For such a long time, I have been looking into the COMBER family in NSW.
I was so happy to find a lot of information on the internet about the man my 2Greats Grandmother, Elizabeth Mackie (also Mackay, McKay, McGee – lots of variations) married in 1851, in Sydney, New South Wales.
I’m of the impression, now, that, looking at research results on sites like Ancestry and MyHeritage, people have tied what I believe to be two different men together to form one “mega-man”.
My guy is Edward COMBER, died 1900 in Armidale. Edward Comber married Elizabeth Mackie/Mackay in 1851. They lived in Mulgoa, at Fernhill, for the remainder of the 1850s then moved north and their descendants are found in Muswellbrook, Tamworth, Coonabarabran, Narrabri – all over the north of New South Wales.
It is thought that Edward COMBER was born in or near Spitalfields on 20 Dec 1820. At least, that is what my Grandmother said! Sadly, I have not been able to find any reference to COMBERs in that area for and around that date. I have, however, found an Edward born 1822, and a family called LE COMBER.
Edward and Elizabeth (Mackay) COMBER had the following children:
- Edward Comber (1852 – 1927) married Margaret Janet Johnstone
- Elizabeth Comber (1853 – 1927) married Robert Hardy
- James Coomber (1855 – 1927) married Matilda Dewson
- Agnis Comber (c1856 – ?)
- John William Mackay Comber (1857 – 1941) married Annie Barnes
- Ann Tereasa Comber (1858 – 1939) married James Walter Buckley
- Sarah Amelia Comber (1860 – 1941) married Thomas Leonard
- George Westby Walker Comber (1862 – 1945) married Anna Maria Chilvers
- Matilda Comber (1863 – 1867)
- Mary Jane Comber (1865 – 1930) married Henry Chadband
- George Comber (1867 – 1867)
- William Henry Comber (1868 – 1945)
- Margaret Louisa Comber (1872 – 1953)
- and an un-named baby boy
The other fellow is Edward COMER – he and his wife Ann (nee O’Rafferty) arrived in 1841 as Bounty Immigrants from Galway, Ireland per the ship RUNNYMEDE. Edward was born in/around 1816 in Ballynakill, Galway, Ireland and married Ann around 1840 in Galway.
They had the following children in the Mudgee area:
- Bridget Theresa Comer (1842 – 1934) married James Edward Callaghan (1838 – 1898)
- Thomas Comer (1843 – ?) married Ellen Palmer
- Michael Comer (1846 – 1918) married Emily A Catalin (Catabino)
- Maria Comer (1848 – 1919) married John Boyling
- Edward Comer (1854 – 1874)
- John Henry Comer (1856 – 1936) married Mary Jane Johnas
- Rebecca Comer (1859 – 1901) married James Ritchie
The COMERs settled and lived in the Mudgee area until their deaths.
I have proved, just recently (19 July 2015), that these are two separate men, after a visit to the Mudgee Family History Group to view their records for the area.
So, my belief is that there is no way that one man could father 20+ children to two women over 200kms apart has been successfully supported!!!
I am hoping that someone, somewhere, is looking into my Edward COMBER, too, and am happy to share my info to further the Comber family!
UPDATE! – 2017-11-15 – Please refer to genimagus.wordpress.com/2017/11/15/edward-comber-b1820-spitalfields/