William and Elizabeth Matthews

William and Elizabeth Matthews

William Matthews (26) and Elizabeth Colcott (19) were married on 11 January 1865 at the Bible Christian Church, Camperdown. This was William's second marriage as his first wife, Hannorah Whalen, whom he had married in May 1862 had died 22 February 1863 aged just 23.

[William Matthews was born 1839, probably at Sydney, New South Wales to Hugh Matthews (1818-1884) and Elizabeth Faulkner (1816-1873). Elizabeth Colcott was born 17 February 1846 at Barrabool, Victoria to James Colcott (1813-1889) and Elizabeth Taylor (1820-1902).]

William and Elizabeth Matthews settled on a farm at Mount Moriac as their ten children arrived - Hugh (1868), Rachael (1870), Charlie (1872), Phil (1874), Addie (1875), George (1878), Florrie (1881) and Alick (1886). Sadly a girl born 1879 and a boy born 1883 did not survive infancy.

In 1893 Rachel married Charles Henry Hale.

In 1895 Addie married Samuel Jardine McHarry at Mount Moriac.
In 1896 Phil married Emily Louisa Jane Hale at Geelong.
In 1906 Charlie married Leila Maria Gerder-Locke at Capel, W.A.
In 1910 Florrie married Lawrence Ernest Renehan at South Melbourne.

Sadly in 1908 their youngest son Alick, aged 22, died on April 15, after an accident at Mangaroon Station in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.

Just six years later, their second eldest son Charlie, aged 42, died on November 6, after an accident at Ella Valla Station in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.

William and Elizabeth had been married for 46 years when William Matthews died 6 June 1912, aged 73 years. Elizabeth Matthews nee Colcott died 12 September 1923, aged 77 years. Both were buried at Mount Moriac cemetery.

In their obituaries, William and Elizabeth were described as old colonists and respected residents of Moriac and many people turned out at their funerals to pay their respects.

William and Elizabeth Matthews were survived by 26 grandchildren:

Samuel Leonard Hale (b. 1895)
Ruby Florence McHarry (b. 1896)
Charles Rupert Hale (b. 1897)
Phillip Colcott Matthews (b. 1897)
Alick Ernest Hugh McHarry (b. 1898)
Laura Alma Hale (b. 1899)
Alick Wilfred Percy Matthews (b. 1899)
William Charles McHarry (b. 1900)
Ina Florence May Matthews (b. 1900)
William Hugh Matthews (b. 1901)
Ronald Colcott Hale (b. 1902)
Herbert Roy Matthews (b. 1904) ...
Eva Adeline McHarry (b. 1905)
Charles Henry Batrecor Matthews (b. 1907)
Hubert Henry Matthews (b. 1907)
Alma Matthews (b. 1908)
Doris Ellen Renehan (b. 1910)
Doris Matthews (b. 1911)
Francis Ernest Renehan (b. 1913)
Marjory Marion Matthews (b. 1914)
Pearl Matthews (b. 1914)
Kathleen Mary Renehan (b. 1915) ... died in 2004.
Ernest Lawrence (Jack) Matthews (b. 1916)
Mabel Emily Matthews (b. 1917)
Hazel Jeanette Matthews (b. 1921)
Leslie Wallace (Tom) Matthews (b. 1924)