Elizabeth Broughton was the daughter of Gabriel Louis Huon and Louisa le Sage. She was born on 6th June 1797 and married William Mitchell, born 1st May 1786, (.1) in the parish of St John Parramatta on March 16th, 1812 or 1813 (1)
William Mitchell was a widower and retired officer of the Kent militia and arrived in the colony in July 1811, onboard the ship ‘Providence’ as a free settler. He had a 5-year-old son, William. Horatio Mitchell, Birth Date: 9 Jan 1806, Mother: Maria Sush. (1.2)
Elizabeth and William lived at Bungonia (Bun.gunyah = meaning camp at a creek) NSW (1.1)
Map showing some neighbours to the Mitchell’s were WP Faithful, William Balcombe, George Barber, Luke Reddall, David Reid Snr, Coghill, J Chisholm. Shelly. Most of these were among the first wave to take up land around Albury/Wodonga. Map of Argyle County
A second block north of Bungonia belonging to William Mitchell shows George Barber as a neighbour. Map showing parish boundaries and land holdings. Date of map, 25th Feby., 1946. Held at the National Library of Australia
In February 1837 William and his brother in law, Paul Huon were granted leases to take up land at the crossing place on the Murray River. (2)
Sadly William Mitchell passed away before the move to Mungabareena and his eldest son, Thomas Mitchell, 19 years of age went in his place.
The following excerpt comes from the Australian Town and Country Journal of 29 October 1887 Titled; Hume, a Family of Pioneers
‘The husband was a captain in the British army but sold his commission and came to Australia and embarked in sheep farming at Brisbane Meadow near Bungonia, in the neighbourhood of the Shoalhaven gullies. It was there he lost his life, in his too anxious care of his property.’ (2.2)
William died at his residence, Brisbane Meadows, Argyle, on the 17th of September 1837, in his 52nd year. This is the date inscribed on his monument.
Their son, Thomas Mitchell, moved to Mungabareena in 1837. Mungabareena run had just been vacated by CH Ebden.
JFH Mitchell wrote that his mother, Mrs Elizabeth Mitchell moved to Mungabareena in 1838 and lived in a slab and bark roofed dwelling located at Thurgoona, 80 yards from the Murray River and opposite Bonegilla station at a point on the river known as the ‘Bonegilla bend’. She had with her 4 daughters and 4 sons. (3)
Mrs Elizabeth Mitchell, taken from JFH Mitchell papers (.1)
FEATURED IMAGE:
The featured image for Elizabeth Mitchell is a drawing titled, ‘The Hawkins Family Drawing Room’, Ca. 1830 and is from the State Library of NSW: Manuscripts, oral history and pictures catalogue.
THE REFERENCES:
(.1) John Francis Huon Mitchell papers https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/YezdA4K9/rw4erzRALNBj8 or The Papers
(1) Australian Royalty website, https://australianroyalty.net.au/tree/purnellmccord.ged/individual/I43966/Elizabeth-Broughton-Huon
(1.1) JFH Mitchell Family Papers held at State Library Victoria
(1.2) information on William-Mitchell information on his son, William Horatio
(2) Margaret Carnegie, Friday Mount
(2.2) Tumut History Group article regarding death of William Mitchell
(3) JFH Mitchell papers
