James Eastough

Geraldton Guardian and Express Saturday 30 June 1945

OBITUARY LATE MR. JAS. EASTOUGH PASSING OF A PIONEER With the death of Mr. James East- ough sen., of Nanson, which occurred during the recent floods under tragic circumstances already reported in those columns, the Upper Chapman district has lost another of those hardy old pioneers who blazed the trail for the present generation. Born at White Peak eighty-two years ago, the deceased gentleman was in his younger days associated with various occupations in the Geraldton, Northampton and Greenough districts, and also on the goldfields. He was particularly well known as a carpenter and builder, and was responsible for the erection of many homes in the district. Later he selected land in the Upper Chapman district, in which he resided until meeting his sudden death. Although of a somewhat quiet and retiring disposition, the late Mr. Eastough was nevertheless always keenly interested in district affairs, and when the Upper Chapman Road Board was formed some forty years ago he became one of the foundation members. He also possessed a reputation for his clear reasoning at all times and for a high ideal of fair play. His wife, who predeceased him, was a daughter of the late Mr. Michael Murphy, of Carney's Hill (Yetna), but he is survived by three sons and six daughters in Messrs. James, Cecil and Arthur Eastough and Mesdames Angus (Mullewa), Carroll (Nanson), Cassin (Wonthella), Stewart (Perth), Meeres (Howatharra), and Hayes (Northampton). The funeral took place at Nabawa on Sunday afternoon last in the presence of a large and representative gathering, with the Rev. Father Moffatt, of Geraldton, officiating at the graveside. The pall-bearers were Messrs: W. F. Jupp, G. Penn, W. Tetlow, T. Ronan, H. McNamara and W. Lucas, and the casket was borne to the grave by Messrs. L. J. Murphy, N. R. Murphy, C. Murphy and E. Murphy. The mortuary arrangements were conducted by, Mr. Aidan Pinder, of Forrest -Street, Geraldton.

Miner  Friday 22 June 1945

Old Man Drowned FATALITY NEAR GERALDTON Geraldton, June 21.— The first fatality as a result of floods occurred to-day near Nabawa when James Eastough (83) disappeared while attempting to cross the Chapman River - in a sulky with his grand daughter-in-law, Mrs. A. Eastough. When they were attempting to ford the river over a cement crossing, the sulky overturned and they were thrown into the swirling waters. Mrs. Eastough caught the old man and was holding him firmly, while supporting herself, when the horse, in its fright, turned on them. Mrs. Eastough released her grip to drive off the horse, and, as she did so, Mr. Eastough was carried away in the rapidly flowing water. He has not been seen since. Mrs. Eastough scrambled to safety and soon afterwards the horse lost its footing and was also carried downstream with the sulky. The Geraldton police are making inquiries and, with the assistance of district residents, an extensive patrol has been made of the banks of the river, but no news of the result of these activities was avail able in Geraldton to-night. Mr. Eastough, who was a widower, was well known through the Nabawa Nanson district.

The West Australian Monday 25 June 1945

GERALDTON AREA. RETURNING TO NORMAL. Drowned Man's Body Found. GERALDTON, June 24.-Flood waters continue to recede, road conditions to improve and general life throughout the district is returning to normal after the abnormal rains of the past fortnight. However, large areas of agricultural land remain submerged and although crop losses in some instances will be heavy, the prospects of a good feed year are exceptionally bright. Generally, farmers and sheep-raisers are delighted with the prospects for the current season. Most roads in the district are again traffcable, although the continued suspensions of the Midland Railway Co's service will cause inconvenience. The vegetable famine of the last few days was relieved with the arrival today of consignments sent over the Wongan line. No further shortages are anticipated. Other lines of perishable commodities are still in short supply but it is anticipated that ,stocks will be replenished in the near future. While walking along the bank of, the Chapman River, Mr J. Cooper, of Nabawa, discovered the body of James Eastough, an elderly man who disappeared when the sulky in which he was riding overturned on a cross ing in the river on Thursday.

Geraldton Guardian and Express Saturday 21 July 1945

FATALITY AT NANSON ELDERLY MAN DROWNED SWEPT AWAY IN FLOOD WATERS Circumstances surrounding the death of an old-age pensioner named James Eastough aged 82 years, who was swept away in the swollen waters of the Chapman River when attempting to ford the river at Nanson on June 21st during the recent flood were related to the Coroner (Mr. H. K. Parker) in the Geraldton Courthouse yesterday, when he conducted an inquest into Eastough's death. The Coroner was assisted by Sergeant W. L. Simons. Dr. James McAleer gave evidence of an autopsy he conducted on the body of the deceased and stated that death was due to asphyxia due to drowning. Formal evidence of identification was given by John Cooper, farmer, of Nabawa, who said that he had taken part in the search for Eastough's body. At about 7.30 a.m. on the morning of June 23rd he went to the Chapman River, directly behind his residence, a distance of about seventy yards. He walked about a hundred yards along the bank of the river and then noticed a hand in some debris in the water on the west side of the river. He communicated with Frederick Murphy and they waded through the water and brought the body to the bank. He recognised it as that of Eastough. The body was searched in his presence and an amount of £21 was recovered from a shirt pocket. There were no trousers or boots on the body when it was removed from the water. Elsie Grace Eastough said that she was holidaying with her husband (Mr. A. Eastough) at the home of Mr. Cecil Eastough at the time of the tragedy. At about 10.50 a.m. on June 21st she left the house with James Eastough in a sulky. They had about three miles to travel to Nanson and had to cross the Chapman River about two miles north of the Nanson townsite. She had driven the horse until they reached the river, and she then said to the deceased — "You can drive over the river as I do not know the crossing." James Eastough then took the reins. As they were about to enter ths water he said — 'We will be able to get across, and pointing to the water dipping at the edge of the crossing he added — When you can see that it is safe to cross." He then drove the horse into the watar and they had travelled about the length of the horse and sulky when the right hand wheel appeared to run off the side of the crossing, dragging the horse into , deep water. James Eastough and witness were swept out of the sulky together and into the water. She caught the old man by the arm and was endeavoring to get him to the bank when the horse swung around and parted them. By that time Eastough had gone under the water several times and witness had a similar experience. She managed to scramble to the bank after holding on to the branch of a tree for about ten minutes to regain her breath. The last words James Eastough spoke to her were — "Are you alright?" He disappeared in the water and witness did not see him again. She saw the horse swimming down the stream, but she could not see if the sulky was still attached to it. She got out of the water about a hundred yards from where the sulky overturned. She then went to Mr. Cooper's residence and told him of the accident. Frederick George Murphy, farmer and shearer, of Nanson, said that he had assisted in the search for the deceased, and on the morning of June 23rd he helped to remove the body from the water. The crossing from which the sulky had been swept was about fifteen to eighteen feet wide and about two chains in length. It was built, up two or four feet on the south side. The sulky had inflated tyres and these would have had a tendency to make the sulky float, but the force of the water would have swept the vehicle down the stream. The crossing was made of stones and the surface was generally rough. The deceased had been using the crossing for about fifty years. Police-constable E. R. Lee gave evidence of the search organised to recover The body. The Coroner returned a verdict that the deceased had died from asphyxia due to drowning in the Chapman River on June 21st, adding that the occurrence was accidental and that no blame, was attachable to any person.