| | 1. Alexander Alexander, b. 1820, Forteviot, Perthshire, Scotland  d. 12 Jul 1865, 5 Union Street, Sandhurst (now Bendigo), Victoria, Australia (Age 45 years)
▻ Anne Guthrie | | | 2. Margaret Alexander, b. 1821, Rhynd, Perthshire, Scotland d. 1 Nov 1890, Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland (Age 69 years)
▻ David Guthrie, m. 29 Dec 1843 | | | 3. John Alexander, b. 1822, Rhynd, Perthshire, Scotland d. Bef 1854 (Age 31 years)
▻ Christina Reid, m. 10 Feb 1844 | | | 4. James Alexander, b. 1824, Forteviot, Perthshire, Scotland d. 1876, Victoria, Australia (Age 52 years)
▻ Agnes Watt, m. 1860 | | | 5. Thomas Fraser Alexander, b. cir 1830 d. Yes, date unknown
▻ unknown, m. Bef 1855 ; Margaret Duff, m. 8 Jun 1855 ; Isabel McLean, m. 22 Sep 1863 | | | 6. Charles Alexander, b. 1832, Forteviot, Perthshire, Scotland d. 8 Aug 1906, 65 North Methven Street, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland (Age 74 years)
▻ Helen Stewart, m. 29 Jan 1858 ; Catherine McCrae, m. 20 Jan 1893 |
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| Notes |
- Thomas Fraser Alexander's father was a farmer, and Thomas left home when young because he didn't want to be a farmer, and his father was very strict and hard on him. Some information on Thomas came from his great-grandson Snowy Fox, who knew him as a young child and used to go with him to look for gold on the beach at Birchfield. Thomas carried the gold pan and Snowy carried a special bucket that Thomas had had made for him. It carried the water needed for panning the gold. Thomas's great-granddaughter Maud Gear remembered sitting on Thomas's knee as a small child and being fascinated by his long white beard. Thomas allegedly married twice before he immigrated to New Zealand, the second time aged 25, and was left a widower both times. Possibly, both women died in childbirth.
On 22 September 1863 he married Isabella McLean in Invercargill. On their marriage certificate they are both "over age" meaning over 21, and he is a widower. It was thought they may have met in Otago as the gold rush was on at the time of their marriage and the nearest place to be married was Invercargill, but now it's known they met in Victoria, Australia.
Thomas was a mine manager in Brunner. On 26 March 1896, three weeks after he'd left, a disastrous mine explosion occurred and 67 men lost their lives. Thomas knew them all. It was the highest loss of life in a New Zealand mining disaster.
He'd moved on with his wife and younger daughter Margaret to manage the Mangatini mine, above Millerton, north of Westport. It was early 1896 and he was the first state-appointed mine manager. Also living in Millerton were his daughter Ann & husband William Kidd with their six children. Thomas was now 70 years old.
Thomas Fraser Alexander lived the last 20 years of his life with the Broadfoot family (his daughter Margaret's) in Birchfield. He died at their home on 7 August 1918, aged 93 years.
Thomas always read his Bible on Sundays and never worked on the Sabbath. One particular weekend his daughter Margaret went to her father's bedroom to see if he was all right as he usually rose early in the morning. Thomas was sitting up in bed reading his bible. When Margaret explained it was Saturday, Thomas jumped out of bed and appeared in his working clothes, axe in hand, and was off to the wood pile where he worked for the rest of the morning.
Thomas visited Otira to see the tunnel work in progress. His son-in-law William Kidd was an electrician working on the tunnel project.
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Genealogy of the Bryan and Martin Families
1830 - Yes, date unknown
Siblings
