https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/153229340?searchTerm=wil...
Daily Telegraph - Thu 7/4/1892 Page 3
OBITUARY.
MR. WILLIAM MATTHEW DEAN
In the English Cemetery yesterday were
laid quietly to rest the mortal remains of an
old pioneer of Tasmania, Mr William Matthew
Dean, who 63 years ago placed his foot for
the first time on Tasmanian soil. The late
Mr Dean was a Surrey man, being born in
Croydon in 1799, and when he was about 28
years of age he was engaged to the Cressy Com-
pany to bring out a number of horses to
Tasmania, and among them was the cele-
brated mare Whizgig. He arrived in Hobart
in May, 1829. Whizgig, which belonged to
Mr Henty, was destined for West Australia,
but the mare remained in the island, and
some of her progeny keep her memory green
even to-day. The late Mr Dean soon after
his arrival in the North went to Cressy,
where he resided till about the year 1832.
We next find him proprietor of a butcher's
shop and livery stables ia Patterson-street,
on the same premises which he oocupied till
his death, and these premises were also used
in connection with a shipping agency, which
was managed by one of his sons. The late
Mr Dean was a thoroughly good townsman
—in the stirring times of 30 or 40
years ago he was a prominent figure in
all local matters, but his business engage-
ments prevented him taking an active part
in politics. He infused a remarkable amount
of energy into business, and even when the
all-decaying hand of time had whitened his
looks and enfeebled his gait his mental
faculties were keen, and it was not till he
had long passed the allotted span that he was
compelled to refrain from business. For the
last 18 months he had been unable to leave
his bouse, and he gradually sank till he
quietly passed away on Monday morning last.
When the late Mr Dean first arrived in Tas-
mania be was accompanied by his wife and a
son and daughter, but two sons and two
daughters were subsequently born. The
late Mr Robert Dowling, the well-known
artist, married one daughter, and another
is the wife of Mr James Coulter, super-
intendent of police. One of his sons by
his first wife died in Victoria a few months
ago, and another, James, was lost in the
brig Creole, which foundered off the North
East Coast with all hands in 1863, while on
a voyage to New Zealaad ; while another son,
Mr George Dean, was for a long time
manager of the Lauaceston branch of the
Commercial Bank. The late Mr Dean's
first wife died about 1839, and two years
later he married a Miss Houghton, by
whom he had three sons and seven
daughters. One son died some years ago.
One is at present in Victoria and another
in the Civil Service in New Zealand. Of the
seven daughters six are married, the first to
the late Mr J. H Smith, who since the death
of her husband has been residing in Victoria,
One daughter is the wife of Mr William
Hunt, registrar of the Courts of Requests
and Bankruptcy: and Mrs W. C. Smith of
Apsley ; Mrs Steed, of Victoria ; Mrs Walter
Conway, of this city, and Mrs Crombie-
Brown, of Sydney, are the other married
daughters, the youngest being still single
and living with her widowed mother.
The funeral, which took place shortly after
9.30 yesterday morning, was a large one con-
sidering the early hour, among the followers
being a number of old citizens. The chief
mourners were Messrs. James Coulter (super-
intendent of police), William Hunt(deputy
sheriff), and Walter Conway, all sons-in-law
of deceased.
