It is likely that James lived with his parents in Moliagul from 1906 to around 1914 when they are known to be living in Burke’s Flat.

James and Stella May married in 1938.

Stella’s parents, Thomas and Elizabeth came to the Moliagul/Dunolly goldfields and settled at Inkerman, where they married in 1882. Thomas’s, father, Wing Nee Chung, was a farmer in China and Elizabeth’s father, Ah King, was a blacksmith, also in China Ah King and partner, Kate Maria Louisa De Field (later Duffield), and had seven children: Elizabeth; Eva; Louisa; Thomas; Joseph; Frank; and Alfred.

Inkerman was a small village about 1 mile north of Dunolly on the Moliagul road and site of gold-rushes in 1855 & 1857. Virtually no trace of it now exists.

Stella’s family were probably still living at Inkerman in 1914 when she commenced school at Moliagul as school records indicate her home was “2½ miles” distant . Moliagul State School records:
S May Ling; date of birth: 14 May 1908; admission: 29 September 1914; parent: Thomas Ling; parent’s residence: Moliagul; distance from school 2½ miles; parent’s occupation: carpenter; school last attended: nil; highest grade attained: 8; Qualifying Certificate: 7 November 1920; Merit Certificate: 20 November 1922; left: not recorded – probably end 1922: destination: not recorded.

While attending Moliagul State School, Stella (May) was awarded a Qualifying Certificate, 19 November 1920 and a Merit Certificate 20 November 1922. This first mentioned certificate enabled entrance to High School, the later, to University or Technical College.
After their marriage in 1938 ….. (further research required).

By 1949 James and Stella had moved to Red Cliffs in the far north-west of Victoria. The Electoral Roll for that year noted James Joseph as: “packer”, Stella May as: “home duties” and residence: Kiewa Ave, Red Cliffs. They were still there in 1954; the Electoral Rolls for that year noting the same information.

James was noted as a farm hand at Charlton, Victoria, Australia, an A Grade mechanic, a wood merchant and a carrier. He claimed to have been a chauffer to Dame Nellie Melba. He lived the later part of his life at 44 Kiewa Ave, Red Cliffs, Victoria, Australia.

Acknowledgements:
• Rick Smith, Launceston Tasmania, Australia
• Joyce Tuohey, Quambatook, Victoria, Australia
• Billy Warburton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Gloria Bennett, Morwell, Victoria, Australia
• Maurice Deason, Nunawading, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Jenni Lee Heraud, Grandchester, Queensland, Australia
• Richard (Dick) Deason, Moliagul, Victoria, Australia
• Arthur Deason, Moliagul, Victoria, Australia
• Leonie Ackley, Como, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• John Morrow, West Preston, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Margaret Bagshaw, Mt Macedon, Victoria, Australia
• Jill Caldwell, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
• Judith Healey, Carisbrook, Victoria, Australia
• Jason Heraud, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

References:
Births, baptisms, marriages, deaths & burials (Aust):
• Gloria Bennett, 2005, Headstone inscriptions for Heraud & Ling, Red Cliffs Vic (ref – D_Doc_#037)
• 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)
• B M Jackman, 2003, Bendigo Advertiser Personal Notices 1881-1895, Vol 2, p 106 (ref – D_Doc_#173)
• Suzanne Lindy Deason, 2008, Moliagul Cemetery Trust Register – As at 5th August 2008 (ref – D_Doc_#252)
• Luke, Tom, Libby, Ian & Pat Belmont, 2008, Eaglehawk historic cemetery, Bendigo: monumental section headstones, extract 3 Aug 2011 for Heraud (ref – D_Doc_#525)
• Hazelwood Cemetery Trust, 2013, Burial index for Gloria Elizabeth May Heraud, Francis John Bennett and Grace Ariel Bennett (ref – D_Doc_#746)
• stacey-campbell.com, 2013, Campbell Griffin Ellis Bessell Family Tree, extract for Gloria Elizabeth May Heraud (ref – D_Doc_#747)
• Digger, 1998, Pioneer Index Victoria, 1836-1888, 1997, Federation Index Victoria, 1889-1901 & 1997, Edwardian Index Victoria, 1902-1913, 1997, Great War Index Victoria, 1914-1920, 1998, Death Index Victoria, 1921-1985
• Judith Healey, 2006, Discussions (regarding Maryborough Cemetery records for Heraud)
Family trees & history:
• Billy Warburton, 1969, Deason Family Tree (ref – D_Doc_#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)
• Gloria Bennett & Eva Wilson, 2002, Descendants of John Deason (Of Welcome Stranger Fame) (ref – D_Doc_#036)
• Lionel Ling, 200?, Ling Family Tree (ref – D_Doc_#055)
• Rick Smith, 2005, Deason Family Tree, including Heraud Family information from Jeanette Wickham, [email protected] (ref – D_Doc_#136)
• John Edward Deason, 1938, Correspondence, to George Wilfred Deason (ref – D_Doc_#190)
• Margaret Bagshaw, 2006, Discussions on Heraud Family Tree
• Jill Caldwell, 2006, Discussions
Other information:
• Genealogical Society of Victoria, 2003, Goldfields Hospital Admissions 1860-1920, extract 18 August 2009, Heraud for Dunolly Hospital (ref – D_Doc_#091)
• Author unknown, 1869, Largest Nugget in the World, The Welcome Stranger, published in Dunolly & Betbetshire Express, 12 February, 1869 (ref – D_Doc_#269)
• State Elementary School, Moliagul, No 746, 1914-1970, Pupils’ Register (ref – D_Doc_#279)
• Commonwealth Electoral Office, 1903, Electoral Roll for Moliagul, Vic, 1909, Dunolly, Vic, 1914, 1919, 1924, 1931, 1936 & 1949, Inglewood, Vic, 1931, Swan Hill, Vic, 1931, 1936, 1937, 1943, 1949 & 1954, Eaglehawk, Vic, 1931, Huntly, Vic, 1949, Korong, Vic, 1949 & 1954, Mildura, Vic (ref – D_Doc_#333)
• Author unknown, 1969?, Note on the past, published in the Weekly Times?, 26 February 1969? (ref – D_Doc_#339)
• Author unknown, 1932, Obituary – Mr Henry Jenkins Deason, Moliagul, published in Dunolly & Betbetshire Express, late June 1932, (ref – D_Doc_#357)
• James Flett, 1974, Dunolly – Story of an Old Gold-Digging, pp 24, 35, 109, 110
• Bill Humphreys, 2009, Moliagul School A Second Innings, pp 54, 113 & 114
• Joyce Tuohey, 2005, Correspondence
• Gloria Bennett, 2006, Correspondence
• John Morrow, 2006, Correspondence regarding Smith family and 1869 Welcome Stranger re-enactment photograph
• Jenni Lee Heraud, 2010, Correspondence
• Jason Heraud, 2012, Correspondence

Moliagul State School records:
Name: S May Ling; date of birth: 14 May 1908; admission: 29 September 1914; parent: Thomas Ling; parent’s residence: Moliagul; distance from school 2½ miles; parent’s occupation: carpenter; school last attended: nil; highest grade attained: 8; Qualifying Certificate: 7 November 1920; Merit Certificate: 20 November 1922; left: not recorded – probably end 1922: destination: not recorded.

While attending Moliagul State School Stella (May) was awarded a Qualifying Certificate, 19 November 1920 and a Merit Certificate 20 November 1922. This first mentioned certificate enabled entrance to High School, the later, to University or Technical College.