Benjamin ROWE, Coolah NSW - any images

[thetowers]

Coolah was ” proclaimed a Village under 4th Sec of Act ‘84”  (as in 1884 !)

Which raises the question of how a man who died in 1880 came to own two of the small subdivision blocks which only came into existence as a result of the plan.

[thetowers]

In 1883,  a photographer named Scott,  went to Coolah,  and poisoned himself.

Probably explains why the other photographers stayed away.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/137086722

[cando]

Judy I have spoken to a delightful gentleman about the history of Coolah.  I have pm'd you his email address so you can contact him directly.  He and a local historian will help you. The situation sounds the same as my local area with data held in private collections. There are other publications about Coolah and more are being written as more material comes to hand.

I totally agree with the gentleman .... everything is not on the net.  Nothing like local knowledge.

Cheers
Cando

[thetowers]

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/812537

A few weeks after your relative passes away,  Sun Go Sun & Co.  announce the establishment of a new branch store at Coolah.

This ad appears 6 times in 6 weeks.

The curious thing is,  this "Sun Go Sun & Co",  never seem to be mentioned,  ever,  as having a store somewhere else.

[judyjay]

Thank you all for replies and thoughts. For some reason I did not get notification of all these postings (memo to self - Check Rootschat more often!).
There is a lot to think about and do. Certainly my grandfather never mentioned a great uncle who had gone to Australia. My uncle will be amazed.
Fascinating. Again thank you all so much.

[judyjay]

I do hope that I have not mislead people over his place of death. While the registration details say that the district is Mudgee, his will states that he is a storekeeper of Coolah in the colony of NSW.  One of his executors is Alexander McEwen of Mudgee while the other is Archibald Henderson of Coolah. The former and H M Todhunter witnessed the will.  Probate was granted on 3rd November 1880 by petition.
I may have made the assumption that he died in Coolah. I have ordered a transcription of his death certificate which may make things clearer when it arrives.
Thank you.

[judyjay]

Dear All
Happy New Year.

I have now received Benjamin's death certificate and probate records.  Not really very enlightening.
The death certificate details state that he was a store keeper and had died and was buried at Mudgee, certified by Dr Rowling.  The undertaker was Francis Jones of Mudgee. He died from gangrene of the lungs, suffered for six weeks. Maybe he died in hospital? His will was made two and a half weeks before his death.
The probate records state that he was a storekeeper of Coolah.  One of his executors Archibald Henderson was also a store keeper in Coolah. Perhaps they were business partners.   Henry Mallon Todhunter, Bank Manager of Mudgee witnessed the will. His effects were estimated at £110.

again thank you all for your help and suggestions.