I couldn't find a NSW marriage for your gg grandparents. Perhaps they travelled up from Victoria? I didn't see records in Qld.

According to the NSW Registrar of BDMS there are 6 births of likely children born to John and Mary Dearman. Johanna b 1848, Jessie b 1849, Sarah b 1851, Peter b 1854, William b 1857 Patricks Plains, Mary b 1860 Patricks Plains, NSW. Perhaps if you purchased some of these birth certs it may reveal more information, like maiden name of mother?

Think I've found her burial record (photo) at Gundy General Cemetery, Merrimuka Road, Gundy 2337 NSW:-

Inscription for Mary Dearman - Australian Cemeteries Index online

It may save you some time to know I have searched the Victorian records and could not find a marriage for your John DEARMAN and Mary.
Also searched for possible births and deaths for their children which would have recorded Mary's maiden name. Nothing recorded.

I agree with Allycat, a certificate would be the way to go. You can obtain a transcript of a certificate for half the cost if you do not wish to pay full price. They are a costly item.

Good luck with your search.

Thanks allycat,

I have found the burial record for Mary at Gundy General Cemetery and her Daughter is recorded on the headstone as well. I have not been able to find Johns burial record at all.

I've used the NSW registrar and found it great for gaining access to fee information. John and Mary's son William b 1857 Patricks Plains is my g.grandfather. Your right I may have to purchase a birth cert. to try and get a result.

I can't find a marriage between them either. John was a convict, pardoned in 1847 from what I can gather.

Thanks tonkin,

Looks as if I'll need to pay to hopefully find what I'm seeking. I'm just a novice at this game and finding Mary's maiden name has come to a full stop via the free online services.

Here is possibly some information on your ancestor, John DEARMAN, now that you've told 'us' he was a convict. Source: Free Settler or Felon?

# Family Name First Name Ship Date Location Reference Remarks

139894 Dearman John - 1859 26 April Section, near Singleton MM Formerly of the Allyn river. Died on 18th April 1859 aged 50 years after a short illness, leaving a widow and six children

43000 Dearman John Sarah 1829 1838 24 March Paterson SG Obtained Ticket of Leave

84229 Dearman John Sarah 1829 1837 Paterson GRC Tried in London. T/L holder aged 27. Employed by Charles Boydell

140916 Dearman John Sarah 1829 1842 16 July Paterson SG Granted Ticket of Leave

16144 Dearnon (?Dearman) John - 1841 1 June Newcastle SH Ticket of leave cancelled for fabrication

137500 Dearnon (Dearman) John Sarah 1829 1841 1 June Newcastle SH Ticket of leave cancelled for imposition in fabricating a letter purporting to announce the death of his wife in England with a view to get re married in this colony


Perhaps you might like to register as a new user of Rootschat - free site, scroll down to their Australia childboard. First have a read of their how to post/beginners instructions. Be careful to include all known information including your sources so as not to double up on genealogical research which I'm sure you understand is so time consuming, but a great hobby.

Lots of rootschatters have Digger and other cd roms of all the bdms in Australia. No doubt you will find your ancestors yet.

Think about putting your family tree online, say Geni for example. It's great.

Here's a NSW transcription agent for you:- BDM Transcription Agent

Best wishes.

And a wee bit more info for you.

Convicts to N.S.W. 1788-1843.

John DEARMAN tried in London in 1829 aged 21 years. Life sentence.
Arrived Port Jackson on the "Sarah" on the 7 December 1829.

This would put John's year of birth circa 1809. This seems to fit with the info Allycat sent you.

If this turns out to be your John I would be obtaining a copy of his convict record, including the many other records available on him, for your family tree.

For now I would be looking at a transcript for one of the birth certificates to confirm Mary's maiden name. It may also tell where the parents were married. I suggest you obtain the latest birth as the earlier ones do not give as much info. The Transcript Agent passed on to you above does good work. I have used this service a number of times and have no complaints.

Let us know how you go.

Thank you so much for that information and advice allycat I really appreciate your help. I'll try and get a little more adventurous in my reach.

Hi tonkin,

Thanks for that tip and I will certainly let you know the outcome of my search for Mary's family.

Today I have found Mary Dearman's maiden name. She was Mary Cameron she came to Australia with her family in 1839.

Hi im also researching Mary Dearman as her daughter Sarah Mary was my great great grandmother (she married Frederick Jarvis).I can confirm her maiden name was Cameron born c1825 and her parents were Peter Cameron and Christiana Fraser. They are of Scottish descent. The convict information is new to me , but my Dad always joked about having convicts as ancestors.

Hi Chemi it's Lesley from ancestry.com. After a long search I finally discovered the maiden name of my g.g.grandmother Mary. John and Mary Dearman's son William is Sarah's father. Fred and Sarah Jarvis are my grandparents. A lot of the information that I had discovered in my search pointed to Mary most likely being a Cameron but confirmation was finally made by finding her maiden name attached to the baptism record of one of her children.