Trove Tuesday: John Brown of Camperdown

John Brown

John Brown, brother of my great grandmother, was born at Camperdown in western Victoria in 1858 and in 1865 he was one of the first pupils at the Cobden school. His father, also John, was a bootmaker. (You'll find several blog posts about this family if you click on the 'Brown' in the label list in the side panel.).

John was 13 years old when his older brother, David, drowned in a lake near Camperdown, and 17 years old when his father accidentally died. Effectively these two deaths left him the 'man of the house' because he was the oldest surviving son with a number of younger siblings. In 1879 his mother remarried so that probably eased his burden, but sadness in the family was compounded when another of his siblings died accidentally - his sister Isabella drowned in a well in 1880.

John appears to have worked as a station hand on properties in the Camperdown district all of his life, especially Manifold's 'Purrumbete' estate at Weerite.

Manifold's 'Purrumbete' homestead, 2012. Source: The Australian

 In 1887, when he was 28, he married a local girl, Mary Ann Dews (daughter of Bridget and Joseph Dews). At Trove I found this newspaper item that provided a bit more detail of his life at that time. It describes an incident involving the threatening behaviour of Mary Ann's father at John Brown's home.

Camperdown Chronicle 21 Dec 1887

Sadly Mary Ann's mother, Bridget, died several years later and, in the same year, 1892,  her daughter Mary Ann, John's wife, also died. Their son, Francis (Frank) George Brown was born earlier the same year so possibly there were complications following his birth. Frank Brown was brought up by Mary Ann's sister, Sarah (Wyles).  John published memorial notices in the local paper for several years. 

Camperdown Chronicle 3 Sep 1892

Camperdown Chronicle 3 Sep 1892

Camperdown Chronicle 4 Sep 1894

In 1895 John married Flora Cooper, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Cooper. She was born at Lismore, an area not far from Camperdown. They had seven children but one son, Arthur, died when he was three, and the two older boys, John and Gordon, enlisted in the army during the first World War and both died in France. His four daughters survived childhood and married.

Camperdown Chronicle 19 Jul 1930, published a few days before John Brown's death.

I was about to finish this post when I realised that John had yet more deaths in his immediate family when his younger brother, James, died as the result of an accident in Cobden in 1925 and another brother, Frank, died at the age of 55 in 1919. Their mother had died in 1907 but she was 73 so, unlike the other family members in this story, had reached her full 'three score years and ten'.

Was John's life a sad one? I have no idea but hopefully he had a lot of happy times and relationships in between it all. There is obituary in the paper but the copy is very poor and I can't read it all but it appears that the pallbearers were fellow employees on the Purrumbete Estate so that means they held him in esteem, and it also states that he had a 'huge circle of friends in the Camperdown district' so that is also reassuring.

PS. There is a lesson here for researchers. I was able to find all of the above articles on Trove despite the fact that my great-uncle's name was 'John Brown' so don't give up if you too are searching a common name. I am researching Brown, Green, Taylor, Smith, Carter, Andrew and Cook ancestors!

The unlucky shoemaker

Rural scene, Scotts Creek near Timboon
State Library of Victoria image


A fatal accident occurred in the Heytesbury forest yesterday, to a man named John Brown, some time a resident of Cobden, where he carried on business as a shoemaker. Brown had recently selected land in the forest, and yesterday was at work on his holding in Cooriejong, clearing the land, when in attempting to remove a large fallen tree by the aid of a lever, the tree slipped and fell on the unfortunate man, crushing him so severely that he died in the course of a short time. Information was given to the police, and the coroner being telegraphed for, Dr  Hinchcliffe proceeded last night to Cobden for the purpose of holding an inquest, which, however, owing to the non-arrival of the body detained by bad roads, has been postponed until this day. The Hampden Guardian, December 31, 1875

Sixty year old John Brown was a shoemaker in Cobden where he resided with his wife and family. He had selected a bit of land in the parish of Cooriejong* (present day Scotts Creek), had erected a hut there and had begun the process of clearing the land of timber. One day in late December 1875 he was cutting a branch when it struck him in the chest. His son Francis, who was only twelve years old, found him and went to neighbours, Robert Howard and William Marshall, for help. He was carried to the hut where he died two hours later. An inquest was held at Cobden two days later with John's body present as was case in those days.



Cooriejong parish is south of Cobden, Victoria

John's wife, Maryanne, was left with a young family, including Martha who was not quite two years old. She was working as a housekeeper when she married a local farmer four years later. We have no way of knowing now but it must have been a huge shock for her to suddenly find herself a widow with dependants. She had a few shocks in her life. To find out more about this accident-prone family click on 'Brown' in the label list in the side panel.

*Cooriejong is also called Corriejong in some sources.

John BROWN, son of John BROWN and Jane PORTER was born in 1815 in Tyrone, Ireland. He died on 29 Dec 1875 in Scotts Creek, Cooriejong, Victoria, Australia. He married Mary Ann HOWE, daughter of Francis HOWE and Ann WEAR on 14 Mar 1850 (St Peters, Melb, Victoria, Australia). She was born in 1834 in Dublin?, Ireland. She married 2. John Lee at Camperdown on 26 May 1879. She died on 13 Jan 1907 in South Ecklin, Victoria, Australia.

A bread and milk poultice was applied

This is the next instalment in the series about the accident-prone Brown family. You can read my previous blogs about the deaths of three siblings Isabella, David and James. This blog is about their brother John.

In April 1858 the mother, Mary Ann Brown, was 24 years old. She had already given birth to four children, one of whom had died, and she was six months pregnant with her fifth. Some time in the last year the family had moved from Geelong to Camperdown where the father, John, worked as a bootmaker.

One day Mary Ann put the water on to boil to wash up the dinner things. Her eldest child took the pot off the fire and put it on the floor and little John, less than two years old,  stepped backwards and fell sitting in the pot. The father removed him immediately and applied salad oil and a bread and milk poultice to the scald that extended over his buttocks, back and chest. He was later given a dose of castor oil. But baby John died two days later after a fit. The parents didn't call in a doctor because they "did not think the scald to be serious". The Coroner and jury at the inquest brought a finding of accidental death with no blame attached to the parents.

Mary Ann's next baby, born three months later, was also named John.

John BROWN, son of John BROWN and Mary Ann HOWE was born 1856 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. He died on 05 Apr 1858 Leura Marsh, Camperdown, Victoria, Australia. Inquest: John stepped backwards and sat in a pot of boiling water that had just been taken off the stove. His father applied salad oil and a milk poultice but he died two days later.

We were robbed

Good news. Trove at NLA has scanned all of the early Geelong newspapers up to August 1856 (local historian, Susie, has written a blog with the exact details). This is good news because so many of Victoria's early residents lived in or passed through Geelong, and those years also cover the early period of the goldrush.

So I thought I'd do a quick search to check it out. My keyword was 'John Brown'! Can you believe it? John and Mary Ann Brown lived in Geelong in the early 1850s and John was a bootmaker. I wasn't expecting a result but I struck gold of a different sort. There were three separate reports:

19 Feb 1853 Geelong Advertiser and Intelligencer
POLICE OFFICE. Friday, 18th February. Before his Worship the Mayor and the Police Magistrate. ROBBING A TENT. Giles Fuller and George Sirridge were placed before the bench, under the following circumstances: Constable O'Connell deposed--That in consequence of information he received on Thursday last, he apprehended the prisoner Fuller for robbing a tent situated near the Breakwater, and upon receiving further information he proceeded to the Retreat Inn, South Geelong, and there took possession of a pair of boots and a sword-stick, now produced, which were alleged to have been stolen from a Mrs Brown by the prisoner Fuller and sold on behalf of Serridge. James Hale, residing at South Geelong, deposed -- That he purchased a pair of boots from the prisoner Fuller; cannot swear to the boots, but the boots now produced greatly resembled them. This witness giving his evidence in a very careless manner, was severely admonished by the Bench, who were about to commit him for contempt of court. Owing to the owner of the property, Brown, being absent, the prisoners were remanded until Tuesday next.

23 Feb 1853 Geelong Advertiser and Intelligencer, p1
POLICE OFFICE. Tuesday, 22nd February. Before His Worship the Mayor, and Alexander Thomson, Esq.
ROBBING A TENT. The two men, George Surridge and Giles Fuller, who stood remanded from last week for robbing the tent of a person named Brown, situated near the Breakwater, were brought up for further examination. John Brown stated that about six weeks ago he left his tent at the Breakwater and started for the Diggings. On his return last week he found that various articles, consisting of boots, axes, sword sticks, &c., had been abstracted from the tent during his absence. His wife and a servant girl were in charge of the tent and its contents during his absence. The sword stick now produced is one that has been stolen from him, and valued at 15s. The boots produced are, to the best of his belief, his property. Cannot swear to their identity, but swears positively to the sword stick by a particular mark upon the cane. Mrs Mary Ann Brown, wife of the last witness, deposed that her husband left town for the Diggings about six weeks ago, and returned after being three weeks absent. His boots being worn out on his return, he desired witness to bring him a pair of new ones that were supposed to be in the tent. On searching the tent, the boots were not to be found, and she subsequently discovered that various other articles had been taken away. On one occasion during her husband's absence, the wife of the prisoner Fuller came to her tent to purchase some articles. The property that was afterwards missing was at that time safe in a large chest which stood outside the tent. Her servant girl left her service about a week after Mrs Fuller called. The chest was not locked, but guarded by two fierce dogs which never permitted strangers to go near without giving an alarm. Mr Francis Balfour, landlord of the Retreat Inn, South Geelong., deposed that he bought the sword stick, now produced, from the prisoner, Fuller, about a fortnight ago, for which he paid 15s. Fuller offered, also, a pair of boots for sale but witness declined purchasing. Fuller did not say from whom he procured the sword stick. Loveridge was not present when this occurred. Both prisoners were working for witness in painting his premises, &c. Cross-examined by Mr Combe - Swears positively by a certain mark now observable upon the cane of the sword stick that the one now produced is the same he bought from Fuller. Contracted with George Surridge for the painting of his premises, and Fuller was employed under Surridge. Constable McConnell deposed that from information ho received last week he proceeded to the Retreat Inn, South Geelong, when Mrs Balfour, wife of the last witness, handed him the sword- stick now produced, and put a particular mark upon it, to enable her to identify the property again; obtained the pair of boots from a person of the name of Hale, who was working under Surridge, who obtained them from the prisoner Fuller in consideration of 20s which was owing to him by Surridge and Fuller. James Hale being sworn, corroborated the evidence of this witness, and further added that Fuller had been engaged some time in disposing boots to the extent of several pairs to his knowledge; he always obtained 20s per pair, and on one occasion was seen with a gunny bag stacked full of the same kind of boots ; Surridge was not present. Cross-examined by Mr Combe - Saw Mr Balfour pay Fuller 15s for a stick at the same time that witness bought the boots; the boots were taken out of a bag, and paid for by Mrs Balfour on account of money that was due to witness on the part of Surridge; Surridge and Fuller were understood by witness to be partners in business. Mary Fuller, wife of one of the prisoners, deposed, that the prisoner Surridge had lived together with her and her husband. Examined by the Prosecutor - Has heard Surridge say that the goods stolen from the tent had all been sold, and the money divided ; Surridge also informed her that the boots which he and her husband sold were stolen from Brown's tent - this was about three weeks ago; the conversation took place between Brown's tent and the New Jail. The case was again remanded until this day week, for further evidence.

29 Apr 1853 Geelong Advertiser and Intelligencer, p1, p3
Thursday, 28th April. Before His Honor Mr. Justice Barry. CRIMINAL SITTINGS. The following Jury were impannelled:-J. Cumming, R. Betts, James Black, B. Martin, S. Ball, J. Bond, J. Bray, E. Baxton, J. Bristowe, B. Bragshawe, T. Benmore, J. Buck.
ROBBING A TENT. George Fuller, was indicted for robbing the Tent of John Brown, pitched near the Breakwater, on the 1st February. Brown deposed, that he was a shoe-maker by trade, that in January last he left his wife, family, and property in a tent over the Breakwater, and proceeded to the Daisy Hill Diggings. On his return, at the beginning of February, he desired his wife to hand him a new pair of boots, out of a quantity which he had deposited in the tent, in a large chest with other property. Upon proceeding to take the boots from this chest, it was found that the whole of them were missing, and also some sword sticks, and other property. This witness entered into a long explanation, with a view of establishing the innocence of the prisoner, Fuller, whom he assured the Court had been the victim of the dishonest practice of a man named Surridge. Mrs Brown, wife of the last witness, stated that the boots and sword sticks, now produced, were safe in the chest a few days prior to her husband's arrival from the Diggings. About a week before he returned, witness sold a pair of these boots to the prisoner at the bar, for which he paid cash. Mr. F. Balfour deposed, that in January last he bought a sword stick, the one now produced, from the prisoner at the bar, for which he paid 15s. He also offered witness some boots for sale. Witness did not purchase any of the boots, but a person present bought one pair out of four which the prisoner had, for which he paid 10s. The Jury enquired of Brown, what was the fair value of the boots, and was informed 20s. per pair. The prisoner, when called upon for his defence, observed, that he had been led into the affair by the villainy of a man named Surridge, who had a criminal correspondence with his wife, and who had given him directions where to obtain the property, and to hand him over the proceeds. By the Jury to Brown.-Paid the sum of £5, to Sergeant McConnell, of the Police Force, for apprehending the prisoner. Did not himself put the notification in the newspaper offering the reward. Believes that Surridge caused the advertisement to appear in print, offering a reward of £5 for the apprehension of Fuller. His Honor said the case was one of common larceny, the jury would decide themselves whether the statement of the prisoner, was entitled to credit. They would take into consideration the facts which occasionally occur of designing men concocting robberies, and making an innocent person a victim to their evil designs. On the other hand, the jury would remember that, when the prisoner entered the Inn, for the disposal of the property, he did not explain where he got it, or whose property it was, or on whose behalf he was disposing of it, also the circumstance that the boots sold were sold for less than half their value. If any reasonable doubt, however, remained upon the minds of the jury, they would give the prisoner the benefit. The jury acquitted the prisoner, who was ordered to be detained as a witness.
ROBBERY IN A TENT. John Surridge was indicted for robbing the tent of John Brown, situated near the breakwater, on the 1st February. John Brown deposed that he left certain property, consisting of boots, sword sticks, &c., in charge of his wife, in January last, and proceeded to the diggings; upon his return, he found that a considerable portion of this property had been stolen during his absence. Mary Ann Brown stated that when her husband returned from the diggings, in February last, six pair of boots, three sword sticks, and a quantity of shot were found to have been taken out of the tent occupied by her, near the breakwater; did not remember seeing the prisoner at the bar in her tent. George Fuller being sworn, stated that in January last he was in the employment of the prisoner Surridge as a painter and glazier; that about that time the prisoner requested him to sell certain boots and sword sticks, which he said belonged to him; witness obtained this property from a box kept in an outhouse of the Retreat Inn; the proceeds of these goods was handed over by the prisoner, in the presence of his (Fuller's) wife. Mary Ann Fuller corroborated this latter part of the evidence; also, that she bought a pair of the boots, on account of her husband, from Mrs. Brown, for which she paid 23s. Mr. Francis Balfour deposed that he bought the sword stick now produced, from the witness, Fuller. The prisoner at the bar was at this time engaged in painting witness's house; Fuller did not state whose property he was selling, or on whose behalf. The prisoner entered into a very lengthened explanation of his conduct, but which, appearing to have neither beginning nor end, could not have operated with the court either in favor or against his interest. His Honor summed up, observing that the prisoner had put forward a long statement, imputing the basest motives to the witness, Fuller. This man had been tried as an accomplice in the robbery, and had been acquitted by the jury; his testimony was therefore entitled to belief; one part of it had been supported by the evidence of his wife, who distinctly stated that she saw her husband, on a certain occasion, pay over a sum of money to the prisoner, as the proceeds of the property he had disposed of, on his account. The jury found the prisoner guilty and he was sentenced to twenty calendar months hard labour on the roads of the colony.

It appears that John and Mary Ann were robbed and there was a court case, the details of which were published in the newspaper. It has provided me with information that I didn't have before (see below)and opens up more research possibilities.

      * They were living in a tent at Breakwater near South Geelong.
      * John went to look for gold at Daisy Hill, south of Maryborough.
      * He kept a sword-stick! I wonder why.
      * They employed a servant girl.
      * They kept two fierce dogs to guard their property.
      * He kept a supply of boots to sell, worth 20s a pair.

John BROWN, son of John BROWN and Jane PORTER was born in 1815 in Tyrone, Ireland. He was a shoemaker. He died on 29 Dec 1875 in Scotts Creek, Corriejong, Victoria, Australia. He married Mary Ann HOWE, daughter of Francis HOWE and Ann WEAR on 14 Mar 1850 (St Peters, Melb, Victoria, Australia). She was born in 1834 in Dublin?, Ireland. After John's death she married John LEE. She died on 13 Jan 1907 in South Ecklin, Victoria, Australia.

This is what a sword-stick looks like - a walking stick that contains a sword. They are now illegal.



Verdict? Accidental drowning

Some families are accident prone. The Browns certainly were. This account, for Trove Tuesday, is about one of the sons who drowned. The fate of the other family members is a story for another day.

David Brown* was the son of John Brown and Maryanne (nee Howe). Both his parents were Irish but met in Victoria, Australia. They married in Melbourne and moved to Geelong where John worked as a shoemaker. David, the second of  twelve children, was born there in 1852.

In about 1857 the family moved to Camperdown and then Cobden about ten years later. By that time David was about 15 years old and would have begun working as a labourer in the district. Apart from his baptism record, at St Mary of the Angels Roman Catholic church in Geelong, David didn't generate a paper trail ... until he died accidently at the age of 20. Then there are newspaper reports and inquest papers as well as a death certificate.

This is one of the newspaper reports that I found on Trove.

BALLARAT.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
FRIDAY, DEC. 20.

The Camperdown correspondent of the Geelong Advertiser reports the following fatality :-" On Saturday evening, December 14, about 8 o'clock, a young man named David Brown, about 20 years of age, met with a fearfully sudden death, being drowned in Lake Purrumbete, near the residence of the Messrs. Manifolds, about five miles from Camperdown. It appears that Brown, who was an expert swimmer, went out in a flat-bottom boat for a pull. Shortly afterwards, some lads who were fishing near heard screams, but could see nothing but the boat, it being just dark. They at once gave information, and drags have been continually going up to the present time without the body being found. Just about where the boat was seen the water is about 40ft deep, but a little further out it is upwards of 150ft, so that it is probable some considerable difficulty will be experienced in finding it. It is conjectured that Brown must have become cramped, for though the water is deep, it was but a short distance from the bank where the accident occurred."

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), Saturday 21 December 1872, page 6

I also used Trove to look for pictures of Lake Purrumbete which is a freshwater lake near Camperdown and Cobden in Victoria's Western District. Under the 'Pictures, Photos, Objects' tab I typed 'Purrumbete' in the search box and found thumbnails of several interesting photos including this one and an oil painting (on display in the National Gallery of Australia) by Von Guerard that depicts the lake as it was in 1858, 'Purrumbete from across the lake'. Von Guerard is well-known for the detailed accuracy of his paintings so I can readily imagine the scene of the accident. Here is a photo of what the lake looks like today.

I've also used the Trove website to start a List for the Brown family, called, well, Brown Family. OK, OK. It was my first List. I'll use a more useful title next time. If you've haven't yet started a List (or two or three) on Trove I can fully recommend that you give it a go.

*David BROWN, son of John BROWN and Mary Ann HOWE was born on 19 May 1852 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. Baptised: 10 Jun 1853 (St Mary's Catholic Church, Geelong). He died on 14 Dec 1872 in Lake Purrumbeet, Victoria, Australia. Inquest: 24 Dec 1872 in Camperdown, Victoria, Australia