HENDERSON FAMILY HISTORY
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BIOGRAPHY: Jane Henderson
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After they married in 1909, Jane and Arthur returned to Balrooten and leased Agnes Henderson's farm.   Agnes owned two properties at Balrooten.   The first was 279 acres and this according to Agnes was sold in 1910 to Richard Keam of Woorak.   The second was 320 acres and was sold in 1920.   This must have been the property that Jane and Arthur leased.   They grew wheat and ran sheep on the land.   Jane and Arthur lived at Balrooten for 3 years.   In that time two sons Sydney and Claude were born.

Henderson Home Christmas Day 1906

Jeff Henderson, Jane's nephew remembers visiting the farm at Balrooten. He told me that as a small boy he was standing by the water tank watching Arthur cut chaff by feeding sheaves of hay into the chaff cutter.   In the process Arthur accidentally cut the top off his finger. He was taken by horse and buggy into Nhill for treatment.

In 1910 while living at Balrooten with her husband Arthur (Artie) and her new baby Sydney, Jane wrote to Minnie Isabel Sherwood.  Minnie was Arthur's younger sister.

The following is a transcript of the Post card from Jane to Minnie.

Tuesday 20th December 1910

Dear Minnie Just a P.C. to wish you all a Merry
Xmas.   It has been a very miserable day today quite cold, showers and windy as ever it can be it's too damp to strip so Rich and Arthur are carting hay, topping up the stack.   Nellie has been busy making the Xmas cakes I think they have turned out alright they look very nice it's the first time she has attempted to make them. I suppose you are having your holidays now Walters don't start till Friday.   Jean Mc.Ilraith is to go to Woorak school after Xmas.   I had a letter from Maggie today.   Well I think that will do so good bye with love to all from Jean and Arthur, little Sydney.

Granny to spend the afternoon with us Monday.

 

Of those mentioned in the post card...

'Minnie' was Minnie Isabel Sherwood. She was 13 years old and living with her mother Minnie Sherwood on their farm at 'Bonnie Doon' near Culcairn, NSW.
'Rich' was Jane's brother Richard Henderson.
'Arthur' was Jane's husband Arthur Sherwood.
'Nellie' was Nellie Bone,   Arthur's cousin.   She was Helen and Peter Bone's daughter.

Jane's
Post Card

 

'Walter' was Walter Wiltaughton.   When Walter's mother died he lived with Jane and Arthur for a short time at Balrooten. He was about 8 or 9 years old at the time.
'Maggie' was Margaret Henderson, Jane's sister.   She was a school teacher and may have been away teaching at the time.
'Little Sydney' was my father Sydney Sherwood.   He was 13 months old.
'Granny' was Eliza Fry, nee Quire.   She was Arthur and Minnie Isabel's grandmother.

The 1912 and 1913 editions of the Victorian Post Office Directory contain the following entry.

'Arthur Gordon Sherwood, farmer Balrooten North.'

Not long after Jane and Arthur married and moved onto the Henderson farm, Arthur's mother Minnie Sherwood sold her farm at Woorak West. (near Nhill) In partnership with her son Alf, she bought the property 'Bonnie Doon' not far from Culcairn. Three years later (1912) Jane and Arthur left Balrooten and joined Minnie and Alf. Fred Sherwood, Arthur's uncle looked after Agnes Henderson's farm when Jane and Arthur moved to NSW.

 

 
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© Robert Sherwood 2008
Last update on 14 February 2008