Obituary - Mrs. Pauline Carter  

28 May 1935 The Tumut and Adelong Times

The death took place on Monday morning, May 20, of Mrs. Pauline Carter, relict of the late William Carter, of 'Ferndale,' Upper Gilmore.

Deceased was the daughter of the late Thomas Callaway, and   was the last survivor of that old family.

She was born at Petersham in 1841 and lived there until about 12 years old, when she came with her parents to Upper Adelong, where she resides until her marriage in 1862 and then lived at Batlow (Reedy- Flat).

After a few years spent in mining and other occupations, in 1872 Mr. Carter selected land on Upper Gilmore, and, putting up a hard battle clearing the dense timber, succeeded in turning the primeval forest into a fine producing farm, and later, acquiring other areas, his holdings totalling 1950 acres, launched out in grazing.

They reared a family of two sons and seven daughters, three of the latter predeceasing their parents, those still laving being George William (Nowra), Mrs. Sullivan (Rockdale), Thomas A. (Sydney), Alice and Ethel (Gilmore), Amy (Sydney). 

The subject of this obituary was enjoying wonderfully good health until about 12 days before her demise, and never lost interest in what was going on around her.

She was very keen on politics and was greatly disappointed at not being able to record her vote at the State election on May 11.

Her lifelong devotion to her husband (who died in 1929) and family as known to all who knew them and her help and loving service to friends and neighbours will long be remembered, for she was the personification of hospitality and was ever ready to give of her best aid in times of sickness or affliction.

The mortal remains were consigned to the grave along-side that of her late husband, in the Church of England portion of the Old Tumut Cemetery on Tuesday afternoon last, the pall-bearers being Messrs G. Carter, W. and G. Butler (grandsons), S. Larbalestier, J. Whatman and M. Manns. Rev. F. W. Rettie.

Rector of All Saints, performed the last sad rites at the graveside.   

A Tribute

The writer of this tribute, who has been 51 years in Tumut, is reminded by the death; of Mrs. Carter, of the Gilmore, which has removed one of the last of their number of the old pioneers who, by their industry, made the Gilmore Valley the fine agricultural and wealth-producing area it now is.

And as I can remember these fine settlers who made their home there, many settled after working for gold at Batlow; and harking back to that time, all the valley flats and hills were thickly timbered, requiring immense labour to clear the land. And what have they left behind? - a beautiful valley. 

Now, lest we forget these fine settlers, I will mention the names of a few I can recall: all have left their mark. A great pioneer, and fore- seeing in land settlement, was the late Robert. Downing; few, if any, his equal.

Then, following the valley up, came Thomas Campbell. James Dean, Robert Downing jr. of ''Rosebank,' Smiles, Williamson. Richards, Crouch, Klein of Windowie. Beattie, Quiltys and Boyds (the latter and the Broughtons very early) and R. Downing.

Then, along the line, J. Calffey, T. O'Sullivan, W. Sutton, A. Davis (still with us), Butler Bros., Naughtons, Howe, McInerny. Murray, Carter, Back, Emery, Marshall (Mrs. M. still with us).

Writing of Butler Bros.; some 50 years ago their fa- ther gained the prize at the Royal Show (or Exhibition) in Sydney for the best sample of wheat grown in the colony, and at that time the railway came only as far as Cootamundra.

The wheat was grown on Butler's farm.

Gilmore. And now one of the oldest and finest characters has departed in Mrs. Pauline Carter, relict of the late William Carter, and an equally fine character and honourable man was her late husband. 

My memory of all these early pioneers, now departed, is quite fresh, and the Gilmore Valley is a monument to their industry.

All are gone; yet, I trust, not forgotten. Fifty years' experience of these, my past friends, has left in my memory many pleasant recollections though much sadness.