SHERWOOD FAMILY HISTORY WEBSITE

SHERWOOD Family History Web Site

HOME	BIOGRAPHIES	ALBUMS	GENEALOGY
BIBLES	REUNIONS	BIRTHDAY BOOK	RELATED SITES

HENDERSON FAMILY
(CONTINUED) Thomas and Sarah Henderson nee Hamilton Thomas Henderson 1820-1858 Sarah Henderson 1824-1893 Thomas and Sarah’s son Thomas Henderson (Jane’s grandfather) married Sarah Hamilton in Adelaide in 1842. Thomas may have worked for or lived near the Hamiltons in 1841. According to a population census taken in January of that year a Thomas Henderson appears in census district B, along with the Hamilton family. The census was very vague in the amount of detail it contained. All it said was that Thomas was under 21 and over 14. Thomas would have turned 21 in June of that year. Sarah Hamilton’s family was originally from Dover in Kent. They came out to Adelaide in the Katherine Stewart Forbes on the 17 October 1837. The ship had been used to transport convicts in 1830 and 1832. Sarah’s father Richard Hamilton’s occupation was vigneron (a grower of vines for wines) and farmer. Both he and his wife Ann nee Holmes died at Marion, South Australia. For a more detailed account of the Hamilton family see… The Hamiltons 1762-1862. Ist edition October 1977. Written and published by Douglas Wilkie. In 1842 Jane’s grandparents Thomas and Sarah Henderson married at the Trinity Church, Adelaide. They had eleven children the oldest of which was Jane’s father Thomas Henderson. Their first three children were born in Adelaide and baptised at Trinity Church. Their fourth child Robert Allan was born in April 1847 and baptised at Saint Marys on the Sturt. It would appear that the family moved from Adelaide sometime between 1845 and 1847. Subsequent births and baptisms took place at Saint Marys on the Sturt and Saint Johns Church, O’Hallarins Hill. Their tenth child Agnes was born in December 1856 and baptised at Amherst, near Maryborough, Victoria. This would indicate that the family left South Australia around this time and settled in Victoria. Raleigh’s Punt According to the Herald newspaper, rain fell on the first day of winter of 1858. The wind in the morning blew from the west, and changed to a south westerly by mid afternoon. It was an ominous beginning to a day that would end in tragedy. At six thirty on Tuesday evening the 1 June, Jane’s grandfather Thomas was accidentally crushed against a rail while crossing the Marybyrnong River. He died early Wednesday morning. It was tragedy because Thomas was just 38 years old, the father of ten young children all under the age of 16. His young wife Sarah was pregnant with their eleventh child a daughter Sarah who was born six months later. She died the following year barely nine months old. An Inquest was held into Thomas’s death. His son Thomas (Jane’s father) witnessed the accident and gave the following deposition. CORONER’S INQUEST _________ DEPOSITION OF WITNESS Williamstown in the Colony of Victoria The Examination of Thomas Henderson Drayman of Daisy Hill taken on oath this 2nd of June 1858, at the Punt Hotel before the undersigned, a Coroner in the said District. This Deponent on his oath saith as follows: Yesterday the 1st of June, I started from Melbourne with my father Thomas Henderson, and two younger brothers in charge of three loaded drays for Daisy Hill near Maryborough, we got as far as Raleigh’s Punt, my father’s dray was the first to get on the punt, while in the act of getting the dray on the punt the rear wheel struck against a post, which caused the bullocks and dray to swerve around unexpectedly and knocked my father against the rail, and jammed him up, before we could extricate him, we had to show the pole bullock off, when loosened he fell down from the injuries he had received at the lower part of his body across the hips and bowels,. After this we removed him to the Punt Keepers House, we then got the other two drays over the Punt- and put my father in the last and took him as far as Raleigh’s Paddock, we put him to bed, he kept crying out from the pain and was continually asking for drink. My age is 16 years, my brothers are younger than I am. We did not think he was too much injured, we offered two or three times to fetch a doctor but he would not allow us to go, he gradually got worse and died about six o’clock this morning. My father was rather under the influence of drink when the accident occurred. He has kept a wife and nine children. He resides at Daisy Hill and has lived there about two years. Thomas Henderson Taken and sworn before me the second day of June A.D. 1858 at Footscray. John Wilkins The Coroner, John Wilkins concluded that… Thomas Henderson’s (of Daisy Hill) death was accidental, caused by the injuries he received by being crushed against a fence by a loaded bullock dray, while crossing Raleigh’s Punt at Footscray, June 1st 1858 at 1/2 past six o’clock PM on his way to Daisy Hill from Melbourne. Thomas died early on Wednesday morning and was buried at the New General Cemetery Melbourne. Thomas and Agnes Emma Henderson, nee Grayling Thomas 1843-1906 Agnes 1852-1925 Jane’s parents Thomas and Agnes Emma Henderson were married at Doctors Creek, Victoria. Agnes was born at nearby Burnbank 9 February 1852, the daughter of Richard and Jane Grayling. The Graylings came from Kent to Tasmania in 1836. They moved to Victoria in 1838. Sometime around 1848 they settled at Burnbank. For more information on the Grayling family see... Thomas and Agnes Henderson had eleven children. All with the exception of the youngest were born at Woodstock or Doctors Creek. Ethel May Henderson the baby of the family was born at Nhill. According to Thomas and Agnes Henderson’s Family Bible Jane Luddon Henderson was born at Doctors Creek, near Lexton, on the 16 July 1883. In the bible someone has written in a contemporary hand the dates and places of birth of Jane’s parents, Thomas and Agnes and their eleven children. The bible was a gift to Agnes, from her mother Jane Grayling. Written in ink on the inside cover is... Agnes Emma Henderson. A present from her mother Jane Grayling. March 30th 1893. It wasn’t uncommon for the Hendersons to include family surnames in their children’s names. For example the Luddon in Jane Luddon Henderson comes from Jane’s grandmother Jane Grayling nee Luddon. She was born in Gibraltar in 1819 and came out to Launceston, Tasmania on her own in 1836. It would appear that Jane was named after her. According to her daughter Jean Sherwood, Jane Sherwood was quite small in stature, 4 foot 10 inches tall and weighed 6 stone. She had brown eyes, red hair and a very calm and easygoing disposition. Her early childhood was spent at Doctors Creek, north-east of Ballarat. Around 1891, the family left Doctors Creek, and moved to Balrooten a small rural community about 8 kilometres from Nhill. Jane was about 9 years old at the time. She went to Balrooten State School up until 1895. One of the earliest records of the Henderson family at Balrooten is a questionnaire completed and signed by Thomas and dated 4 July 1895. The first question deals with improvements Thomas had made to his selection. Thomas answers as follows... Improvements on it when I got it only bought it April 1892 and things as gone against me ever since I been here very low price wheat. Fenced in with a fine wire fence and house and 6 dams and cows yard and sheds, don't no (sic) the value of it. The last question asks, "What amount are you prepared to pay at once on account of arrears of rental due by you? Thomas replies. ‘Cannot pay none as my family is large, would pay if able.’ Several weeks later the response to Thomas's financial predicament was... ‘Inform that a portion must be paid within one month.’ The 1890’s were difficult economic times. Many businesses and farms didn’t survive. Thomas and Agnes were fortunate in that they were able to overcome their difficulties and build a comfortable lifestyle for themselves and their large family. According to Thomas and Agnes Henderson’s Family Bible…’Father Thomas Henderson died February 20^th 1906, age 63 years.’ Thomas’s death received the following mention in The Nhill Free Press: To the great regret of a large circle of friends, Mr.Thomas Henderson passed away somewhat unrepentantly last Tuesday at his home, Woorak. Deceased who was of a quiet retiring disposition, was generally esteemed. He had been under medical treatment for an affliction of the heart. It was to this that he succumbed. Last month he went to Portland for a change, and although temporarily benefited the heat of the past week was too much on his return. His age was 63 years and he leaves a wife and large family in the district. The funeral took place yesterday. In 1909 Agnes Henderson moved to Melbourne to live. She bought a house at 30 Rose Street, West Brunswick. In-her small exercise book she wrote... 1909. What things I sold to buy the house in Rose Street, W. Brunswick. House cost £231. These are my own... Buggy and harness... £ 37 Thrilby (Mare) £ 25 1 Bay filly £ 8 1 Colt £ 18 1 Black Filly £ 42 1907. Lambs £ 37-9/ Wheat £ 71-5/ Wool £ 79-19/ Wheat sold later on... £ 24-7/ This is quiet (sic) correct and all my family will no (sic) this is quite true. I hereby sign my name. Agnes Emma Henderson. 1909. April 24th. Again according to the Henderson family bible… ‘Mother died February 23^rd 1925, age 73.’ When Jane turned 20, she went to work for a Mrs. Brown of Nhill. The Browns owned a general store in McPherson Street. Jane lived with the Browns helping out when they entertained of an evening. As a housemaid she would help serve supper to the guests. Jane stayed with the Browns up until she married Arthur Sherwood in 1909. © R J Sherwood. 2001 Return to start of Henderson Biography