I was browsing through Facebook today and came across this picture in a genealogy group I’m part of. Thanks to Karen for posting the photo.
Farmers Union of Victoria, Delegates At The First Conference, October 1879, http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/177407164
This piqued my interest as a number of my ancestors moved from South Australia to Victoria, Australia and sure enough my 3x great grandfather James Heeps is in the picture.
James Heeps 1879
James was born in Kettering, Northamptonshire, England circa 1834 and came to South Australia with his parents and siblings in 1847. He married Tamar Bodger on 11 May 1854 and stayed in South Australia until about 1860 when he moved his family to Victoria settling in the Tylden area. Between 1876 and 1879 James moved to the Rochester/Elmore area in Victoria. He farmed and opened a grain merchant business in Elmore. It doesn’t surprise me that James was involved in the early days of the Farmer’s Union as he was very active in public service. In 1887 he was made a magistrate, in 1890 he was part of the founding of the Elmore Progress Association and stood for the Victorian General Election in 1892. He died in 1902 and is buried in Elmore cemetery with his wife Tamar.
Here is my profile for him on Ancestry.com http://person.ancestry.com.au/tree/6037348/person/-1352220757/facts
This is the only photo we have of James. For me it is worth being on Facebook not just for the family fun and friends but for genealogy too.
Great find, Kylie.
Wonderful Kylie
Thanks for all your hard work. I’d love to meet you one day
Jo Perks – my mother was Merle Heeps.
Yes I would love to meet some time too Jo, perhaps we can each go half way and meet in Elmore one day…….
Good one Kylie, bit of a likeness to Uncle Rick or maybe it’s just the beard?
I thought so too Mum, around the forehead and eyes.
What a fantastic find when you weren’t even looking for a photo
You just never know where you will find something! 🙂
Great find Kylie.
There are a couple of familiar names that might possibly be very distantly related to me too.
No ancestors, unfortunately!
I will share the image link to the Gippsland Genealogy Facebook group in case anyone there is more closely related.
That’s great Maureen, I am working on the image making individual pictures so that people can download a picture of their ancestor. I will have them here on my website when they’re done.
Kylie 🙂
I purchased the poster from the Victorian Library in Feb 2013 and told Kylie about it. I do have a photograph of James Heeps ( Portrait). I am connected through Eliza Heeps ( a sister of James) Cheers Kym Nash
Hi Kym
I remember being in touch with you but I had forgotten about the poster. It’s a great one isn’t it.
Kind regards
Kylie
Good evening
I am excited to find this site on Family Search.
My great great great. ( I think 3 greats) Grandfather married a Lucy Heeps who arrived in Sth Aust in 14/12/1847 . They came out from England on the ship “China”. Lucy and 2 other siblings came out with their widower father James Heeps (his wife died in 1845 in England and a boy named George born 1839 must have died in England too). T
James and 3 children settled in Bull Creek. S A.
Lucy Heeps married Richard Marr Scott 4th Nov 1851 in Holy Trinity Anglican Church. North Terrace Adelaide. A baby born that same year.
Alas this Richard Marr Scott was not a nice man. He was American.
I am seeking information about him .
Do you have any info of help in this search please?
I was born in SA but now live in Melb Victoria .
Thank. Glenda 0439969756