John Armstrong was born in 1809, the fourth child of William and Elizabeth Armstrong. He married Veronica (usually called Vair) Scott in Scotland on 27 February, 1829. In 1839 they sailed for Australia from Greenock as bounty immigrants on the barque Palmyra. They brought with them their sons, William (aged 10), Robert Grieve (aged 6), Thomas (aged 4) and John (aged 2) and one daughter Jemima (sometimes Gemima) Scott (aged 8). Another son, Peter Brown Palmyra, was born on the voyage. He was named after the ship and its captain. Another six children were born to the couple in Australia. John and Vair were employed by Ann Drysdale of Coriyule from January 1941 to December 1844, John to plough and shepherd, Vair to cook and wash and the oldest two boys, William and Robert Grieve, to shepherd. They had brought livestock with them and after working hard and acquiring more sheep they settled at Bush Station which was also called River Station. John also had leased Black Forest and Allan Vale between 1850 and 1856. John became one of the best stud-masters in Victoria having come from many generations of sheep farmers in Scotland.
John suffered from diabetes and died on 17 October 1856 at the age of 47. Vair died on 13 June 1877 aged 68. They were buried in the Presbyterian section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery. In 1857 his land was subdivided and sold and the stock were sold in a separate sale. Lot 2 with the homestead on 60 acres sold for £840. John's 320 acre block was situated with Torquay Road on the west side, Stewarts Road to the south, Horseshoe Bend Road to the east and Burvilles Road to the north. Armstrong Creek ran through the block. Each block had access to the creek.
John suffered from diabetes and died on 17 October 1856 at the age of 47. Vair died on 13 June 1877 aged 68. They were buried in the Presbyterian section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery. In 1857 his land was subdivided and sold and the stock were sold in a separate sale. Lot 2 with the homestead on 60 acres sold for £840. John's 320 acre block was situated with Torquay Road on the west side, Stewarts Road to the south, Horseshoe Bend Road to the east and Burvilles Road to the north. Armstrong Creek ran through the block. Each block had access to the creek.
Bush station was sometimes called River Station. Section M was bound by Torquay, Burvilles, Horseshoe Bend and Stewarts Road, Mount Duneed. Stewarts Reserve is the land south of this land with the creek running through it. It remained crown land. Members of the Watherong tribe who lived on this land often walked into Geelong but returned here at night. They were quiet people who made no trouble.
 from The Star (Ballarat) 27 April 1857 |  from The Argus 18 May 1857 — in 1861 160 acres of this land, in two lots, was for sale by John MacVean.  Hexham Park, home of William Armstrong (son of John Armstrong) by the Hopkins River south of Hexham. |
The monument of John Armstrong in a large plot in the Presbyterian section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery. It was erected by the Geelong Free Church of which he was an elder for many years as a token of the regard in which he was held. Buried with him was his wife Vair who died on 13 June 1877 aged 68 years. Their 6th son Adam who was born on 5 November 1841 and died at Coriyule Drysdale on 8 December 1841 is also buried here.
In 1850 daughter, Jemima (née Armstrong), married John MacVean (often called McVean). Both were born is Scotland. They had eleven children, the last three being born in Cressy, which indicates the family had shifted to this area by 1865. They were both buried in the Presbyterian section of the St Kilda Cemetery. Alexander, Annie and Armstrong Poliah MacVean were buried with them.
Armstrong and MacVean land stretched from Lake Connewarre to Thirteenth Beach. John MacVean's land (purchased on 18 July 1854) was south of Barwon Heads Road and west of Lings Road. John Armstrong's land (purchased on 21 December 1855) was north of Barwon Heads Road.
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