EDGOOSE:
In search of Ancestry
CRAFT, William Jonathan
1836 - 1907 (71 years) Has 6 ancestors and 13 descendants in this family tree.
1815 - 1900 (85 years)-
Name CRAFT, William Jonathan Birth 23 Apr 1836 Boston, Lincolnshire, England 
Gender Male Death Oct 1907 Wellington, New South Wales, Australia Burial Oct 1907 Cobbora, New South Wales, Australia Person ID I1484 Edgoose Last Modified 2 Feb 2026
Father CRAFT, John, b. Between 1811 and 1812, Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire, England d. 1 Sep 1893, Amber Hill, Lincolnshire, England (Age 82 years) Mother EDGOOSE, Elizabeth, b. 1815, Holland Fen, Lincolnshire, England d. 15 Jan 1900, Amber Hill, Lincolnshire, England (Age 85 years) Marriage 6 Aug 1835 Algarkirk, Lincolnshire, England Family ID F413 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family DOLAN, Catherine, b. 17 May 1837, Limerick, Ireland d. 23 Dec 1916, Wellington, New South Wales, Australia (Age 79 years) Marriage 14 Feb 1867 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Children 1. CRAFT, George William, b. 6 Dec 1868, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia d. 2 May 1964 (Age 95 years)2. CRAFT, Emma Jane, b. 1 Sep 1869, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia d. 26 Jul 1958 (Age 88 years)3. CRAFT, Charles James, b. 13 Sep 1871, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia d. 21 Jul 1942, Waverly, New South Wales, Australia (Age 70 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]4. CRAFT, William John, b. 1873, Gulgong, New South Wales, Australia d. 26 Dec 1953 (Age 80 years)5. CRAFT, James Daniel, b. 1876, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia d. 16 Jul 1953 (Age 77 years)6. CRAFT, John Henry, b. 1880, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia d. 11 Jul 1965 (Age 85 years)Family ID F850 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
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Notes
WILLIAM JONATHAN CRAFT 1836-1907
William Jonathan CRAFT was born at Boston, Lincolnshire, on 23 April 1836, son of John and Elizabeth CRAFT. John CRAFT had married Elizabeth EDGOOSE at Algarkirk, Lincolnshire, on 6 August 1835.
(Unsourced information in Judith YOUNG's "The Craft Story", November 2003)
William Jonathan, son of John CROFT [sic], labourer, and his wife Elizabeth of Algarkirk Fen, was baptised at Swineshead, Lincolnshire, on 17 May 1836.
(Swineshead Parish Register via www.findmypast.co.uk)
From the 1841 census of Algarkirk, Lincolnshire:
John CROFT (sic), aged 25, agricultural labourer, born in Lincolnshire;
Elizabeth CROFT (sic), aged 25, born in Lincolnshire;
*William CROFT (sic), aged 5, born in Lincolnshire;
James CROFT (sic), aged 2, born in Lincolnshire;
John CROFT (sic), aged 1 month, born in Lincolnshire.
(HO107/606/2/7/6)
Elizabeth's 70 year old aunt, Alice EDGOOSE, lived next door with Mathew and MARY Tebb.
Jonathan and Helen EDGOOSE were living next door to Jonathan's sister Elizabeth CRAFT at Wyatt Drove, Algarkirk, in 1851:
Jonathan EDGOOSE, head, married, aged 38, agricultural labourer, born at Algarkirk;
Helen EDGOOSE, sister-in-law, aged 46, born at Uppingham, Rutland.
Next door were:
John CROFT (sic), head, aged 39, owner of 9 acres, born at Sutterton, Lincolnshire;
Elizabeth CROFT, wife, aged 36, farmer's wife, born at Algarkirk;
William CROFT, son, aged 14, farmer's son, born at Algarkirk;
James CROFT, son, aged 12, farmer's son, born at Algarkirk;
John CROFT, son, aged 10, farmer's son, born at Algarkirk.
(HO107/2099/761v).
William Jonathan CRAFT was shipwrecked on his first two attempts to reach Australia. He booked a passage on the Dunbar but fortunately missed the connection as the ship was lost with all hands bar one at South Head, Sydney, on 20 August 1857.
He eventually arrived aboard the ship Vocalist on 28 August 1857. Vocalist was a vessel of 1020 tons which departed on 7 May 1857 and spent 113 days at sea. William CRAFT was described as a 21 year old ploughman born at Boston in Lincolnshire, tthe son of John and Elizabeth CRAFT living near Kirton. His religion was Church of England, he could read and write, he had no relations in the colony and had paid £1 for his passage. His 'state of bodily health, strength and probable usefulness' was said to be good.
He spent some time at Penrith before trying his luck at the Bathurst and Gulgong goldfields, eventually drifting northwest to Cobborah and obtaining employment at Cobborah Station, a huge sheep farm. He leased 200 acres on the Talbragar River and established a market garden. After ten years in the "bush" he returned to Penrith where Catherine DOLAN had waited for him all that time. He married her in St. Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, on 14 February 1867, according to the rites of the Romaan Catholic Church. Witnesses were Bartholomew DOLAN and Bridget DOLAN. They returned to Cobborah where they had six children: George in 1868, Emma in 1869, Charles in 1871, William John in 1873, James Daniel in 1876, and John Henry in 1880 (John Henry being registered under the surname CROFT rather than CRAFT).
(NSW 144/1867)
According to Eric YOUNG, Charles CRAFT and William John CRAFT became successful businessmen, whereas the other boys turned to the land. The farmers were, ultimately, the successful ones.
William Jonathan CRAFT travelled widely throughout the west selling produce from his orchard and market garden and continued to grow fruit and vegetables until his death in 1907.
He was buried in the Roman Catholic section of Cobbora Cemetery.
DEATH OF Mr. WILLIAM CRAFT Snr:
"The deceased was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England in the year of 1836, and was therefore 71 years of age at the time of his demise. The late Mr. CRAFT landed in Sydney 51 years ago, and a day after the "Dunbar" was wrecked. He did not stattay in Sydney, but made his way to Penrith, where for some months he was employed. He afterwards went to Bathurst, and from there made his way to this district, eventually he drifted to the Cobbora area, where, in 1877, he selected some land, and there he resided ever since. The deceased was one of the pioneers of the Cobbora district, it being over 45 years since he went there. There was no more esteemed and respected resident of the Cobbora district than the deceased gentleman. The news of his demise being received by his Cobbora neighbours with great sorrow. A widow, five sons, and one daughter remain to deplore the loss of a kind and thoughtful husband and father, Viz. Messrs George and James, farmers and graziers, Tucklan; Charles, general storekeeper, Cobbora; William, sawmill proprietor, Cobbora; and John, who has been managing the farming and grazing property for his late father, and Mrs. INDER, of Tucklan. The remains were interred in the R.C. portion of the Cobbora cemetery. The burial service was read by Mr. PATTERSON, of Bonny Plains."
(The Mudgee Guardian, 15 October 1907)
NOTES AND QUERIES:
Judy YOUNG (and husband Eric who died in 2011) of New South Wales, Australia, has provided the information on William Jonathan CRAFT (1836-1907, eldest son of the John CRAFT (circa 1811-1893) of Algarkirk, Lincolnshire, England, who married Elizabeth EDGOOSE (1815-1900) there on 6 August 1835. We became firm friends whilst she was writing her book on William's many descendants in Australia.
(NSW 7083/1907)
(revised 04.02.2017)