Hawson family information

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Hawson

Contents 1 Early history of Australia and Port Lincoln 2 Historical facts about the Hawson family 3 A group of pioneers 4 Local intelligence 5 Sources

Early history of Australia and Port Lincoln

Culled from the Hawson diary An interesting link with the early history of Australia, and, to a lesser degree, Port Lincoln, is the Hawson diary now in possession of Mr. Harry Hawson, of Wallaroo, who lately resided in Port Lincoln (writes Mr. W. A. Crowe ) The writer of the diary set sail from England on April 13, 1833, arrived in Sydney on October 9, 1833 and finally, after many up and downs, set out, from Adelaide for Port Lincoln on May 12, 1839. Of particular interest to any person interested in early Australian history is a section headed, 'A Short Account of Australia from Observations' Made During the Years of 1834, 1835, 1836 and 1837.' This section is a commentary on conditions mainly in Sydney, and throws some light on the politics of that period. One such observation is, 'The most famous meeting of this description on record is' the hole-and-corner petition meeting which took place about four years ago, where a body of men met for the purpose of petitioning the Home Government to extend the power of the magistrates in awarding punishment. for a single magistrate being allowed to award only 50 lashes, the act of the council requiring that two magistrates should be present to adjudicate in cases where a greater degree of punishment was considered necessary.' Apparently these men were in agreement with American plantation owners, who defined freedom as the right of a man to whip his own nigger. A copy of this section of the diary should be preserved in such a place as the Mitchell Library for future students of Australian history. The few lines dealing with Port Lincoln are exasperatingly fragmentary. Here they are in full: — Left Adelaide the 12th May, 1839, for Port Lincoln. Left Port Lincoln 26th May, 1842, arrived in Adelaide on the 1st April. May the 13th, Charles, left Adelaide for Port Lincoln to bring around cattle overland. On 22nd June he started from Port Lincoln with a dray, four bullocks, one horse, four men and 100 head of cattle, and has now been absent eight months and nothing yet heard of them. On 2nd November myself and three children left Adelaide and returned to Port Lincoln.' Of the three years between 1839 and 1842 no comment is made upon living conditions in Port Lincoln. It took seven days to reach Adelaide from Port Lincoln, but no mention is made of the route or the mode of travel, and finally, the greatest story of all, nothing has been heard for eight months of an entire, party which had set out on a journey of 600 miles. Mr. Harry Hawson promises to gather whatever information be can on this eventful journey.

Historical facts about the Hawson family

Mr. J. D. Somerville, 279 Goodwood Road, Kings Park writes :— It was most interesting to read the article ("Times" 18/6/53) relating to the return of Miss Florence Hawson to Australia after so many years' absence. There is an impression abroad that Frank (Francis Tapley) Hawson was a son of Captain Henry Cowell Hawson and not the son of Henry Hawson. Hence for the sake of historians several amendments are required in the published article. There was no girl by the name of Florence in the elder Henry's family of 13 children, but according to G. C. Morphett (1946) there was a Florence Emilia (who was said was a spinster in America), daughter of Henry Cowell Hawson and his wife Frances (nee) Brodribb. Henry Hawson, aged 57, died in 1849 (his wife lived for another 25 years) about six before Florence was born. Among the 13 children of Henry were Henry Cowell, born 1814, Edward Cowell, born 1819. Thomas Bond born 1820, and Francis Tapley, born 1828. Edward was the elder brother who had gone to Port Lincoln from the Little Swamp camp leaving Frank, his younger brother alone, little imagining the tragedy that was to occur during his absence. So it can been seen the relationship between the murdered boy Frank and Miss Florence must have been uncle and neice, and not brother and sister. Doubtless Miss Elsie Lee is another descendant of Henry Cowell Hawson. Mr. Morphett shows that Edith, one of the daughters, married a Lee. The other relatives mentioned in the article - Mrs. Sam Carrick – is most probably a descendant of Thomas Bond, the fourth child of Henry Hawson. Thomas firstly married Mrs. C. C. Dutton and secondly a woman whose name is not recorded by Mr. Morphett, but she had seven children, one of whom was the noted Lewis, the blind publican of Wangary. It will be remembered that Thomas Bond (junior) of the first marriage was taken by Bishop Hale to Perth to attend the newly established Hale School. Of course it will have been noticed that the date of Hawson's settlement at Port Lincoln should have been 1839 and not 1838. I have a happy remembrance of the ceremony held in 1939 depicting the arrival of the first settlers at Happy Valley. Both the father and son Henry and Henry Cowell took a very prominent part in the work of establishing Port Lincoln township and district. I have no particulars about the Hawson who went to America. It would be interesting if some particulars could be gleaned about the trip. The Archives advises me that Mr. Pinkerton, who was concerned in the aboriginal murders near Elliston, also went to America in the early days to engage in pastoral pursuits. Possibly the young Hawson was following him.

A group of pioneers

Memories of Port Lincoln. The Hawson Family. The death of Miss Emelia Figurado Hawson, which occurred at West Mitcham on Monday, recalls some of the struggles of the pioneering days. The deceased was one of the earliest settlers, and with her sisters Miss Margaret Hawson and Mrs. Isabella Lawrence and her brother-in-law Mr. Lawrence, figured in the initial steps taken towards opening up the West Coast. The last residence of the deceased was at Estcourt, West Mitcham where on Wednesday a representative of The Register, saw the other persons named and gleaned interesting details of the family history. The ladies are daughters of the late Mr, Henry Hawson, of Towalla, Port Lincoln. Their father, a man of independent means came to Australia in 1837 in his own ship the Abeona. He cruised arouud the coast' inspected Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and other ports, and finally - having believed the opinion of the day that Port Lincoln with its large and beautiful land-locked harbour was destined to be the capital of South Australia - settled on the west coast and bought a large area for a cattle run. The family consisted of the husband and wife, six sons and seven daughters. They had not long been at Port Lincoln when a tragedy occurred which brought gloom to the little community. One of the sons, Frank, aged 12 years, was visiting a station nine miles out of Port Lincoln, and remained there while his father went into the township. On the latter's return the lad was found lying near to a hut, with two native spears in his body. These he had endeavoured vainly to extract, and finally had lighted a fire and tried to burn the ends off, so that he might ride to the township. He was taken to the township for medical attention, but did not long survive his wounds. The lad's story was that aborigines had appeared begging for food, which he had supplied. They became most insistent and aggressive, and he armed himself with a dagger and a gun loaded with slugs. Then their attitude was changed and they coaxed the lad to let them show him how their boys held and threw their spears. So soon as he put his gun down to hold one of their weapons, they rushed upon him and speared him several times. The lad managed to regain hold of his rifle and shot one of the blacks in the hand, upon which they decamped. The aborigines who threw the spears were brought to the dying boy's bedside for identification, but he said he did not want them to be punished. Only a few weeks ago the remains of young Hawson were removed from the little grave near to the ruins of the Hawson's former residence at Kirton Point, and placed under a memorial erected by public contribution in Port Lincoln. Miss Margaret Hawson, who now lives at 'Estcourt,' Mitcham, is 81 years of age, and her sister, Mrs. Lawrence, is 71 years old.These are the sole survivors of the family. The sister who has just, died was 74 years of age. The two ladies first mentioned remember that when they arrived at Holdfast Bay in 1837, the people on another ship called out to them, 'King William IV. is dead and Princess Victoria is Queen.' The family lived in Currie street Adelaide, for two years, before going to Port Lincoln. Their father took up first' the Coffin's Bay Run (now. Mr.Mortlock's), and afterwards Towall and Polda, which were afterwards held by their brothers, Messrs. Gregory and George Hawson. 'We used to grow the best grapes I have ever seen at Port Lincoln,' said Mrs. Lawrence, 'and my mother made splendid wine from them. I believe the west coast would be a fine district for vineyards. Father was very particular to keep a diary in which he recorded every event of any importance. I don't know what has become of it, but if it could be found it would no doubt give much valuable in formation about the early settlement on the west coast.' The ladies said that in their youth they were dreadfully frightened of the blacks, who were at all times numerous and treacherous. After more than half a century in the Port Lincoln district, Miss Hawson and Mr and Mrs Lawrence removed to Enfield, where they lived for more than a dozen years until 1906 they settled at Mitcham. At Enfield the now deceased sister was an active worker in the local Anglican Church and Sunday school. Mr. Lawrence, the husband of the younger surviving sister, is 77 years of age. He was born at Albany, and has been married 51 years. He was a sheep farmer in the Port Lincoln district for 40 years and claims to be the first person who ever took sheep overland to that district. In 1857, a year after he settled at Port Lincoln, he bought a flock at Burra and drove them around the head of the gulf. He was about 11 years old when he arrived in South Australia, and he is proud to consider himself one of the oldest of St. Peter's collegians. Having been articled to his father, the late Mr. William John Lawrence (who was a partner of the late Judge Gwynne), he was ordered into the country to recuperate his health. His experience of rural life was to his liking, and he never went back to office work. Speaking of the blacks on the west coast Mr Lawrence, said- 'I have seen 1,000 at a time engaged in a tribal fight, each side fling ing spears at the other. In those days the settlers never knew when they might be killed, the aborigines were so treacherous. Why, there was the case of Johnny Hamp's father. The sons left the station, and when they came back at night one of them went to look for his supper in the camp oven. They found in stead their father's head. The 'blacks had killed him, and had afterwards cut off his head, split it in two, and put it in oven. My theory of young Frank Hawson's death is that it was due to the instruction of the missionaries, who had taught the blacks that the soul did not die, but went to heaven, which the aborigines interpreted to mean that they could not kill a white man, and they thought they would have a try. After a few years the natives gradually got better,and became very useful to the squatters. They made grand shepherds, but one always had to keep on eye on them. We have in our house at Mitcham a young aboriginal servant, who is a very good girl.^[1]

Local intelligence

On the 24th July last Mr Henry Hawson, of Port Lincoln, went on a visit to his son-in-law, C. J. Driver, Esq., Resident Magistrate at Port Lincoln, and in the afternoon left Mr Driver's to return home, a distance of about five miles. Mr Hawson not having returned by noon the next day, one of his daughters went from his residence to Mr Driver's to enquire after the old gentle man. On arriving within a mile of Mr Driver's, Miss Hawson, to her great horror, saw the cart, in which her father had gone to Mr Driver's, overturned and lying on her father's body. She rode forward to Mr Driver's for assistance, and, on that gentleman's reaching the spot, it was found that Mr Hawson was still alive, but, on removing the cart from off him, he faintly uttered a few words and expired. The cart appears to have lain on his body upwards of twenty hours.^[2] =='Early experiences of colonial life.'— No. XIX. [By an Arrival. of 1838] I now pass to the year 1839, and commence 'by giving the narrations of Captain Hawson, Mr. T. N. Mitchell, and others, taken down from their lips. Mr. Mitchell was one of the passengers by the Abeona, Captain Hawson, and also on board were Messrs. C. Fenn, R. Todd, W. Williams, J. M. Phillipson, and others, whose names may appear in the course of this narrative. The landing was made in March, 1839, in Boston Harbor, at Happy Valley. By the captain and passengers it was arranged that those on shore should fire a volley and hoist the British flag, and that after a certain interval of time, the mate named. James Hunter, should answer by firing the one, and only carronade on board. The volley on shore having been fired,the first discharge of the gun on board took place, and shortly after they were surprised by a second discharge of the gun on deck contrary to orders, and also by witnessing a splash in the water following the report. It was evident an accident had .occurred, and Captain Hawson, with Mr. T. N. Mitchell, immediately pushed off in the boat. On arriving on board they were horrified at finding one' of the seamen lying in a pool of blood on the steerage deck. He was begging to be thrown overboard, his eyes were literally blown out, one of his cheeks was lacerated, his hands shattered, and his body otherwise injured. Mf. Mitchell, having previously operated on animals, and having fortunately with his luggage a medicine chest and. a case of surgical instruments, in the absence of any surgeon amputated part of one hand and dressed his face and wounds in the best way he could. The captain at the same time set about the discharge of passengers' luggage and cargo, so as to lose no time in returning to Adelaide, and placing him, if then surviving,under professional treatment. It was ascertained that poor Hunter had most improperly, in ramming down the powder, used an iron bar and thus the powder had exploded,the splash seen by the captain and others on shore being the iron bar striking the water. The running up of the British flag, part of the introductory ceremony, occurring almost at the same moment as this accident, the unfortunate occurrence was looked upon as a sad opening of the settlement. The brig was soon under way, and made a quick and comfortable passage to Holdfast Bay, and conveyed the sufferer to Adelaide. Mr. Mitchell accompanied Hunter to attend to him, and to alleviate his agonies as much as possible. The patient was conveyed to the Adelaide Hospital alive much to the surprise of Dr Wyatt and other medical gentlemen, who were soon in attendance. The building then used as the public Hospital was situated near the Black Swan on North Terrace, and was a small thatched hut. The maimed man recovered and survived some years. Such was the first experience of the inhabitants of the Port Lincoln town and settlement. The splendid harbour has not up to this time (unsurpassed as it is in its accommodation for a large number of ships of any size) been (text illegible) deficient in agricultural land and abounding in large scrubs, with a scarcity of water, and in consequence grazing stations have been few and far between. Captain Hawson returned with his ship - and passenger, Mr. Mitchell, and anchored again in Boston Bay. No time was lost by the few arrivals in organising an exploring party to view the country and discover its capabilities, Captain Hawson being leader, with about nine men all on foot, an overlander called Yorky carrying the bulk of the provisions. The direction first taken was about south-west. After passing over a barren and sandy country, after travelling three days they made Coffin's Bay, where a little fresh water was found, but not sufficient to satisfy the wants of the party. They then turned in a north-west direction to reach a range of hills in sight, on arriving at which it was decided that the bulk of the party should rest and remain at a certain spot, while the leader (Captain Hawson), Mr. Mitchell, one other member of the party, and Yorky, with his load, should surmount the range. This was carried out, and the active party struggled up the steep and rocky range, which was named by them the Marble Range from finding large masses of quartz, and what was taken to be marble. The prospect not being promising in any direction from the summit, no open country being in view, it was decided to continue N.E. and unfortunately for the lot, by some accident Yorky, the bearer of the main portion of the provisions, separated from the descending party, and was no more seen until they returned to the encampment at Happy Valley. The party had now to depend entirely on their return journey on the small quantity of provisions which they had in their wallets, and on brackish water, until a black was caught, who was induced to point out some of their watering places in the direction of the new settlement, and the party had to subsist for four or five days on a few small birds. On arriving at the settlement at Happy Valley, as they called it (but where they had not yet experienced' much of that feeling), they found their provision-carrier had arrived before them, but without much inconvenience to himself. The black, who may be said to have saved the lives of the explorers by pointing out good water, remained with them a short time, and for a time his friendship was secured. The first water shown by this blackfellow was on a rise near a hill, which they named Mount Gawler; and .here the first sheep-station was afterwards formed, by Mr. Juo. Brown, from Shields, who soon afterwards was killed by the blacks, as was also a Mr. Biddle, who subsequently formed a station about five miles from Brown's place, with some others employed on these first stations. Full particulars will be giyen in a future number, as well as of the slaughter of young Francis Hawson, twelve years of age, which was the first murder committed by the blacks in this part of the province, and which took place at a small outstation, about seven miles from the first settlement at Happy Valley, when he had happened to be left' alone, his elder brother having gone into the settlement.' It was not long before the inhabitants of the small settlement were cheered by the arrival of Captain Porter, with his brig, Porter, named after himself. His cargo was chiefly provisions, of which the inhabitants had run short, and, much to their inconvenience, he refused to sell. His brig Dorset, which he had sold at Port Adelaide to Messrs. Smith & Shane, also soon after arrived, with a number of Van Dieman's Land laborers — old lags — under engagement to them. The Special Survey No. 1 had been taken up in the name of Smith & Hawson, to cover which an Association had been formed as co-partners in laying out the township and country (the latter in 20-acre blocks) on the 4,000 acres to be selected out of the 15,000 embraced in the Special Survey, which was conveyed to Mr. Osmond Giles and Dr. Knott, in trust, by Smith and Hawson, as trustees to represent the parties who had contributed to aid them in the £4,000 purchase-money, Mr. Winter, surveyor, being employed to lay out the allotments. The next unfortunate circumstance which occurred was the pecuniary difficulties in which Messrs. Smith and Shane shortly found themselves at the commencement of the general crisis, when they could not continue to employ the rough characters whom they had introduced into the infant settlement; nor could they complete their bargain -for the brig Dorset, which then fell into the hands of Mr. Emanuel Solomon, of Adelaide, who employed her to the great benefit of the older settlement of Adelaide, as will be reported in another article. The rough characters who were thus thrown out of work by the difficulties of their employers commenced to supply their own wants by committing robberies on the small stocks of the already needy settlers, who, few in number, and not altogether in harmony, did not combine together to resist the depredators, who carried on their actions with impunity, helping themselves frequently in open daylight. At this time no police had been provided or sent by the Government.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ The Register Thursday 1 June 1911 p 7
2. ↑ South Australian Register Wednesday 8 August 1849 p 3
3. ↑ Reprinted in The Port Lincoln Times, 8 Jan1932