Thomas Cartmill : Short Biography

"Death of Thomas Cartmill" from The Clarence and Richmond Examiner  Grafton, New South Wales, Australia. Saturday 1 November 1902 - with slight modifications.

'We have been furnished with the following particulars of Mr. Thomas Cartmill, an old and respected resident of Blaxland's Flat, who died aged 73, from an attack of influenza, which afterwards developed to pneumonia. He was probably born in Kilmore, County Armagh, Ireland, in 1829, was married there to Rose Anne McMahon in 1853, and left home that year on board the Bloomer, and landed in Australia as an emigrant. He came to Grafton, which at that time only consisted of a few houses, and proceeded to New England. He worked as shepherd on sheep and cattle stations, spent time on several gold fields including Rocky River diggings, Mount Jones, Tenterfield, and Cameron's Creek goldfields. About seven years after his arrival in Australia, he came back to Grafton, and took up the first selection in the Grafton district under John Robertson's Land Bill, in 1861, on Blaxland's Creeek, and resided, there with his family about ten years, during which time he ran a carrying business between South Grafton and the New England Tableland. He afterwards, selected on Blaxland's Flat, where he resided up till the time of his death. He had a family of eleven, eight sons and three daughters, of whom only a widow, six sons and one daughter survive. He also leaves 15 grandchildren. The funeral took place at Blaxland's Flat, and was largely attended by residents of South Grafton, Kangaroo Creek, Nymboida, and the surrounding districts."