Eliza Jane Blewett

[greyroamer]

Here's another curly one, but as most of the mystery occurs in South Australia, it may be a stretch seeking help here.

Eliza Jane Blewett was born on 20th June 1854 in St. Erth (family records) and was baptised in St Erth on 13th Aug 1854 (OPC Database), the daughter of Benjamin Blewett and Eliza Edyvean (of whom we have recently spoken).

On 8th February, 1873, she married Richard James Tippett (bp. 17 July 1842 in Crantock, son of James Tippett and Mary Bilkey). James Richard died on 9th August 1909 in Broken Hill NSW, and I have all the info on him.

Now here is the mystery. I have a family photograph of Eliza Jane which bears the caption "Eliza Jane JOHNS, fmly Tippett, Nee Blewett, b. 4 Feb (sic.) 1854 St Erth, Cornwall,  d. 4 Feb 1942, Reade Park SA."

I can confirm almost every detail except for the mysterious John Henry Johns, her supposed husband. The death notice in the Adelaide "Advertiser" on 5th Jan mentions her four surviving daughters, Henrietta (Hill), Ruby (Perry), Olive (Roberts, my great-gran) and Annie (Burchett), but no mention of her husband, who I must assume had pre-deceased her. (Her death record in the SA BDM shows the informant as John Henry Johns (DH). Assuming he wasn't a d--k-head, I'll assume that means deceased husband.

I have checked the SA and NSW BDM's, various cemetery lists, Trove and family records but can find no trace of his marriage(s) or death. Does anyone out there have any information?

Thanks
Mike

[spikeharwood]

Apr 29, 2016 5:01:15 GMT -5 greyroamer said:

(Her death record in the SA BDM shows the informant as John Henry Johns (DH).

Do you have Eliza's death certificate? That will show who the informant is. My guess is that it would be one of the daughters. (Not that it matters much.)
I've never seen a deceased husband as an informant. Always a first, but quite an achievement if he has communicated from beyond the grave.
The SA BDM shows the DH as a relative.
Not that that answers your question.....

[Cornish Terrier]

Mike - the SA BDMs do record the death of a John Henry Johns at Adelaide 12th July 1912 age 54.
Although I can't confirm it this could be the second husband in which case the marriage would have been a fairly short one. Unfortunately I am not able to find a marriage either.

John Henry Johns (above) and Eliza Jane Johns are both buried at West Terrace Cemetery but there is nothing in the burial/grave details to offer any clue to whether they were linked.

CT

[spikeharwood]

Details from the death certificate of Eliza:

Date of death 4th February 1942, Eliza Jane JOHNS, aged 87 years, widow of John Henry JOHNS, engine driver, of 6 Lincoln Ave, Reade Park.
Born Cornwall, 65 years in Australia. Age at remarriage 65 years.
Children - living 4F, dec 1M. Cod senility. Informant, funeral director.

I was going to look up the 1912 death for John Henry JOHNS, but the above suggests that it's not him. They seem to have been married in 1920 but there's no obvious marriage in SA, VIC or NSW, and no obvious death for him between 1920 and 1942.