Notes for John Griffiths: Marriage Certificate details: John identified Present and usual place of residence as Yawong. Farmer. Sarah Ann Grimmett also listed Yawong as her present and usual place of residence. Witnesses: Maria Grimmett & Elizabeth De Garis
John owned a Columbia Motor cycle. (Letter dated 1898 from Mary's (Mother) cousin in Brazil Indiana
1856 Born in Pontypool Wales in August - second child of Thomas Bowen and May Griffiths , having a younger sister Sophia who was nearing 3 years of age.
1857 (10 months old) on June 27th, John sailed to Australia on board the Miles Barton from Liverpool with his parents Thomas Bowen and Mary. His older sister had died 12 days before the family boarded the sailing ship. 30 September the Miles Barton arrived at Melbourne.
1874 13 Feb John (18yo) identified as Farmer from Baringhup, pegged out a Land Selection of 320 acres, being Lot 18, Section 5 in the Parish of Yeungroon and his father did likewise on the 320 acres adjacent and to the south (Lot 19, Section 5).
1874 15 July the selected land passed the recommendation stage.
1874 1st October, The License for Lot 18, Section 5 was granted to John. At the same time Lot 19 was licensed to his father Thomas Bowen. This must have been a proud time for John at 18 years of age, having the License in his name to such a potentially rich property and by combining the two Griffiths properties, together they had 640 acres to work and develop.
1879 John was 23 yo when his parents leased/share farmed the Coonooer Estate 'Yawong' before purchasing it in 1883.
1880 Brother H Isaac had land transferred to him - Lot 4a, Section 5 (original Land Selection of John McGregor in 1873)
1881 Brother Ivor had land transferred to him - Lot 14, Section 5, 320 acres (original Land Selection of Abel Ellis in 1875)
1881, Father Thomas had a further 60 acres of land transferred to him, Lot 1b, Section 6 (original Land Selection of Jane Love in 1875)
1882 August (26yo) John married Sarah Ann Grimmett (22yo) in Charlton and they continued to live with John's parents at Yawong on the leased property. Sarah had listed her place of residence as Yawong on the marriage certificate, having been born at Laanecoonie in Victoria (52 Kms NW of Castlemaine). Sarah was 5 months pregnant a the time of their marriage.
1883 7 January Sophia, John and Sarah Ann's only child was born in Charlton.
1883 John (27yo) father Thomas Bowen bought Coonooer property in name of T B Griffiths and Sons, being 1,123 acres comprising Lots 6a, 7 & 8 in Yeungroon Parish and Lot 1, Parish of Coonooer West and Crown portion A in the county unnamed.
? John must have built a house on his holdings, just north of and adjoining the property where Wilfred built a new house much later. John was to live in this house until his death in 1937.
1884 John (28yo) forfeited his land lease to father Thomas B, being the 320 acres in Lot 18, Section 5.
1885 Brother H Isaac was granted the Title of Lot 4a, Section 5 which had been transferred to him from John McGregor in 1873)
1887 Father, Thomas was granted Title to Lot 18, Section 5, which had been transferred to him from son John in 1884.
1887 Father Thomas was granted the Title to Lot 1b, Section 6, the 60 acres which had been transferred earlier from Jane Love in 1881.
1887 Father Thomas was granted Title to his original Lot 19, Section 5, 320 acres.
1887 Brother Ivor was granted Title to Lot 14, Section 5, 320 acres which had been transferred earlier from Abel Ellis
1889 Brother H Isaac married Esther nee Parry in Coonooer. John and Sarah still living at Yawong.
1900/01 Daughter Sophy (19/20 yo) must have left the Yawong area to move to the Parkes/Alectown/Peak Hill area in NSW where she met up with Sorin Sorinsen. Members of the Grimmett family, Sophy's Mother's relatives lived in the Parkes region.
1902 Daughter Sophy now 21 yo, married Sorin J Sorinsen, farmer, in Sydney. They moved to Coradgery, near Parkes where Sorin's family property was located.
1903 Elections: John (47yo) living at Yawong with elderly parents Thomas B (77yo) and Mary (75yo) ? no reference to Sarah in the 1903 Elections. No Electoral records available in Australia prior to 1903
1903 Brother H Isaac purchased a property at Chestervale, Meredith Vic..
1905 Sophy and Sorin produced John's first grandchild Ann M, born in Parkes NSW.
1906 John's 2nd grandchild Thelma E was born to Sophy and Sorin at Parkes NSW
1908 John's 3rd granddaughter Neta G was born to Sophy and Sorin in Peak Hill NSW
1909 Elections: John (53yo) Grazier at Yawong with his wife Sarah (49yo) and parents Tom (83yo) and Mary (81yo). It was this year that John's father died and left Yarwong, valued at 12,058 pounds and personal property valued at 1,326 pounds to his wife (Mary, John's mother) and to son (not sure which son?)
1911 Hilton James Sorinsen, the first and only grandson for John, was born at Peak Hill NSW.
1911 John's (55yo) mother, Mary, died, (aged 83).
1911 Sept 1 John's wife Sarah Ann (called Sarah Jane) died at age 51 in Bendigo and was buried at St Arnaud Cemetery. John's daughter Sophia was 28 years of age at this time.
1913 Dorothy I, 5th grandchild was born in Parkes NSW to Sophy and Sorin
1914 Elections: identify John (58yo) as Grazier at Yawong.
1916 Jeannie Iris, the last of Sophy and Sorin's children and the 6th grandchild for John and Sarah Ann was born in Parkes, NSW.
1919 Elections: John (63yo) and 1924 Elections: John (68yo), and 1931 Elections John (75yo) appears to be in sole control of the Yawong property while his brother Ivor is working at the Natte Yallock property which is jointly owned by John and Ivor and his older brother Isaac H is working the Meredith property with his sons. It is in 1931 that his brother Isaac, now aged 71 years retires to Geelong, buying 61 The Esplanade, West Geelong.
1936 Elections: John now 78yo is still listed as a grazier at Yawong and his 72 yo brother Ivor is still listed as a grazier at Natte Yallock, however his nephews, Ivor Henry (together with his wife Alberta) and Wilfred John have now moved to the Natte Yallock property where Ivor intends to will the property to Ivor Henry.
1937 John aged 81 years died. John Willed the Yawong property to his brothers Ivor and Isaac. Ivor now had 50% of the Yawong property in his name. When Ivor died the following year without a Will, John's estranged daughter Sophia Sorinsen (now 54yo) laid claim to Ivor's newly acquired portion of her father's Yawong holdings. She received 50% of all cash and 50% of Ivor's share of the Yawong property, with Isaac still retaining the remaining 50%. Isaac subsequently bought Sophia out.
With bitterness between the Griffiths family and Sophie Sorinsen's family, all contact was lost.
More About John Griffiths: Burial 1: 10 Feb 1937, St Arnaud Cemetery M9/42H.40 Burial 2: 10 Feb 1937, St Arnaud Cemetery M9/42H.40 Electoral Roll 1: 1903, Div Echuca, SubDiv Ararat, Polling Place Yeungroon, Grazier (Ref 71). Electoral Roll 2: 1909, Wimmera, SubDiv Charlton, Grazier (Ref 71).41 Electoral Roll 3: 1914, State Wimmera, SubDiv Charlton, Grazier (Ref 460). Electoral Roll 4: 1919, Wimmera, SubDiv Charlton, Grazier (Ref 459). Electoral Roll 5: 1924, Wimmera, State Korong, SubDiv Charlton, Grazier (Ref 463). Electoral Roll 6: 1931, Wimmera, State Korong, SubDiv Charlton, Grazier (Ref 488). Electoral Roll 7: 1936, Wimmera, State Korong, SubDiv Charlton, Grazier (Ref 509). Land Selection 1: 13 Feb 1874, Pegged out Lot 18, Section 5, 320 acres Yeungroon.42 Land Selection 2: 15 Jul 1874, Lot 18, Section 5 Yeungroon land recommended.42 Land Selection 3: 01 Oct 1874, License granted for Lot 18 Section 5 Yeungroon.42 Land Selection 4: 1884, John forfeited his lease of Lot 18, Sect 5 and it was transferred to Thomas B, his father..42 Property 1: 1903, Yawong, near St Arnaud Vic.. Property 2: 22 May 1883, Thomas B Griffiths & Sons bought 1,123 acre Coonooer Estate Lots 6a,a 7 & 8 Yeungroon Parish & Lot a Coonooer West and Crown portion A (County unnamed).43 Property 3: 1909, Yawong, near St Arnaud Vic.. Property 4: 1914, Yawong, near St Arnaud Vic.. Property 5: 1919, Yawong, near St Arnaud Vic.. Property 6: 1924, Yawong, near St Arnaud Vic.. Property 7: 1931, Yawong, near St Arnaud Vic.. Property 8: 1936, Yawong, near St Arnaud Vic.. Wedding: 26 Aug 1882, Wesleyan Parsonage, Charlton Vic.44
More About John Griffiths and Sarah Ann Grimmett: Marriage: 26 Aug 1882, Wesleyan Parsonage, Charlton.45
Children of John Griffiths and Sarah Ann Grimmett are:
John Griffiths (b. 19 Aug 1856, d. 09 Feb 1937)
Notes for John Griffiths: