William Smith

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Marie Bertha Bourne(Marie Morphett) on 12th December 2022

One of William Smith's daughters Sarah Bernice Laurel Miller the year of her death is 1943 [not 1934] She is buried in Leeton Cemetry. Sarah passed away in the Ambulance on the way to hospital. Her son John Morphett born Victoria 22nd September 1886 was my father his second marriage was to my mother Lorna May Morphett nee Schache born 11th February 1917 Murtoa Victoria.My Father and Mother are both buried in Bowral NSW Cemetry. Sarah's husband was also John Morphett died 1938 he is also buried in Leeton Cemetry. One of her sons William Morphett was killed in WW1 he was in the Light horse brigade. Sarah had about six children one son went to Tasmania Leila lived in Mildura.

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Marie Bertha Bourne(Marie Morphett) on 12th December 2022

One of William Smith's daughters Sarah Bernice Laurel Miller her date of death is 1943 not 1934. in Leeton she passed away in the ambulance on way to hospital her son John Morphett born 1886 Victoria was my father his second marriage was to my mother Lorna May Schache. One of her sons William Morphett was killed in World War 1

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greg petersen on 27th January 2020

William Smith was born in 1823 England and was tried on 17th October in Maidstone Quarter sessions, Kent and sentenced to seven years transportation for stealing a donkey, it was his first offence. He arrived in VDL aboard the Equestrian on 2nd May 1844. His conduct was reported as “Orderly, Single a Protestant, can neither read nor write” His trade was listed as Labourer, Height: 5’3¾”, Age: 21, Complexion: Ruddy, Head: Oval, Hair: Brown, Whiskers: Brown, Visage: Oval, Forehead: Med Width, Eyebrows: Brown, Eyes: Grey, Nose: Large, Mouth: Small, Chin: Medium Dimpled, Native Place: Kent. Remarks: Scar on left cheekbone, scar on left thumb, several moles on right arm above elbow.William requested from the government to marry Fanny Cochrane Smith (1834-1905),a Tasmanian Aborigine she was born in early December 1834 at the Wybalenna Aboriginal establishment, Flinders Island, Tasmania, daughter of Tanganuturra (Sarah), father unknown. At the age of 7 Fanny spent her childhood in European homes and institutions. In December 1842 she entered the Queen's Orphan School, Hobart, to learn domestic service skills, but where the children learned little and were subjected to prison-like discipline. More of her time was spent in the Flinders Island home of the catechist Robert Clark, where she lived in conditions of appalling squalor, neglect and brutality. At 12 she worked for the Clarks as a domestic servant at the pittance of £2 10s. 0d. a year. In 1847 the 46 survivors of the Aboriginal establishment were removed to Oyster Cove, south of Hobart. Fanny went into service in Hobart, but soon returned to Oyster Cove to live with her mother and sister. Every summer Fanny went on hunting trips with her people and learnt many traditional bush and trapping skills and learned to love the sea. She remained at the settlement for seven years until 1854 when she married the sawyer and former convict William Smith. He first saw her when she was 18 years old and was instantly captivated by her lithe and graceful movements as she ran across the beach gathering shellfish and it reminded him of the young deer he had seen in the forests when he was young. He fell in love with her at first sight. They were granted permission to marry and Fanny was awarded a monthly amount of money equal to the cost to keep her at Oyster Cove. On 27th October 1854 in Hobart they married. Fanny was initially granted 100 acres (40.5 hectares) of land in 1858 by the government for being Aboriginal. She chose the land at Nicholls Rivulet because it was fertile and well-watered. Her land was in a narrow valley that was surrounded by rugged hills. Tall gum trees covered most of the land and dense bushes grew alongside the banks of the rivulet. Upon marriage Fanny received a £24 annuity. She and William worked at fencing and shingle splitting and also ran a boarding-house in Hobart. Her younger brother Adam lived with them and her people from Oyster Cove visited. After Adam died in 1857, Fanny and William took up land near Oyster Cove. Their son William Henry was born in 1858; five more boys and five girls followed. Fanny raised her children in a simple five-roomed wooden house. Her mother often lived there and Trugernanner (aka Truganini), William Lanne (aka King Billy) and others were frequent callers. The family grew their own produce but their income came from timber; Fanny worked in the bush splitting shingles and carried them out herself. She walked the 31 miles (50 km) to Hobart for supplies. Children to William & Fanny: William Henry Smith (1858-1934), Mary Jane Miller, née Smith (1859-1955) Flora/Florence Amelia Stanton, née Smith (1860-1946), Walter George Smith (1861-1912) Joseph Thomas Sears Smith (1862-1948), Sarah Bernice Laurel Miller, née Smith (1864-1934), Tasman Benjamin Smith (1866-1949), Frederick James Smith (1868-1951), Laura Ann Miller née Smith (1870-1953), Charles Edward Smith (b.1872) and Isabella Frances Smith (b.1874).