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William Lewis (1820–1870)

It is our painful duty to chronicle the death, by drowning, of Mr. William Lewis, for many years a highly respected resident of this town and its vicinity. From what we have been able to ascertain relative to this sad occurrence, the unfortunate gentleman, in company with his eldest son, was bringing in a mob of cattle, which he had at the time paddocked at Green Swamp. Observing some damage done to the fence by the flood in Macdonald's Creek, and the attempts of the cattle to escape thereby, he persisted contrary to the solicitation of the bystanders, in crossing the creek for the purpose of securing them. It is said that he succeeded in crossing the creek safely, but when ascending the steep bank on the other side, he checked the horse by a pull on the rein; the animal reared up and fell over with his rider into the foaming water. Both went under, and were next seen in the middle of the stream. It is supposed that Mr Lewis was injured, from the fact, that although a powerful swimmer, besides being partially undressed, he made no effort to save himself, but drifted rapidly with the current in which he was occasionally submerged, at other times appearing with one arm raised as if in a convulsive effort to grasp at something which might arrest his career. Messrs. B. Naughton, Thompson, and several others endeavoured to save the unfortunate gentleman, but having followed the creek on both sides to its junction with the Cudgegong, they at length saw the body disappear beneath a heap of logs and rubbish below Jonas's house, after which he was not seen again. So far as we can learn the body has not yet been recovered.

Original publication

Additional Resources

Citation details

'Lewis, William (1820–1870)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/lewis-william-25026/text33536, accessed 29 March 2024.

© Copyright Obituaries Australia, 2010-2024

Life Summary [details]

Birth

1820
Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia

Death

23 April, 1870 (aged ~ 50)
Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia

Cause of Death

drowned

Cultural Heritage

Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

Occupation