Generation 4
Extract taken from "History of Queensland"
Mr Peter Duncan was a worthy old pioneer of Queensland. He was born in Aberdeen shire ,Scotland in April 1830. Mr. Peter Duncan came to Queensland with his bride Roseanna (nee Wilson) in the ship "William Miles" in January 1855.
After a strenuous fight for success, under difficult conditions prevailing in a new unmade country he succeeded where many failed. Mr. Peter Duncan also gave to the country of his adoption a band of good citizens in the persons of his family of sons and daughters, who have followed in the footsteps of their father, assisting in the upbuilding of the Nation by steady continuance in or other of the fields of labour by which the prosperity of the country is maintained.
Upon his arrival from the land of his birth, he obtained employment as a shepherd on "Bimbian" Station on the Condamine, under Mr. Thomas De Moffat, but being then in the flower of his youth,and in full strength and vigour, he found this occupation far too monotonous and lacking promise of promotion which his ambition demanded. Understanding the temper of the young Scotsman in his employ, the proprietors of the same station gave him the charge of a team of
bullocks which drew the old-fashioned dray of the period, the management of which he very soon mastered. Finding this work more to his mind, he retained the position until he had saved sufficient capital wherewith to start for himself, making the necessary sacrifices with this end in view, and often denying himself almost the essentials of existence in his endeavours to reach the objectives which denying himself almost the essentials of existence in his endeavours to reach the objectives which he had made his goal. The "salt beef and damper" of the stockman were almost his only rations, and none of the luxuries which are now considered everyday requirements by less fastidious men then came his way. But his descent from a breed of hardy highlanders gave him the grit and
courage to hold on, and he soon made good, becoming one of the best known, and most successful teamsters of the Charleville- Brisbane route.
The construction of the railway to these Western Districts put an end to the carting of wool, and being thus robbed of his principal occupation, Peter Duncan came to Kilcoy, where he took up a block of land, and settled down to farming pursuits in the late 1870's. His selection to which he gave the name "Hazeldean", was originally part of "Mount Brisbane " Station area, and here, with his wife and family, he carried on general farming operations, whilst still continuing work with his teams in the timber industry. After clearing the timber from his own selection, he purchased standing forest from adjoining properties, and with the assistance of his son, supplied the local mills, even carrying timber over the rough and badly made roads to Caboolture.
The fine old pioneer never shirked his share of hard manual labour, working with his own hands until he was well over 70 years of age - truly a wonderful record.
In 1905 his wife died, and he then relinquished active pursuits, to live with his youngest son at Villeneuve.
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:Notes for Peter Duncan written by Maggie Brown Duncan (his daughter Daisy) April 1963
Peter Duncan was born on 13th April 1830 in Aberdeen, Scotland, and came to Australia. He lived to his 90 years in Queensland. A tall thin man nice looking with blue eyes and a lovely old man he lived to be. In his last years he joined The Salvation Army in Kilcoy. He died in Kilcoy and is buried there. In his early days he came to Australia in a sailing ship from Scotland. He brought his bride with him. He lived for many years in the Ipswich district, in Queensland and took on the job
in the early days before there were any railways or good roads, Ipswich was then the main town, taking rations as they were called from Ipswich to Charleville, a
long distance in those days by road (or just tracks) drawn by bullocks and called bullock drays. I think his wife and young family travelled with him as it took weeks for the return journey.
In after years he settled in the Ipswich district, (about the One Mile) After years he took up land in the Hazeldean district near Kilcoy in Queensland and came there to live with his wife and family. He carried on with bullock wagons and hauling timber to the saw mills at Esk and Caboolture -many miles apart. he carried on that job for many years. There was plenty of pine timber and hardwood in those days, which had to be felled and loaded on to the bullock wagons. It was a hard life and no fences and no good roads in those days. So to find bullocks they had bullock bells to find the bullocks in the mornings. They lived in Hazeldean, on the piece of land they had selected and built a home on the Stanley River, as there were no tanks in those days, everybody had to carry water from the river or creek, where they lived. Being handy to the river was all right 'till a flood came. In the year 1891 a flood came down the river and surrounded them and they got into the ceiling and were safe 'till the waters went down. In 1893, there was another flood, so they thought they had better move out and luckily they did, as the house was washed away. After all that, they built back up on the hill in the same property. They kept the Post Office known as Hazeldean Post Office. All papers and mails came from Ipswich and Esk to Hazeldean as there was no KIlcoy in those days, only a cattle station known as the Station owned by Captain Hope.
Notes for Rosanna Wilson: Written by Maggie Brown (Daisy) her daughter in 1963
Roseanna (Wilson before her marriage) was born in Edinburgh Scotland. A tall thin woman, a lovely kind person and a really good woman. She lived till she was 77 years, died at her home in and buried in Kilcoy cemetery. She kept the Post Office and did all her home work which was hard in the country, with no tank water and no stores and everything the hard way. They had a family of 6 - 5 boys and 1 girl. George Robert, Robert Francis, Alexander, Peter, Thomas and a daughter Rose. Thomas died in an accident while they were travelling in West Queensland. (It is possible he, as a young man fell from a bullock wagon whilst ravelling, though Daisy did not have these details written down in her records). all the family were good horsemen and all good swimmers and dancers. In those days they had to learn to do any kind of work, build their own houses etc.
It is interesting to note that Roseanna's Wilson family can be traced back to Royalty given various twists and turns. Research for this was given by James Robert Wilson of Scotland who is a descendant of Robert Wilson father of Roseanna.
Census 1841; Dwelling; Salton tile Works, East Lothian , Scotland
Census 1851 Dwelling; Mains Esslemont, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
George Robert, Robert Francis, Alexander, Peter, Thomas and a daughter Rose.
Extract taken from "History of Queensland"
Mr Peter Duncan was a worthy old pioneer of Queensland. He was born in Aberdeen shire ,Scotland in April 1830. Mr. Peter Duncan came to Queensland with his bride Roseanna (nee Wilson) in the ship "William Miles" in January 1855.
After a strenuous fight for success, under difficult conditions prevailing in a new unmade country he succeeded where many failed. Mr. Peter Duncan also gave to the country of his adoption a band of good citizens in the persons of his family of sons and daughters, who have followed in the footsteps of their father, assisting in the upbuilding of the Nation by steady continuance in or other of the fields of labour by which the prosperity of the country is maintained.
Upon his arrival from the land of his birth, he obtained employment as a shepherd on "Bimbian" Station on the Condamine, under Mr. Thomas De Moffat, but being then in the flower of his youth,and in full strength and vigour, he found this occupation far too monotonous and lacking promise of promotion which his ambition demanded. Understanding the temper of the young Scotsman in his employ, the proprietors of the same station gave him the charge of a team of
bullocks which drew the old-fashioned dray of the period, the management of which he very soon mastered. Finding this work more to his mind, he retained the position until he had saved sufficient capital wherewith to start for himself, making the necessary sacrifices with this end in view, and often denying himself almost the essentials of existence in his endeavours to reach the objectives which denying himself almost the essentials of existence in his endeavours to reach the objectives which he had made his goal. The "salt beef and damper" of the stockman were almost his only rations, and none of the luxuries which are now considered everyday requirements by less fastidious men then came his way. But his descent from a breed of hardy highlanders gave him the grit and
courage to hold on, and he soon made good, becoming one of the best known, and most successful teamsters of the Charleville- Brisbane route.
The construction of the railway to these Western Districts put an end to the carting of wool, and being thus robbed of his principal occupation, Peter Duncan came to Kilcoy, where he took up a block of land, and settled down to farming pursuits in the late 1870's. His selection to which he gave the name "Hazeldean", was originally part of "Mount Brisbane " Station area, and here, with his wife and family, he carried on general farming operations, whilst still continuing work with his teams in the timber industry. After clearing the timber from his own selection, he purchased standing forest from adjoining properties, and with the assistance of his son, supplied the local mills, even carrying timber over the rough and badly made roads to Caboolture.
The fine old pioneer never shirked his share of hard manual labour, working with his own hands until he was well over 70 years of age - truly a wonderful record.
In 1905 his wife died, and he then relinquished active pursuits, to live with his youngest son at Villeneuve.
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:Notes for Peter Duncan written by Maggie Brown Duncan (his daughter Daisy) April 1963
Peter Duncan was born on 13th April 1830 in Aberdeen, Scotland, and came to Australia. He lived to his 90 years in Queensland. A tall thin man nice looking with blue eyes and a lovely old man he lived to be. In his last years he joined The Salvation Army in Kilcoy. He died in Kilcoy and is buried there. In his early days he came to Australia in a sailing ship from Scotland. He brought his bride with him. He lived for many years in the Ipswich district, in Queensland and took on the job
in the early days before there were any railways or good roads, Ipswich was then the main town, taking rations as they were called from Ipswich to Charleville, a
long distance in those days by road (or just tracks) drawn by bullocks and called bullock drays. I think his wife and young family travelled with him as it took weeks for the return journey.
In after years he settled in the Ipswich district, (about the One Mile) After years he took up land in the Hazeldean district near Kilcoy in Queensland and came there to live with his wife and family. He carried on with bullock wagons and hauling timber to the saw mills at Esk and Caboolture -many miles apart. he carried on that job for many years. There was plenty of pine timber and hardwood in those days, which had to be felled and loaded on to the bullock wagons. It was a hard life and no fences and no good roads in those days. So to find bullocks they had bullock bells to find the bullocks in the mornings. They lived in Hazeldean, on the piece of land they had selected and built a home on the Stanley River, as there were no tanks in those days, everybody had to carry water from the river or creek, where they lived. Being handy to the river was all right 'till a flood came. In the year 1891 a flood came down the river and surrounded them and they got into the ceiling and were safe 'till the waters went down. In 1893, there was another flood, so they thought they had better move out and luckily they did, as the house was washed away. After all that, they built back up on the hill in the same property. They kept the Post Office known as Hazeldean Post Office. All papers and mails came from Ipswich and Esk to Hazeldean as there was no KIlcoy in those days, only a cattle station known as the Station owned by Captain Hope.
Notes for Rosanna Wilson: Written by Maggie Brown (Daisy) her daughter in 1963
Roseanna (Wilson before her marriage) was born in Edinburgh Scotland. A tall thin woman, a lovely kind person and a really good woman. She lived till she was 77 years, died at her home in and buried in Kilcoy cemetery. She kept the Post Office and did all her home work which was hard in the country, with no tank water and no stores and everything the hard way. They had a family of 6 - 5 boys and 1 girl. George Robert, Robert Francis, Alexander, Peter, Thomas and a daughter Rose. Thomas died in an accident while they were travelling in West Queensland. (It is possible he, as a young man fell from a bullock wagon whilst ravelling, though Daisy did not have these details written down in her records). all the family were good horsemen and all good swimmers and dancers. In those days they had to learn to do any kind of work, build their own houses etc.
It is interesting to note that Roseanna's Wilson family can be traced back to Royalty given various twists and turns. Research for this was given by James Robert Wilson of Scotland who is a descendant of Robert Wilson father of Roseanna.
Census 1841; Dwelling; Salton tile Works, East Lothian , Scotland
Census 1851 Dwelling; Mains Esslemont, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
George Robert, Robert Francis, Alexander, Peter, Thomas and a daughter Rose.