Obituaries Australia

Thomas Stevenson, n.d.

from Pastoral Review, 15 October 1913

It does not fall to the lot of every man to have his death so regretted as was the case with Thomas Stevenson, of Narra-Allen, N.S.W., last month. A more kindly character it would be hard to meet, and when his wide colonial experience is taken into account, and his ready willingness to recount what befel him during a long term of Australian pioneering, it will be seen that he was a man who it was only natural would be so widely mourned. He was a splendid raconteur, and his autobiography would afford a fine example of the characteristics which go to make the successful Australian pioneer.

Born in Dalmellington, Ayrshire, Scotland, he left home when yet a very young man by the ship Donald Mackay, and landed in Melbourne in the year 1858, when the gold fever of Victoria was at its height. At once entering upon the pursuit, he was at some of the principal rushes, including those at Back Creek, Lamplough, Inglewood, and others. Then he went over to New Zealand, and mined on the western goldfields there for about ten years. It was in these days that Mr. Stevenson saw a good deal of the late R. J. Seddon, and laid the foundation of a friendship which lasted through life. In 1870, however, he married Miss. Margaret Donald Campbell, daughter of the late Mrs. Campbell, of Cobran Station, on the Murray, and five years later left New Zealand, gave up gold-seeking, and settled down to pastoral pursuits, which he followed till the time of his death. His station property was Narra-Allen, near Burrowa, in the Young district, on which he ran about 10,000 sheep. Mr. Stevenson leaves a wife and six children—four daughters and two sons. The daughters are Mrs. J. McMaster, of Weetalibah; Mrs. McPherson, of Gegullalong ; Mrs. McNeil, of Waihemo; and Miss Nellie Stevenson. The two sons, Messrs. Harry and Tom, manage Narra-Allen.