n1: There has long been an oral tradition within our extended family that an ancestor originated from South America or Mexico. In his 1986 research diary Jeff wrote a summary of oral information he had gathered about the Hemmings family, including this statement: "Louisa's mother or grandmother had a child by a Spaniard or Mexican". The next year, on 20 Dec 1987, Jeff wrote: "I also spoke to Alice Farmer (born Peters) who said that Joseph Hemmings came from South America and that he married someone by the name Duneal who was cut off from her family for marrying such a dark skinned foreigner. She remembers an uncle Joseph whom she met in the early 1930s when she was 18. He looked just like a Mexican". The following day, Jeff recorded a conversation with Jane , the daughter of Joseph's son Francis Hemmings: "My grandfather Joseph came from Portugal. I myself am dark skinned"

a1: Marriage entry for Joseph Himenes and Bridget Palmer, Newport, Oct-Dec Qtr 1872, Vol 11A, Page 402, No 169; Certified copy obtained 9 Sep 2013 (more details...)