John Wesley Reynolds (1879 - 1904)

Born 1879 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia

Husband of Francis Mary Theresa (Mann) Hardin — married 18 Mar 1900 in Echuca, Victoria, Australia

Died 1904 at about age 25 in Yarrawonga, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

John was born in 1879. He was the son of Robert Reynolds and Esther Matthews. He passed away in 1904.

Sources

1. Born 1879 BDM Vic - 20733/1879
2. Married 1900 (Francis Mary Theresa MANN) BDM Vic - 407 / 1900
3. Died 1904 (25 years old) BDM Vic - 14401/1904

FATAL ACCIDENT. A married man named, John Reynolds, aged 25 years, employed post splitting for Messrs Sloane and Sons on Mulwala Station, met with injuries which terminated fatally at 3 o'clock on Thursday afternoon. In company with another man he went after a cockatoo's nest which had been located in a dry tree. They felled the tree, but in falling some of the branches struck another tree and were left hanging. Reynold proceeded to cut a hole in the tree to get at the nest, and whilst so occupied a heavy limb crashed down on his head and smashed his skull. He was taken across to Yarrawonga in an unconcious condition for medical attention, but never rallied and died stated. Deceased leaves a widow and three children to mourn their loss. Deceased was an old resident of Echuca and had Just sent word to his family of his intention of returning home for Christmas.

The Corowa Free Press (NSW) Tuesday, 13 December 1904 [1]

A BUSHMAN KILLED. COROWA, Saturday.— A young married man named John Reynolds, employed post-splitting for Messrs, A. Slopo and Sons, at Mulwala Station, was accidentally killed on Thursday. With the help of a fellow-employece, he sawed a tree down for the purpose of getting young cockatoos, and in falling the tree struck another tree and loft several broken branches hanging. While Reynolds was cutting a hole in the fallen tree to get at the young birds a heavy limb from above crashed down on his head, smashing his skull in. He was conveyed to Yarrawonga for medical treatment, but succumbed to his injuries about twelve hours after the accident. Tho deceased leaves a wldow with two children.

The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW) Monday, 12 December 1904 [2]

YARRAWONGA. John Reynolds, 25 years of age, a married man with two children, died here at 3 o'clock on Friday morning from injuries received through the limb of a tree falling on him. He was employed post-splitting for Messrs. Sloane & Sons, at Milewa Station, New South Wales. He discovered a cockatoo's nest in a dead tree, and with the help of a man named Treyer he sawed the tree down to get the young cockatoos. the tree in falling struck another tree, and left some broken branches hanging. While Reynolds was cutting a hole in the fallen tree to get at the cockatoo's nest a heavy limb from above crashed down on his head and smashed his skull. He was brought to Yarrawonga by the police in an unconscious condition, and succumbed twelve hours after the accident.

Benalla Standard (Vic) Tuesday, 13 December 1904 [3]

Victoria: A Splitter's Death Melbourne, Friday.— John Reynolds, a splitter, was killed yesterday at Yarrawonga by a tree falling on him. The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times (Tas) Saturday, 10 December 1904 [4]

Mulwala Homestead [5]

"CORONER'S INQUEST. On Satnrday afternoon last Mr. J. W.W. Beaven, P.M. held a coronial inquiry at the Yarrawonga Courthouse into the death of John Wesley Reynolds who had been accidentally killed on the previous Thursday through the limb of tree falling: on him. Deceased, who came from Echuca, was a recent arrival in the town, and, at the time of his death, was residing with his wife and family of two children, in Russel street Mrs.Frances Reynolds deposed: l am the wife of deceased, and I reside in Russel street, Yarrawonga. I identify a body now lying at my home as that of my husband, John Wesley Reynolds, aged 25 years. On Thursday morning last my husband set out from home alone to go to work on Mr. Sloane's estate at Mulwala. I did not see him again till 7 o'clock the same evening when he was carried to my house by four young men in an unconscious state. I remained with him constantly until 8.10 o'clock the next morning, when he died. He did not recover consciousnes np to the time of his death. William Pyer deposed: I am a laborer camped on the Victorian side of the Murray at Browning's Bend. At about one o'clock p.m. last Thursday deceased came over to my camp, in a boat, from the other side of the river and asked me to get my axe and assist him in getting a cockatoo's nest. I consented, and we went over to New South Wales. after landing we pro- ceeded for about 700 yards when we reached a tree in which deceased said the nest was. We cut it down, and it fell into another, breaking in two in the middle. Deceased pointed out a hole in the trunk of the fallen tree into which said he had seen the bird fly. He said to me, "I'll cut the hole on top, and you can watch underneath for the young ones." He then mounted the trunk a started cutting. Shortly afterwards I heard a cracking among the branches of the tree against which our tree had fallen, and sang out to deceased to look oat. The wind was blowing very hard at the time, and he did not seem to hear me. Just then I saw a large limb fall- ing from shore, and got out of the way under the trunk of the fallen tree. I heard a crash, and when I came out saw deceased lying under the fallen limb. The limb was resting on his head and shoulder. I lifted it off and saw a hole in his head, from which blood was flowing copiously, I thought he waa dead and ran off for assistance I did not try to stop the bleeding, as did not know how. In about half an hour I found a fisherman, who under- took to go to Yarrawonga and inform the police of what had happened, and I returned to deceased with whom I re- mained until sundown, when two of Sloane's men came up. The accident happened at abont 3.30 o'clock p.m. The nearest police station was five miles away, and the police arrived on the scene shortly after 7 o'clock. They took charge of deceased, and I helped them to carry him to their boat. Senior Constable Ray, of Mulwala, deposed: At about 5.30 p.m. last Thurs- day I was requested to call at the Yar- wonga police station, Upon my arrival there Sergeant Hewitt told me that man named Reynolds had been killed the fall of a tree during the afternoon one of Messrs. Sloane's paddocks. Ser- geant Hewitt, Constable Mclntyre and I then procured a boat and proceeded to the scene of the accident. On reaching the spot we found deceased lying among the debris of a fallen tree. We ex- amined him and found that he had a nasty wound on the left side of his head His shoulder blade also appeared to be broken. Deceased was breathing heavily, and blood was flowing from his head wound, and blood and mucous from his mouth. With the assistance of last witness we carried him to our boat ab- 700 yards distant. We laid him at the bottom of the boat, and proceeded to Yarrawonga as quickly as possible. Be- fore doing so we told Mr. John Elking- ton, Messrs. Sloane's boundary rider, ride to Yarrawonga and get a doctor to meet, us there on our arrival. When we reached the Yarrawonga police station Dr. Denis examined deceased, and said his case was hopeless. With the assist- ance of Constable Ramsay and two other men I carried deceased to his home an placed him on a bed. I went to the scene of the accident in a boat because that was the quickest mode of getting there. Dr. A. A. Denis, deposed: At 8 o'clock p.m., on 8th inst. I saw decea- sed the: Yarrawonga police station. He was. unconscious. His head was de- formed, and he had a wound two inches long on the right parietal. The bones of his head were depressed all round, it was easy, to feel, a comminuted frac- ture very likely reaching the base of skull. His right shoulder was miure his breathing was slow and stertorous hie lipB were covered with a slight oozing of red arterial blood coming fro one of ;the memngal, arterie3; his puls was very weak, and complete paralys • of, the limbs .-had aet in, his arms . being at times agitated by convulsive movements. The case was absolutely hopeless., ,:Uoth!ng whatever could, hav been done so X recommended decease removal to his own home, where he at about 3 - o'clock, the next mornin The injuries from , which deceased d

CQuld,£ave ,:Veen:;caqsed in " themann

jietsiled by witness J?ycr. The Goroner found that, deceased h met his death, throngh.-sthe accidenta falling of a hmb of a tree upon his head. ; ~ ' The Yarrawonga Mercury and Southern Riverina Advertiser (Vic) Thursday, 15 December 1904 [6]

Research Notes

B. 1979 at Ballarat (Robert William and Elizabeth (nee MATTHEWS) REYNOLDS) BDM Vic -20733/1879

D. 1904 at Yarrawonga (William Robert and Esther (nee PATHUNE) REYNOLDS) BDM Vic - 14401/1904

CHILDREN NOTING NO KNOWN FATHER OF CHILD BORN POST 1904

REYNOLDS Flor Sylvia Ellen Birth <Unknown Family Name>, Frances May Teresa MANN <Unknown Family Name>, Jno Wesley ECHUCA 1902 10032/1902 REYNOLDS Gladys May Birth <Unknown Family Name>, Fran Mary Teresa MANN <Unknown Family Name>, Jno Wesley ECHUCA 1900 10668/1900 REYNOLDS Theresa Mary Birth <Unknown Family Name>, Fran Mary MANN <Unknown Family Name>, Jno Woolley ECHUCA 1904 9956/1904 REYNOLDS Ethel Maud Birth <Unknown Family Name>, Frances Mary MANN <Unknown Family Name>, Unknown YARRAWONGA 1911 8025/1911

Research Notes

Mother's maiden name suggested to be different here (ENDERSBY) [7] whereas BDM Vic (BDM Vic - 14401/1904) also notes a different maiden name (PATHUNE).