More history about Barraba Creek Station
History Notes
Last week we noted that Margaret Cameron married Thomas Hoskisson in 1852 at Maitland and came to live at Barraba Creek Station. Margaret was a member of a large family group who landed in Australia on the "Blonde" in 1849 from Scotland. It seems that Margaret's parents had married in Scotland in 1814 and there were 14 children in the family when their father died in the 1840s.
Thomas Hoskisson brought his bride home to Barraba Creek and it seems that his mother-in-law, with John and Mary, soon followed. John, with his wife Jessie nee McDermott, had a daughter, Anne, born within a year of their arrival in New South Wales and second daughter, Mary, almost exactly two years later at Maitland. Their third child, Alexander, was born at Barraba in 1854 as was Sarah, 1st child of Thomas and Margaret.
From 1854 there were at least two families living at Barraba Creek Station together with Mrs. Cameron senior, (Ann nee McPhee). John and his wife set up the Stockman's Arms in Barraba within a few years and increased their family to seven children before his untimely death in 1868. His widow, Jessie, ran the hotel and reared their seven children until she retired in 1890.
Back to the Hoskissons - Margaret, wife of Thomas, died from breast cancer in January 1868 and was buried on the creek bank beside her young son, Thomas, who had died in 1862. These graves were partially visible in the 1980s but will have completely disappeared by now. The remaining Hoskisson children ranged in age from 14 years down to 2 years and were probably cared for by Margaret's mother for the next few years.
Thomas Hoskisson remarried to Caroline Davis and had two sons - James Davis who married Emily Stuart Hagan and Thomas Joseph who did not marry. Sadly, Thomas Hoskisson died in January 1880, aged 61 years, leaving Caroline's brother in charge.
Ann Cameron nee McPhee, grandmother, great grandmother, house keeper and general help died on 25th July, 1877, mother of 13 children although only one was still alive to mourn her. She was 80 years old. She is buried at Barraba, possibly in the cemetery although she is not listed anywhere.