Biography

Arthur Mouat was born at Collafirth, Northmavine, Shetland Is on 10 February 1812, the son of John Mouat and Elizabeth nee Williamson. Arthur had at least one brother ( James ) and one sister (Mary ). Little is known of his early life. His seaman's ticket issued in Lerwick in 1845 (see below) indicates he first went to sea in 1821 as a boy at age 9.   His occupation is recorded as crofter and fisherman in the Northmavine census in 1851 [5]. On 12 December 1833 at Houland, Northmavine, Shetland Is, he married Martha Smith. Martha Smith was born at Houland, Northmavine, Shetland Is on 11 April 1816, the daughter of Thomas Smith and Ursula nee Chine (Cheyne). She was baptised on 14 April 1816. Arthur and Martha had a family of seven (Ursula, Arthur, James [4], Agnes Jamieson, Martha, Robina Fordyce and one other daughter).
    In 1857, Arthur and his son Arthur travelled to Australia on the South Carolina. They arrived in Victoria from Liverpool in November 1857. Arthur's brother James had come to Australia come ten years previously and had settled in Richmond, Victoria.    Arthur and son stayed only briefly in Melbourne, they are said to have made their way to Lucknow, NSW via various goldfields. Apparently they liked the new country, for four years later, in 1861, Arthur returned to the Shetland Is and to bring his wife, Martha, and daughters, Martha and Robina Fordyce, to Australia aboard the Commodore Perry. Later, Arthur and Martha's eldest daughter, Ursula, her husband, Duncan Gow and their family also immigrated to Australia in 1877 aboard the LaHogue.
    Sometime after 1857 the family name became Moad. One story is that the name change was made so that Arthur could get his mail when he asked for it at the post office. It is noteworthy that 'Mouat(t)' or 'Mowat' is pronounced 'Moad' in Shetland. His bother James had already adopted the name Moad. James's name is given as Moad on his marriage certificate in 1849 and his name also appears as Moad in various Victorian directories.
    Arthur died at "Spring Grove" near Spring Hill on 7 September 1881 aged 69.   Martha died at "Fairfield" near Millthorpe on 28 November 1874 aged 58. Both are buried in the Methodist section of the Orange cemetery.

Arthur Mouatt's seaman's ticket issued Lerwick on 14th April 1845

Grave of Arthur Moad and Martha (nee Smith)
Orange Cemetery

Tombstone inscription:

ERECTED
in
affectionate remembrance
BY THE CHILDREN OF
MARTHA MOAD
DIED 28th NOVEMBER 1871
AGED 58 years
also
HER BELOVED HUSBAND
ARTHUR MOAD
DIED 7th SEPTEMBER 1881
AGED 69 years

Justified through faith alone
Here they saw their sins forgiven
Here they lay there burden down
Hallowed and made meet for Heaven

also
their granddaughter
MARTHA MOAD
DIED 19th DECEMBER 1876
AGED 4 months
GRACE MOAD
DIED 19th JANUARY 1887
AGED 4 months
EDITH MAY MOAD
DIED 8th JANUARY 1889
AGED 7 months

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Descendants

Descendents of Arthur Moad and Martha Smith

Descendants of Arthur Moad and Martha Smith
(Click on image to expand)

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References and Notes

[1] The Moad Family Tree Book Lottie Bell (ed.) (1984).

[2] The following extract is taken from The Moad Family Tree Book [1].

   "...Dad told me of his life as a boy in Millthorpe and often mentioned his Moad cousins at Spring Hill. One story really was my favourite and told how his mother, Martha Moad, with her parents, was travelling from Melbourne to Spring Hill and they were held up by the bush rangers Ben Hall and Morgan.
    Before leaving Melbourne they had been advised to hide their gold sovereigns in their fat tin by placing them on the bottom, and then covering them with mutton fat, which would set hard. They should then put beef dripping in the tin for use on the journey. They also hid some notes among their clothes.
    When Hall and Morgan searched the party, they put a hand into the fat and struck the hard mutton fat and thought it was the bottom of the tin. In searching the trunks they missed the notes. They searched the men and found very little cash. Then Morgan said the women should be searched.
    One of the ladies recoiled in horror and shock and Ben Hall turned his gun on Morgan and told him to leave the ladies alone: they were not there to molest women. Morgan protested, but rode off with Hall.
    Dad said Ben Hall would always find refuge and food in the homes of our family, because he acted like a gentleman..."

Frank Gilbert Pearce, 11 Rifle Range Road., Alstonville (ca 1984)

[3] Cook, K. A History Springs to Mind Orange City Council: Orange, NSW, 2001.

There are some discrepancies between the information provided in this book and that which appears above.

[4] It is not known how or when Arthur and Martha's son James (b 1844) came to Australia. A "James Mowatt" aged 17 (born Shetland Islands) died in Forbes, NSW on 10 May 1862 of typhoid following an illness lasting 3 weeks. He was buried in Forbes on 12 May 1862 (the death certificate contains no other information; parents are stated to be unknown). It is believed that this James is Arthur and Martha's son.

The James Moad identified in several references [1, 3], and who was a resident in the Orange district 1875-1889, is not this James Moad and may mot be directly related. He was born ca 1842 in Sydney, the son of Andrew and Mary nee Dollard. There has been speculation that this James may be a cousin and that his father, Andrew, may be a brother of Arthur (b 1812). There is, however, no comfirmatory data for this in the Northmavine Parish registers.

[5] Information from the Northmavine census:

1841 Census: (no relationships given, relationships assumed on the basis of 1851 and 1861 census and info from baptismal register)

Address: Bordister

John Manson aged 45 head, farmer born in Northmavine

Mary aged 40 his wife

Magnus aged 12 his son

John aged 10 his son

James aged 7 his son

Ann aged 4 his daughter

Andrew aged .8 his son

Elizabeth Mouatt* aged 70 ind. born in Northmavine

* assumed to be mother of Mary (cf. 1861 census)

Address: Houlland

Martha Mouatt aged 25 head, small farmer born in Northmavine

Ursula aged 8 daughter

Ursula Smith* aged 70 ind.

Agnes Ratter aged 2

* assumed to be mother of Martha

1851 Census
Address: Houlland

Arthur Mowat aged 39 head, crofter and fisherman born in Northmavine

Martha aged 35 his wife

Arthur aged 10 his son

James aged 7 his son

1861 Census:
Address: Graveland, Northmavine

John Manson aged 65 head, farmer born in Northmavine

Mary aged 61 his wife

Ann aged 21 his daughter

Elizabeth Mouatt aged 90 his mother-in-law, widow born in Northmavine

Additional References are provided on individual Person Cards:
Arthur Moad
Martha Moad (nee Smith)

and web pages for their children:
Ursula (Gow)
Arthur
James
Martha (Pearce)

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Links

Shetland Links
Shetland Family History Society
Genuki Shetland Page
Shetland Today (Shetland Times)
Shetland Family History Home Page (Tony Gott - extensive database of births, deaths and marriages for Shetland)

Additional Shetland Links

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Acknowledgements

The assistance of the following who provide information for this web page is gratefully acknowledged.

Jeanne Muller
Jan Richards - Orange City Library

John Manson	aged 45	head, farmer	born in Northmavine
Mary	aged 40	his wife
Magnus	aged 12	his son
John	aged 10	his son
James	aged 7	his son
Ann	aged 4	his daughter
Andrew	aged .8	his son
Elizabeth Mouatt*	aged 70	ind.	born in Northmavine

Martha Mouatt	aged 25	head, small farmer	born in Northmavine
Ursula	aged 8	daughter
Ursula Smith*	aged 70	ind.
Agnes Ratter	aged 2

Arthur Mowat	aged 39	head, crofter and fisherman	born in Northmavine
Martha	aged 35	his wife
Arthur	aged 10	his son
James	aged 7	his son

John Manson	aged 65	head, farmer	born in Northmavine
Mary	aged 61	his wife
Ann	aged 21	his daughter
Elizabeth Mouatt	aged 90	his mother-in-law, widow	born in Northmavine