English Ancestors of the Dollin Family in Australia

According to the transcription of the 1861 UK census, John was born in 'Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (in Germany), Dunster' in about 1796. However, Schwarzburg does not appear in the online scan of the 1861 census record and we have been unable to locate the source of this information. All three of the scanned census pages from 1851, 1861 and 1871 state that John Dollin was born in Dunster.

Married Mary Ann Gould on 23 Apr 1820 in St George Church, Dunster, Somerset, England. Mary Ann was born in c 1799 in Devon according to the 1861 census.

John Dollin’s name was name spelt John Dolland in Dunster Marriage and Baptism Registers of 1820 but clearly matches in other particulars.

In the Dunster baptism registers, John’s occupation was recorded as:
-- a Mason in 1820 and 1826;
-- a labourer in 1828, 1831, 1833 and 1835; and
-- a carpenter in 1841.

The 1841, 1851 and 1861 UK census records show John Dollin living with his wife Mary Ann and children in Water Street, Dunster.

In the 1871 census shows John still living at Water Street but John’s wife, Mary Ann, had died since the 1861 census. John's daughter, Jane Trott, and her husband and two sons were living with John.

A death notice in the West Somerset Free Press on 6 Feb 1875 (kindly provided by David Bromwich) stated that a Mr John Dollin died at Dunster on 28 Jan 1875, aged 78 years.

The UK Death Records show two 'Dollyn' deaths recorded in the Williton District (which includes deaths in Dunster):
-- a John Dollyn in 1875 (born about 1797), and
-- a Mary Dollyn in 1871 (born about 1799).

The evidence suggests that these are the death records of John Dollin and Mary Ann Dollin (nee Gould). John’s son’s family, John, Jane and Robert, had been recorded under the name 'Dallyn' in the 1851 census.

Much of the early Dollin family history centres on the township of Dunster, Somerset, England. To see photos of Dunster including one of the 'Dollon's House B&B' visit the Morrison Family Connections website.

Children of John Dollin and Mary Ann Gould

William Dollin (Dolland) - bap 19 Nov 1820; came to Australia c1858
John Dollin - bap 8 Oct 1826
Robert Dollin - bap 9 Nov 1828
Henry Dollin - bap 9 Nov 1828; came to Australia 1855
Thomas Dollin - b 1 May 1831; came to Australia 1857
Elizabeth Dollin - bap 10 Nov 1833; d 30 Mar 1834 aged 5 mths
Mary Ann - bap 29 Mar 1835; d 18 Oct 1835 aged 7 mths
Ann Dollin - bap 11 Feb 1837; d 19 Feb 1837 aged 6 days
Eliza Dollin - bap 13 Jul 1838; d 26 May 1839 aged 10 mths
Jane Dollin - bap 27 Jun 1841

Symbols: b = born; bap = baptised; d = died