Obituaries Australia

The death occurred early on Saturday morning of a very old resident of the district in the person of Mr. William Felton Mathew, Hillview Farm, North Wagga, aged 71 years. The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon, and was very largely attended, there being at least 40 vehicles in the solemn procession. At the graveside the Rev. A. E. Coote (Church of England) officiated, and the pall-bearers were Messrs. C. F., Alick, and Alf (sons of the deceased) and R. J. Hurst, R. Butts and V. Hodge. Messrs. Mclntosh Bros, who conducted the funeral, provided a coffin of handsome polished oak with silver mountings. The late Mr. Mathew was born at North Sydney in 1836, a well-preserved copy of the register of the birth at the old Church of St. Phillip's being now in the keeping of the family. Before coming into the Wagga district the deceased and Mr. John F. Hely, of Tarcutta-street, were employed at Birt's (now Kiss) horse bazaar in Pitt-street, Sydney. They came together to the employ of the late Mr. William Brown, of Hanging Rock Station. That gentleman, known in the old days as "Tinker'' Brown, was well-known as the proprietor of a circus, which he took from here to Albury, and then on to Beechworth, where, at the cost of £110, he fitted his favorite horse with a set of golden shoes. By the way, Mr. Hely, who remained in touch with Mr. Mathew as mate, and in business transactions up to 1859, and, indeed as a fast friend till the latter's death, had charge of the stud connected with the circus, in which capacity he trained some of the animals to perform. Mr. Mathew remained in Mr. Brown's service for three and a half years, when he bought a team of bullocks. With this team Mr. Mathew did much carrying between such places as Wagga, Yass and Narandera. After selling the team he went as under stock-keeper to Mr. Hely for Mr. John Church, of Cross Roads Station. When this station was sold, in 1859, he bought a farm near the showground, which afterwards was purchased by Mr. Hely. He next bought a farm at North Wagga, and again selling out he took up land adjoining the Experiment Farm, where since 1863, he continued to reside up till the time of his death. Naturally such an early resident in the district as the deceased was well-known and highly respected. Leading the hardy, simple life that he did, the late Mr. Mathew was hale and hearty almost up to a month ago, when an internal complaint afflicted him and caused his regretted death. He leaves a wife and several sons and daughters.