Stonestreet descendants reunite 200 years on
On October 27, 1824, Levi Stonestreet and his brothers Moses and William disembarked from the convict transport ship “Mangles” in Sydney. This November, two centuries later, their descendants are planning a big reunion at the Millthorpe Museum and the more Stonestreets the merrier, says organiser Rosemarie Amos (nee Stonestreet).
“I'd love to see 200 people for 200 years because there would be that many descendants,” Rosemarie said.
“There'd be a hundred just locally, but if we can get more, that'd be great!”
Levi Stonestreet and his brothers were convicted of receiving 32 bushels of wheat knowing that it had been stolen, Rosemarrie explained.
They were sentenced to fourteen years transportation and after arriving in Australia, were assigned to James Hassall in the Bathurst district. The brothers worked in the Fish River area at Locksley, east of Bathurst, previously known as Dirty Swamp. All three brothers were granted their ticket of leave after serving just seven years, with Levi marrying a local named Ann West, whose family were pastoralists in the O’Connell area. The couple moved to Kings Plains in 1838 where their descendants can be found to this day.
“Levi, who was my ancestor, he bought land around the Blayney district, and the family is still on that land that he bought,” Rosemarie said.
The reunion is planned for November 23 with a ‘meet and greet’ at the Millthorpe Museum, where there will be food available, a family tree to trace, artefacts, photographs and time to catch up with family members.
There will be a map for a short drive around the area to see Stonestreet farms, an old school and a church that they would have attended, plus a visit to the Blayney Cemetery.
“We'll just do a bit of a drive around the district for the ones who live away, looking at these landmarks, I suppose, and then, in the evening, we're going to the Blaney Golf Club,” Rosemarie said.
On Sunday, November 24, there will be another drive out to the Locksley/O’Connell area to look at landmarks associated with the family history.
Anyone who is connected to the Stonestreet family is most welcome to attend, Rosemarie said, whether they carry the name ‘Stonestreet’ or not.”
“Levi had one son and he had five daughters, so anyone interested in the family connection, they're most welcome to come,” she said.
In particular, Rosemarie said they would love to know more about the history of Levi’s daughters.
“We have records of the descendants of William Thomas Stonestreet (Levi’s son) but unfortunately not as much information on his sister’s families. So if anyone has any Heylin, Grives, Sullivan, Holley, Walsh, Cashen or Death relatives you could be connected,” she said
The Stonestreet Gathering will take place on November 23 at the Millthorpe Museum with an evening meal at the Blayney Golf Club.
For more information and to RSVP, email stonestreet1824@gmail.com or ring Rosemarie Amos at 0412 699905 or Vicki Andrews at 0401 927183.