Elijah Quartermaine
FIRST PERMANENT SETTLER
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Elijah Quartermaine
Elijah Quartermaine is considered the first settler in the district of Katanning and is also known to have taken up 5,000 acres in Narrogin in 1860. In 1851 he was grazing 1,900 sheep and, finding abundant water and feed for his sheep in the area, Quartermaine permanently settled and was the first to secure land (1852). Descendants of Quartermaine (2018) still own and manage the property, which also has grave on it.
Elijah Quartermaine was born 31 July, 1814 in Toot Baldon, Oxfordshire, England to Charles and Ann Sarah Quartermaine (nee Newman) and died 14 August, 1888 in Katanning, Western Australia. He was one of ten children. He married Elizabeth Dickenson on 20 November, 1835 at Garsington, England and arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia, on 5 December, 1838 aboard the ship “Britomart”. Elizabeth was born in Marsh Baldon, Oxfordshire, England on 9 May, 1819, and died in Beverley, Western Australia on 23 November, 1873, aged 54 years.
Elijah started working for Dr. Samuel Viveash at “Yangadine” near Beverley. In 1851 he was grazing 1,900 sheep and, finding abundant water and feed for his sheep in the area, Quartermaine permanently settled and was the first to secure land (1852). His first lease was on Kojonup location 11, which was to become the homestead of Yowangup – a name derived from a spring on his property.
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ELI QUARTERMAINE
Last of the old timers.
Mr Eli Quartermaine crosses the great divide
After a life of 84 years.
Taken from the West Australian
31 August, 1936
This was an obituary for Elijah Quartermaine’s son Eli.
Elijah Quartermaine came out from Oxfordshire, England and arrived in the Swan River colony with his wife Elizabeth in 1838, which in those days took just on six months to do the trip. During that six months Mr Quartermaine’s eldest son Charles was born.
He came out under engagement to Mr Smith and Dr Viveash, who had taken up land in the York district. He remained with the firm for about 10 years, and selected land on his own account at Beverley. This property was called “Addington”.
Elijah started working for Dr. Viveash at “Yangadine” near Beverley. In 1851 he was grazing 1,900 sheep and, finding abundant water and feed for his sheep in the area, Quartermaine permanently settled and was the first to secure land (1852). His first lease was on Kojonup location 11, which was to become the homestead of Yowangup – a name derived from a spring on his property.
During this, period many natives were employed on the sheep runs one native in particular got time off once to “go Yougenup” (then called by the local aborigines “Youngening”) for a big corroboree. While at the jamboree he noticed long spear grass about three feet high, and he pulled some of it and carried it all the way back to Beverley to “show Boss.” He reckoned the country would be quabba (good) for sheep.
The aborigines had been treated well by the Quartermaine’s, and the little kindnesses shown them brought its own reward. Mr Quartermaine, Snr., came back with the faithful man on a cart drawn by a couple of horses, this being the first cart driven through the long stretch of what was then bush country.
He was satisfied with the prospects, as he found some of the pools in the district. He then took up on lease 80,000 acres of the area taking in what was afterwards to become Katanning, Woodanilling, Carrolup, the Police Pools and Corakin. He brought along 3,000 sheep, which were shepherded here. This depended on water from the various pools, which dried up quickly, and some times the sheep had to be shifted about halfway down to the Blackwood.
YOWANGUP HOMESTEAD
Yowangup Homestead
Shortly after this, Mr Quartermaine selected “Yougenup,” about 1,800 acres of what he considered the pick of the country, and laid the foundation of the grand old home, which is still there, on the main road about four miles north of Katanning.
Elijah Quartermaine is considered to be the first settler in the district of Katanning by permanently settling and being the first to secure land (1852). Descendants of Quartermaine still own and manage the property, which also has grave on it. The family burial ground at Yowangup Homestead is believed to hold the remains of Elijah Quartermaine, a shepherd named Walker, and the burials of at least five of Elijah’s grandchildren.
A monument to Elijah Quartermaine on Yowangup
Yowangup Homestead was constructed by Elijah c.1860-62, with assistance of builder John Cronin, as his primary residence and, with the exception of 1906 to 1914, it has been owned and mostly occupied by his direct descendants from the 1860s to around 2017. It was built on land purchased in 1855 and used for seasonal grazing of sheep from at least 1852 and probably into the 1840s.
Yowangup was the first homestead established in the Katanning region, and represents the arrival of European settlement in the area. Prior to Katanning townsite being declared in 1890, Yowangup Homestead was an important regional landmark and stopping place for travellers through the area.
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FAMILY
Elijah and Elizabeth had twelve children; Charles Elijah, Alfred William Charles, Elijah Nigel, Henry, Elizabeth Emily Alice Fleay (nee Quartermaine), Henry, Elizabeth Mary (Eliza) Caroline Smith (nee Quartermaine), Eli, John, Frederick, William Charles Alfred, and Richard Quartermaine.
Note: Elizabeth never moved to Katanning as she and Elijah divorced after her having an affair prior to the move to Katanning.
One of Elijah’s sons, Henry, took up a pastoral lease in 1873 around Woolkabunning Well, an Aboriginal water hole that was a prime source of water for those shepherding his sheep. In addition, Henry had another lease ten kms to the south east (centered on Minackling Swamp) and one near Bokaring Water Hole. Like his elder brother, Alfred, Henry was also interested in the exploitation of sandalwood and in late 1879 took out huge pastoral leases north east of Nippering – sandalwood still being plentiful in these parts.
An example of the difficulties facing those involved in land selection and recording thereof are letters Henry Quartermaine wrote to the Commissioner of Lands:
Yongup, May 1, 1874
“Last November I applied for a special occupation lease of 100 acres and being deceived by a native who took me to the water hole, gave a wrong name instead of Mimmacidling it ought to be Woolkabunning.
I should be very thankful if you will have the name altered on my application.”
Yongup, April 26 1875
“My 40 acres block is 6-7 miles from Mr Andrews, there is Haddleton between me and Andrews.
My place is about 6 miles to the west of north of Haddleton’s Coompatine as near as I can tell, I am not near Andrews.
I would be very thankful to you if the surveyor could run it out now as he is up this way as I would like to start my fencing this winter.”
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
“Elijah & Elizabeth were actually married by Rev. Willoughby at Episcopal Church, Marsh Baldon 30 Nov 1837. The banns were published at the Garsington Church 3 consecutive Sundays as follows:
Garsington Parish Records No 42.
Banns of marriage between Elijah Quartermaine of this parish and Elizabeth Dickenson of the parish of Marsh Baldon were published on the three Sundays underwritten:
That is to say,
on Sunday 8 Nov 1835
on Sunday 15 Nov 1835
on Sunday 22 Nov 1835
by me Willm Nicholson.
Elijah’s parents: There is no proof as to which H Quartermain Charles belongs to as there is no baptism for Charles anywhere and he and wife Sarah both died at home in Chiselhampton and there are no records of their burials in any of the church cemeteries in the surrounding area.
Eliza’s parents: Eliza was the second child of six of Frederick Dickenson & Dorothy Turner – four females and two males. Frederick worked and lived around Marsh Baldon until the late 1860’s when he went and lived with a daughter and her family at Littlemore.
Above information supplied by Danielle Thompson (nee Quartermaine).
Elijah Quartermaine. Elijah Quartermaine. Elijah Quartermaine. Elijah Quartermaine. Elijah Quartermaine.
Elijah Quartermaine. Elijah Quartermaine. Elijah Quartermaine. Elijah Quartermaine. Elijah Quartermaine.