... Return to the Benton Family Index Page Last updated: 19/05/2020 |
