Harriett Ann (Connors) McEwan (1862 - 1945)

Born 25 Jun 1862 in Nanango, Queensland, Australia

Ancestors

Wife of Alexander McEwan — married 8 Feb 1898 in Gympie, Queensland, Australia

Descendants

Died 17 Oct 1945 at age 83 in Nanango, Queensland, Australia

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Biography

Harriet was born in 1862. She was the daughter of James Connors and Mary Wallace. She passed away in 1945 and is buried in the Nanango Cemetery. ^[1]

Connors Family History

Harriett Ann Connors was born on 25 June 1862 at Nanango. SHe was one of the first day pupils at Nanango State School.

Harriett looked after her mother, Mary, and father , James until her mother's death in 189.

Soon after she met Alexander McEwan who had just returned from the goldfields at Coolgardie-Kalgoorlie.

They were married on 8 February 1898, at Gympie.

The lived in Nanango where Alex used cattle from his property at Bull Camp, east of Nanango to stock his butcher shop.

Later they moved out to the property which they named "Springrove". Harriett and Alex lived there for ten years and then moved to land near Chinaman's Waterhole, south of Nanango. Now accessed by McEwans Road.

They were blessed with five children. Jessie Mary, Wallace James, Eileen (who died as an infant) Margaret Ann and Donald Alexander. As children they could never understand why their cousins were so much older.

Harriett and Alex lived at their second "Springrove" until blindness and a stroke made it necessary for Harriett to be admitted to Dunwhich Hospital^[2] where she died on 18 October 1945, at the age of 83 years.

Harriett is buried in Nanango Cemetery. Alexander died 10 years later.

Her grand-daughter, Noelle Harvey, wrote the following of her memories of Granny:

Harriett Ann Connors married Alexander McEwan in 1898 at Gympie. They had two boys and three girls (one girl died in infancy).

They lived in Nanango while Dar earned a living as a butcher having his own cattle on a property at Bull Camp (about 10 miles east of Nanango).

They moved to the east Nanango Farm property "Springrove" after about ten years, Maggie started school from there (approx. 1909).

About 1937 they sold the farm and moved half the old house on to land south of Nanango which Granny owned (near Chinaman's Waterhole), where they had a few head of milkers and some poultry.

Granny donated the block of land opposite for the first Nanango Golf Course.

An operation to remove cataracts on one eye failed and she lost the eye. Wouldn't attempt the other. A simple matter these days.

The fourth child and youngest girl Margaret Ann (Maggie) married Charles Reeve in 1923 at Ipswich, and they moved to teh farm at Rocky Creek where they reared a family of two boys and three girls.

Their eldest daughter, Noelle Joyce, stayed with Granny and Dar for a time to housekeep after Granny became blind. Being blind didn't mean she didn't know what was going on and she took Joyce to task for not washing the sheets BEFORE putting them on to boil.

Some years earlier she had deflated a teenage, Maggie, who was proud of the sparkling wash shed put out using the new fangled 'RINSO'. The washing was all taken in, washed, boil, rinsed and blued so it would be clean.

Granny could still enjoy a joke on herself. When she realised there was "something" on her seat and tried to hunt away the 'cat' before sitting down. The stubborn 'cat' refusted to move and further feeling revealed her felt hat.

Granny kept a staunch faith and 5 p.m. daily found her kneeling beside the bed for her prayers. ^[3]

Media Items

The Land. Land Courts. NANANGO. BEFORE Commissioner Lee, on the 12th September. SELECTIONS.-Homesteads: Harriet Ann Connors and C. Collin, each 160a., Kunioon^[4]

McEWAN, Harriett Ann. — Treasured memories of a loving Mother, Mother in-law & Grandmother, who passed to rest October 17th, 1915. R.I. P. Inserted by her loving Son, Daughter in-law, & Grandsons, of Southport. McEWAN.— In loving memory of our dear Grandmother & Great grandmother, Harriett Ann McEwan, who passed away 17th October, 1945. The golden gate stood open . On that sad unhappy day, With farewells left unspoken She softly passed away. Inserted by Jean, Bill, & Marlene.^[5]

Buried in the Nanango Cemetery. ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127531988/harriet-ann-mcewan
2. ↑ Perhaps the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum see https://stradbrokemuseum.com.au/dunwich-benevolent-asylum/
3. ↑ Lelacheur, Monica 1991 The Descendents of Mary and James Connors: From their arrival in Moreton Bay in 1855-Present. Self published. pp. 75-76.
4. ↑ The Queenslander, Sat 22 Sep 1883. p. 497. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/19793646?searchTerm=%22Connors%22%20nanango
5. ↑ The Courier-Mail, Thu 17 Oct 1946. p. 12. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/49366007?searchTerm=%22Harriett%20McEwan%22
6. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127531988/harriet-ann-mcewan

• b. 25/06/1862 1862/C/321 James Connor/ Mary Wallis https://www.familyhistory.bdm.qld.gov.au/details/89376d8f1535cfac6f7a537543c7d5d68862ff3239d3fb75496fb239d6553c01
• d. 17/10/1945 1945/B/4016 https://www.familyhistory.bdm.qld.gov.au/details/c0230ce8e9c359f20b7fc4858547b33caa110e625a45ee6c9b3556e9e42a68ae
• m. 08/02/1898 1898/C/881 as Harriett Ann to Alexander McEwan https://www.familyhistory.bdm.qld.gov.au/details/6246121a41d4080d6cb141a30f760c34e3b99d8acecf5d55ff26a6ad41398240