Mary Jane (Mary Ann) Jones (Rose)

   Type: Extract from paper 1933 

   Note: Mrs, Mary J. Jones

"The mother of Mulwala" The oldest, best known and undoubtedly one of the best loved personalities on the Murray, Mrs. Mary Jane Jones, died at her home in Mulwala early last, Sunday morning in her 95th year, writes our Corowa correspondent.

Born in Guernsey Channel Islands, in 1838, Mrs. Jones came at the age of 16 years, with her parents to Adelaide in 1857. She was married at Holy Trinity Adelaide, to Mr. Charles Kidman Jones, a seaman of Deal in Kent. The couple then took a boat to Melbourne and were engaged for employment by the late Messers. Reid and Younger on their station property of Wagunyah, now the site of the Wahgunyah railway station. Together with, the late Messrs. Joseph Pearce and Thomas Yates, Mr. and Mrs. Jones travelled to their new home by bullock wagon and long and practically roadless journey.

The day after their arrival they attended the first regatta held on Lake Moodemere which is the oldest inland aquatic event in Australia, having been held annually since 1859.

After a time at Wahgunyah, these pioneers set out by bullock wagon for Savernake, NSW guided only by a compass, under engagement on the station properly of the late Mr. Graham, afterwards the owner of the Netherby vineyard, Wahgunyah, still in existence and owned by the same family. Savernake was sold afterwards to the late Mr. A. Sloane, whose son, Mr. W. Sloane, is the present owner. The pioneers made their next move to Collendina station on the Murray and worked for the late Mr. Robert Brown, the original owner of that famous property after a further term on Tarra Mia station with the late Mr. Whitty Mr. and Mrs. Jones settled in the Mulwala township and Mrs. Jones occupied the same home, for nearly 70 years. At Mulwala Mr. Jones had a wine Saloon and was also engaged as a sawmiller and station hand.

The pine timber in the present homestead at Mulwala station was handsawn by Mr. Jones and two companions.

Active and Resourceful. Mrs. Jones was a most active and resourceful woman of real strength and energy. She practically ran the little wine business, in addition to her home cares and was at the beck and call of the sick and needy from Collendina to Barooga.

As a midwife, she had a proud claim of never having lost a child and three generations of scores of families benifited by her kindly and skilful attention. As instance of the pioneering spirit of the old days, Mrs. Jones walked to and from Tarra Mia station on various duties, every week for three months - 14 miles in all for the unique payment of a bag of flour worth 5 pounds in those days. For many years Mrs. Jones was the sole assistant of the Yarrawonga doctor as a nurse.

Kelly gang In the days of the Kelly gang episodes, Mrs. Jones rembered vividly the Kellys camped in a paddock immediatly behind the present cemetery at Mulwala. On the evening before The gang rode to Jerilderie to Stick up the bank, they came to the wine saloon and ordered drinks and bought horse feed. It was said that 30 policemen were about the village at the time cn the lookout for the crossing at Yarrawonga of the desparadoes. The next day near Savernake, the kellys met a young woman riding a beatiful brey hack. They stopped her and one of the kellys men suggested taking her horse. Ned Kelly replied: "No you don't. Never frighten or interfere with a woman". He then said to the young woman "get away back home, no funny business and don't go out for a walk".

Needless to say the young rider, when out of sight, settled down to a fast gallop and cleared every log fence in a bee-line to Mulwala. The young horsewoman was a daughter of Mrs. Jones and was afterwards Mrs. Byrnes, mother of Mrs. Fred Bolton, now of Corowa.

The late Mrs. Jones husband pre-deceased her 50 years ago, and out of a family of 10 children, three have died. - Thomas, Charles and Mrs.Byrnes. The seven surviving members of the family are mrs.Camplin Wagga, Mrs. Widdup,Mulwala.; Willium, Mulwala, George, Mulwala; Alfred, Mulwala; Robert , Mlulwala; and­ Walter, Mulwala.

There are also 59 grandchildren and 49 great grandchildren from this old and respected pioneer home.

Clergyman's tribute The funeral of Mrs. Jones took place at Mulwala on Monday and was attended by a large number of district residents. In a brief address at the graveside, Canon Ross Edwards paid a touching tribute to the splendid life of usefulness and Christian example of their old friend.Her life was typical of the brave character of our country's pioneers, and the children of today should strive to be worthy of the glorious inheritance, which had come down to them, under God through their labors. They would for all time thank God for the life of one, who was truly the. "Mother of Mulwala".

Border morning mail Albury ?1933