The Family of Samuel Linford and Martha Tucker
Samuel Linford is the second child of William Barlee Linford and Sarah Payne and the first son.
Samuel was born 20 December 1849
Following is the history of Samuel Linford and his descendants as far as can be established.
Samuel Linford
Born 20 December 1849 Julong near
Crookwell. NSW (2389 book 5)
Samuel Linford was born while the family lived in Julong near Crookwell, NSW. It is said that Crookwell is a very cold and windy place. So windy it would blow a dog away. Power turbines have been erected on a property owned by Hazel Seamon at Crookwell, which take advantage of this very windy area. Samuel Linford was baptized under Wesleyan rites in the Parish of Goulburn Circuit, in the County of Argyle, New South Wales 18 November 1850. Samuel was then stated to have been born 20 December 1849. The abode of William and Sarah was given as Juling (? Julong), near Crookwell, and William’s occupation was said to be that of bricklayer.
It appears that Samuel Linford, the second child and the first son of William and Sarah Linford, lived with his parents in Geelong, Williamstown and Meredith areas until about 1877, probably engaged in labouring work. On 2 June 1877 he followed his father’s footsteps, and joined the Victorian Railways where he was appointed to the Civil Engineering Branch as a repairer. At this time he was stationed at Elaine.
Samuel Linford married Martha Tucker at the Presbyterian Manse, Meredith on 5 December 1878 Reg. no.. 4765. He gave his age as 27 (more correctly 28) and that he was a Plate - layer living at Elaine. Martha was stated as having been a Domestic Servant age 20 (more correctly 18) living at Mt Doran. Martha was the daughter of Robert and Marthe (nee Le Maitre) Tucker and was born 21 September 1860. Because of Martha’s age a parent or guardian had to give consent to her marriage. This was given by her Uncle Jean, (known as John) Le Maitre. The officiating minister at the ceremony was the Rev James W.L Abernethy.
The couple settled at Elaine and had the first seven of their children, namely:
Sometime between 1887 and the end of 1890 Samuel moved his family to Williamstown where Samuel continued to work with the Railways. Family tradition says that for a part of the period of this residence in Williamstown at least, he was engaged in construction work associated with the erection of Flinders Street Railway Station in Melbourne. While living at Williamstown their eighth child was born:
In 1894 as a part of the general movement of Railway workers the family moved to Rosedale, where a further four children were born.
Children born at Rosedale are:
Samuel died on 6 June 1908 age 52 as a result of Heart Disease and is buried in the Rosedale Cemetery according to Church of England Rites Reg. no.. 7545. On Samuel’s date of death the children’s ages were Annie 28, William 27, Samuel 26, Sarah 25, Albert 23, Robert 22, Herbert 20, Lily 17, Leslie 13, Reginald deceased 1896, Frederick 10, and Beatrice 8.
Upon Samuel’s death Martha was left in dire straits (Samuel left an estate of 213 pounds with no real estate) and with the responsibility of raising her family. The family acted as Gatekeepers at a Railway crossing towards Flynn, not far distant from Rosedale. They also had a Market Garden and owned a few cows.
The youngest daughter Beatrice was sent off to live with one of her married sisters Sarah Martha (Linford) Thomas for a time. Martha continued to live at Rosedale until her death on 19 October 1939 Reg. no…19335. Martha had suffered from heart problems for upwards of 10 years. From the years of the First World War, her financial situation had been relieved by a grant of a War Pension. Martha is also buried at the Rosedale Cemetery.
(2) William George Linford b. 1880
William George Linford b. 1880 was the second child of Samuel and Martha Linford. On 31 January 1911 at Newport Reg. no.. 61 William George Linford married Ellen Emma Steinhauser (b. 22 September 1888 Reg. no.. 34370) under Church of England rites. William gave his usual residence as Rosedale and his occupation as that of labourer. Ellen Emma gave her usual residence as Newport. Ellen was the daughter of Jacob Henry Steinhauser and Emma Coleman. Ellen Emma Steinhauser is the sister of Mary Anne Steinhauser who married William Henry Linford b. 1889 the son of William George Linford’s cousin William Linford.
Their marriage was reported in the local paper as follows:
“A wedding of Tuesday afternoon last evoked very considerable interest at Christ Church, Newport. The contracting parties were Mr. George Linford and Miss Ellen Emma Steinhaeuser. The bridesmaids were Miss Mary Ann Steinhaeuser, Miss May Page and Miss Mary Wilson. The Bride looked charming in a tastefully made gown of white silk, trimmed with cream and gold lace. She wore the usual wreath and Orange Blossoms, and carried a pretty shower bouquet.”
The report goes on to say that the happy couple have gone to Foster, Gippsland to spend the honeymoon.
William George and Ellen Emma Linford had four children to the marriage, all born at Rosedale.
Ellen Emma (Steinhauser) Linford died 29 July 1933 Reg. no.. 16733, from a heart attack. William George Linford lived to 86 years and died in Fitzroy 1966 Reg. no.. 14589. At the time of his death, William George Linford was stated to have been a carpenter.
The eldest Daughter Emma Daisy Linford b. 1912 married William Herbert Richards (b. 31 March 1900 Reg. no.. 9192 at Bunyip South) on 11 July 1931 at Rosedale, by whom she had five children.