Thomas Armstrong

  General Notes:

Thomas ARMSTRONG with his wife Mary and the seven younger children emigrated on 27 Oct 1839 from Greenoch Scotland and arrived on the 27th Oct 1839 on board the "David Clarke" (the first ship to go directly to Vic) having left Greenoch Scotland on the 15th May 1839.
On arrival, Thomas obtained work as a day labourer in Melbourne. His wife, Mary, was described as being a house or dairy maid, on the passenger list.
By 1850 they were farming at Moonee Ponds. Later they lived at Essendon at a place called "Green Cottage". Grand-daughter Mary Dixen was married to Charles Mustey there in 1861.
Thomas died 19th January, 1862, from Dysentery, at Essendon, and his photograph, No 160, is in the Chuck Mosaic or Collection.

John Livy notes:
The key references are the site "they came on the David Clark in 1839"- www.oocities.org <http://www.oocities.gov.net> - this provides a passenger list of Thomas senior / Mary and 8 children including Thomas 20 years, Brother David (according to the passenger list ) is described elsewhere as the same David ( background ) listed on your site and in the Kearsey article, listed below.

Janet traveled later (1850`s? ) making 9 children to Thomas and Mary - the other 8 are specifically listed as progeny of Thomas / Mary who traveled on the David Clark .
Janet is not listed on the David Clark list.

Another site - La Trobe cottage article by Irene Kearsey www.latrobesociety.org <http://www.latrobesociety.org> , which is an interesting piece, lists the relationship between Thomas (1818), James and the Bell family who also traveled on the David Clark - Thomas (1818) married Bell`s daughter Dinah ( first wife who later died ), he is referred as Bell`s son in law and entered a partnership in Gulf Station and other enterprises with Bell` s son William, who was also on the David Clark.
a number of newspaper articles from the time , the various names of the Armstrong`s listed as siblings on the passenger reference are mentioned together, particularly Andrew and Simon, they all settled in what is now known as Yarra Glen, they were active in the community including the local council, they had partnerships with Thomas ( 1818 ).

They are most likely related to the Bells and Armstrong`s ( arrived on Palmyra November 1839 ), who went to the Geelong / Western District as they visited the Grand Hotel, Yarra Glen . At different times owned and operated by the Bell and Armstrong families. They originated from Dumfries region according to the passenger details from the time, this is consistent with the Bell ancestors of Thomas senior. Also a biography of William ( 1829) and brother Thomas Armstrong (1835) highlights their Dumfries origin, their parents were John Armstrong and Vair ( Scott ).

It would be interesting to understand what relationship existed in Scotland to the various Armstrong`s noted in your site.

There is also a relationship with Coombe cottage ( Melba and the Armstrongs of Yarra Glen ) we visited there as Kids and the person I remember being there was Jack Lithgow, ran the hotel , who married a descendant of my Grandmothers sister Kirsty Jane. Melba married an Armstrong , from what background I do not know and have not researched.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Farmer. ⁸⁴⁷

• source.

• connection.

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Thomas married Mary Little, daughter of David Little and Jannet Elliot, on 27 Oct 1815 in Canonbie, Dumfries, Scotland UK. (Mary Little was born about 1791, christened on 23 Aug 1791 in Canonbie, Dumfries, Scotland UK, died on 27 Jul 1870 in Essendon, Melbourne, Victoria Australia and was buried in New Melbourne Cemetery, Victoria Australia Section H. Grave No. 249.)