Obituaries Australia

Died—At his residence, at Macquarie Grove, on the 25th ult. after a lingering illness, Mr. Samuel Otoo Hassall. Seven years ago we happened to be a good deal at Mr. Hasall's house. A more hospitable kind man than he we know not in New South Wales. Had Mr. Hassall had the benefits of a liberal education he would have been a shining man. As it was, he was a very solid useful character. We never knew one who in his own person united so much of two opposite qualities, namely, economy love of wealth, and generosity. He was a keen man of business, yet kind, hospitable, and benevolent, all bottomed on a due sense of religion. We have said Mr. Hassall would with greater advantages have been a shining character. He was naturally ambitious. Hence, when his property (entirely agricultural) fell to one-fourth of its value, accompanied by four years failure of his harvests, he found he could not meet his pecuniary engagements. Unhappily, Mr. H. had not firmness enough to contend with this blow to his ambition. At length one of his creditors arrested him. This preyed on his spirits. After this he became an altered man. He drooped and lingered on an unhappy existence till he died. He has left one of the best of wives and mothers with a numerous young family to deplore his premature death. Mr. Hassall was about 35 years of age. Before he caught an internal disease by lying about in the woods at the time he was one of the Superintendents of the Government herds at Bathurst, he was a very stout active young man, and bade fair to live to be an old man. His funeral was most numerous and respectably attended; all the neighbouring Magistrates and neighbours; and all who recollected what the deceased five years ago bade fair to be, namely, one of the first settlers (of Australian birth) in the Colony, were deeply affected to see his remains thus descend to the grave, before he had reached the prime of life. His widow and family are, we are happy to learn, left in comfortable circumstances.