|
|
|
|
If you could spare
a few dollars to help with the running costs of
this website would be
very much appreciated.
Thank you from
Gravesites of Tasmania. |
|
Sr. M.Xavier William
Thank
you to Rosalie Raftis of
Perth
for the following:
Eliza
Williams was born 12 July 1800 in Kilkenny to Captain William Williams and
Elizabeth Finn. Her eldest sister, Maria, entered into the Irish Sisters
of Charity in 1835 and Eliza followed the next year. Eliza also had a twin
brother William with the 40th Regiment who was for a time Police Magistrate at
Bothwell and had led a band of soldiers in the chase of Matthew Brady.
William
married Jane Reid of "Ratho" Bothwell. Another brother, James
was Inspector General of Hospitals through the British Army and the youngest
brother Charles was a Port Phillip Pioneer.
Eliza
volunteered to go to
Australia
with four nuns, she being the only novice. The little group of nuns
together with Dr. Ullathorne, Father P.B.
Geoghegan
and others travelled per "Sir Francis Spaight" in 1838.
Eliza
was the first woman to profess vows in
Australia
which she did 9 April
1939
at St. Patrick's
Parramatta
taking the name Sr. Mary Xavier Williams after the missionary saint, St.
Francis Xavier.
In
1847 Sr. M.Xavier Williams, together with two other nuns, arrived in
Hobart
per "Louisa". She became superioress in 1871. St. Lukes
school opened in
Hobart
as did
St. Joseph
's Orphanage. She was again a pioneering nun being one of the first
religious women in
Tasmania
.
She
celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 1889 and thanks and gifts were received from
H.M. Gaol as well as the sick, poor, and orphaned that she had helped.
Rev.
Mother M. Xavier Williams died 8 March 1892 and was buried at
Cornellian
Bay
Click
here to see picture of M.
Xavier Williams
|
