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OBIT.UARY MRS. ,SMARY ANK JHCRI . By W.C.H Mrs. Mary Ann Kerr; 'who passed away on' Decembler 22nd last, aged 96 years,: was one of, our; oldest pioneers., She was' born in Portland, her piarents,: Jaimes,,and bo Dorothy Johnstone, .arriving .there:. iin 1841, and residing: rin thetowivn for" Labout ten years, MMr J1ohnstone - carried- on business asa. wlieewlriglit- in the piremises now: occupied by'. Segal and Company.; James' Johnstone, senior, was born in County Tyrone, Ireland,.' in 1825, and married Dirothy Hall, a widow with three, children;, and soon' after their marriage inigrated :to Aus tralia.: :'The children -remarined. in. England in' the care ,of their grand mother, and later one came out an settled in' New South 'Wales:.' S?". even. days before! making land fall. in Portland 'Bay, the first child was born. The late ?Tohnn Johnstone, who,- after his :schooling--a brief one at:. Portland-'resided at" " Kentbruckc all his life; where he. died aged 90 years.. The" late .gentleman always jokingly' claimed : that he had no land- of his ,birth.. : ? ,During .'theiri residence` in "..'Port .larid,: their tfaiily' iincreased to nine ?but later' three children' died 'with in a week from diphtheria... Feeling their bereavement keenly, rthe par ents decided to move into .the coun try and 500 acres. at Swan Lake was chosen, which at that time, and prior, to the rabbit, was excellent grazing land... Title deeds show oc cupation dated 1849.: Residing there until early .'in the seventies, the family moved on to Spring Creek (also known as Emu I Flat) and opened an hotel and con ducted this hostelry until Mr.. John son's death in 1895, aged 75 years.. Prior to this latter recorded event, Mary Ann was married to Mark Kerr on November `27th, 1876 and resided at. Drik Drik on property now owned by. Mr.: Fred Wilson.. Later they moved to. Swan Lake tx the. old home, residing : there for some 'years.. Here.x the youngest members of the family. were born.. Shortly after the death of Mr.. Johnstone, senior, they purchased the licence of Spring Creek Hotel. which they conducted fo r17 years The business was excellently con ducted and was very popular with travellers and patrons far and wide. As hosts, they, with their' daugh ters, were extremely popular for' their hospitality and excellent' ser vice.. The festive board used .on oc casions was unique, being a plank 18 feet long, 3 feet: wide, and 4 inches thick, having been washed up on the .beach at Discovery 'Bay.. 'Disposing of the hotel, the family came to reside in Portland to spend a well-deserved retirement... Mr.. Mark Kerr died in 1925 'at the ago of 75 years.. 'In.her early life, 'Mrs.. Kerr was a noted horsewoman, and she' .never considered any horse too rough, ano her ability, iii~i tll l rcl.'ses "of: stock was equal to that of any .man. Of slight build, she was straight 'and active until) the last-a worthy ex ample of the pioneers.. Her family comprised Dorothy (Mrs.. McEach ern, deceased), .James, Annie (Mrs.. Tucker), Mary ..(Mrs.. Peachy, of Poirtland)- and Sophia'. There are 15 grandchildren, 37 great-grand children and four great-great-grand children:. .

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State Library of Victoria
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