Notes for James Smead: James came to Victoria from Tasmannia around 1848-1852. In 1854 he married Ellen MacDonald at the residence of George Pyers, Cargarie, Victoria, Australia. At the time James was a carrier conveying goods from Ballarat to various diggings during the gold rush. Neither he or Ellen could sign their names.
By 1863 james and Ellen lived in McMahon Street St. Arnaud and had a house and land. James was a carter conveying mail to different districts. By 1864 he also had a stable and joined the Manchester Unity Lodge.
When his daughter Ellen died in Tasmania around 1915, James went to Tasmania and brought the husband and her children back to St. Arnaud.
James died on 29 March 1923 at Mrs Keegan's Private hospital, Napier Street, St. Arnaud for mitral valve disease which he had for some years.
The notice in teh St. Arnaud Mercury read
" One of the oldest identities of St. Arnaud, Mr James Smead had gone to his long rest at the age os 88 years. He has resided here for a very lenghty period and was much respected. In his younger days, the late Mr. Smead was a teamster conveying goods from Ballarat to various diggings when the gold rushes were at their height. He subsequently conveyed mails to different distraict. Two sons are left, Mr Thomas Smead of Melbourne and Mr. James Smead a guard on the Victorian iRailways. The deceased was a very old member of the Manchester Unity lodge which he joined in 1864. He died on Thursday last after an illness extending over a few weeks. The funeral took place in Good Friday, 10 o'clock ceremony being most impressive. The Salvation Army territorial Staff Band and brethren of the Manchester Unity lodge were prominent in the lengthy procession to the cemetery. The band played the "Dead March".
More About James Smead and Ellen MacDonald: Marriage: 1884
Children of James Smead and Ellen MacDonald are:
+James Smead, b. 30 Aug 1868, St. Arnaud, Victoria, Australia, d. date unknown.
James Smead (b. 21 Jan 1835, d. 29 Mar 1923)
Notes for James Smead: