The Border Watch, Wednesday July 2nd, 1902
Death of well-known farmer, Mr. Thomas Atkin who died on Monday morning at his residence, Torrensdale, was a colonist of 50 years having come to the colony in 1852 and was a Mount Gambier resident for 42 years.
He was a native of Huntingdon County Rutland, England, where he was born in 1826 and was thus 76 years of age. Before coming to Australia he married Miss Mary Holding, a sister of Mr. S. Holding of Rosaville.
When he arrived in this colony he was employed for several years on Messes. Hawker's Bungaree station near Clare and for some years after he gave that up and carried on a butchering business at Aldinga. In 1860, he came to the Mount and his family and his brother-in-law (Mr. Holding) and family and took up land in partnership with Mr. Holding at Torrensdale.
In common with all other pioneers of the district he had very hard work for a good many years clearing, building, fencing and fitting the land for cultivation. But he succeeded, as the industrious deserve to succeed. In 1862 the partnership ended and Mr. Atkin subsequently carried on his farm for himself and continued to do so and reside there till his death.
He had no ambition for local politics, although he had many opportunities of entering into them, but preferred to devote his attention to his farm. His wife died in September 1872 and one son, the issue of the marriage, survives, Mr. Samuel Atkin near Warracknabeal, Victoria. A daughter died early. In 1873, the deceased married Miss E. Barrows, a sister of Mr. W. Barrows of Mt. Gambier, by whom he had three sons and five daughters. One of the latter is Mrs. George Holding of Torrensdale. This second wife survives him.
Mr. Atkin's death was caused by a painful internal disease, cancer of the liver, which began a few months ago and rapidly ran its fatal course. Previous to that he enjoyed robust health and was seldom if ever ill, even for a day.
The funeral took place yesterday afternoon and was very numerously attended, the deceased being generally known and respected in the district. The last religious services were carried out by the Rev. W. A. Langsford, Methodist, of whose church the deceased was a valued member. Mr. Atkin it may be remarked was one of the erectors and afterwards regular supporter of the little Methodist church at Torrensdale. Mr. H. R. Jobling was the undertaker at the funeral
Note:- His home county in England was listed in error as was the number of his children.
The South-Eastern Star, Tuesday, July 1, 1902, p.312
An old and much respected resident of Torrensdale, Gambier West, in the person of Mr. Thomas Atkin, died at half past 8 o'clock yesterday morning at the age of 77.
Born in Rutland County (Eng) in 1926, he married 26 years later, and two months afterwards embarked for Australia in the ship Steadfast. He landed with his wife (nee Miss Mary Holding, sister of Mr. S. Holding, Rosaville,) at Port Adelaide, and secured employment as an overseer on Bungaree Station, in the North, and then owned by Messrs. G. C. & C. G. Hawker.
He shortly afterwards resigned this position, and for a few years carried on a successful butchering business at Aldinga.
In 1860 he left Aldinga, and came overland to Mount Gambier in the then only means of conveyance in such parts — the bullock drays. There were only a few settlers at Mount Gambier at the time, but Mr. Atkin added to the number and secured a piece of land at Torrensdale where he since resided.
It may be mentioned that when the deceased settled here the land was very heavily timbered, and it was only with a great deal of labor that it was rendered fit for the plough. In common with the early settlers around Mount Gambier he had been fairly successful as a farmer, which occupation he had followed since his arrival 42 years ago.
He took no very active part in local politics, but was a warm supporter of the Methodist Church, being among the most prominent of the "working bee" formed for the erection of the Methodist chapel near his residence at Torrensdale.
His first wife died in September 1872, the issue of the marriage being one son and one daughter. The former, Mr. S. Atkin, Aubrey, (Vic.), alone survives, and is at present at Torrensdale.
In October 1873, thirteen months after, he wedded his second wife, who survives him, together with three sons and five daughters, all of whom are single, with the exception of Mrs. G. Holding, Torrensdale.
The deceased gentleman had been in particularly robust health up to the present year, but in January he showed signs of ailment; which was not of a serious nature until about eight weeks ago. He gradually sank, and passed away as stated yesterday morning, the cause of death being internal cancer.
Mr. Atkin's death removes from our midst a septuagenarian, who has spent 42 years of his life as a farmer in this district.
The funeral is announced to leave his late residence, Torrensdale this afternoon, at 1 o'clock.