My missing Omans

[Russell]

Since the board is quiet just now I thought that, for once, I could look for a bit of help.
My G-g-grandfather Donald Oman married Jessie (Janet) Campbell in Halkirk parish, Caithness. Probably Assery which was a tiny village or fermtoun. They had 4 sons.
George b Jul 1791
Isaac b Oct 2 1796
Nathaniel b Apr 20 1799
Daniel b Aug 20 1801
Nathaniel is my line, I have a fully authenticated record, but what happened to George, Isaac and Daniel. Nathaniel was a tailor in Wick and his brothers George and Isaac became haberdashers in Wick (Slaters 1826 Directory) but had disappeared by the 1837 Pigots directory. Daniel was not recorded after his 1801 birth.
What happened to them ? There are no headstones or burial records for them in Halkirk or Wick although all early Halkirk stones were flat and almost totally eroded so its a possibility.
Did they emigrate ? Over the years I have tried all the usual sources.

I'm flummoxed, It's funny that my brick wall is the very family that generated my passion for genealogy.

Russell

[trish1]

Hi Russell

There is a George Oman convicted at Edinburgh 20 may 1833 - sent to Australia 7 year term. arrived on the ship Lloyds (Is this too early to be your George - re Directories?). Found another list - he arrived in NSW Dec 18, 1833. He is in a list of convicts who received a ticket of leave in 1838.

There is a George O'man unknown parents died Millfield District NSW 1888
There is a marriage George Oman to Maria Hancock 1843 C of E Maitland Area - near Millfield - so possibly the same person as the 1888 death

There are a number of children born to George and Maria - one was after civil registration 1858 - so this may give details of when born, when arrived in Australia
http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/Index ... ent=births

The pre civil registration church records are available at our state libraries and various other places - may not have much useful information

Trish

[Currie]

Hello Trish & Russell,

George Oman is a pretty uncommon name, there were only about seven or eight in each Scottish census.

The NAS has some documentation for him. He was convicted of housebreaking etc with previous convictions for theft. He also had gone under an alias of George Swiney. There’s not much extra in the newspapers, only that he was residing in the neighbourhood of Leith Walk.
http://195.153.34.9/onlinecatalogue/det ... =&dt=&di=y

I think the convict ship muster rolls for around 1833 would have stuff like age, native place, trade, and so on. Ancestry has convict records but I’m not sure what.

All the best,
Alan

[Russell]

Hi Alan & Trish

My problem is the lack of records from Halkirk and later in Wick. Several Oman families moved to Leith from Caithness around 1840 and a few years ago we looked at all the Edinburgh records available at the time. I found a George Oman, Draper in South Street, Edinburgh in the "Scottish Provident Institution" in 1866. The Google books facility was not available last time we looked so I'll follow that one up since haberdasher and draper are closely related occupations. the problem is that there was another George Oman in South Leith in a similar occupation but he was from Thurso. America is full of George Omans but almost all of them are of Scandinavian descent.
Thanks for that find Alan. I found the old NAS search facility unhelpful. You have mastered it.
Trish, your finds sent me off looking at the great stuff which is now on-line for Oz and NZ. I thought my ancestors stayed in Scotland so I'm into unfamiliar territory exploring the other side of the world.
I have also found another George dying in Auckland in 1874 but the death notice gave no details about either him or his family.
The surname Oman is a bit of a pain with most search engines since many of the results take me to the middle east. Thanks for regenerating my interest in this side of the family.

Russell

[Alan SHARP]

Greetings Russell.

Three starting points for NZ research if you have not already had a look, at to see if any associated names appear. Papers Past has some good advanced search options, to play with, because as you stated, many hits referr to the Middle East.

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bi ... -&x=30&y=7

http://archway.archives.govt.nz/SimpleSearchResults.do

https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.go ... rchResults

PS. No registered interest in that surname with the NZGS. Only Homan.

Alan SHARP.

ADDED later
PPS. You never know what you will find when you start having a gander at names. In this case George SWINEY. One well healed the other not so.

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bi ... -&x=42&y=5

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bi ... e+swiney--

[trish1]

Hi Russell

I do tend to think of emigration when folks disappear from English/Scottish records. Unfortunately the records I could find on ancestry and the NSW archives didn't give any details of dob and birthplace of the George I found. I couldn't find details of any of the other Omans you mentioned in immigration records. Given we have useful bdm records it is frustrating when the informants had no idea as to parents etc. The death certificates could give an age - which would be useful for elimination - but probably little else.

I found another ticket of leave record - gives the exact date as 1 March 1938 - gives the court as Edinburgh Court of Justice - are any records from there available? He was convicted 20 May 1833.

And - oh bother - I just found another record which gives his birth as c. 1812 - age given as 21 at conviction in 1833, he was a cooper - of 2 years - convicted of housebreaking - so that is not your man - sorry

Trish

[Russell]

Hi Trish, Alan and Alan

I appreciate any hints and suggestions that will help carry my enquiries forward. Piecing together little bits of information and following each bit to its ultimate dead-end ( no pun intended) I have been busy up-dating my bookmarks for the Antipodes since most have more info than they had 10 years ago - those that existed then ! When someone disappears into thin air there are so many avenues to explore. This time round I must keep proper records of which bits I have searched. I didn't do that last time and regret chucking out any notes I did make.

Russell

[Alan SHARP]

Hi Alan & Trish

My problem .....EDIT......I have also found another George dying in Auckland in 1874 but the death notice gave no details about either him or his family.
The surname Oman is a bit of a pain with most search engines since many of the results take me to the middle east. Thanks for regenerating my interest in this side of the family.

Russell

Russell PP searches give details of this George OMAN of Onehunga Auckland NZ, who when his youngest daughter Eleanor married, stated he was late of Caithness Scotland. PM on it's way.

Alan SHARP.

[Alan SHARP]

Greetings again Russell.

More info on the way via PM. I asked a friend to continue my research for you, when we discovered my 36 year old son in law had died. We organized his funeral (yesterday) and now I have some catching up to do, after a full on week ignoring all but, the very essential farm commitments. It will be yet another sombre Christmas for us.

The info found involves the surnames OMAN, HENSHAW, YATES (Yeats) and NISBETT connections in NZ, but I don't have the time, or inclination to be studying it at this time.


Alan SHARP.

[joette]

Alan what a sad week you must have had.My heart goes out to you & especially to your daughter.So sorry for your loss.