Passing of the Pioneers

The September “Passing of the Pioneers” in the Portland Guardian saw  several prominent Western Victorian residents pass away and two of my own relatives.

Richard LEWIS – Died September 1890, “Bryngola” near Digby.  Richard owned some well known stations in the Western District including “Rifle Downs” and “Hilgay”.  An excellent biography of Richard Lewis is on the Ballarat Genealogical Society website.  Richard died as a result of Bright’s disease.

Samuel CROSS – Died September 4, 1901,  Hamilton.  Samuel was 79 at the time of his death and had been in Australia since 1849 after travelling from Sussex, England.  He worked in, and owned, department stores including the Beehive Store in Hamilton.  In his later years he was a librarian at the Hamilton Mechanics Institute.

Jacob THEISINGER – Died September 13, 1901,  Portland.  Jacob, also a sufferer of Bright’s Disease, had been in the colony since around 1854.  He was a popular person around town and was a member of the Portland German Band.

R. STAPYLTON-BREE – Died September 17, 1907,  Hamilton.  Robert Edwin Windsor Sandys Stapylton-Bree was a Hamilton stock and station agent and well know identity not only in Hamilton, but also Portland.  He married the daughter of Stephen HENTY, Annie Maria.  His funeral was well attended with Dean Parkyn presiding over the service .  He and Archdeacon Hayman had motored the 119 mile trip from Ballarat in five hours.

Mrs D. McPHERSON – Died September, 1921,  Hamilton.  The former Miss STEWART was born in Kingussie, Scotland in around 1825 and travelled with her husband, Duncan McPherson, to Australia in 1851 on board the “Hooghly”.  While Duncan went off to the goldfields, Mrs McPherson waited in Melbourne until they journeyed to Portland.  For a time, she and her husband ran the Dartmoor Hotel.  She was a mother of eight children.

Mrs Elizabeth LAMB – Died September 18, 1825,  Millicent.  Mrs Lamb had grown up near Portland and the Guardian notes she rode 80 miles each day to school.  I am assuming this is a round trip, or it was a short school day.

Miss ROBERTSON – Died September, 1925,  Gringalgona.  Miss Robertson arrived in Sydney with her family in 1847 from Scotland.  They travelled to the Coleraine district by bullock wagon.

Mrs Margaret Emily CAMERON - Died September 5, 1928,  New Zealand.  Mrs Cameron was born Margaret McDonald.  Her parents were early pioneers and she spent time around Portland and Hamilton as a child with one of early memories being that of Adam Lindsay Gordon and his riding feats.  Margaret moved to New Zealand as a new bride and raised 12 children.

Mrs Margaret BELL – Died September 7, 1933,  Hamilton.  Margaret was born in County Caven, Ireland in 1853 to Mr and Mrs William Best.  They arrived at Portland on board the “General Hewitt” in 1856.  After time in Portland the Bests moved to Heywood when Margaret was nine. She married James Henry BELL and remained in the Heywood area.

Miss Ada Catherine HAYMAN – Died September 1934,  Portland.  Ada was born in Axminster, Devon, England in about 1858.  She arrived at Portland with her parents and siblings in the 1860s.  This is an interesting family.  Ada’s father was a doctor and practiced in Harrow, Edenhope and Ararat.  One of her brothers was a doctor, another Archdeacon Hayman presided over R. Stapylton-Bree’s funeral (above).  Another brother W.R. Hayman was one of those who organised the  Aboriginal cricketers’ tour of England in 1868.  The biography of one of the players, Johnny Mullagh, describes the part Hayman played.

Finlay McPherson PATON – Died September 1936,  Tarrayoukyan.  Finlay Paton was born at Sterlingshire, Scotland and after landing at Portland, took on the job of ringing the church bell and did so for 15 years.  This could have been just one of the reasons for his “magnificent physique”.  Maybe it was because he claimed that he was one of those that carted stones to build Mac’s Hotel in Portland.  Or was it lifting four bushel bags of wheat from the ground to a wagon, with little trouble.  He really must have been a fine specimen. As were his team of horses used for his carrying business. Bred by Finlay they were the “admiration of the district”

William DIWELL – Died September 1939,  Jeparit. William was my ggg uncle.  His obituary mentions his work as a builder and the several buildings in Portland remaining, at the time of his death, as memorials to his work.  It does mention he was a native of Portland, however he was born at Merino.  It correctly states his wife Frances was a native of Portland.

Thomas Haliburton LAIDLAW – Died September 1941,  Hamilton.  Over 500 people were reportedly at the funeral of Thomas Laidlaw, a Hamilton stock and station agent.  Thomas was the son of pioneers, Thomas and Grace Laidlaw.   The obituary offers a great description of the early days of Thomas Laidlaw senior in the colony with his four brothers.  Thomas junior, along with building his successful stock and station business was at one time a Shire of Dundas Councillor, president of the Hamilton Racing Club and chairman of directors of the Hamilton and Western District College, today Hamilton and Alexandra College.  Laidlaw is one of the names that if I hear it, I think of Hamilton.

Henry MORTIMER – Died September 6, 1948,  Portland.  Another ggg uncle of mine, Henry was the son of James Mortimer and Rosanna Buckland.  He was born in Cavendish and was 80 at the time of his death at Portland.  He is best known at this blog as Mr Mortimer of Mr Mortimer’s Daughters.  This was an informative notice as it listed Henry’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Passing of the Pioneers

The Portland Guardian obituaries from August recognized several residents with very early links to the Portland district. It is well worth reading their obituaries in full.

Robert HEAZLEWOOD  Died August 3, 1892, Portland.  Robert was one of Portland’s oldest residents at the time of his death.  He had been in Portland for around 40 years arriving from Tasmania where he had resided since age 16.  Robert ran a farrier business and was considered the best of his trade in the town.

Thomas KEAN  Died August 8, 1892, Portland.  Thomas arrived in Melbourne in 1843 and went to Portland in 1845 to take charge of the Customs boat.  He did leave for a time when he caught “yellow fever” and joined the hunt for gold.  Unsuccessful, he returned to Portland to resume his position on the Customs boat. and was also a Councillor on a few occasions.

Mr F. SAUNDERS  Died August 11, 1914, Narrawong.  At 88 years old, Mr Saunders had been in Australia for 83 years.

Francis ROBERTS  Died August 5, 1920, Orford.  Francis was born in Tasmania and came to Victoria as a nine year old.  He spent time at the Firey Creek diggings and selected land at Broadwater where he farmed for the most part of his life.

Mrs E.A MALSEED  Died August 11, 1920, Myamyn.  Mrs Malseed epitomized the pioneering women of the south-west.  She arrived in Portland from Ireland with her brothers, later marrying James Malseed.  She and her husband, along with a small group of pioneering families, forged a life on unsettled land around Cape Bridgewater.  She was remembered as widely read and extremely charitable.  She was 85 when she died.

John Read HEDDITCH  Died August 12, 1927, Cape Bridgewater.  The Portland Guardian reported that John was a descendant of the Hedditch family who arrived in Adelaide in 1837 aboard “The Eden” .  Also John was apparently the first white child be born at the Henty brothers’ Bridgewater run.  He was born in 1847.

William Henry MILLS  Died August, 1931, Trafalgar.  William’s obituary is an interesting one, not only for its insight into early Australian history, but it demonstrates the need to check the “facts” presented.  William was born in Port Fairy in 1848 and remained there before moving to Gippsland in the late 1870s.  His father was credited as being one of the early discoverers of the south-west of Victoria, arriving in 1825, two years before the Hentys.  The obituary reports that William’s grandfather was the secretary to “Captain Blyth (sic) the then Governor of Victoria”.  Of course, the obituary writer was talking of Captain William Bligh, whose official title was Governor of New South Wales.  Captain Bligh did have a 19 year old secretary by the name of  Peter Mills .

Arthur Harold SUTTON   Died August 1935, Portland.  This is a most glowing obituary and includes a description of the funeral service.  Arthur was only 53 at the time of his death, which shocked Portland.  His parents were Strathdownie pioneers, where Harold was born.  He served in WW1, ran a successful wool export business and served on the Portland Council.  Over 500 mourners were at his funeral, with over 100 cars (remember this is 1935) following the cortege.  This is an extensive obit which includes details of his children.

Michael J MINOGUE  Died August 1935, Portland.  Michael was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs Simon Minogue early pioneers of Portland.  A natural horseman, he at one time trained thoroughbreds.

Frederick William BILSTON  Died August, 1935, Sandford.  Frederick was the son of Thomas and Annie Bilston who arrived in Victoria in 1836. Another son, George Yarra Bilston was reportedly  the first white child born in Melbourne.  A sister born in 1840, was claimed as the first white child born on the Glenelg river.  Frederick was born in Heywood in 1849 while his parents were running the Heywood hotel.  He trained horses in his early life with the likes of Adam Lindsay Gordon.  He then became a bootmaker and then a carrier.  An expert blade shearer, Frederick would ride to N.S.W to work sheds.  His obituary includes stories of the 1851 bushfires,  bushranger Frank Gardiner and high-jumping.

Passing of the Pioneers

The Portland Guardian was mindful of the contribution made by the early pioneers toward developing the south-west.  They offered regular items titled “Passing of the Pioneers” or “Passing Pioneers” and often mentioned in obituaries that “…one by one are old pioneers are passing”.  As early as 1889, they were lamenting the loss of the links to the early settlers and suggesting that the efforts of those who passed be recognised.

The Portland Guardian,. (1889, January 16). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876-1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63591640

Established August 1842. The Portland Guardian,. (1899, July 7). Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876-1953), p. 2 Edition: EVENING. Retrieved July 19, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63676630 MLA citation

In 1921, the paper spoke of the many unwritten histories that had gone before, but  now we can see The Portland Guardian lived up to its charter of 1889,  successfully recording the histories of many of the local pioneers.  By doing so they are now helping us learn more of our families and gain a sense of life in the early days of the Western District.  Of course, The Guardian was not alone.  References to the “passing pioneers” are found in most of the papers on the Trove website.

Obituaries are a secondary source with the information coming from the knowledge of those still living and I have noticed errors in obituaries of my family.  But they can offer  leads to look in places you may never of thought of  such as Masonic lodge records and local council records. What ever you do or don’t get out of an obituary, no-one can deny they are often a good read.

July was a month when many “Passing of the Pioneers” columns appeared.  Cold winters in the south-west saw many of the older residents “cross the Great Divide” as the Guardian would put it.

Some of the more notable passing pioneers in the month of July were:

James PARKER:  Died  July 6, 1889, Heywood.  James PARKER’S obituary is an interesting read.  Born in Tasmania, he came to the mainland as a whaler.  Later he had some luck at the Creswick goldfields only to have an encounter with bushranger Captain Moonlight.

William TULLOH: Died July 19, 1889, Portland.  This is a lengthy obituary of a Portland resident of nearly 50 years, whose death saw half closed shutters on homes around the town.  Born in Scotland in 1812, he left a wife, four sons and a daughter at the time of his passing.  I have  found a site with more detail of William and his wife Eliza Mary KEARTON.

James BARNETT: Died July 18, 1892, Portland.  James was known as “Old Barney” around Portland and while the Guardian credit him as a pioneer, they make judgement in saying that he did not make the most of his opportunities as other early settlers had done.

Alex THOMSON:  Died July 1897, Hamilton.  Scottish born Alex THOMSON was prominent around the Hamilton area as a Shire of Dundas Councillor for 21 years.  At the time of his death he was the owner of Pierrepoint Estate near Hamilton and was also an active member of the Pastoral and Agricultural society.

Mr Thomas Webb SMITH:  Died July 29, 1914, Branxholme.  Thomas served on the Borough of Portland council and was mayor from November 1871-November 1873.  He was also a member of the Goodfellows and Freemasons.

Annie Maria HENTY:  Died July 2, 1921, Hamilton.  Annie was from the most famous south-west pioneering family of them all, the Henty’s.  The daughter of Stephen HENTY, Annie married Hamilton stock and station agent Robert STAPLYTON BREE in 1874.  The Bree name is preserved in Hamilton with a much used road of the same name in the town.

Ann Eliza KEEPING:  Died July 9, 1921, Portland.  Annie Eliza KEEPING arrived in Australia aboard the “Eliza” and married John FINNIGAN in 1857.  She was 82 at the time of her death.

Joseph Bell PEARSON:  Died July 7, 1922, Portland. Yet another interesting character.  According to his obituary, Joseph was born on the voyage from England to Tasmania.  His family moved to the Retreat estate near Casterton in 1844.  He was a noted horseman, with several good racehorses which he would ride himself.  One of his jumps racing rivals was Adam Lindsay Gordon.

Mrs Sarah BEAUGLEHOLE:  Died July 7, 1923, Gorae West. Sarah was the wife of the late Richard BEAUGHLEHOLE and she died at 73.  Richard selected land at Gorae West and transformed swampland into flourishing orchards.  Sarah and Richard had 12 children.

Mary HEDDITCH: Died July 1, 1930, Drik Drik.   Mary HEDDITCH was born in Portland in 1844 and moved with her family to Bridgewater in 1846.  Her elder brother drowned when she was a teenager leaving her to take on some of his duties.  As a result she became an accomplished horsewoman, helping her father with the cattle.  She married James MALSEED and together they had seven children.

Mrs Phillipa DELLAR:  July, 1931, Portland.  Mrs DELLAR, the daughter of a doctor,  was herself something of a substitute doctor for those living in the Willenbrina area, near Warracknabeal.  Later she and her husband William DELLAR moved to the Portland district.  They had nine children.