Think you should have a rest before you read this

I am trying to sort the family of Thomas Greentree who married Catherine Cohen – I found written in an article online, the following (in bold print) : Their children, in known order, were (details in Italics are what I have found from NSW BDMs)
Mary Ann 24 December 1857, Mary A 1858 Windsor - Mary Ann Greenhee m Charles F Fretson, Walcha 1881 (Carl Frederick Frederickson)Mary Ann Greentree’s son George birth reg 1880;
Sarah Jane 14 July 1860, Sarah J 1860 Windsor - Sarah J m Thomas Dodd, 1878 Tamworth;
Clara 1863, Clara A 1863 Windsor - Clara M James Ayre , 1883 Tamworth;
Thomas James 1865, Thomas J 1865 Windsor – Thomas m Mary A Duggan, 1897 Tamworth;
Harriet Elizabeth 16 February 1868, Harriet 1868 Windsor – Harriett E m Thomas H Lane, 1890 Tamworth;

William Ernest 1872, William 1872 Windsor –
William E m Mary A Lane, Tamworth 1893; William C m Annie A Gray, Inverell 1902; Are the same person? If so was the 1st wife dead or alive 1902?
I do have the Greentree/Gray Cert so I must check it for details.

Annie Maria 4 April 1874, Annie Maria 1874 Windsor – died 1900 Tamworth;
James 1878 and Not found!!
Richard 1880. Richard 1878 Tamworth – Richard m Agnes A Sipple, Tamworth 1907.

Firstly, Thomas when registering Harriet in 1868, stated he had one boy and three girls living, one boy and one girl deceased, yet, his death certificate, some thirty-eight years later, only refers to one deceased child, that being Annie Maria who died Tamworth 1900.
It is highly likely that Thomas' son Alfred, when registering his father's death, had no knowledge of any deceased children earlier in his parent's life. (From Phillip Greentree’s draft “They Stood Tall”) Also after Thomas died in 1902 was written. The informant was Thomas' son Alfred who was still living at home, never to leave.So who is Alfred?

We know from the roll of the Nemingha school in 1878, that Thomas and Catherine Greentree's property was just half a mile from the school. Clara Ann [15], Thomas James [12], Harriet [9], William [6], Anne Maria [4] and Alfred Shepherd [8] were all enrolled. (From Phillip Greentree’s draft “They Stood Tall”)
Was Thomas’ son Alfred, the Alfred Shepherd aged 8 enrolled at Nemingha school in 1878? .. so born C1870. Contender s are - born 1869 at Warialda, to single mother Susannah – problem with this is that Greentrees didn’t come to Tamworth till after 1874 – Thomas could have raised him, but I wouldn’t have thought that he was his birth father .. The other one is an Alfred born 1872 at Richmond, mother Jemima. Thomas was in that area then so he could be the natural father. However the age is a bit out. With Catherine acting as a midwife, she could also have taken in babies whose mother’s single mother’s couldn’t care for them, so there may not be a birth connection.

From Phillip Greentree’s draft “They Stood Tall” - Now things become very jumbled, so I will try to sort it into paragraphs that make sense.

In the following years, (after Thomas death in 1902) Catherine lived to see Richard, her youngest marry Ansetina Agnes Sippel (reg Agnes A Sipple 1907) and Clara marry James Ayers (reg Ayre 1883). (People’s memories, or someone’s recordings are very confused)

Family legend also claims that she experienced the tragedy of James serving his country in the Great War, only to return and find his fiancee married to another man. James there-after remained single. Given that James would have been 35 years old by the outbreak of war and that no James Greentree is listed in the records at the Australian War Memorial, one must doubt that story. I have not been able to find James birth or death .. so I am wondering if he existed?

(NOTE: In the same book, Philip says Richard had a fight with his fiancee, Ms White, and went off to New Zealand for two years; on his return, he was dismayed to find Ms White had married another! This is the James who appears in Tom ROBERTS' painting "Shearing at Newstead"!!! In one breath talking about Richard and now back to the elusive James )

Confusion reigns .. Greentree siblings!!
Questions are :
William Edward and William George .. Are they the same man?
Who is Alfred Shepherd?
Did James Greentree exist? Help!! Think I need a long rest ..