Mr McCoy injured at Werocata

Register (Adelaide, SA), Monday 15 September 1924, page 11 - Mr. John McCoy.

Mr. McCoy was employed as a shepherd and lived with another man in a lonely part of the scrub. These are his recollections:

​

The (indigenous) blacks appeared in great numbers in those days, but although dreaded by the shepherds, they gave no trouble as they were treated with invariable kindness.

As many as a hundred were regularly fed at the station, and numbers were employed as boundary riders and trappers.

They soon became daring and expert horsemen, never declining the most vicious mount.

The wild dogs were a very serious menace, killing hundreds of sheep and lambs.

The shepherds had to keep their charges in a rough kind of yard, sleep in boxes, and keep fires burning around.

But in spite of these precautions the dogs frequently entered the enclosure and destroyed an animal before the men could intervene.

​

Mr. McCoy had the misfortune to meet with a serious accident while assisting in the stable.

A particularly vicious horse was tied in one of the stalls, preparatory to being broken.

The manager told Mr. McCoy to put the bridle on the horse and lead him out. The ill-tempered brute turned on the man, kicked him on the legs, broke his jaws, and went for him with open mouth.

The cries of the unfortunate victim drew to his aid a carpenter who chanced to be working near, and who drove the infuriated beast away with a pitchfork.

 

Mr. Edmund Bowman had McCoy taken for medical treatment at first to Clare, and then to Adelaide.

• Not satisfied with the result, he sent him to the Old Country by the ship Lincolnshire.

• The patient was taken to Madame Stephen's hospital, in Dublin, and operated upon by a Dr. Collis.

• While in hospital he had a very kind letter from Mr. Bowman, enquiring after his health, and assuring him his place was always open for him.

After three months' stay in hospital he returned to the Two Mile Station, so named from its distance from Port Wakefield.

​

Tragic Death of Edmund Bowman

The most tragic incident in Mr. McCoy's recollections was the untimely death of his employer and benefactor, Mr. E. Bowman (August 15, 1866)

Near the Two Mile Station a rough footbridge, consisting of a single plank, had been constructed across the River Wakefield, for the convenience of the shepherds and other workmen. Some she-oak trees at each end helped to steady the passage across.

On the day of the fatality the men under charge of Mr. Thomas Bowman, were on the other side drafting sheep, very strenuous work in those days as the animals had to be seized in the hands and thrown bodily into the yards.

A Mrs. Howard, living near one end of the footbridge, saw Mr. Edmund Bowman cross to her side to the woolshed and return, the water at that time being only three feet in depth.

Shortly after the heaviest flood known in the Wakefield occurred, and the river rose some six or seven feet, so that the frail footbridge was just awash.

 

Mr. Edmund Bowman attempted to cross a second time, but when about the middle of the stream overbalanced and fell into the swirling torrent.

Mrs. Howard ran along till opposite to Mr. Bowman's house, and called out, "Mr. Edmund is drooned." The woman got a long pole with a hook fastened at the end and managed to recover the body.

When Mr. T. Bowman returned to the ford and saw the state of the river he decided to camp for the night. He found Mrs. Howard weeping bitterly

'What's the matter, woman?' 'Mr. Edmund's drooned.' 'What my cousin (brother) drowned?'

Thereupon the six horsemen plunged into the rolling flood, and with difficulty reached the further bank.

They found the Magistrate, doctor, and police at the house.

A man was dispatched to Crystal Brook to convey the sad news to Mr. William Bowman.

He was warned to take every precaution in crossing the Broughton, where a man had been drowned the night before.

 

Next a call was made for a volunteer to go to Martindale, near Mintaro. McCoy at once offered to undertake the perilous ride.

The Magistrate told them all the bridges had been carried away. Mr. Bowman made McCoy take his (Bowman's) horse, the best in the stable.

 

It was the middle of the night, raining, and pitch dark, but the voluntary messenger had often before been over the ground.

He tried to cross at Whitwarta, near the Salt Lake. On the other side were camped a number of teamsters who were conveying stores to Wallaroo Mines.

In response to McCoy's halloo a burly Cornishman ran to the opposite bank.

'Are you mad? Neither you nor the horse will ever reach this side.'

'Drowned or not, I mean to try. Mr. Bowman is drowned.'

Soon the whole camp was astir. The teamsters got a long rope, to which they tied a large wooden float. After one or two failures McCoy, wading up to his waist, managed to seize one end, which he tied in a loop around the horse's neck.

By great exertion, and after being nearly entangled in a wire fence, horse and rider reached the opposite side.

The kindly teamsters gave the horseman a hot drink, and insisted on his going to bed till his clothes could be dried.

They also fed and groomed his gallant horse.

But the faithful fellow was impatient to deliver his message, and at the earliest moment resumed his perilous ride.

Dashing through the Seven Mile Scrub he lost his hat, and half-dazed knocked at the door of Mr. McDonald, to whom he delivered a letter. McDonald was thunderstruck at the news. (The messenger next roused the police.]

He crossed the Skilly Creek without mishap, and reached Martindale about daybreak, to find that cousin Mr. William Bowman had gone to Black Springs.

The ladies were terribly upset at his message.

A boy was sent to cousin Mr. William Bowman, and returned with instructions that Mr. McCoy was to ride to Mr. Forrester, at Bowman's Block, later known as Forrester's  Farm.

McCoy had been so exhausted by his ride that he had fallen asleep in the stable beside his horse.

​

Edmund Bowman's Funeral

By night more than a hundred horsemen were riding hard for Whitwarta. Here McCoy found men and horses lying about near the banks.

The horses refused to face the threatening stream. McCoy was put on another mount and led the way, the others following in Indian file.

 

The funeral started the same day. Hundreds of settlers and working men from Mintaro, Black Springs, Port Wakefield, Crystal Brook, and the country about came to pay the last marks of respect to the deceased, who was highly and deservedly esteemed by all who knew him.

The hearse with the coffin was met at Virginia, and the procession went on its way.

'Never was a funeral attended by more sincere mourners' wrote the Advertiser, '

'All who knew him being affected by a feeling of heartfelt sorrow that, in the very prime of life, the earthly career should be closed of so worthy and useful a colonist, so kind a friend, and one so exemplary in every relation of life.'

 

"The burial took place at Enfield in a cemetery since smoothed into a 'Pioneer Park'. The large Bowman vault of grey Mintaro slate and the white marble tombstone have been removed to the North Road Cemetery but at that time, the intimate local burial ground was the natural place to take him.

Newspapers describe the hearse being followed to the grave 'by two hundred gentlemen on foot' and many others congregating at the cemetery.

His two older boys walked with his brothers and three cousins: Thomas and William Bowman, managers of the Wakefield runs, and Edmund Parnell of Kadina.

Among the two hundred were names of parliamentarians, professional men, pastoralists and others of note in the colony." (ibid, p. 61)

​

South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA), Tuesday 21 August 1866, page 2

Mintaro, August 20.

'The death of Mr. Edmund Bowman has thrown a gloom over the inhabitants of this district, and all seem to feel that they have lost a friend.

He was one who would sympathize with us, and assist us in any matter — either religious or secular — and forbearing to those who had dealings with him.

Having by labour and industry risen to his position, he could value others as they deserved it.

A strong feeling of respect will long exist in the hearts of the inhabitants here towards his memory.'

​

INQUEST ON THE LATE EDMUND BOWMAN, ESQ., JP.

Adelaide Express (SA : 1863 - 1866), Saturday 18 August 1866, page 2

 

On Wednesday, August 15, an inquest was held at the Wakefield head station, on the body of Mr. Edmund Bowman, stockholder, of that district, who came to his death by falling into the River Wakefield.

A respectable jury were empanelled, and Mr. Turner, J.P., officiated as Coroner.

The jury having viewed the body, various witnesses were examined with regard to the melancholy occurrence.

Mrs. Howett stated that she saw Mr. Bowman going towards the unfinished pine bridge which crosses the river at that part.

She saw him walking on one of the pines, and observed him fall into the river as she thought on his feet.

She ran down to the bridge, and saw part of the body come in sight. It floated a little way down to the opposite bank, and there remained for some ten minutes, during which time Mr. Bowman never attempted to raise his head, nor was there any struggle.

She was afraid to cross the pine logs herself, but called out loudly for assistance. Unfortunately, the men were not very close at hand, and as the wind blew in a contrary direction, they did not hear her.

At last assistance came, but the body was then out of sight. After considerable searching about, one of the party caught sight of deceased's coat, and the body was then immediately brought to shore.

Further evidence was given by George Howitt, Clifford Sage, John Colton, and Thomas Bowman, detailing the means used to restore animation, and at the conclusion of the evidence, a verdict of " Death by drowning" was returned.

We hope to obtain a few additional particulars for the Advertiser on Monday morning.

​

Edmund's Family and Business

Edmund Bowman was also a director of the Union Bank and a member of the Central Road Boards.

Edmund only enjoyed two years on the Werocata property which he visited from his Enfield house called Barton Vale because he drowned on nearby Pareora estate in August 1866 which he also owned.

Edmund had married in 1854 which was when he had built Barton Vale.

So when he died in 1866 he left a young family of three sons,

• Edmund Junior,

• Charles William and

• Hubert and

• three daughters, Clarissa, Alice and Jessie.

• (Another child had died shortly after birth).

 

Edmund’s properties and shares were kept in trust until Edmund junior reached the age of 21 years in 1876.

The properties were managed by Bowman relatives with Werocata being managed by one of Edmund senior brothers.

The estate had grown into a 25,000-acre freehold property with a further 10,000 acres freehold on nearby Pareora estate.  

There are 8,500 acres in Pareora, situated about 10 miles from Balaklava and four miles from Port Wakefield.

Edmund junior was suddenly a very wealthy man in 1876.