Sarah Louisa Maria DENHOLM

My great-grandmother Louisa was born in Bothwell, Tasmania, in 1867. I have vague memories of her as she died in 1954. Her parents were George DENHOLM, a farmer, who died when she was 16, and Mary Ann STEVENS, whose father was a builder and carpenter in Bothwell.
Louisa was the second of eight children. She married Walter PATTERSON of Snake Plains in 1889. They had eleven children, all of whom survived to adulthood. Unfortunately their second son, Walter was lost in France in 1916.

Elizabeth SCHUMACK

Born around 1806 if her age at death is correct, I have at last found the origins of this ancestor. Her obituary tells us that she came to Van Diemen's Land with Captain Langdon in about1837. She was born at Martock, not far north of Montacute in Somerset. She married Samuel GEARD in 1837 in Bothwell, the witnesses being George and Martha CHIVERS. Samuel died in 1841, leaving her with a small son. She remarried John STEVENS in 1842 and had three more children.

Launceston Examiner Thursday 6 July 1893 page 4

A VERY old colonist has recently joined the majority in the person of Mrs John Stevens, of Bothwell, who passed away in her sleep on the 27th ult., at the age of 87. The deceased lady arrived in the colony with Captain Langdon and family 55 years ago, and at once took up her residence in Bothwell. The best years of her life she devoted to the sick and suffering, and any hour, day or night, in good, bad, or in different health, the call upon the " Good Samaritan" was never once in vain. Wonderfully gifted by nature with skill in the treatment of many ailments, in a district where medical aid was difficult to obtain, many trying times had been her lot. During her later years she had been a martyr to rheumatism, no doubt contracted by exposure to all weathers on her missions of mercy. But now her reward has come, for the Master hae said, " Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, thou good and faithful servant." The deceased lady was a native of Martock, England, and was of a long- lived family. Her father died at the age of 87, her mother 98, her brother (accidentally killed) 72, her sister 68, making their united ages 412 years.

John STEVENS

Born about 1812 if his age at death is correct, I have at last realised that the 1848 census shows him to have probably arrived in Van Diemen's land as a convict, as he is neither native born, nor came free. He was a carpenter and builder in Bothwell.
Checking convicts of that name into Van Diemen's Land, it is possible that he arrived on Bardaster in January 1836.
John Stevens per Bardaster 13 Jan 1836 was convicted of Larceny at Middlesex Quarter Sessions on 18 May 1835 and sentenced to 7 years. His Gaol report was "Not known" and  Hulk Report "Good". The surgeon's report was also "Good", suggesting that he may not have been a hardened criminal.
He was married with one child and stated his offence "pledging tools, the property of Mr Mann, Paddington. His convict record shows that his "wife Charlotte was with her mother Susan Jerome at Chelsea".
I had a look at familysearch.com and found Charlotte Jarram married to John Stevens on 28 Jul 1834 at St. Mary, Battersea, in Surrey. A son, John George Stevens was born on 28 April 1835 and christened at St Luke's, Chelsea on 11 Oct 1835. Family search also shows that the child died in November 1836.
John Stevens received his Ticket of Leave on 3 March 1841 and his Free Certificate No. 377 in 1842.
Once in VDL, his conduct record mentions Bothwell and names associated with that area, so we must now hope to find some information to directly connect this convict and the man who married a widow, Elizabeth GEARD nee Schumack, in 1842.
They had three children, as well as her son by her previous marriage. In 1867 he built the Sunday School which is now used by the CWA in Bothwell.
The Mercury  newspaper Tuesday 18 August 1868 p 1 Family Notices
STEVENS.-On the 16th August, at Bothwell, William Stevens, aged 23 years and 10 months, only son of Mr. John Stevens, carpenter and builder, much respected by all who knew him. The funeral will move from his parents' residence on Friday next at 2 p.m. Friends accept this notice.

John Stevens died in 1890.

The Mercury Tuesday 22 July 1890 p 3 Article

TASMANIAN TELEGRAMS

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

SUICIDE AT BOTHWELL

BOTHWELL, MONDAY.

John Stevens, a very old and respected resident of Bothwell, died this morning from the effects of a self-inflicted wound in his throat, which he most determinedly inflicted with a razor on Friday last. Deceased had been drinking rather heavily of late, which is said to be the cause of his committing so rash on act. Mr Coroner Langdon will hold an inquest to-morrow. The inquest does not reveal any more. 
We can only speculate on what drove him to this end? Perhaps he was suffering from a painful terminal illness?

Mary Ann STEVENS

Born at Bothwell in 1843. Her parents were John STEVENS, a carpenter, and Elizabeth SCHUMACK. She married George DENHOLM, the younger, in 1863 at her father's house in Elizabeth Street, Bothwell. They had eight children, but her husband died in 1884 when her youngest was only 4 years old. She lived in a house in Elizabeth Street, on land originally granted to her father, until her death in 1912. Her parents died in 1890 and 1893, so I hope they helped each other. Her youngest daughter was widowed in 1904 and lived with her mother and two small children.

George DENHOLM II

Born in 1838, George was the second son of George DENHOLM and Sarah BARNES. He worked as a farm overseer and married Mary Ann STEVENS in Bothwell in 1863. They had eight children.
George died in 1884, a few weeks before his father. His youngest son was only four years old when he died. Two of the older daughters became domestic servants.