Wife of Frederick Christian Simshauser
Rosina Rebecca (k/a Rosie), was born on 24 April 1870 at “Beverley Station” Armidale. She was the third child of a family of nine children – Amelia Jane, William, Rosina, George, Emily, Frederick, Edward, Alberta and
Samuel.
Her parents, William Charles Edmunds and Amelia Jane Cartwright, were married at Toowoomba, Queensland on 5 March 1867 in the St. Luke’s schoolroom, according to the rites of the Church of England.
They both were residing at the Holmes Railway camp at the time, where William Charles was employed as a railway labourer. William Charles was originally from Amesbury, England. Amesbury is an historic village in Wiltshire – to the north of Salisbury, beside the River Avon. Stonehenge is just two miles away. Amelia Jane was recorded as from New Zealand on her marriage certificate but supposedly came from England.
Very little is known of the activities of William and his wife Amelia during these early years. However, it is known that their first child, Amelia, was born in Queensland, after which they must have moved south to the New England district, as Emily Eliza was born at “Clerkness” Armidale district, Rosina at “Beverley Station” and Alberta Kate at “Woolshed Station” Gwyder district.
It is believed that after Amelia died from peritonitis on 26 March 1885 at the premature age of 40 years in Inverell Hospital, William Charles was so distraught that he went home, burned down the house and disappeared. As a result their children were fostered out to various places.
It is not known where Rosina lived during this period of her life. She was just 15 years old but on her marriage certificate (at 19 years of age and in those times still a minor) Corbett Lawson was nominated as her guardian – perhaps she lived with this family. She also registered as employed as housemaid at “Mayvale Station” Barraba and it is well known that she was employed by the Wilsons at “Mayvale Station” prior to her marriage.
Rosina outlived Christie. After leaving her “Tareela” home at “Campo Santo”, Rosina spent some time with her son Fred and his wife Ethel at “Willeroi” and for the remainder of her life was with her daughter Stella at Tamworth. She died there at the age of 82 on 9 October 1952 and is buried at the Church of England cemetery, Tamworth.
Bernice Carter remembers.
‘I remember Gran Simshauser very well. Often, when I was a child and our family was driving to Barraba from “Bereen” (where we lived), we would meet Mrs Simshauser on a Saturday, walking back home to “Tareela”.
My father, Les Etheridge, would always pull up and offer to take her home, but No!, she was a very independent lady and would walk on. She would become tired of town and want to go home and of course the family would not be ready when she wanted to, so Gran would set off, on foot for home!
Mrs Simshauser carted water from “Tareela” Creek for her garden, David (Bernice’s husband) said she had a very good vegetable garden. No doubt her flower garden would have been pretty too as she was a very industrious person.’