I know this all happened in Australia, but I was hoping someone out there has a few bright ideas for me.

My Grandmother's father John Exon JOB was born in Devon in 1854, and migrated to South Australia about 1882 as far as I can tell.

On 12 August 1885 we have him marrying Elizabeth BROWN, aged 16, father John Brown, mother not mentioned. Sometime between then and 1886 they moved to Melbourne and proceeded to have 3 children, Earnest Exon, 1886, Florence Harriet 1887, and My grandmother - Mabel being the youngest, born in August 1890 in Northcote Victoria. I have Mabel's birth registration and it has been signed by her mother Elizabeth.

We always knew he was married a number of times, so in order to find Mabel's mother, about whom we know next to nothing, I've been chasing up JEJ's life. I've been trying to find her mother's name so we can trace down that line. This is what I've found, and to be honest with it's got me stumped.

I have found that he married Sophia Louisa Le Couillard on the 7 Feb 1893, in Northcote. On the marriage register he has said that he was widowed in 1892. Fair enough, but I could not find a death of an Elizabeth Job aged 23 anywhere I looked. So getting desperate, I searched for any death of a 23yo in Melbourne in 1892 and found one Sarah Ann Job. Hmm. First name doesn't match, what else does? I got hold of her death register details and was struck dumb by a little note written in the "where born, how long in Australian colonies" category

"Adelaide, South Australia, 16years in South Australia, 7 years in Melbourne". Now this had my hairs on the back of my neck standing up, the cause of death - abortion peritonitis - eek, the plot thickens.

So now I had the idea of ringing Melbourne cemetery, as that's where it said she was buried. maybe I could see who organised the funeral. They were very helpful there and and told me her funeral/grave was paid for her husband John Exon Job! What is this? Where's Elizabeth? Who's this Sarah? Are they the same person? Dunno, - what really happened?

There is more. JEJ and Sophia moved to Perth and had more children, the last being Leslie Rudolph born in May 1898, it seems that Sophia died in childbirth, as I have her probate info & it says she died in Perth on 31 May 1898. Just to make it more interesting, JEJ had Leslie buried in Melbourne in the same grave as Sarah Ann. - he died in Perth in August 1898

Explain that - please - someone!


So any thought anyone has on what has really gone on, and what I can do to untangle this web gratefully received
Thanks