Friends of the Orphans Schools logo
Orphan Number: 2864
Orphan: John JOHNSON
Mother:SALMON, Mary Ann
Father:JOHNSON, James
Mother's ship:Tasmania 2
Father's ship:
Age when admitted:8yrs
Date admitted:5 Mar 1869,
Date discharged:16 Feb 1873
Institution(s):Queens Orphan School
Discharged to: Daniel Cosgrove, Richmond
Remarks: father in prison
References: SWD26/6, 26/10, 32/1, 52/1, 53, 54, HAP1871/63


This orphan has been claimed by: Dianne Snowden

John Johnson, born in 1862, and his younger sister, Ellen Johnson, born in 1866, were admitted to the Orphan Schools (then known as the Queen's Asylum) early in 1869. Their father was James Johnson, a convict who arrived on the 'Joseph Somes'; their mother was Mary Salmon. In 1868, Mary and her children were living at Mangana, near Fingal. Mary was out of work and James Johnson, a labourer, was in gaol in Launceston for felony. James and Mary were not married. Three other children were named in the admission application: James Johnson, aged 12; Thomas Johnson, aged 11; and Mary Johnson aged 2. [James and Thomas were admitted to the Queen's Asylum in 1863] The application also noted: 'This woman is also known by the name Marr'.

Mary Salmon, a young housemaid from Kildare, arrived in the colony on the convict ship 'Tasmania' (2) in 1845. Her convict records note that she was also known as Lyons. In September 1849, she married John Kewley (or Rewley) at Longford. An infant daughter, Hannah, died in 1852. A son, Richard, died in 1854 after Mary had separated from her husband. Mary had many colonial offences for drunkenness and for being idle and disorderly. She died on 23 December 1896 in Launceston, as Mary Salmon or Kewley.
Ref: SWD 26/1/1



You can use this contact form to send an email message to Dianne Snowden

Your first name*:   Your last name*: 

Your email:*        Telephone number: 

Your message*:

Claim this Orphan

Use this facility to register your interest so other researchers can contact you. Add up to a 2000 character short story about your orphan and what became of them after they left the Orphan School. You can add links to other web sites and upload a photo.  Note that you can claim more than one orphan and that any orphan can be claimed more than once.
If you need to contact our researchers then email us and quote the orphan name and index number above.

 Site last updated June 2021