DESCENDANTS of the Merchant family will gather in Paterson on Saturday, 21 February, to share anecdotes of a clan with significant historic links to the region.
The Australian history of the Merchants starts in the 1820s, when the Barnes and Merchant families emigrated from England.
The families were originally employed by the Australian Agriculture Company (AACo) in Stroud.
Richard Merchant and Elizabeth Barnes married in 1827, after completing their indenture with AAC.
They moved around the region, finally settling in the Paterson area.
Richard and Elizabeth produced 12 children.
In the early 1850s Elizabeth converted to Mormonism, leading to a split in the family.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints were very active in the region,” said meet-up organiser Sharan Fergie.
“Converting many locals of the Hunter Valley, these families were enticed to travel to Utah in the USA.
“Initially both Richard and Elizabeth with the six youngest children were to go to Utah, with the remaining to follow. “But Richard failed to travel with Elizabeth.
“Family folklore presents several reasons why Richard missed the ship with Elizabeth and the six children.”
Together with Richard, the six remaining Merchant children continued to contribute to their community in Paterson.
Today many descendants still remain in the area, with Merchant Road in Martins Creek named after Richard and Elizabeth’s oldest son, William.
In 1885 he purchased 237 acres on the south side of Martin Creek, where Merchant Road is today.
More than 20 years of research into the family’s history has been completed by Denise Merchant Overton and compiled into two volumes titled ‘The Life and Times of Elizabeth Barnes Merchant’.
Whilst the story focuses on the Merchant family’s life in Australia, it also gives a window of early hardships of life in the Hunter Valley during the colonial era.
The gathering begins at John Tucker Park, Paterson on Saturday 21 February from 12pm-3pm, followed by an evening meal at the Paterson Tavern from 7pm.
A historical walk around the town of Paterson will also be led by Dr Cameron Archer AM, an author of books on the region (for a small fee).
For more details contact Sharan Fergie on 0401888063 or email neilandsharan@fergiefamily.com.
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