Obituaries Australia

Mr. Samuel Huxley, who died recently at Pitt Town, was a son of Samuel Huxley and Mary Mitchell, two of the early residents of the Hawkesbury. Deceased was born in Colo in the year 1843. With his parents he came to Pitt Town as a child; and at twelve years of age commenced work in the employ of the Rev. McPhie, who then had a school and farm at the old manse, near the site of the Pitt Town punt. While with Mr. McPhie he also received his education. A few years later he was apprenticed to the late Richard Mawson, who had a blacksmith's shop in Pitt Town, which stood at the rear of the hotel, of which Mawson had the license. The building still stands and is now occupied as a store. Like many of the Hawkesbury natives of olden days, as a young man he set out to try his luck in other parts, going to Charters Towers, Queensland, where he set up a blacksmithing business. Although good fortune favored him in business there, his health gave out, owing to fever and ague. On returning to Pitt Town he established a business in the town and then married Miss Sarah Smallwood, sister of Messrs. John and Joseph Smallwood, who still reside in Pitt Town. They made their first home in the old parsonage, the site of which is at the rear of the home of Mr. Albert Stubbs. In the year 1882 he removed his home and business to the McDonald estate on the Pitt Town-road — which business is now carried on by his son — where he conducted it until rendered physically incapable of doing his work some 15 or 16 years ago. His wife, who was a woman of very noble qualities, predeceased her husband by about two years. Their family consisted of four children, namely, Elizabeth May Giddins, Andrew (deceased), William John, and Catherine Amelia Beech. Mr. J. T. Huxley, coachbuilder of Penrith, a brother, is now the only surviving member of the family. The late Mr. Huxley was noted for faithful workmanship, and monuments of his work may still be seen in the district; most of the ironwork in the viaduct nearest the Windsor railway station was his. He was also noted for his genial personality and temperate habits and was a welcome guest at social functions, being an acceptable singer and an exceptionally good whistler, which method of entertainment was much in vogue in the olden days. Being laid aside for so many years as a victim of rheumatism, hardly a day passed when relatives or friends did not look in to offer sympathy and cheer; and great was their admiration for those who bestowed care and attention upon him. Even children loved to call, and on occasions a contingent of the scholars of St. James' Sunday School visited his home and sang his favorite hymns. He bore his great suffering with exemplary fortitude and patience. As a lad he was a chorister in St. James' Church, Pitt Town, and he and his wife and family were devout members and communicants of that church. In the days of his infirmity he was regularly visited by the succeeding rectors of his own church, and occasionally by the Rev. D. Baird (Presbyterian), and happy relationships existed between he and them. To him the Christian religion was his greatest consolation. He passed peacefully into rest during the night of Thursday, 14th September, being then in the 80th year of his age, and after a solemn service in his old parish church was buried by the side of his wife in the Pitt Town cemetery, the Rev. G. P. Birk officiating, the funeral being largely attended. It certainly was the largest local burial for a great many years. The funeral arrangements were reverently managed by Mr. P. J. Chandler, of Windsor. "Peace perfect peace."