William Mitchell and Ellen Cubit
Parents
: William
Burton Mitchell and Margaret Hawton
John Cubit ans Mary
Chilcott
Whiteford
William Mitchell (b 1850 Tregorrick St Austel Cornwall, m
Ellen Adelaide Cubit 1880 Sandridge Melb, d 1889 Bethanga, Vic )
Ellen (b 1856 Westbury Tas, also m Thomas Mills White 1894
Springvale, d 1937 Wodonga Vic)
Lillian May (Lily) Mitchell (b 1881
Whiteford Vic, m 1902 Mark Park, d 1920 Ringwood)
Florence Jane (Flossie) Mitchell (b
1882 Whiteford, m 1913 Tom Martin, d 1970)
Adelaide Luceill Mitchell (b 1884
Whiteford, m Bert Hutchings 1914 Raio, Pukenui, Northland. NZ, d
1968 Whenuapai Auckland)
Leonard William Mitchell (b 1886
Whiteford, m Thirza May Clough 1912 Bethanga, d 1960)
m Olive Hanna Hunt 1932 Wodonga)
Ernest
Harold
Mitchell (b 1887 Whiteford, m Leila Muriel Roach 1914 Kew, d
1960 Wodonga)
Ellen (m Thomas Mills White 1894 Springdale)
Robert (Bob) Mills White (b
1894 Bethanga, m Dorothy smith 1931, d 1965 Ballarat)
This page now
consists of three distinct parts
The standard tree and links above.
A writeup of the William Mitchell story as I
see it.
A collection of correspondence and research
notes that provides discussion and evidence for the preceeding
story.
The first thing that strikes you on reading the
pages for the two William Mitchells is that these guys enjoyed
themselves. Travelling widely round NE Victoria, and further,
prospecting for gold and finding it and literally building
prosperous farming properties. But it must have been very hard
work. Brad mentions 644 tons of dirt processed from the Welcome
mine in a year. And later William B took a contract to raise 100
tons quartz at the Bon Accord mine, starting July and finished in
Nov 72. I suspect they did the work themselves, or Brad's
bookkeeping would have recorded the cost of wages. Can do people -
if you need a school or church in the community, organise a
committee and build it. If you need another house - build it
yourself.
I suspect the women enjoyed the northeast less.
Margaret (nee Hawton) seems to have had long term ill health. She
must have missed Cornwall and her family support, particularly in
those long periods in summer when the temperature reached 35
centigrade day after day. And Ellen must have felt much the same
growing up in Tasmania, and then living in the city from her late
teens. The isolation on the farm in the Mitta valley must have
been a shock. And Leila grew up in suburban Melbourne - again
country life must have been a shock,
William junior cemented the family fortunes
with a serious gold find. He wrote poetry because he was missing
home on their horseback ride to Queensland. He was meticulous in
recording his desparate attempts to control his diabetes.
Churchgoers and temperance advocates all.
With that preamble I should tell William's
story as we know it. The Mitchells were tin miners in Cornwall.
The mines were underground mines so they had knowledge that
could have proved useful in Victoria. William was 11 when the
family came from England to Yackandandah. In 1876 William aged
26 found the “Welcome” mine on the edge of Bethanga. The
mine was registered 13th April 1876 and they worked it for a
year getting gold to the value of £2860/6/1.The mine was sold
for £3,000 in 1879. William Mitchell kept diaries over the
period April 1879 to January 1889. Six of his diaries have
survived. The diaries record his trip by horseback with Brad, to
Queensland and back looking for a property to purchase and
eyeing off the talent in local churches looking for a wife. Jim
Mitchell son of Brad Mitchell says there are notes in a Canberra
library left there made by his father Brad Mitchell about Brad
& Williams trip to Queensland. They went 858 miles on foot
or horse, 713 miles by rail, 169 miles by coach, and 1000 miles
by steamer. The total cost each them was £39/6/8.
Tha last diary records his struggle with
diabetes. He used shorthand symbols in this diary but they have
been decoded primarily by a coleague at Defence Signals. The
diary where he meets and marries Ellen is missing, presumably
removed by Ellen. In 1979 William Mitchell established a
farm in the Mitta valley, more or less opposte the town of Huon
and not far from Yackandandah. William built 2 rooms originally,
and added on. It went to 8 or 9 rooms. It had beautiful embossed
walpapering with gold and roses, and dado boards 3 ft up the
wall William Burton Mitchell's brother James Mitchell's
1901 census entry provides the origin of the name Whiteford.
James is living in Stoke Climsland Cornwall. Two houses down the
road, the road name entered changes from Stoke Village to
Whiteford.
William married Ellen in 1880. William and
Ellen had five children between 1881 snd 1887. William died in
July 1889 from diabetes. He recorded his strugglke with the
disease in his diaries. William
Mitchell's Will provides a good picture of the Mitta farm
Whiteford at the time he died. It was obviously a prosperous
farm Link
to informaton about the Whiteford near Stoke Climsland
Ellen was born in Westbury Tasmania in 1856 but soon after the
family moved to nearby Deloraine, Ellen came to Melbourne some
time in the 1870s. The family lived in South Melbourne. Ellen
was working in the Victoria Hotel at the time she met William.
The Victoria was a popular hotel for country people visiting
Melbourne. It was a temperance hotel, which would have suited
Methodist/Rechabite William fine. For information on the hotel
see Victoria Hotel
Alma Dillon recollects he told them at home that ~she was smart
- - carry as many plate
When William died Ellen was left with five
young children and a farm to run. The will to me reads as if
William did not envisage Ellen staying on and running the farm,
but rather she and the children being supported by it. Fred as
executor seems to have complete charge of what is done. The farm
passes to the two boys and cannot be sold till Ern turns 25. At
the time of William's death Ern was two. Any way Ellen stayed on
and at some stage hired Tom White as a farmhand. Tom was born in
England. no school, but could read, knew a lot. He was a
very good bricklayer. TW did the brickwork (base) of the second
Bethanga school (the one demolished mid 1960s).. He also built a
shop on the corner of High St and Jack Hore Place Wodonga (now
demolished). He liked a drimk, so he and the church going
teetotal Mitchells were chalk and cheese.
Ellen and Tom had a son Bob in 1984. Bob went
with Ellen when they left Whiteford in 1908. However he seems to
have been on good terms with the other children as Flossie's
postcard collection contains numerous postcards from Bob during
this period. He enlisted in the AIF in January 1916, listing his
occupation as a farmer. He served in the middle east (Port Said)
as a driver. In Sept 1918 he went to hospital with various
serious priblems. His record states 20 bouts of malaria. He was
eventually discharged at the end of 1919, still not well. He
married Dorothy Smith in 1931. They had no children, Bob died in
1965 in Ballarat.
Relations with the Mitchell children were
difficult. They were now becoming teenagers. And Tom may well
have been unaware of the provisions of the will and thought he
was marrying into property. In about 1908 Ellen and Tom leave
Whiteford and the children take over. In 1912 the
partnership of the children running Whiteford is dissolved. Ern
remained (This presumably occurred on Ern's 25th birthday,
as provided by the will). Ellen and Tom lived variously at
Dickson's Creek, Healesville. Leneva and Wodonga. Tom died
in 1936 and Ellen in 1937 aged 81.
Detailed
correspondence, interviews, discussion and research notes follow
the above statement of the story as I see it.
Les Rowley
Some sources have William (b 1850) as William Hawton Mitchell, but I
have not seen that second name on any documents. It is not in his
will or death certificate.
Comments from Alma
Dillon Victoria Hotel Poem by William
William's
Diaries Notes
by Fred Mitchell
Origins of the Cubit Name
(PDF) Summary
|
|
|
William and Ellen Mitchell
On their
marriage in 1880
|
Ellen and Family
This sad photo shows Ellen and her family in 1890, a
year after William died. (Florence Len Lillian Ellen Ernest
Adelaide)
|
William Mitchell
This image is
a`tintype', a cheaper version sion of a
daguerreotype as used for the photo of William
Burton Mitchell
|
Link to better resolution
images
Chronology
1850 William was born in Stoke Climsland Cornwall
1856 Ellen was born in northern Tasmania near Deloraine
1861 William (aged 11) came to Australia with the family, and they
settled near Yackandandah in north east Victoria. .
187x Ellen came from Tas .It is believed the family moved to South
Melbourne in the 1870s, due to bad economic conditions in Tasmania.
1876 William found the “Welcome” mine on the edge of Bethanga.
1879 William sells the "Welcome" mine for £3,000 and buys the
Whiteford property, after a trip to Queensland looking for suitable
land
1880 William and Ellen marry. Five children are born between 1881
and 1887
1889 William dies of diabetes, leaving Ellen with five young
children, the eldest being Lilly who was eight. Williams will and
associated documents give a good picture of the family
situation at the time and of the property Whiteford. William's early
death drastically changed Ellen and the children's circumstances. Notes on William's will. Section (1) is a must read to
understand what follows
1894 Ellen marries Tom White
1908* Ellen and Tom leave Whiteford and the children take over
1912 Partnership of the children running Whiteford is
dissolved. Ern remained (This presumably occurred on Ern's
25th birthday, as provided by the will)
19xx Ellen and Tom White lived at Dickson's Creek,
Healesville.
1930* Ellen and Tom White moved to Wodonga and lived in a house
belonging to Len Mitchell
1936 When TW died (Leneva) Ellen moved to the back of Uncle
Len's at Wodonga
1937 Ellen died in Wodonga
* estimated dates.
The Victoria Hotel
Ellen was working here at the time she met
William. The Victoria was a popular hotel for country people
visiting Melbourne. It was a temperance hotel, which would have
suited Methodist/Rechabite William fine. For information on the
hotel, Link
William Mitchell established a farm in the Mitta
valley, more or less opposte the town of Huon. William built 2 rooms
originally, and added on. It went to 8 or 9 rooms. It had beautiful
embossed walpapering with gold and roses, and dado boards 3 ft up
the wall William Burton Mitchell's brother James Mitchell's
1901 census entry provides the origin of the name Whiteford. James
is living in Stoke Climsland Cornwall. Two houses down the road, the
road name entered changes from Stoke Village to Whiteford. William Mitchell's Will provides
a good picture of the Mitta farm Whiteford at the time he
died. Link to
informaton about the Whiteford near Stoke Climsland
Poem Written By
William Mitchell 13/4/1879
A
sabbath day away from home
From all that's near and dear to
me.
By choice I've chosen far to
roam,
The wild New England bush to
see. And how my heart doth wander back
Wherat I live, content to dwell,
Where they life's blessings
sweet enjoy
And time in praising God employ.
And here we are beside a creek,
Upon a little stoney knob,
No place to go and nought to
see,
But stock that here are running
wild.
My Sabbaths now seem thrown
away,
No House of God in which to meetWith those who meet at Jesus' feet
and tell of His love by the way.
Oh! How I miss the Sabbath
school
That used to be my greatest
care.
I miss the children. They miss
me.
Oh, when again shall I be there?
Is just a life that's spent in
vain
We miss the higher, brighter
joys, And nothing after all remain.
And shall I spend my life to
gain
Money for someone else to spend
That lives a Godless, reckless
life
When all my labours have an end?
(Written in the tent at John's Creek while feeling
wishful)
William Mitchell's
Diaries
William Mitchell kept diaries over the period
April 1879 to January 1889. He died in July 1889. Six of his diaries
have survived. The diaries record his trip by horseback with Brad,
looking for a property to purchase. Tha last diary records his
struggle with diabetes. He used shorthand symbols in these diaries.
Gillian Moore has generously produced an analysis of the use of
these symbols in the diary. Link to Gillian's analysis.
Fred Mitchell has produced a PDF of the diaries
showing side by side page images and text with comment. He is also
producing a map of their trip north. Both tasks are difficult. The
diaries are often faded, and sometimes in code. Their trip
description is often not precise, place names have changed, and they
occasionally got lost. The PDF files are too big to post on the web,
so if you are intereded, contact us or Fred. However Fred is also
producing text only versions of the diaries - William's entries
without images annotations or cross links. These will be
posted when available. Link
for Text only diaries
Further Comment from Gillian
1. The reference in the
notes on William's will to the payment to Dr Mueller for treatment
and wine is interesting. There is no mention of wine in the diary,
only horehound beer, which William started drinking immediately
after visiting Dr Mueller on 28 November 1888, so the doctor must
have recommended it. He may have had some sort of wine later (for
medicinal purposes only!), in the months after the diary ends.
Which brings me to the next point:
2. It does strike me now as
very probable that there was in fact another diary after this one,
since William was reasonably well at the end of this one -
enjoying a Christmas dinner of sucking pig and turkey and then
heading off somewhere by train (Sydney? Melbourne?) to see an exhibition. He
was certainly not fading out at that stage, and when the notebook
was full he would surely have continued on in another one.
Perhaps Ellen destroyed it.
The comments that follow are a bit
disorganised but are organised to attribute the source -
relationships are in the Acknowledgements. In reading this, it
should be born in mind that there are no living descendants of
Ellen's second marriage to Tom White. So his side of the story is
perhaps under-represented.
Notes from Fred Mitchell
William Mitchell seemed interested, in his diary,
in having his picture taken during his trip north to near Queensland
with his brother Brad. There is however no statement as to what type
of image that was made by the people who took his image. He had a
dozen taken at George Street in Sydney for 10/6. The `tintype' is
believed to have been taken some time in the 1870's, presumable when
he was mining. This could have been either at Hillsborough or
Bethanga. There were good photographers at Beechworth, but they did
not leave any images in our family's possession which are tintypes.
As a result of his mining at Bethanga and the
trip north he decided to purchase land at Bethanga. In his diary for
5" December 1879 he notes: `left Hillsborough 6 am ... went to
Bethanga to peg out the river bend that I applied for last year. I
put the first peg by the river at one o'clock pm ... I crossed over
to the fence to put in the other peg and saw a peg on the other side
of the fence ... had a look, that of Archibald Lobban.' On 9th
December `he went to Beechworth and applied for the river bend of
200 acres' . On 12th December he was at Finley's sale: `Father
bought 418 acres between the three of us [William B, William, &
Brad] at 92/6 per acre. I bought 325 for myself at 86/- per acre'.
The
minute books of the Bethanga Wesleyan Church show William as an
inaugural member of the committee set up in 1878 to build the
church. He kicked in £10 of the £100 they estimated they needed (to
start the project?). In May 78 he accepted responsibility for a £50
overdraft. In August 78 he became secretary. In Apr 1882 he
became Secretary and Treasurer. In 1883 his pursuit of a former
minister to account for church monies provoked the reverend to
produce a reply which ended "I
only reply to your letter because silence might give you
importance & I hold you in well deserved & unutterable
contempt." William was replaced on the committee by
Fred Mitchell after William's death.. Fred resigned in 1905. Len
Mitchell joined in 1908. He became secretary in 1919. In 1921 Ern
and Len Mitchell became Trustees. The second minute book ends
in 1922
Recollections
from Alma Dillon in 1970s
William
initially built two rooms at Whiteford, then later added rooms to
total eight and at one stage nine. He had "beautiful embossed
wall—papering — gold and roses" and dado boards extending three feet
up the wall (Le.., flash, I think). William was "dying to get
married." He went to Melbourne and stayed at The Victoria Coffee
Palace (now the Victoria Hotel) where he met Ellen Cubitt, wo worked
there.. He told them at home that ~she was smart - - carry as many
plates! . Ellen's sister became engaged to Fred and he gave her a
ring but she jilted him and went to Sydney. She sent the ring back
and it was given to Minnie.
Tom White thought Ellen owned the farm, but she
didn’t. Tom was very harsh to the kids when he found their interest
in the farm, but was very good to Ellen later. Fred and Brad ordered
him off the farm (to bush creek). They let them have the cattle and
they sold them and got money for farm at Moyhu near
Wangaratta. Ellen Tom and their son
Bob moved to Moyhu , and later lived at Leneva near
Wodonga. He treated her real bad. She had to
stop with him. She had very bad arthritis. Fred was Executor. They
rented out land till kids came of age.
By the time Ern (the youngest) was 16
all children had left home. Flossie left when she finished
school at about 16 to go and help Lily. Pushed
out by Tom White. She then had Hydatids caught by drinking from a
creek where dogs also drank, there was a great deal of concern. She
went to Melbourne for some time. Adelaide worked as a
housemaid for Jaggers in Bethanga. Ern lived
with Bill Mitchells (friend) and worked for him (the two
of them rode to Queensland stock moving) (Bill Mitchell
unrelated : LR)
Around 1908 when
Ern turned 21, F, L, A and E returned to Whiteford.
In 1913
Ern and Len bought the girls out and took over management.. Adelaide
went
to NZ to look after the Stratton family (related through the
Cubitts). Len and Ern both married, and there were
extensions made to the house so that there were two separate areas.
Ern came out to see us. Said I'm going to
tie the knot. Came out in morning of marriage (staying with
Flentjes) put ring in palm of hand. There's the ring Pretty
good ring, Think it'll last her all her life. Well if a fellow
didn't turn up, it'd put her in a hole. Spose I'd better go. Not a
person in Bethanga who didn't like him (also Grandfather). Ernie
looks like Hawtons, same nature.
In 1918 Ern bought Len out.
(Len went to Climsland).After buying Len out, Ern
let Whiteford for three years and moved to a rented home in
Bethanga. Ern stayed at Whiteford till about
1930.
Full text of Alma's notes
Recollections from Norm Martin (2004)
Jim Mitchell son of Brad Mitchell says there are
notes in a Canberra library left there made by his father Brad
Mitchell about Brad & Williams trip to Queensland. They
went 858 miles on foot or horse, 713 miles by rail, 169 miles by
coach, and 1000 miles by steamer. The total cost each them was
£39/6/8.
The Bethanga mine was registered 13th April 1876
and they worked it for a year getting gold to the value of
£2860/6/1. The mine was sold for £3000.
Flossie and Adelaide would often go by gig to
balls at Springdale Hall, which was sold in 1910 for removal for
£91/10/-
This partnership of the children was dissolved
about 1913. Lily, Flossie and Adelaide each received £1000 and
Ern and Len each got £3000. .
Norm Martin was born at sister Connors in
Wodonga, as were many of the Mitchell children. In 1917 Leila
& Ern were living in the Bethanga house near the church. Prior
to 1917 Flossie had been very sick with Hydatids caught by drinking
from a creek where dogs also drank..
Recollections from Elsie Rowley (1970s)
I think our family got on best with Tom White.
Ern, being the youngest, perhaps the bitterness in him didn't hold
as much as the others, who might have realised more at the time.
Flossie did not get on with Grandma White - perhaps she had more
resentment about days at Whiteford . "They never knew where he came
from or anything about his earlier life" He was a rough sort
of person. but became more peaceful as he got older. Ellen was a
strong person. In her old age she had arthritis, but never
complained. Elsie really admired her
Recollections from Muriel Clarnette (about 1975)
William was "a very good man" and "very attractive".
Recollections from Violet Coulson (1970s)
Tom White born in England. no school, but could
read, knew a lot. Uncle (Bob) Mitchell + Violet and May liked him.
He was a very good Bricklayer. When kid (14 yrs) his father had
given him half crown,. and said go buy yourself a trowel and go to
work. TW did the brickwork (base)of the second Bethanga school (the
one demolished mid 60s).. He also built a shop on the corner of High
St and Jack Hore Place Wodonga (now demolished). Started working on
Macquarie Worsted(?) bricklaying, but left because he said the job
was v scungy, and place would not stand up to machinery in it
When Lily was married, TW drove them to Ebden to
catch the train. He had been drinking in day and drank more at
Ebden. On the way home, picked up a swaggy. Was whipping at the two
horses, careering along the road . Swaggie petrified went to grab
the reins and TW's hat and wig got knocked off. Guy thought it was
the devil. TW had no hair due to former illness (no eyebrows or
eyelashes).
When Grandpa and Grandma White left Whiteford,
thry had a sale. Ern came with a handful of notes to give to TW for
Fairy (horse). TW said put it back in your pocket, you can have the
horse.
The children in general had to work very hard
when they were running the farm on their own.
Adelaide
We have extensive notes from the New Zealand
branch of the family. Extracts follow. Link to full text.
Ref 118 has Adelade's Descendants
There are extensive notes in FTM for Adelaide's family. Suggestions
in FTM that Iris married Jack Stratton are wrong?
Adelaide came to New Zealand to help look
after one of her cousins children and ended up in Houhora,
where she must have met her future husband, as that is where
they were married. She married Herbert Henry Hutchings in
1914, presumably she arrived in New Zealand in about 1913 at the age
of 29 Years .He was a gum digger/carpenter
Notes from Norm Martin
(2004)
In the early days of the partnership it was
Adelaide's task to drive in a spring cart with the previous nights
and that mornings milking to the Holdsen & Nielson butter
factory on the edge of the Murray river beside the bridge from
Albury (this factory finished work many years ago, but the building
is now part of the information centre). The milk was
separated, the cream bought by the factory and the skim milk carried
back to Whiteford for the feeding of the pigs and poddy
calves. Each days run had to be done with a different horse to
the previous day.
Notes from Gladys Barnes
(Adelaide's daughter)
Gladys had Jane Mitchell's Bible. "When I was in
my teens and going to Bible Class, I was very proud of my Bible, and
showed it to one of the chaps, saying it was over seventy years old
at the time. He said, looking down his nose, and much to my chagrin,
"No Bible should last more than TWO years". Meaning of course, it
wasn't used." Gladys intended to pass it on. Perhaps Jodie now has
it?
Emily Cubitt married a Stratton. Jack Stratton, a
son married Margaret Wray of Tallangatta ......Mum came to NZ to
care for Jack Stratton (her cousin)'s family when Margaret died in
childbirth. There is an older brother and sister
Glady's Eulogy is Ref 120
Tom White's Obituary and Picture
Bob White
Ellen and Tom had a son Bob in 1984. Bob went
with Ellen when they left Whiteford in 1908. However he seems to
have been on good terms with the other children as Flossie's
postcard collection contains numerous postcards from Bob during this
period. He enlisted in the AIF in January 1916, listing his
occupation as a farmer. He served in the middle east (Port Said) as
a driver. In Sept 1918 he went to hospital with various serious
priblems. His record states 20 bouts of malaria. He was eventually
discharged at the end of 1919, still not well. He married Dorothy
Smith in 1931. They had no children, Bob died in 1965 in Ballarat.
Acknowlegements:
Particularly Fred Mitchell (Ernest and Leila's son) and Jenny
(Fred's daughter), but also Bob Mitchell (Ernest and Leila's son)
and Norm Martin (Florence's daughter).
Jenny supplied most of the material from Elsie Rowley (Ernest
and Leila's daughter), Alma Dillon (Minnie's Daughter), Muriel
Clarnette (Brad Mitchell's Grandaughter) and Violet Coulson (Lily
Mitchell's Daughter)
Also thanks to Peter Cubit for his help on early Cubits. Thanks to
Gillian Moore for her analysis of William's shorthand
Research Notes
NB Ellen Cubit's death certificate is all wrong on her
parents It says they are Arthur Cubit and Adelaide (maiden name
Brumby)
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