William Ord
| First name | William |
|---|---|
| Last name | Ord |
| Country of Origin | Scotland |
| Date of Birth | 13/12/1876 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1910 |
| Submitted by | William Adsett |
Story
William Alexander Ord and Jane Ann Ross (known as Annie).
William Alexander Ord was born 13.12.1876 in America to Scottish immigrants. His parents William Ord (a weaver) and Jane (nee Aitken) returned to Inverurie, Scotland soon after his birth. William Alexander was raised in Inverurie and as a young man worked as a shepherd.
Jane Anne Ross was born 31.12.1880 at the home of her grandmother Jane Moir at Longside, Scotland. Annie was the daughter of Margaret Fowlie and James Ross. Following the death of her mother and the remarriage of her father, Annie went to live in Inverurie with her father\’s parents, Ann and John Ross. William Alexander Ord married Jane Anne Ross on 31.12.1897 at Inverurie. William tried a number of occupations in Scotland after his marriage: shepherd, butcher and labourer in the railway locomotive works in Inverurie.
William (34) and Annie (30) with their six eldest children; Jane 12, Williamina 7, Margaret 6, John 5, Charles 3, and George 2 migrated to Australia in 1909. They departed from London on the ship ‘Osterley’, arriving in Brisbane Qld on 10 February 1910. On a post card Annie wrote: ‘We are off this time sailing along for all she is worth. She (The Osterley) was two hours on her road before I knew she had gone. We had dinner and we all dined like Lords, children and all’.
They settled on farms in the Allora district of the Darling Downs in Qld. where the family worked dairy farms on a half share basis. Three more children were born at Allora; William, Ella and Nellie. Tragically in 1917, their son John Alexander (Jack) aged thirteen died from an accidental gun shot wound while hunting.
William and Annie heard of the ill health of William\’s father, in Scotland and they returned to the Marchfield Croft, at Morningside, Inverurie in 1920 to run the farm. William\’s mother Jane had died in 1919. Three daughters were left behind in Australia, their daughter Jean (Jane Ann) who had married Wilfred Thompson, Williamina (18 years) and Margaret (17 years). The two younger girls were employed as domestic help in the Allora district.
William Ord (senior) died in 1922. William and Annie initially had intended to save enough money to allow their daughters Williamina and Margaret to join them back in Scotland. However, the winter of 1922 was very severe and Annie complained about the cold, snow storms and sickness. Annie gave birth to their youngest child, Jessie during this winter of 1922. William and Annie sold the farm in Scotland and returned to Australia, where they settled in Kilcoy Qld, at Glenfern on a dairy farm and were joined by Margaret and Williamina. The younger children, William (12), Arthur (10) Ella (8) and Nellie (5) were enrolled in the Mt Kilcoy State School in 1923.
William and Annie Ord were sharefarmers with Ted (Arion) and Min (Williamina) Adsett at Mt Kilcoy, at Currumbin Creek, and at Dulong near Nambour. Around 1928, William and Annie Ord eventually settled at Conningsby just outside of Mackay Qld on a cane farm. The cane farm was not a successful venture and William returned to labouring. William Ord died in Cromer Hospital, Mackay aged 66 years and Annie Ord died in the Mater Hospital aged 86 years in 1966. William and Annie are both buried in the Mackay Cemetery.
Children of William and Annie (nee Jane Anne Ross) Ord:
Jean (Jane Ann) Ord (1898-1970) married Wilfred James Thompson and they had five children.
George Ord (1900- unknown) married Mary Caldwell in Bowen Qld and they had four children.
Williamina (Min) Ord (1902-1967) married Arion Edward (Ted) Adsett and raised a family of six in Nambour Qld.
Margaret Ord (1903-1945) married William Henry Ansell at Kilcoy Qld and they had eight children.
John Alexander or Jack (1904-1917), aged 13
Charles Ord (1906-1983) never married.
William Alexander Ord (1911-1980) married Myrtle Hess and had two daughters.
Arthur Ord (1913-unknown) married Myrtle Whitney and they had three children.
Ella Ord (1915-unknown) married Joseph Capra and raised two sons at Mt Morgan.
Dorothy Helen (Nellie) Ord (1918-unknown) married twice (Hickson Gray and Frederick Sinnott) and had three children.
Jessie Elizabeth Ord (1922-unknown) married William (Bill) McGown Malcomson and raised one daughter in Mackay.