Joseph Henry Davidson & Catherine Isabella Henrietta Vanderbilt ...
Joseph Henry Davidson, my great-grandfather, was the fourth child and fourth son of Robert and Margaret, born at Deep Creek in 1866. After his school days in Mt. Egerton, he followed his eldest brother, Edward, and began to learn about blacksmithing from his grandfather, Robert McIntosh. He also learned the trade from Dinny Kerin, who took him on as an apprentice, attending the School of Mines in Ballarat but spending half his time down at the sale yards with the horses.
At the age of 21, Joseph married Catherine (known as Kate or Katie) Isabella Henrietta Vanderbilt, who the Davidson family knew from their days in Eganstown. They were married in Ballarat East, and went on to have 7 children – Ethel May, William Henry, Dorothy (who only lived for 19 days), Allan, my grandfather Edward (known as Ned), and Margaret Jean (known as Jean).
Joseph Henry Davidson
Catherine Isabella Henrietta Vanderbilt
It appears that Joe and Kate moved around a bit during the first years of their marriage. In the 1899 Electoral Rolls and Wise’s Post Office Directory of 1905, Joseph is listed as ‘Blacksmith of Egerton’. The depression greatly affected everyone, and their travels included stints in Beechworth, Footscray, and Lancefield. Jobs and money were scarce wherever they went, and they eventually settled back in Mt. Egerton.
Joe set up his own blacksmith and wheelwright business at the northern end of the township, J. H. Davidson & Son Blacksmith & Wheelwright, eventually taking over Kerin’s business east of the township and moving there. Their cottage had 3 bedrooms, a kitchen and a tin washroom out the back, and the property was surrounded by cypress trees. In 1995, the building was still standing, albeit with some alterations. Joseph also purchased several other blocks of land in and around Mt. Egerton.
Invoice issued by J. H. Davidson, Coachbuilder & Wheelwright
Sketch of lands in Egerton purchased by Joseph Davidson
Like many others of the day, Joe had an interest in gold. He always thought that one day he would make a good find, but his dream never eventuated. He carried an old jam tin and a bolt in his back pocket, and when picking up pieces of quartz, he would crumble them on the spot to see if gold was present. He also set up the Black Horse Mine Company to operate the mine of the same name.
Family history tells us that Joe was a stocky man, with a very happy-go-lucky nature. His wife, Kate, was by all accounts a lovely lady who loved her family, and her music. While my mother, their granddaughter, did not know Joe as he died before she was born, she had very fond memories of her grandmother having spent the first 5 years of her life being brought up by her and her Aunty Jean while her parents were away working. She shared a room with Kate and vividly remembered laying in the dark when her grandmother would come to bed. She would listen, and each night, without fail, she would hear Kate softly whispering the Lord’s Prayer before she retired for the night.
In 1927, whilst chopping some wood at home, Joe passed away at the age of 61. After his sudden death, Kate went to live with her son, Ned (my grandfather), and then her daughter, Jean, before dying in Ballarat in 1948 at the age of 82. Like so many other family members, Joe and Kate are buried together at Mt. Egerton Cemetery.
OBITUARY
The funeral of the late Mr Joseph Henry Davidson took place on Tuesday at the Egerton Cemetery. Deceased was 61 years of age, and a native of Egerton, and was well known all around the district. He carried on a blacksmith and wheelwright’s business here for years, from which he only retired some three or four years ago, and was occupied in farming pursuits of late. He leaves a widow and three sons and three daughters. The funeral was largely attended. The coffin-bearers were Messrs W. Davis, J. Sadler (sons-in-law), H. Curtis, F. Walkinshaw, C. Harris, J. Devlin (nephews), and the chief mourners were Mrs Davidson (widow), Mrs W. Davis, Mrs Sadler (Yarraville), and Margaret Jean (daughters), Henry, Allan, Edward (sons), Mr and Mrs E. Davidson (Daylesford), Robert (Northcote), Goodsir and Duncan – Whitton NSW (brothers), Margaret and Susan – Bena, Gippsland (sisters), W. Davidson, Joseph Davidson (Loch, Gippsland), George Davidson (Warracknabeal), Leslie, Alwyn (Warracknabeal), Goodsir – Whitton NSW (nephews). The Rev W. E. Kaneen officiated at the house and graveside and the funeral arrangements were in the hands of Hugh Evans and Son, of Ballarat and Egerton. - Source unknown.
Will of Joseph Henry Davidson
Grave of Joseph Henry Davidson & Catherine Isabella Henrietta Vanderbilt
Please note: More detailed information on the children and their families of Joseph and Catherine will be added at a later date.
To view the full Descendant Chart for Joseph Henry Davidson and Catherine Isabella Henrietta Vanderbilt, please click here.
Sources:
The Egertonian: Kith and Kin of our Clan Davidson - written by Gail Chambers and Lydia Davidson 1995 (edited by Gail Erwood 2021)
VPRO Probate Files, Will of Joseph Henry Davidson No. 223/567 - VPRS 7591/P2/785