James Cronk (1811 - 1904)

Born 17 Feb 1811 in Tottenham, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Jane (Dayman) Cronk — married 13 Mar 1841 in Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Descendants

Died 5 Jul 1904 at age 93 in Modbury, South Australia, Australia

Biography

James Cronk was born on 17 Feb 1811 at Tottenham, Middlesex, England. ^[1]

James travelled to Tasmania in 1829 and lived there until 1835. After visiting Sydney, he returned to England. ^[1]

James emigrated again from England aboard the ship Africaine, which arrived on 4 Nov 1836 at Nepean Bay, Kangaroo Island, South Australia. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Note: Brother John CRONK arrived two years later in 1838 in the Africaine - Opie.

Biography published when 90 years old:^[1]

Mr. James Cronk, of Modbury, has a record as a pioneer not easily beaten. He was born on February 17, 1811, at Tottenham, near London, and started life as a ship's apprentice.

In 1829 he came out to Tasmania, where he resided till 1835. Then after visiting Sydney he returned to England.

Subsequently Mr. Cronk agreed with Mr. John Brown, who was emigration agent at that time, to come to South Australia with him in the ship Africaine. He landed on Kangaroo Island on November 2, 1836, and came on to Holdfast Bay a few days later.

Mr. Cronk was present at the proclamation of the province, and a day or two after landing the settlers found some difficulty in getting water, so Mr. Cronk sunk a well near the beach, and got a good supply. This was the first well sunk in South Australia.

Mr. Cronk had a knack of gaining the confidence of the natives, and he was often out with them looking for stray horses. He learned a good deal of their language, and constructed a useful vocabulary of words in most frequent use, which he sold to Mr. W. Williams for ¹2. When Dr. Wyatt. was appointed protector of aborigines, Mr. Cronk was selected as his assistant, but three years after he resigned the position, as by this time two or three town acres, which he had bought had become valuable.

Mr. Cronk sank two wells. one in Gilles street and one in Halifax street, which brought him in ¹3 a week. He built the original Rob Roy Tavern in Halifax street, which he afterwards sold to Mr. Robert Peters. He also had several cottages, built.

In 1840 things were very dull in Adelaide, and rents became more difficult to collect, so Mr. Cronk sold out of his city property and bought some land at what is now known as Modbury. There he started farming; there he has lived ever since, except for four or five months spent on the Victorian diggings, where he was fairly successful.

Mr. Cronk lost his wife about 15 years ago. He has three sons and three daughters living, who have supplied him with a goodly number of grand-children and great-grandchildren, who are scattered in various parts of the State.

Mr. Cronk carries his 90 years remarkably well, and may be seen in has garden every day working with an energy which might make many a younger man blush.

Born Tottenham, Middlesex, England. Died Modbury SA. Agriculturalist from Brook St, Ratcliffe, Co Leic/Notts. Welldigger, farmer, Aboriginal interpreter, goldminer; Adelaide, Dry Creek, Modbury. Anglican, Baptist. Became poundkeeper, Section 840, Dry Creek in Sept 1842. Attended Old Colonists Banquet 1871. MASSON, William and CRONK, James owners; Section 840, District A Dry Creek 1843. m 13/3/1841 Adelaide, Mrs Jacob Storer nee Jane Damont. ^[5]

Immigration

Reported to have attended the banquet given by Mr. E. Solomon at Adelaide Town Hall on December 28, 1871, for all colonists who arrived before 1841.^[6]

Death

James died aged about 93 years old on 5 Jul 1904 at Modbury, South Australia. ^[7]

CRONK.-On the 5th July, at his residence, Modbury, James Cronk, in his 94th year. A pioneer colonist of 68 years. ^[8]

James was buried at Hope Valley Cemetery in Hope Valley, South Australia. ^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} About Men and Women (1901, March 2). Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), p. 22. Retrieved March 20, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87713594
2. ↑ FamilyHistorySA (Secondary evidence)

   First name(s): James; Last name: Cronk; Age: 26; :Birth year: -; Occupation: agricultural labourer; Arrival year: 1836; Arrival day: 02; Arrival month: Nov; Ship name: Africaine; Application number: 343; Embarkation number: 137; State: South Australia; Country: Australia; Record set: Emigrants seeking free passage to South Australia 1836-1841

3. ↑ Bound for South Australia - original ship’s manifest for the 1836 voyage of the Africaine. Images courtesy of Dianne Cummings. http://boundforsouthaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/1836Africaine-Manifestp4.jpg ( James Cronk No2.)
4. ↑ State Library South Australia : Manifests transcribed from microfilmes of the 'South Australian Register' newspaper of the day - Dianne Cummings > http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1836Africaine.htm
5. ↑ https://localwiki.org/adelaide-hillsOverseas_Arrivals_to_South_Australia_-_1836
6. ↑ Advertiser (Adelaide, South Australia, Australia : 1889 - 1931), Thursday 17 November 1910, page 9
   http:/nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5210571

   The following are the names of the colonists, most of whom attended the banquet given by Mr. E. Solomon on December 28, 1871.

   Cronk, James, Africaine (November, 1836);

7. ↑ SA BDM (Secondary evidence) Page: Highercombe 303 122 Text: Given Name(s): James Last Name: CRONK Death Date: 05 Jul 1904 Gender: M Age: 93y Approx. Birth Year: 1811 Marital Status: M Relative 1: F J CRONK (S) Relative 2: Residence: Modbury Death Place: Modbury District: Highercombe Symbol: Book/Page: 303/122
8. ↑ Family Notices. (1904, July 7). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), p. 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4985536
9. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181426707/james-cronk: accessed March 20, 2024), memorial page for James Cronk (17 Feb 1811–5 Jul 1904), Find a Grave Memorial ID 181426707, citing Hope Valley Cemetery, Hope Valley, Tea Tree Gully City, South Australia, Australia; Maintained by MBeaven (contributor 48239022).

• Birth Citation

Misc. internet source (Unreliable evidence) Text: James CRONK born 17th Feb 1811 in Tottenham (from First Families site).

• Marriage (m. DAYMAN, Jane) Citation

FamilyHistorySA (Secondary evidence) Text: First name(s) James Last name Cronk Marriage year 1841 Marriage month Mar Marriage day 13 Marriage place Holy Trinity Adelaide Address Halifax Street Adelaide Spouse's first name(s) Jane Spouse's last name Storer Spouse's address Halifax Street Adelaide Celebrant Rev Charles Beaumont Howard State South Australia Country Australia Sources Holy Trinity Adelaide register 434 Record set South Australian Marriages ............ CRONK James, Jane STORER nee DAYMAN married 1841-03-13 at Adelaide?, aged 30, ~23

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