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Obituary.
The death occurred on Friday night
last, at his residence, the Heathcote
Pound, of Mr John Hamilton, a
very old and much respected resi-
dent and colonist, at the advanced
age of 79 years. The cause of death
was colic, ending in heart failure, after
an illness of only three days, though the
deceased had been ailing now and then
for some time. His somewhat sudden
decease caused quite a shock to the mem-
bers of the family and relatives, and also
to the townspeople and residents in the
neighborhood. Mr Hamilton was a na-
tive of Port Glasgow, Scotland, and was
a son of the late Captain Peter Hamilton,
shipowner, of Port Glasgow. He landed
in Melbourne with his mother, Mrs.
Jane Hamilton and other members of
the family in February, 1842, Captain
Hamilton, before they landed, having
been drowned near Cape Nelson, the
mother bringing a large family to Mel-
bourne. The deceased was consequently
a colonist of over 71 years. The family
resided on their land, a number of
acres in extent, between Dight's Falls
and Melbourne, for about four years.
The deceased and brothers took up
Junction the Station, Lower Moira,
between the Murray and Goulburn
Rivers, where Echuca now is, as a cattle
station, but being flooded out in 1845,
and losing half their stock, they moved
southward and settled on the Colbinab-
bin South Cattle Station, purchased by
their mother, who, in the beginning of
1847, sold the Junction Station to Mr
Desanclose. In 1853 they built the
Half-Way Hotel on the Cornella Creek
on part of the Colbinabbin South
Station, at the time of the gold rush to
Rushworth. In connection with the
hotel was a fine fruit garden, planted in
the early days. Mrs Hamilton married
Mr W. D. Tait, and the hotel was
known for years as Tait and Hamilton's
Half-Way House (between Heathcote
and Rushworth). The family retained
the hotel till about ten years ago. Mr
Tait died many years ago and Mrs. Tait
many years after, the hotel having been
kept on for a number of years by Mrs.
Tait and some of her sons. Subsequent
to Mrs. Tait's decease the property (the
preemptive right portion) was disposed
of to the late Mr Wm. Pook, sen. Mr
John Hamilton and his brothers were well
acquainted with the Bendigo country,
and had driven cattle through it before the
discovery of gold on Bendigo Creek—
then known to them as the Picaninny
Creek. On 30th November, 1851, they
received word that gold had been dis-
covered on the Picaninny Creek, and on
2nd December in company with Mr. Tait
and a Mr. H. Mackey Sinclair, they
packed up and started for the diggings,
first visiting Forest Creek. On the 8th
December, hearing of rich finds of gold
at "The Point," now known as Golden
Point, Bendigo, they lost no time in get-
ting there, Mr. John Hamilton also being
soon on the field. They were there at
the indignation meeting, because the
Commissioner (Captain John Dane) re-
fused to take gold in paynemt for li-
censes. However, on a resolution being
passed to ask Captain Dane to alter his
determination and a deputation to him
urging the wishes of the diggers, it was
announced on 2nd January, 1853, that
gold would be received as usual. As
mentioned in the particulars relative to
the death of the late Mr. William Hamil-
ton, he was confident that Asquith, the
shepherd, was the first to discover gold
on Bendigo, and that the name "Bendi-
go" was so called after a sailor, a shep-
herd, who was always talking about the

pugilist, Bendigo. As old pioneers of
Bendigo the deceased and his late brother,
Mr. William Hamilton, took a promi-
nent part in the Bendigo Jubilee Exhi-
bition celebrations some years ago. The
deceased was also well acquainted with
this part of the country before the dis-
covery of the M'Ivor goldfield, and being
possessed of an excellent memory, could
give very interesting particulars of the
early diggings and bushranging days, he
having seen noted bushrangers who fre-
quented this part, such as the notorious
Captain Melville and his mate "Thumby
Bob," and doubtless Captain "Moon-
light" and Black Douglass. On two
occasions he saw Captain Melville and
his mate at the back of a large tent they
erected near the Half-Way Hotel, to ac-
commodate the gold escort, consisting of
16 troopers, an officer with their horses
and two pack mules to carry the gold, a
cart being used for this purpose in the
summer time, when the roads were pass-
able, the driver being Mr Thomas
Wright, who was in the Force, and after-
wards resident for many years at Heath-
cote, and for a number of years a carrier.
The bushrangers no doubt had an eye on
the gold in the tent, he could also give
interesting particulars of early Mel-
bourne. The deceased took great inte-
rest in sport and was prominent at local
race meetings from their commencement
on the Old Racecourse. For years he
was a member of the Heathcote Hospi-
tal Committee. His retentive memory
enabled him to give us clear particulars
of the early settlement of this part of
the country on the stations extending
as far as Echuca, and many miles
in other directions which we published in
reminiscences, before we gave the remin-
isences of the M'Ivor goldfield. He
was respected for his many good quali-
ties, included in which were straight-
forwardness, and kindly nature and ever
being ready with a helping hand in sick-
ness. The only surviving member of
the family is Mr. Walter Hamilton,
of Cornella. He leaves a family
of eleven living—seven sons and four
daughters—to mourn their sad loss, and
much sympathy is felt for them in their
bereavement, four sons being deceased,
two in their early infancy. His wife
predeceased him many years. Mrs.
Hamilton was a daughter of the late Dr.
Horsburgh, who, in the early days, had
charge of the Black Protectorate Station,
which adjoined the Waranga Park
Station, the homestead of which was on
the bank of Gunn's Swamp, near where
Rushworth now is, the first Protector
being Mr. Le Souef and the second Dr.
Horsburgh. The funeral took place on
Saturday afternoon, many residents
showing their respect to the memory of
the deceased by joining in the cortege
to the place of interment, the Heath-
cote Cemetery, but doubtless the atten-
dance would have been much larger,
had it been generally known that the
funeral was to take place that day.
The bearers were Messrs. J. J. Far-
ley, J.P., W. Watkins, F. Watkins, T. B.
Merifield, W. Parkinson and B. Flee.
The burial service was read by the Rev.
W. M. Madgwick. The funeral was
conducted by Messrs. Perry Bros.

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