"First Families" at Digby, S-W Victoria, Australia

Digby township developed at a crossing point on Emu creek, later the Stokes river on the main bullock track from the port of Portland on the south coast to the fertile grazing land on the Glenelg & Wannon rivers at "Merino Downs," "Muntham" & "Sandford." This area in the south west corner of the Port Phillip District in the Colony of New South Wales was first settled by the HENTY brothers in 1837 after pushing inland from their 1834 settlement at Portland Bay.

This growing list of early inhabitants and visitors to the Digby area from its settlement circa 1840 is an attempt to collect the names of individual and family pioneers associated with this south-west Victorian rural settlement in the 1800s. The list includes individuals and families ranging from long term residents of the area to those who may have had a child born, registered, or baptised in Digby, were associated with a local organisation, owned land, or a residence in the area in the 1800s.

Additional names, comments, stories, links or corrections to the following or other families with connections to the Digby area in the 1800s are most welcome.

Click to Daryl Povey

25 January 2012

A

B
  • BALFOUR : Christina BALFOUR 1857-1933, b. Sandford (sp. James McINTOSH 1852-1941)
  • BALLINGER : Samuel BALLINGER 1833-1903, at Digby 1873 (sp. Mary Ann SANDERS 1838-1867
  • BANNAM : James BANNAM 1840-1925 (sp Janet BARCLAY 1840-1916)
  • BANNAM : Maria BANNAM 1850-1930 (sp Robert BARCLAY 1843-1895)
  • BARBER : Cecil Christian Alfred BARBER 1908-1979 of "Doonibee" Digby, 1944 (sp Gwendoline May ELLIS 1910-1986)
  • BARCLAY : Alexander BARCLAY 1836-1910, of Digby 1870s (sp. Jessie Ann BELL 1849-1930)
  • BARCLAY : John BARCLAY 1807-1877 (sp. Janet JOHNSTON 1802-1887)
  • BARCLAY : William Johnston BARCLAY 1838-1916, of Digby 1870s (sp. Celia Jane CAREY 1837-1906)
  • BARKER : Alan George BARKER 1901-1988 (sp. Marjorie Mary Ellen CARTER 1917-2005)
  • BARKER : Charles BARKER 1856-1888 (sp. Isabella BROWN 1858-1920)
  • BARKER : George BARKER 1868-1951, labourer, Digby 1939 (sp. Elizabeth Mary MABBITT 1872-1979)
  • BARKER : Harriet BARKER 1864-1912 (sp. Frederick Robert LEE 1861-1934)
  • BARKER : Mary Ann BARKER 1827-1887 (sp. Charles SMITH 1829-1908)
  • BARKER : William BARKER 1830-1912 (sp. Jemima TAYLOR 1831-1876)
  • BARLAS : James BARLAS ~1818-1871, surgeon at Digby, May 1864 to 1866, from Belfast, Vic. (sp. Sophia THOMAS)
  • BARNES : John BARNES 1836-1913, of Stawell & Digby (sp. Abigail COBB 1838-1907)
  • BARNFIELD : Robert BARNFIELD ~1819-1863+, "Woolpack Inn" (1863), "Commercial Hotel" Hamilton (1863), insolvent (1864)(sp = ?)
  • BATEMAN : Benjamin BATEMAN 1811-1867, brickmaker of Digby (sp. Eleanor Ann BRAZIER 1812-1899)
  • BAUDINETTE : William Chalk BAUDINETTE 1856-1906, of Digby & Chetwynd (sp.1 Ann Elizabeth GULL 1859-1885; sp.2 Mary SIMS 1872-1903)
  • BEESON : Albert Henry BEEESON 1868-1954, of Digby 1890s (sp.1 Martha Jane SMITH 1870-?; sp.2 Mary Theresa GALLAGHER 1871-1951)
  • BELFRAGE : Andrew BELFRAGE 1853-1925, Digby A.O.F. member 1874-5
  • BEST : Eli William BEST 1850-1941, Digby A.O.F. member 1867 (sp. Elizabeth KERR 1848-1929)
  • BEST : Henry BEST 1831-1863, at Digby 1861 (sp. Virtue WILLIAMS 1829-1923)
  • BETHARAS : L. BETHARAS purchased a Digby township allotment 1850s
  • BETHUNE : Norman BETHUNE 1795-1880, arrived 1853, d. Chetwynd (sp. Catherine McDONALD ~1807-?)
  • BIGGIN : Ernest Haywood BIGGIN 1909-1980, labourer, Digby 1939 (sp. Agnes Dorothy McLEAN ~1910-1966)
  • BIGGIN : George Albert BIGGIN 1875-1929 (sp. Clara Perry SIMKIN 1883-1965)
  • BIGGIN : Henry BIGGIN 1842-1918 (sp. Sarah McLEOD 1856-1944)
  • BIGGIN : Joseph Haywood BIGGIN 1837-1907 (sp.1 Bridget DARCY 1836-1876; sp.2 Honora O'DOWD ~1839-1934)
  • BIGGIN : Joseph Haywood BIGGIN 1858-1947, carrier, Digby 1939 (sp. Annie Maria HICKLETON 1860-1948)
  • BIGGIN : Thomas BIGGIN 1811-1898 (sp.1 Eleanora HAYWOOD 1807-1954; sp.2 Margaret McCORMICK 1811-1876)
  • BIGGIN : Thomas BIGGIN 1838-1885 (sp. Susan CARRISON 1836-1899)
  • BILSTON : Alexander Heywood BILSTON 1854-1916, Digby A.O.F. member 1875 (sp Catherine Juliana Collett McDONALD 1850-1923)
  • BLACKWOOD : Isaac BLACKWOOD 1836-1919 (sp. Susan SIMKIN 1855-1935)
  • BLACKWOOD : James BLACKWOOD 1830-1910 of Hotspur (sp. Hannah MICKLEBOROUGH 1832-1923)
  • BLACKWOOD : James Nehemiah BLACKWOOD 1855-1923, of Hotspur, Digby A.O.F. member (sp. Mary BLACK 1852-1916)
  • BOLAM : Henry BOLAM ~1823-?, of "Kangaroo" station and Hotspur in 1859, gaoled for 10y for horse stealing (sp. Mary LOONEY ~1829-1910)
  • BONN : Walter BONN 1859-?, labourer, Digby 1880
  • BOWEN : John Wood BOWEN 1826-1877, of Grassdale 1856 (sp. Christina McDONALD 1828-1915)
  • BRADLEY : A. BRADLEY
  • BRENNAN : Francis Owen BRENNAN 1828-1867, splitter of Hotspur (sp. Mary McKAY 1827-1882, of "Rifle Downs")
  • BRENNAN : Johanna BRENNAN 1838-1899
  • BRENNAN : William Henry BRENNAN ~1841-1867, Digby A.O.F. member 1866-7, died Sandford.
  • BREWER : Mary Ann BREWER 1829-1884, of Warwickshire, d. Digby (sp. John WILKS 1828-1896, butcher of Digby)
  • BRINDLEY : Martha Ann BRINDLEY 1873-1934, of Hotspur (sp. Henry HISCOCK 1861-1946)
  • BRINDLEY : Thomas BRINDLEY 1799-1878, of Hotspur, d, QLD (sp. Elizabeth WHITE 1802-1846)
  • BRINDLEY : Thomas BRINDLEY 1837-1893, of Hotspur (sp. Emma KEY 1842-1912)
  • BROBEN : William BROBEN 1866-1939, teacher at Digby 1890s (sp. Florence Agnes Mary HEAZLEWOOD 1875-1908)
  • BROOKER : William BROOKER 1828-1902, st Digby 1863, d. NSW (sp. Maria WHEELER 1829-?)
  • BROWN : Daisy Elizabeth BROWN, at "Pleasant Hills" 1939
  • BROWN : George Edward BROWN 1833-1894, carpenter of Merino & Digby (sp. Ann BELL 1834-1930)
  • BROWN : William BROWN 1860-1935, land selector of Digby (sp. Frances SIMKIN 1863-1962)
  • BRUCE : Angus BRUCE 1819-1883, of Digby 1850s, d. Mount Gambier (sp. Christina MATHESON 1821-1906)
  • BRUNTON : Anne BRUNTON 1843-1920 (sp George Charles Cheape ALLARDICE 1815-1903)
  • BRUNTON : James BRUNTON 1808-1898 (sp Lucinda "Lucy" McINNES ~1807-1862)
  • BRUNTON : James BRUNTON 1839-1933 (sp Mary Livingstone McLACHLAN 1853-1923)
  • BRUNTON : Jessie BRUNTON 1846-1922 (sp Thomas BURGESS 1839-1906)
  • BRUNTON : Richard BRUNTON 1841-1887 (sp1 Susannah KING 1846-1901), (sp2 Sarah Ann McCALLUM 1852-1933)
  • BRUNTON : William James Richard BRUNTON 1886-1958, labourer, Digby 1939 (sp. Caroline McCALLUM 1891-1947)
  • BUCKLE : Thomas BUCKLE 1840-1924, Innkeeper, Digby, d. Colac (sp.1 Elizabeth Mary CURTIS; sp. 2 Anna Maria Sophia THOMAS 1852-1912)
  • BUCKLE : William BUCKLE 1813-1895, squatter & Innkeeper (sp Jane ARMIN 1816-1874)
  • BUCKLEY : Robert Darlington BUCKLEY 1832-1919, of Merino & Digby, d. Nhill (sp. Mary Elizabeth HICKS 1831-1906)
  • BULL : Henry BULL 1844-1912, labourer, "Grassdale" station 1872, d. Harrow, Vic. (sp. Annetta ROWE 1853-1940, b. "Grassdale" d. Ballarat)
  • BUNKHOUSEN : BUNKHOUSEN ? buyer of Digby allotment 1850s
  • BURCHELL : John Henry BURCHELL 1867-1947, of Carapook, Digby A.O.F. member 1892 (sp. Joanna Maria Hill Fenwick MARSH 1872-1930)
  • BURGESS : Annie Eliza BURGESS 1841-1921 (sp Nathaniel Robert BURGESS 1836-1926)
  • BURGESS : Arthur Robert "Art" BURGESS 1880-1965, storekeeper, Digby 1939 (sp. Annie Cecilia "Cis" HEAZLEWOOD 1873-1959)
  • BURGESS : George James BURGESS 1872-1947, labourer, Digby 1939 (sp. Alice Beatrice FARLEY 1870-1950)
  • BURGESS : Lydia Jane BURGESS 1851-1911, b. Digby, of Mumbannar (sp Thomas SMITH ~1844-1921)
  • BURGESS : Nathaniel BURGESS 1809-1871, b. London, son of Capt. Thomas BURGESS (sp Mary BARRATT 1809-1886)
  • BURGESS : Nathaniel John BURGESS 1874-1965, farmer, Morven 1939 (sp Julia Edith GUTHRIDGE 1880-1972)
  • BURGESS : Nathaniel Robert BURGESS 1836-1926, blacksmith of Digby (sp Annie Eliza BURGESS 1841-1921)
  • BURGESS : Robert Edward BURGESS 1902-1985, blacksmith, Digby 1939 (sp Sylvia Helena JONAS 1902-1986)
  • BURGESS : Robert Joshua BURGESS 1867-1948, blacksmith, Digby 1939 (sp Eliza Alice BURGESS 1869-1945)
  • BURGESS : Thomas BURGESS 1812-1876, b. London, son of Capt. Thomas BURGESS (sp Rachel EVANS 1811-1888)
  • BURGESS : Thomas BURGESS 1839-1906, sawmill operator, Digby (sp Jessie BRUNTON 1846-1922)
  • BURGESS : Thomas Nathaniel BURGESS 1870-1956, labourer, Digby 1939 (sp Lilian May "Lily" CLARKE 1881-1943)
  • BYRNE : George BYRNE 1808-1857, of "Glen Livet" Digby-Merino (sp. Elizabeth COSTELLO ~1806-?)

C
  • CAMERON : Alexander CAMERON 1840-1920, Digby A.O.F. member 1868, of Dunkeld (sp. Alice KINSMAN 1870-1941)
  • CAMERON : Angus CAMERON 1838-1917, of "Kangaroo Lake" Grassdale (sp.1 Flora McDONALD 1845-1877; sp.2 Margery Sophia "May" TURNBULL 1843-1885; sp.3. Alexandrina "Lexie" CAMERON 1859-1956)
  • CAMERON : Allan CAMERON 1872-1897+, Digby A.O.F. member 1897
  • CAMERON : D___ CAMERON
  • CAMERON : Duncan CAMERON 1857-1938 (sp. Elizabeth Ann BRUNTON 1864-1931)
  • CAMERON : Hugh CAMERON 1788-1870, (sp Catherine "Kate" McLEAN 1807-1893.), arrived 1852, of "Ardgarten," "Ardachy" & "Kangaroo Lake" Grassdale
  • CAMERON : Hugh CAMERON 1821-1912 (sp.1 Janet McFARLANE 1821-1871; sp.2 Marion "Sarah" BEATON ~1840-1922)
  • CAMERON : Hugh CAMERON 1874-1924, Farmer of Grassdale, died in buggy accident.
  • CAMERON : Peter CAMERON 1856-1909
  • CAMERON : Thomas Allardice CAMERON 1899-1965 (sp. Lily Christian TAYLOR 1894-1957)
  • CAMPBELL : Jean CAMPBELL 1799-1886
  • CAMPBELL : Leslie David CAMPBELL 1892-1956, labourer, Digby 1939 (sp. Flora Ellen CAMPBELL 1892-1966)
  • CASSIDY : Edwin CASSIDY 1863-1926 (sp. Anne SHAW 1869-1947, b. Hotspur, at Digby 1939)
  • CAY : John William CAY 1868-1917, son of Robert CAY & Annie MONTGOMERY, Grazier at "Stokesdale" Digby 1895-1904, d. Sydney, NSW.
  • CHADWICK : Samuel CHADWICK 1820-1869
  • CHING : Walter Russell CHING 1896-1917, b. Grassdale, son of Walter William CHING & Harriet COOK, d. Belgium (WW1)
  • CHING : Walter William CHING 1859-1934, b. Geelong, at Grassdale in the 1890s, d. Bendigo (sp. Harriet COOK 1864-1947, son Walter KIA, Belgium WW1.)
  • CHISHOLM : John CHISHOLM abt.1830-1860+
  • CHRISP : Frank Sitwell CHRISP 1848-1926, of Digby 1873-1876 (sp, Elizabeth DENHAM 1849-1903
  • CHRISP : Thomas CHRISP 1839-1922, manager "Rifle Downs" in 1876 (sp, Julia McDONALD 1832-1922
  • CLARKE : Edward Henry CLARKE 1847-1918 (sp. Elizabeth Shand TAYLOR 1854-1906
  • CLARKE : Edward Henry CLARKE 1875-1923, son of Edward Henry CLARKE.
  • CLARKE : Emma CLARKE 1849-1918
  • CLARKE : James CLARKE 1901-1976, laboourer, Digby 1939 (sp. Ida Bertha MABBITT 1899-1992)
  • CLARKE : John Joseph CLARKE 1896-1963, WW1 service, labourer, Digby 1939 (sp. Ethel Rubina CASSIDY 1889-1973)
  • CLARKE : Thomas Denton CLARKE 1847-1937
  • CLARKE : Thomas Henry CLARKE 1816-1865
  • CLARKE : William Stephen CLARKE 1885-1944, labourer, Digby 1939 (sp. Emily Mary BURGESS 1885-1958
  • CLIFFORD : Daniel 1887-1942, b. Adelaide, SA; farmer, Digby 1939 (sp. Hilda Emma COPPING 1881-1960)
  • CLIFFORD : Jane CLIFFORD abt.1840-1867+
  • COATES : Mary COATES 1833-1908
  • COBB : Abigail COBB 1838-1907
  • COBB : Jane COBB 1832-1917
  • COCHRANE : Robert COCHRANE 1848-1926
  • COCHRANE : Miss ___ COCHRANE abt 1870- ? , teacher at Grassdale S.S. in Oct 1897
  • COFFEY : James COFFEY 1842-1928, Stationmaster at Grassdale R.S. 1884-1888, Henty R.S. 1888-1892 (sp Adealade Sophia WHITAKER ~1844-1930)
  • COHEN : Sophia COHEN 1843-1904
  • COLDHAM : George COLDHAM 1824-1862 (sp Kate McPHEE 1826-1912), "Audley" Station, near Branxholme.
  • COLDHAM : John COLDHAM 1821-1882 (sp Josephine Theresa Power LANE 1830-1900), Squatter "Grassdale" Station
  • COLEMAN : Louis COLEMAN 1839-1896, farmer at Grassdale 1870s, died Queensland (sp. Margaret DALGLEISH 1843-1922)
  • COLEMAN : Thomas COLEMAN 1817-1900, wool carrier, Digby, Drumborg, Portland 1870s, farmer of Yanac, Wimmera (sp1. Maria COOMBES 1836-1855, sp2. Emma COOMBES 1838-1923)
  • COLEMAN : Thomas COLEMAN 1854-1933, b. SA, son of Thomas COLEMAN & Maria COOMBES, wool carrier, Digby, Drumborg, Portland 1870s, farmer of Yanac, Wimmera (sp. Harriet Ann JUDD 1860-1934)
  • CONDON : Samuel CONDON 1842-1908
  • CONNOR : John CONNOR abt. 1825-? & Mrs CONNOR employed by Dr & Mrs Henry INVERARITY at Digby in Sep 1858.
  • CONNOR : Maria CONNOR 1836-1909, of Merino (sp1 Richard ELSTON ~1813-1866, sp2 James William BREBNER 1837-1919)
  • COOK : Frances Merino COOK 1858-1961, lost & died in the bush at Grassdale in 1861
  • COOK : Isabella COOK abt.1825-1856+
  • COOK : Thomas George COOK 1879-1952 (sp Mary Ann HURST 1879-1934), employee "Ardgarton" Station 1914.
  • COOK : William COOK 1812-1878 (sp Mary Ann PRICE 1826-1896), of Grassdale in 1861
  • COOPER : John Walter Brindle COOPER 1827-1873 (sp. Johanna McCARTHY ~1827-1895.)
  • COOPER : Richard COOPER 1867-1948, labourer, Digby 1939 (sp. Bridget SULLIVAN 1871-1955)
  • COOPER : William "Bill" COOPER 1864-1936 (sp. Matilda Martha HANCOCK 1880-1958)
  • COOPER : William COOPER ~1807-1862, d. Digby (sp. Jane McKINLAY ~1824-1908)
  • CORDNER : Robert CORDNER 1831-1897
  • CORNFORD : Caleb Samuel CORNFORD 1829-1909
  • CORNFORD : Charles CORNFORD 1828-1899
  • CORRIE : Unity CORRIE c.1839-1908
  • COSTELLO : Elizabeth COSTELLO abt.1810-1857+
  • COSTELLO : Margaret COSTELLO c.1829-1860+
  • COSTELLO : T___ COSTELLO
  • COTTER : John Archibald COTTER 1870-1948
  • COTTERIDGE : Sarah COTTERIDGE 1815-1859
  • COULSON : Christopher COULSON 1817-1904
  • COWAN : James COWAN 1834-1905
  • COWELL : Eli COWELL 1809-1875
  • COWELL : Eli COWELL 1845-1901
  • COX : C___ COX
  • COX : Beatrice Emily COX 1883-1962 (sp Thomas Ernest WILKINSON 1880-1947), of "Bryngola" Digby, 1947.
  • CRAIG : Sarah CRAIG 1781-1871
  • CRAVEN : Albert Lyons CRAVEN 1844-1920
  • CRAWFORD : James CRAWFORD 1812-1848
  • CREEK : Thomas CREEK 1831-1901
  • CREIGHTON : Janet CREIGHTON 1795-1894
  • CRENNAN : Constable ___ CRENNAN ~1830-?, Police Constable at Digby, 1859.
  • CROAKER : Charles CROAKER 1835-1881, Stock & Station Agent, with Henry SCOTT held "Mount Struan" 1863-75; "Pleasant Hills" 1869-76; "Rifle Downs" 1865-77.
  • CRUSE : Elizabeth CRUSE 1858-1917
  • CRUSE : James CRUSE 1821-1893
  • CUNEEN : Catherine CUNNEEN 1836-1904
  • CURRY : Susan CURRY 1808-1906

D

E

F

G

H

I
  • IND : George IND 1819-1898
  • IND : Sarah IND 1824-1903
  • INGRAM : Edward INGRAM 1855-1944
  • INVERARITY : Dr Henry INVERARITY 1828-1866
  • IRVINE : James IRVINE 1809-1867, suicided at "Grassdale" Station.
  • IRWIN : Mary IRWIN 1838-1920

J

K

L

Mc

M

N

O

P

Q
  • QUAID : Johanna QUAID c.1829-1898, 1861 at Digby, died Penola, SA (sp. James WORGAN 1832-1903)
  • QUINN : A.E. QUINN ~1820-1863+ horse racing stables at Digby in 1863
  • QUINN : James Henry QUINN ~1830-1863+ Clerk of Petty Sessions at Digby 1859-1863

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y
  • YEOMAN : Sarah Jane Euphrates YEOMAN (1856-1911)
  • YOUNG : Francis Russell YOUNG 1881-1976 (sp Margaret Mary "Madge" GLEESON 1887-1954), b. Grassdale, farmer of "Snizort" Hotspur.
  • YOUNG : Samuel Evans YOUNG 1821-1907 (sp Margaret WALSH 1817-1918), farmer & storekeeper of Tahara.
  • YOUNG : Samuel Evans YOUNG 1846-1925 (sp1, Sarah Jane SEDGWICK 1854-1905, sp2, Elizabeth Annie POVEY 1859-1923), of "Honeysuckle Park" Grassdale.
  • YOUNG : Vera May YOUNG 1890-1958 (sp Thomas Joseph "Madge" GLEESON 1885-1968), b. Grassdale, m. St John's, Digby, 1919.
  • YOUNGMAN : Edward YOUNGMAN 1861-1928, single, of "Ardgarten" Station, son of Henry YOUNGMAN & Eliza DOGGETT.



Windmill