Lived at Moliagul.

More About Henry Jenkins DEASON:
Burial: 1932, Moliagal cemetery, Victoria, Australia. (Source: Aigs Cemetery records.)
Cause of Death: Stroke & Cystitis (Source: Aigs Cemetery records.)
Grave loc: 1932, 211 (Source: Aigs Cemetery records.)
Probate: has probate (Source: Probate indexes.)

Henry was born in 1862 on the Bendigo goldfields. He probably followed his father, John, as he moved from gold prospecting to farming; from Bendigo to Welshman’s Reef, 1862, to Woodstock, where John had a farm, in 1863, and finally to Moliagul, possibly temporarily around 1862, but certainly permanently by 1864.

From 1864 to 1869 the Deason family lived at Bulldog Gully, Moliagul where Henry’s father prospected for gold and farmed land in partnership with Richard Oates. At some stage soon after the discovery of the Welcome Stranger nugget in 1869 the family moved to the farm called The Springs, just outside Moliagul. Henry probably stayed here until he married Christina Sophia in 1887: their marriage certificate noting Henry Jenkins Deason as a “bachelor”; age: 25 years, occupation: “contractor”, residence: The Springs, Moliagul, birthplace: Sandhurst [Bendigo], father: John Deason, “farmer contractor”, mother Catherine McAndrew, and Sophia Christina Van Berkel a “spinster”, age: 19 years, occupation: “domestic”, residence: Moliagul, birthplace: Ballarat, father: Hugo Van Berkel, “mining manager, deceased”, mother: Christina Cox. They were married by Rev Frederick Robinson at the Presbyterian Manse, Dunolly, 3 February 1887, witnesses: Catherine Deason and Gemma Hill Williams (later unclear) .

Christina’s father, Hugo came from the Netherlands to Victoria where, in 1862, he married Christina Cock (or Cox), from Cornwall. They had 3 children:
- Louisa – born 1864, Ballarat;
- Christina Sophia – born 1867, Ballarat; and
- Hugo – born 1869, Ballarat.

In 1874 Hugo’s wife, Christina died. In 1875, Hugo married Henrietta MENZIES. They had 3 children:
- John Alexander – born 1876, Ballarat, died 1877 (aged 11 months), Ballarat East;
- John Marion – born 1877, Ballarat East; and
- Stuart – born 1879, Ballarat.

Henry was an engine driver. He received his Certificate of Service as Engine Driver in August 1887 which allowed him to “drive any engine used for mining purposes, except a Winding Engine”. The certificate noted his birth date as “6 February 1862, Sandhurst”.

In 1887 Henry was unsuccessful in obtaining a lease over 794 acres of land:
Application for Licences … Not Granted
Application no. 232: Hy J Deason; 794 acres 0 roods 0 perches; Parish: Moliagul.

However, in 1888 Henry was successful in obtaining a lease over 20 acres:
Application for Licences … Approved
Henry Deason; Parish: Moliagul; 20 acres 0 roods 0 perches; grant payment: £1/1/0; Certificate fee: £0/0/10; assurance: £2/1/5; payable: Dunolly 1493.
This land is likely to be Allotment 9b, Section 8 – 20 acres, 0 roods, 0 perches, title issued 30 January 1888, situated on the south side of McCoy’s Lane.

Henry’s grandson, Richard (Dick) Deason recalled that Henry and Christina lived on and farmed a block of land on western side of the Dunolly-Moliagul Rd about 0.5 kilometre south of Moliagul. This land is:
Allotment 8, Section D – 4 acres, 3 roods, 27 perches, title issued 6 November 1901.
Richard also indicated that his brother, Arthur Deason, was the current (2009) owner of this land.

Richard (Dick) also recalled that, in addition to that land, Henry owned about 300 acres off McCoy Rd – about 2 kilometres east of Moliagul – and that in their later years they sold this land to Jim Shay who later sold it to Les & Shane Carless. This farmland consisted of the original 20 acres purchased in 1888 and adjoining properties purchased later stretching eastward along McCoy’s Lane. In total, some 292 acres consisting of 4 adjoining titles:
♣ Allotment 9b, Section 8 – 20 acres, 0 roods, 0 perches, title issued 30 January 1888;
♣ Allotment 20, Section 8 – 20 acres, 0 roods, 0 perches, title issued 1 January 1915;
♣ Allotments 21 & 22 of Section 8 – 252 acres, 2 roods, 18 perches, title issued 14 April 1930.

In an article titled The Finding of the Welcome Stranger – a Historical Nugget, dated Dunolly, Thursday, 6 August 1896 (probably an extract from a newspaper article of that date, publisher unknown) it mentions:
One Mr J H Deason – has made a home for himself & remained in Moliagul.
Note: “J H” should have read “H J”.

The 1903 and 1909 Commonwealth Electoral Rolls noted Henry Jenkins’s occupation as: “engine-driver”; Christina Sophia’s as: “home duties” and their residence: Moliagul,.

Henry was one of 17 residents (including his brothers, Alfred and James) who requested on 28 August 1909, that Edward Jones, the current Moliagul Head Teacher, be retained. They were unsuccessful and a new Head Teacher was appointed.

Henry (Harry) served on the Moliagul School Committee from 1911 to 1921.

The 1914 Commonwealth Electoral Roll noted Henry Jenkins’s occupation as: “contractor”; Christina Sophia’s as: “postmistress” and their residence: Moliagul. However, there is no mention of Henry or Christina on the 1919 Roll. The 1924 and 1931 Commonwealth Electoral Rolls noted Henry Jenkins’s occupation as: “contractor”; Christina Sophia’s as: “home duties” and their residence: Moliagul,.

At the time of son Herbert’s marriage in 1928, Henry was noted as a “farmer”.

Henry died 22 June 1932 at Dunolly. His obituary recorded:
Quite a shock was caused to the community on Tuesday morning when it became known that Mr H J Deason had passed away in the Dunolly District Hospital. Mr Deason had been in the hospital some days, and the cause of death was cystitis. Deceased was a native of Bendigo, and was 70 years of age, but had spent almost the whole of his life at Moliagul. He was widely known and held in general regard. He was the eldest son of the late Mr and Mrs John Deason, pioneer residents of the district. The name became famous throughout the world in 1869, when Mr John Deason and his mate, Mr Richard Oates, unearthed the largest nugget of gold in the world at Mt Moliagul. Mr Henry Deason maintained his interest in mining right to the last, and was confident that a big and rich reef would yet be discovered at Moliagul. He had also carried out contracts for the shire council. The dec[e]ased has left a widow and one son (who was a member of the AIF) and two daughters – Herbert Henry, Hilda and Edith Minnah [sic] – and four brothers and three sisters – Hugh (Fryerstown), Alfred (Bendigo), John Henry (Kalgoorlie), James Gilbert (Malvern), Elizabeth (Mrs Robinson, Malvern), Catherine (Mrs Davies, Dunolly), and Ethel (Mrs Heraud, Burke’s Flat) – who will have general sympathy in their bereavement. The funeral took place at Moliagul on Wednesday, and there was a very large and representative gathering from a wide area. The pall bearers were Messrs Hugh, Alfred and James Deason (brothers), Hy Gullies [sic], Geo Brooker, and Wm Montgomery. The service at the grave was conducted by the Rev I J Mann, Methodist church, and the funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs Stafford and Sons.

Comments: there are a number of discrepancies in this obituary:
- Henry was the second oldest (surviving) son – Thomas was the oldest
- The Welcome Stranger nugget was found at Little Bulldog Gully not at Mt Moliagul
- John Edward Deason – there is no other record of him being called ‘John Henry’
- James Joseph Deason – there is no other record of him being called ‘James Gilbert’
- Grace Oates Deason – there is no other record of her being called ‘Ethel’
- Reference to ‘Gullies’ should read ‘Gully’.

Note: there is also a discrepancy between death and burial records: Henry’s headstone records date of death as 22 June 1932 whereas Moliagul Cemetery Register records date of burial one day earlier – 21 June 1932.

After Henry’s death in 1932, Christina remained in Moliagul. Christina assisted Walter Peters in conducting the United Sunday School (Methodist and Anglican), Moliagul, from 1935 to its closure in 1940.

The 1936 and 1937 Commonwealth Electoral Rolls noted Christina Sophia’s occupation as: “home duties” and her residence: Moliagul, .

Christina may have lived in High St, Moliagul as her name is recorded on a land title – Allotment 12, Section L – 1 acre, 2 roods, 9 perches, title issued 3 January 1941.

By 1949 Christine had moved to nearby Dunolly. The 1949 and 1954 Commonwealth Electoral Rolls noted Sophia Christina’s [sic] occupation as: home duties and her residence: Dunolly,.

Acknowledgements:
• Rick Smith, Launceston Tasmania, Australia
• Richard (Dick) Deason, Moliagul, Victoria, Australia
• Eileen Park, Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia
• Arthur Deason, Moliagul, Victoria, Australia
• Joyce Tuohey, Quambatook, Victoria, Australia
• Billy Warburton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Mavis Deason, Upper Swan, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• Leonie Ackley, Como, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

References:
Births, baptisms, marriages, deaths & burials (Aust):
• Greg Campbell, 2004, Moliagul Cemetery inscriptions – transcript for Deason (ref – D_Doc_#089)
• Digger, 2005, Death Index Victoria 1921-1985, extract for Deason (ref – D_Doc_#104)
• Digger, 2005, Marriage Index Victoria 1921-1942, extract for Deason (ref – D_Doc_#105)
• Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Vic), 2001, Historical Index (1855-1920), extract for Deason (ref – D_Doc_#106)
• Genealogical Society of Victoria, 1988, Victorian Cemetery indexes, for Deason (transcript, Greg Campbell 1988) (ref – D_Doc_#131)
• Suzanne Lindy Deason, 2008, Moliagul Cemetery Trust Register – As at 5th August 2008 (ref – D_Doc_#252)
• Digger, 2005, Victoria Birth, Death & Marriage 1836-1888 Pioneer Index, extract for Van Berkel (ref – D_Doc_#363)
• Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages (Vic), 1887, Marriage Certificate, Henry Jenkins Deason & Sophia Christina Van Berkel (ref – D_Doc_#667)
• Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages (Vic), 1928, Marriage Certificate, Herbert Henry Deason & Florence Beatrice Bodsworth (ref – D_Doc_#668)
Family trees & history:
• Billy Warburton, 1969, Deason Family Tree (ref – D_Doc_#014 & #015)
• probably Venus Free (nee Deason), c1967, Deason Family Tree (ref – D_Doc_#016)
• Venus Free (nee Deason), c1940, Deason Family Tree (ref – D_Doc_#017)
• Rick Smith, 2005, Deason Family Tree, (ref – D_Doc_#136)
• John Edward Deason, 1938, Correspondence, to George Wilfred Deason (ref – D_Doc_#190)
• Author unknown, 1932, Obituary – Mr Henry Jenkins Deason, Moliagul, published in Dunolly & Betbetshire Express, late June 1932 (ref – D_Doc_#357)
• Rick Smith, 2011, Deason Family Tree (ref – D_Doc_#408
• Richard (Dick) Deason, 2005, Correspondence
• Eileen Park, 2005, Correspondence
• Joyce Tuohey, 2005, Correspondence
• Richard (Dick) Deason, 2005 & 2009, Discussions
Other information:
• Author unknown, 6 August 1896, The Finding of the “Welcome Stranger” – A Historical Nugget (ref – D_Doc_#029)
• Dunolly Historical & Arts Society, 19??, The Welcome Stranger Nugget, What do we know? (ref – D_Doc_#165)
• Annette Donohue, 2003, Bendigo Independent 1862-1865, Inquests, book 1, p 29 (ref – D_Doc_#175)
• Government Gazette (Vic), 21 October 1862, p 2050, 28 January 1887, p 215, 30 November 1888, p 3614 (ref – D_Doc_#244)
• Author unknown, 1869, Largest Nugget in the World, The Welcome Stranger, published in Dunolly & Betbetshire Express, 12 February, 1869 (ref – D_Doc_#269)
• Commonwealth Electoral Office, 1903, 1909, 1914, 1924, 1931,1 936, 1937, 1949 & 1954, Electoral Rolls for Dunolly, Vic (ref – D_Doc_#290)
• Mines Dept. (Vic), 1887, Certificate of Service as Engine Driver, for Henry Jenkins Deason (ref – D_Doc_#356)
• Department of Lands and Survey (Vic), 1931 & 1946, Land Titles Maps – Moliagul (maps #2 & 3) (ref – D_Doc_#376)
• Bill Humphreys, 2009, Moliagul School A Second Innings, pp 19, 116
• Ronald L Carless, 1965, Church of St Michael and All Angels, Moliagul, under Sunday School

More About Christina Sophia VAN BERKEL:
Burial: 1956, Moliagal cemetery, Victoria, Australia. (Source: Aigs Cemetery records.)
Grave loc: 1956, 211 (Source: Aigs Cemetery records.)

Sophia Deason’s great niece, Joy Menhennet, who generously supplied the information about the find of the two Cornishmen in her book published in 1992 ‘Cornish Pioneers of Ballarat’.