Thankful Thursday – A New Cousin via Facebook

Last night while checking my facebook I saw a post from Mortlake & District Historical Society regarding a book Women of the Mount. 

It had completely sold out and they were announcing more copies would be printed. 

This book is about “The lives of the earliest immigrant women to settle in the Mount Shadwell district 1839-1864”.

I commented about them being tough ladies and glad it featured my 3x great grandmother Jane Brooks.

Within the hour there was a responding comment from Susan asking if I was referring to Jane Brooks nee Cundell / Condell as she was her 3x great grandmother too.

A bit more to-ing and fro-ing, and a new friend on facebook later, we found we are not only both descended from Jane Brooks, but from the same daughter.

Quite a find as Jane had 12 children, and over 50 grandchildren.

So now, Susan and I share the same great great grandparents, Frances Eliza Brooks and William Long.

I am descended from their middle child, Edward Long and she is descended from the youngest, Ernest Long. Ernest is the twin of mum’s Uncle Abbie who I wrote about earlier.

As Susan lives in Perth and I live in Sydney, it could be some time before we actually meet, but in the meantime, the facebook and emails might keep us going.

Turns out we are almost the same age, our Nannas were first cousins and her grandmother is still alive and living just 20 minutes from where my parents live!