Esther LUKE 

Michael Miram TAYLOR 

Married: 12 May 1855 Seaham, Easington, Durham, England

Born:  1838 Durham, England

Born: 17 April 1836 Hetton-Le-Hole, Durham, England

Died: 22 January 1927 Ascot Vale, Victoria

Died: 30 November 1877 Wandiligong, Victoria

Father:  Robert Luke

Father: Michael Taylor   

Mother:  Jane Cummings

Mother: Sarah Tate

Esther LUKE was born the 2nd eldest of nine siblings in Durham, England. Her father Robert was a Coal Miner and no doubt the times were hard as he was the first to Sail out to Australia in 1856 in search for Gold and for a better life for his family.  He sent for his family in 1859 to join him in a country that he found not only rich and resourceful, but a Country that he would call his home until his death.  Esther set sail along with her husband Michael and daughter Sarah Jane. Their oldest son Robert who was named after his grandfather sadly died in his first yr in Durham in 1857. His Grandfather would never of seen him.  They set out on there journey to Australia on the ship "Miriam" on the 3rd day of April 1859 with Esther also pregnant with their 3rd child. This child was born at Sea on the 8th July 1859, the same day the ship arrived at Hobson's Bay.  The child was a son and named Michael Miriam Taylor after his father.   8 more children were to follow all born in Wandiligong, Victoria.

Three Years after the death of Esther's husband Michael Miram Taylor in 1877 she remarried  Allen Brook Haig on the 22 March 1880 at Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia.  No children were born from this union.  Strangely enough, Allen Brook Haig's first wife Sarah Atkinson also died in 1877 during childbirth with their son Allen Haig.  I have no doubt that Esther raised this child as her own until his untimely death in 1899 aged 22yrs.

Esther lived to a great age of 89yrs outliving 2 husbands, all of her siblings and many of her children.  Esther is a true Pioneer in my eyes, working her fingers to the bone all throughout her life as well as raising all of them children.  She was a mother, daughter, sister , Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Great Aunt, Cousin and friend during her lifetime. Esther is buried at the Faulkner Cementry, North Melbourne.  God Bless Her.

Children

John George Wilson Taylor