Eliza Williams
(1829 - 1905)
and her husband George Day
Politician
of Albury district and Sydney NSW
Eliza Williams was the daughter of John Williams and Sarah Nash and was born in 1829 on their farm at West Bargo NSW. Her parents left the district in 1833, settling initially in the Queanbeyan district on grazing land on the western bank of Jerrabombera Creek, before heading south to the Burra district. By 1840 the Williams family had relocated to the Monaro district and were squatting at the cattle run "(Head of) Curry Flat" near Nimmitabel. Shortly before Eliza's marriage her family settled at "Groses Plain" south-west of Jindabyne.
In 1849 Eliza
married future politician George Day (1826-1906). They had
no children of their own however Sarah Brown, the daughter of
Eliza's sister Mary, was later to become their ward [see Mary Williams and her husbands Thomas Brown
and Edward Carrigan]
George was born
in 1826 in the Hawkesbury district to John Day (convict per Baring)
and his wife Jane Connolly (born in the colony). He
apparently settled in the Monaro district with his brother James
around the year 1840 and relocated to the Omeo district a few
years later. After making a fortune during the goldrush
period, George and Eliza relocated to the Albury district and
over the following few years George jointly acquired and
successfully operated the "Tabletop", "Quat
Quatta" and the "Yarra Yarra" pastoral runs.
He also successfully ran a flour mill in Albury for nearly a
dozen years.
George was
returned to Parliament in 1874 and was appointed to the
Legislative Council in 1889 where he remained until his death in
1906. Eliza died in 1905 at their home in Petersham.
This is a brief summary of the chapter relating to Eliza Williams and George Day published in Nash: First Fleeters and Founding Families - A Three Generational Biographical History.
Copyright 2004 - Carol Baxter
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