Over the past days I’ve been working on my Congress 2015 about family and local history. I came across this wonderful photo which I wanted to share right now – regular readers may see it again in a few months <smile>. It is wonderful because of the four generations included in it rather than the photo itself which could have done with a lot less contrast, not helped by being published in the paper.
FOUR GENERATIONS OF AN OLD DOWNS FAMILY. This group includes Mrs. William Marshall, Mrs. Robert Cooke, Mrs. Sydney Chapman, and Baby Harold Chapman. Mr. and. Mrs. Marshall, of Well station, near Warwick, arrived at Sydney from Scot land in the Mary Pleasant in December, 1858, and came on to Queens land, making their home in the Warwick district, where they are engaged in dairying and grazing. Mrs. Cooke, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall, married Mr. Robert Cooke, railway engine driver of Toowoomba, and Mrs. Chapman is their eldest daughter, residing at Murphy’s Creek, where Mr. Chapman is engaged in general storekeeping. (Photo, by Schaefer and Deazeley).
My key interest is in the Chapman connection as the family were among the first European settlers at Murphy’s Creek. However, this is actually four generations of the Marshall family. After a quick hunt through the Qld BDMs and NSW shipping I’ve come up with their brief story (helped by all those clues!).
Generation 1, 2 & 3
William Marshall snr, 56, arrived with his daughter Catherine 22, son John 14 and daughter Janet 12 at Sydney in 1858 on the Mary Pleasants. Also on board were William snr’s son’s family: William 20, his wife Margaret 21 and infant son William 1. All the family were from Fifeshire in Scotland and all could read and write and all belonged to the Church of Scotland. William snr and William jnr were both carpenters. Their voyage had been under the remittance regulations, so I wonder who paid their way. Three generations of the Marshall family had arrived together.
William Marshall (snr) of the Well Station, South Tooburra, went on to become the third mayor of Warwick in 1864. He died on 14 February 1885.
Generations 2 & 3
Mrs William Marshall (nee Margaret Hogg) in the picture is the wife of William Marshall jnr who immigrated with William and his father in 1858. Margaret and William lived at Greymare, near Warwick, Queensland. Their daughter, Catherine Mary Marshall was born in Queensland in 1869 (Qld C3235). Margaret Marshall nee Hogg died on 6 July 1924, an early Warwick pioneer. William Marshall junior died in 1920.
Generations 3 & 4
Catherine Rennie Marshall (note name difference) married Robert Cooke in 1882 (Qld C6797). Their daughter, Margaret Elizabeth Cooke, was born in 1882 (Qld C6797). Catherine Rennie Cooke died on 30 July 1937 (Qld C3666) and is buried in the Toowoomba and Drayton cemetery.
Generations 4 & 5
Margaret Elizabeth Cooke married Sydney Chapman of Murphy’s Creek in 1903 (Qld C582) and their son Harold Chapman (pictured) was born in 1904 (Qld C3278).
Both the Chapman and Marshall families were indeed true Queensland pioneers.
Family history across the seas 
Hello,
my name is Lorna Harth and my grandmother’s name was Palma Ellen Cooke. She married John Alexander Mulholland and my mother was one of their twin daughters, Mary Daphne Mulholland. I have been trying to piece together my family history and my mother had spoken of the Cooke family in Toowoomba; my mother was born and raised in Toowoomba. Thank-you for posting this information as it may be of great value to me. I known that certain family members are buried in the Toowoomba and Drayton cemetery kind regards,
Lorna.
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Hi Lorna, apologies for my delayed response. Isn’t it a coincidence that I included this story? I do hope it’s been helpful for your own research.
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Thank-you so much for your reply, I am still searching and yes this was a helpful piece of information kind regards, Lorna Harth.
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My name is Pam Macdonald. i am also doing my family tree. William Marshall is my
Great Great Grandfather and John Marshall is my Great Grandfather. Nola from warwick
historical society has helped me greatly. I would love to hear from anyone with any more
information please. regards Pam
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MY NAME IS WALLACE YOUNGER (94) CURRENTLY OF COORPAROO, BRISBANE AND ATTENDED MURPHYS CREEK STATE SCHOOL FROM 1937 TO 1942. I AM THE GREAT GRANDSON OF JOHN AND ELIZABETH CAMPBELL PIONEERS, (SIX CHRILDREN, THREE BOYS AND THREE GIRLS) OF MURPHYS CREEK. I AM THE GRANDSON OF MARY ONE OF THEIR DAUGHTERS. THE CAMPBELLS CAME OUT FROM INVERNESS IN 1850, LOOKED FOR GOLD AT BALLARAT AND GYMPIE BUT FOUND NONE. THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT AT THE TIME WAS RECRUITING A 1000 WORKERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO BRING THE RAILWAY UP THE 20 MILES, 2000 FEET OF THE GREAT DIVIDING RANGE FROM MURPHYS CREEK TO TOOWOOMBA, JOHN WAS EMPLOYED AS A TRESSLE BRIDGE BUILDER. IT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ENGINEERING PROJECTS IN THE WORLD AT THAT TIME. I PERSONALLY MET SYD. CHAPMAN MANY TIMES BECAUSE HE AND HIS WIFE RAN THE GENERAL STORE AND POST OFFICE NEXT DOOR AT MURPHYS CREEK. WE WOULD BRING THE CREAM CANS DOWN TO THE STATION THREE DAYS A WEEK AND SHOP AT THE CHAPMANS STORE. IT WOULD ALL GO ON THE SLATE, AND ONCE A MONTH SYD WOULD DRIVE AROUND ALL THE FARMS AND COLLECT A CHEQUE. I USED TO LOOK FORWARD TO HIS COMING BECAUSE WHEN THE BILL WAS PAID HE WOULD GIVE ME A PACKET OF TWISTED BARLEY SUGAR STICKS. SYD. HAD A MUCH USED SAYING, AND IT WAS “BY JOVE” AND HE SAID IT SO OFTEN. THE CAMPBELLS ORIGINALLY BUILT A SLAB HOMESTEAD THREE MILES UP FROM MURPHYS CREEK TOWNSHIP AND WOULD AND EVENTUALLY EXPANDED THEIR FARM UP TO 500 ACRES. LATER THEY BUILT A NEW HOUSE ON THE MURPHYS CREEK ROAD CALLED GLEN-LEE, IT WAS WITHOUT DOUBT ONE OF THE FINEST FARMS IN THE WHOLE AREA. IT HAD THREE MILES OF SPRING WATER CREEK RUNNING THROUGH, AND EIGHT PADDOCKS UNDER CULTIVATION, THEY MILKED FORTY COWS, HAD FIFTEEN SHEEP AND TURKEYS AND CHICKENS. THEIR PROPERTY BORDERED THE RAILWAY LINE NEXT TO HOLMES RUNNAWAY SIDING ABOUT HALF WAY BETWEEN MURPHYS CREEK AND SPRING BLUFF STATION AND IT WENT OUT TO THE TOP OF THE LAST HILL OVERLOOKING WITHCOTT. IF YOU CARE TO LOOK IN THE LOCAL CEMETERY, THE CAMPBELLS FAMILY GRAVE IS POSSIBLY THE BIGGEST ONE THERE. MY FATHER WAS ENGINEER AND WAS KILLED WHEN A COMPRESSED AIR TANK EXPLODED WHEN I WAS FIVE, AND OUR MOTHER DIED A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, THEY SAY FROM A BROKEN HEART. MY SISTER AT THE TIME WAS A BABE IN ARMS. SHE STAYED IN BRISBANE AND WAS RAISED BY OUR GRANDMOTHER MARY AND TO SHARE THE LOAD I WAS SENT UP TO LIVE ON THE THEN FAMILY FARM. lIVING ON THE FARM AND RIDING MY HORSE THREE MILES DOWN THE DIRT ROAD TO MURPHYS CREEK SCHOOL, AND FORDING THE CREEK TWICE WAS SOME OF MY MOST ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCES IN MY LIFE. I ALWAYS FELT THAT GLEN-LEE WAS MY REAL HOME.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED MY STORY,
REGARDS, WAL YOUNGER
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