Mary KERRISON, born 20 May 1842, died 12 Jun 1889, Exeter, West Tamar, Tasmania. SOURCE NOTES: Marriage Certificate No. 32 states that Mary was 15 and Robert 22. Witnesses were James Goodson "X" mark and Betsy Goodson. Both Mary & Robert made their "X" mark. Mary died of cancer. Married first, 1 Dec 1856, St. Matthias Ch., Windermere, Tasmania, Robert SCOTT, born 16 Mar 1833, Black Brush, Brighton, Tasmania, died 15 Jun 1869, buried 1869, son of Robert SCOTT and Catherine COLLINS. Married second, Jul 1860, William BROWN, born 7 Feb 1833, Ireland, died 31 Oct 1888, buried Supply River, Tasmania.

Lived married life at Beaconsfield, Tasmania, Australia.

The following extract is from the book “Kerrisons in Tasmania 1835-1985” by Mandi Ann Haynes nee Kerrison, page 56:

Mary’s first marriage to Robert Scott occurred at the age of only fifteen. Their only daughter, Caroline die in infancy and Robert was killed when he was gored by an animal.

Her second husband, William Brown junior was a Wesleyan Methodist of Irish-Scots descent. William was born at Tullagh More, County Tyrone on 17 Feb 1832. Their marriage was held at the Brown family home of Spring Vale (now called Tamarton). They had eleven children and their descendants have been estimated, by Ila Craven, to number about two thousand.

William died on 31 Oct 1888 and is buried in the Supply River Church yard. Mary was laid beside him eight months later.

This family has moved widely including to New Zealand and Queensland. On son, James Nelson Brown took the name of Nelson as his surname. The descendants of a daughter, Elizabeth have been traced by her grand-daughter, Ila Craven. Who has now passed away.

Robert was gored by an animal and died.

The offical witnesses at his wedding were Stephen KERRISON (Mary’s father orbrother), and James BROWN (William Jnr’s brother). William Jnr came to Tasmania when he was 3 years old with parents, sister Rebecca and possibly brother John. He lived at Supply River, but spent some time in Launceston and worked as a coal miner. Returned to Supply River in March 1888 and was confined to bed and home for the last 6 months of his life. When, in his final days, the family were standing around his bed weeping he said; “You may weep now, but when I am gone don’t weep for me but shout ‘Glory, he is safely landed.”