Samuel Seward

Samuel, son of Wilson and Sarah (née Walton) Seward was born in 1860. In 1884 he married Ann Pearson (1867-1945). They had the following children:
Stanley Wilson — born 1885, died 4 October 1960, buried in the Independent section of the Geelong Western Cemetery
​Euphemia Jane (Effie) — born 1886 at Wooroonooke, married Wilfred James Vincent, died 1961 at Geelong
Harold — born 1888 at Wooroonooke, married Elizabeth Ellen O'Connor in 1927, died 3 May 1988
Annie Florence — born 1890 at Wycheproof, died 12 November 1908 at Mount Duneed from TB, buried in the Methodist section of the Geelong Western Cemetery with her parents
Ruby Helen — born 1891 at Wooroonooke, married Victor Charles Williams, died 1956 at Essendon
Mildred Alexia (Millie) — born 1893 at Wooroonooke, married Ernest Vivian Twitt, died 1981 at Shepparton
Henrietta Grace (Hettie) — born 1896 at Wycheproof, died 21 February 1968 at Geelong, buried in the Independent section of the Geelong Western Cemetery
John Walton — born 1898 at Corack, married Sarah May Saunders in 1928, died 29 March 1962, buried in the Independent section of the Geelong Western Cemetery
Basil James — born 1900, died 25 February 1901, buried in the Baptist section of the Geelong Western Cemetery

​Samuel arrived at Freshwater Creek after a disastrous fire on 28 April 1906 at Birchip which totally destroyed his home and its uninsured contents.

He purchased 500 acres at Freshwater Creek, and later, in 1906, acquired "Merrijig" from George Cornelius Noble (son of James Noble), who had owned it for twenty five years, and renamed it "Grassdale". It adjoined "Ravenswood" on the south and was approximately the same size of 3300 acres. After the purchase he sub divided this land into 6 "handy" sized farms. He sold four of these. George Meredith from Inverleigh bought 470 acres which he sold the following year to William C Cutts. Mr N O Petschel from the Dimboola purchased 720 acres which he renamed Fairview. The other two were sold to local buyers. Previously the land had been used for sheep grazing but most of the newcomers were keen to improve the land by clearing and grubbing and using it for general farming. Contractors were brought in and the Bunyip Forest Devil was used. Soon after arrival Samuel put down a bore and windmill with a view of irrigating for lucerne, and he also put up five miles of new wire-netted fencing, in order to cope with the rabbits. It was a time of unprecedented growth in the area.

​ He was a Barrabool Shire councillor, serving from 1909 until 1910. He was a member of the paraparap and Pettavel Progress Association. In 1909 he was appointed a trustee for the new school in Paraparap.

​Samuel died on 3 June 1920 at the age of 60 at Mount Moriac and was buried in the Methodist section of the Geelong Western Cemetery. Annie died at her home at Freshwater Creek on the 8 October 1945 and was buried with him and daughter Annie Florence who died in 1908.

A colonial invention for uprooting stumps and trees (dry or green) — from The Australasian 24 September 1910

from Geelong Advertiser 2 August 1909

Bryan Bros Windmill