Euphemia Hardie 1861 - 1948

Owned by Liz Hardie
Last updated: Apr 06, 2015

Euphemia Hardie (1861 - 1948)

Euphemia Hardie, was the fourth child and second daughter of William Hardie and Jessie Stoddart, was born on 9 October 1861 in Gladsmuir, East Lothian.

Little is known of Euphemias life between 1861 and 1879. Euphemia emigrated to Australia with the family aboard the Oaklands which arrived in Adelaide, South Australia on 23 September 1879. Immigration records give her age at the time as 17.

Euphemia was first married on 18 April 1881, at age 20, to Thomas Sullivan. Thomas was from Cork in Ireland, there is no further information about his family. The marriage took place in the Adelaide South Australia. Her sister Christina Hardie was a witness.

Euphemia and Thomas Sullivan travelled to the Flinders Ranges to work on the land. It is uncertain whether Thomas recieved a land grant, or whether he was a station manager of Willipa Station. Life out there was very hard. Many settlers, including Thomas and Euphemia started farming the area after a few years of exceptional rainfall, but soon afterward the area had become too dry to sustain farming in the long term. The family lived out there for 6 to 8 years.

Euphemia Hardie and Thomas Sullivan had the following children:

  • Jessie Willipa Sullivan - Born. 18 January 1882 Willipa Station, Flinders Rangers, South Australia ; Married Christian Olaf Anderson 1901, Cooktown ; Died 14 July 1947 Samarai Papua
  • John Ernest Sullivan - Born.16 April 1883 ; Married Amelia Palmer 1911 Bundamba ; Died 28 January 1937, Ipswich, Queensland ; Buried Ipswich General Cemetery
  • Euphemia Adelaide Sullivan - Born. 12 September 1884 Adelaide, South Australia.
  • Thomas William Sullivan - Born. 1 October 1888. Married Ann Reid (nee White) 8 January 1923 Died 19/12/1942 buried Brisbane

It appears that Thomas deserted the family some time around 1889, and then died on 10 Jun 1890. There are limited details on his death certificate, possibly meaning that it seem that the informant didn't know him well. When he died his occupation was given as Barman.

Euphemia left a widow, started working as a charwoman. She entered Adelaide Hospital on 16 December 1890 for reasons unknown. Just after this, she relocated to Queensland to be nearer her family. Oral history suggests that upon her arrival, she gave her youngest daughter to one of her brothers to be raised. One other possibility is that Euphemia Adelaide Hardie died some time before the family arrived in Brisbane.

By 1892 Euphemia was living in Spring Hill. Euphemia appears to have had a number of liaisons in the following years giving birth to two more children, she gave both of the children the surname Sullivan.

Euphemia Hardie and William Wyatt had one child:

  • William Edwin Sullivan - Born. 21 December 1892 Spring Hill, Brisbane ; m. Claudia Noble 8 Feburary 1918, Ebbw Vale, Queensland ; d. 3 January 1956 Ipswich, Queensland ; b. Ipswich General Cemetery

William Edwin was raised by Euphemia's brother William. It appears that between 1893 and and 1899 Euphemia travelled to Far North Queensland living in Cooktown (it is believed she travelled via Normanton). She had returned to Brisbane by 1901 when she gave birth to another child. However her daughter Jessie remained there and married.

Euphemia Hardie and Charles Mockton had one child:

  • Florence May Sullivan - Born. 13 May 1901 Enoggera Queensland ; m. Charles White, 27 November 1921 Swan Hill. Queensland

Whilst May's marriage certificate gives her father as Charles Mockton there is no father on the birth certificate. May's appearance suggested a Chinese father, so it may be that Charles was only Euphemias 'adopted' father.

Euphemia remain in the Brisbane area after that, moving to Ipswich some time in the 1920's, where she lived in a cottage behind May's house. Sometime in the 1940's she moved to Sandgate where she died on 2 February 1948.