Barbara Rounsevell: Her Memories and Ancestors

My aunt, Jane MacIsaac, has continued in her father's footsteps to become the family genealogist. She has recently completed a book on her mother, my grandmother, Barbara Rounsevell and her parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. I have made the pdf file available here.

Barbara Rounsevell -Her Memories and Ancestors April_27_2016.pdf (11MB)

Contents

Introduction 

CHAPTER ONE – BARBARA
Barbara Henderson and James Corryton Rounsevell

CHAPTER TWO – Barbara’s parents
Rupert Isaac Koeppen Henderson and Maude Ermyntrude Ward van Senden

CHAPTER THREE – Barbara’s Grand-parents
William Hall Henderson and Clara Emilie Koeppen
Edward Willis van Senden and Edith Maude Richardson 

CHAPTER FOUR – Barbara’s Great-Grandparents
Thomas Henderson and Elizabeth Hall
Hermann Koeppen and Johanna Maria Caroline Ohlmeyer and Joachim Matthias Wendt
Luto Ulberto van Senden and Emma Pidding Ward
John Richardson and Emily Yeates

Here is the full introduction:

Introduction 

“History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon.” 
Napoleon Bonaparte 

As a child I always treasured this photo taken on the engagement of my parents, and of course as the youngest child I could only imagine my parents so young! Having begun the exploration of the story of my father’s mother’s ancestors (the Phillips and Simpsons) I realised that with Mum still available, I was missing a unique opportunity. 

And so I turned my mind to her story, to find that she had an enormous treasure trove of accounts by her mother, Ermyntrude and cousin Mark Buttrose, of Mum’s van Senden ancestors. Additionally, Mum had completed a story of her Great-grandfather Thomas Henderson. All I really had to do was find out more about Mums Henderson grandparents, add some more facts magically available on the internet today, and pull in other work and photos provided by Ashley Webster on the Henderson line. 

And, of course, convince Mum to write her own story. This she set about in her typical way with copious hand written notes, consulting her files and photo albums pulled up from her store room by my sister Jackie. We spent some time on Skype – her in Melbourne and me in Singapore – with her dictating to me, the typist, until she decided she really wanted to do this herself, and we uploaded “Word” to her i-pad and bought a keypad so she could type it herself. 

And so, a story is created – or indeed a history. This collection represents the beginning of the history, as inevitably more facts and anecdotes will come to light that may change the story. I look forward to subsequent versions and the conversations with family members that may shape them. 

In telling Mum’s story, I have compiled the book in reverse order – Mum’s story first, followed by her grandparents and great grandparents. This is an attempt to provide connections backward from the living, rather than starting in the dim past. Please also excuse any repetitions made for the sake of clarity. 

This document is released to celebrate Mum’s 90th Birthday – congratulations Mum. 

Jane MacIsaac, 14 February, 2016.