John Cameron came from Scotland, arriving in Australia in 1853 at the age of 20. He married Elizabeth Munro Gunn on 16 August 1867 in Geelong. They were early settlers in Connewarre. Their children were: William — born on 9 August 1869, married Louisa Ethel Challis on 31 January 1900 at Connewarre East, died on 9 May 1958 at Geelong Annie — Born on 19 May 1868, married John Taylor on 16 November 1892, died in 1953 at Lismore Catherine Ann Martin — born on 18 June 1871 at Connewarre, married Willie Hirst in 1901, died on 1 January 1965 at Geelong, buried in the Methodist section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery Malcolm — born on 27 July 1873, married Margaret Miller Fuller in 1902, died on 15 April 1934 aged 61 years, buried in the Presbyterian section of the Mount Duneed Cemetery Elisabeth Ann Martin — born on 27 December 1875, married Robert Ewing Blyth in 1896, died in 1931 aged 55 years at Camperdown, buried in the Presbyterian section of the Mount Duneed Cemetery John James — born on 13 April 1878 at Connewarre, married Helen Sarah Jane Fuller in 1912, died on 6 August 1946, buried in the Presbyterian section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery Flora — born on 3 February 1882, married George Henry Charles Fuller on 28 May 1913, died in 1976 George Alexander — born on 23 July 1884 at Connewarre, married Violet Maude Golightly on 27 May 1917, died on 23 September 1970 aged 86 years at Geelong, buried at Queenscliff Cemetery Charlotte Amelia — born on 17 January 1887, died on 13 June 1909 aged 22 years of scarlet fever, buried in the Presbyterian section of the Mount Duneed Cemetery | John died on 18 December 1923 aged 90 years at the home of his daughter, Annie, at Camperdown and was buried in the Presbyterian section of the Mount Duneed Cemetery with Elizabeth who died on 23 August 1913 aged 68 years and daughter, Charlotte. |
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George Tilley, son of John and Mary (née Tilley) Vagg, was born on 4 September 1819 at South Petherton in Somerset. He married Ann Harding before emigrating as bounty immigrants to Port Phillip on the Himalaya, arriving at Hobsons Bay in September 1840. Shipping records give George's age as 21 years and Ann's as 18 years. They were the first of the Vagg family to arrive in Australia. They brought with them a bible containing a farewell message from the vicar of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul of South Petherton. It was presented to them on the eve of their departure on 6 June. On their arrival in Melbourne they made their way to the Yarra River which they crossed in a punt. They found John Harrison of Merri waiting to take them to his farm where they were to work for him for a period of twelve months for a salary of £30, plus rations. After this George worked as a blacksmith on a site where the Royal Arcade now stands.
George and Ann soon began their large family: Mary Jane — born in 1841 in a small shack on the corner of Elizabeth and Bourke Streets In Melbourne, married John Richard Musgrove in 1848, died in 1920 at Ballarat George John — born in 1844 at Connewarre, died in 1865 at Connewarre aged 21 years James Henry — born in 1847 at Geelong, married Sarah Monk in 1867, died in 1931 at Cobden Samuel Edwin — born in 1848 at Geelong, married Mary Jane Matthews in 1871 Thomas Alfred — born in 1851 at Saltwater Creek, married Alice Louisa Edsall in 1880, died on 27 June 1911 at Colac, buried in the Methodist section of the Colac Cemetery Esther Ann — born in 1851 at Saltwater Creek, married Alfred Kidwell Shaw in 1884, died in 1926 at Geelong William Tilly — born in 1855 at Saltwater Creek, married Sarah McKinnon in 1885, died in 1917 at Frankston Caroline Matilda — born in 1856 at Connewarre, married John George Graham in 1888, died on 28 December 1912 at Connewarre East, buried in the Methodist section of the Mount Duneed Cemetery Louisa Harding — born on 15 September 1857 at Connewarre, married William Henry Middleton in 1880, died on 25 June 1941 in Geelong West Richard Dabbige — born on 1 February 1859 at Connewarre, died in 1860 at Connewarre Charles Priddle — born in 1860 at Connewarre, married Adelaide Mary Edsall in 1886, died in 1900 at Coorgulmerang Leslie Edward — born in 1862 in Connewarre, married Lily Butterworth, died on 5 February 1952 at Colac, buried in the general section of the Colac Cemetery Elizabeth Frances Amelia — born in 1864 at Connewarre, married George Angus in 1891, died in 1925 at Colac, buried in the Church of England section of the Colac Cemetery Victoria Adeline — born in 1865 at Connewarre, died in 1869 at Connewarre aged 3 years, buried in an unknown location of the Mount Duneed Cemetery In 1842 the Vagg family headed for Geelong on the paddle steamer Aphrasia, landing at Point Henry. George secured a small piece of land at Barrabool Hills. During George's time there his work was mainly cartage, using his bullock team and wagon, to deliver goods for the early settlers. When the gold rush started he was often away for months at a time earning £100 per trip to the goldfields. His prosperity induced his brother Harry and his family to emigrate, settling in the Western District. Later both George and Ann's sisters were to arrive with their families. George's family settled east of the mouth of Bream Creak (now called Thompson Creek). He became a member of the Connewarre Road Board for six years. By 1864 he was a joint auditor of the board for which he received £1/1/-. By 1895 he was a joint auditor for the Connewarre Farmers' Common. By the time of his death he was living at Point Henry. He died on 18 August 1901 aged 81 years at Connewarre and was buried in the Methodist section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery. Ann died in 1902 in Geelong aged 81 years and was buried with him.
When Ewing Blyth was 21 in 1853, he left Norwich England to come to Australia on the Earl of Charlemont. His name on the passenger list was Ewing Bligh. He had been accused of shooting the squire's bullock and was in fear of being deported as a convict. He had allowed his name to be incorrectly used so his whereabouts could not be easily traced. After the ship was wrecked, he repeated this event by shooting a bullock to feed the survivors off the ship. This beast belonged to James Tait who had settled at Tait's Point on Lake Connewarre and who later became his father-in-law.
Ewing Blyth gained work in the district and two years later married Agnes, the 16 year old daughter of James Tait at Connewarre. They spent all their lives living in Lake Road on the banks of the Barwon River. Their family of five boys and six girls were: James Tait Blyth — born 20 September 1860 in Connewarre, died 26 Jun 1943 in Preston aged 83, buried in the Presbyterian section of the Mount Duneed Cemetery Frances Blyth — born 31 July 1862, married William Spencer 1888, died 19 March 1940 Geelong Ellen Blyth — born 29 October 1864 in Connewarre, married John Elijah Kempton 1888, died 19 May 1953 Geelong Benjamin Blyth — born 1 April 1867, married Ann Ford 1895, died 24 November 1918 Ewing John Blyth — born 1869 at Connewarre, married Emma Isabella Taylor 1905, died 26 October 1951 at Flinders Robert Ewing Blyth — born 1872, married Elisabeth Ann Martin Cameron 1896, died 1949 Mary Ann Blyth — born on 5 November 1874, married John Ford 1897, died 1945 in Geelong Elizabeth Blyth (Bessie) — born 1877 at Mount Duneed, died 1898 Agnes Blyth — born 1879 at Mount Duneed, married Charles Marriott Burt, died 24 November 1952 Annie Blyth — born 1882 at Mount Duneed, died 22 May 1914 at Geelong Alexander Tait Blyth — born 1884 in Mount Duneed, married Esther Hannah Challis in 1910, died 1970 in Connewarre Ewing was a South Barwon Shire councillor serving from 1874 until 1875. Agnes died on 25 February 1920 and is buried in the Church of England section of the Mount Duneed Cemetery. Ewing died on 1 June 1925 and is buried with her. Their daughter Annie who died on 22 May 1914 is buried with them. Ewing Blyth Drive, a road which runs south from the Barwon Heads Hotel, is named after him. Many of their descendants still live in the district.
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