TALL TALES or TRUTH as told by EDWARD STEPHENS B: 7th May 1840 died 6th July 1940.
suegraham
This entry is about the tall tales families can tell, even when they say they have been a member of the Victorian Historical Society.
EDWARD STEPHENS being the oldest man living (in Stawell at the time) longest married couple, 73 years in 1940, has over the years of his life received alot of publicity.
While trying to find out information about his father also named EDWARD STEPHENS he has told a few tales I think, see if you can unravell the truth from fiction.
His father was born in Wales came to Australia a free man.
Accompanied JOHN FAWKNER'S expedition to found Melbourne.
Worked with JOHN PASCOE FAWKNER in Tasmania.
His father came to the mainland in 1835.
He helped FAWKNER in the production of the newspaper, "Melbourne Advertiser", which was incorperated in "The Argus".
Lived at 197 Elizabeth St Melbourne 1840's
Lived where the former Melbourne General Post Office was located.
Tall Tales or Fact.
I will in a later Journal let you know the tall tales he has told about himself.
Sue
by suegraham
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suegraham has been a Family Tree Circles member since Mar 2011. is researching the following names: STEPHENS, MCALLISTER, HARRIS and 10 other(s).
Comments
janilye on 2011-03-10 00:30:36This is what I have read about your Edward Stephens and a smidgen of what he's told you is true. You can set me straight in your journal.
He was born in 1840 at Elizabeth St, Corner of Bourke St, Melbourne where the GPO building is today. As a young man he drove a bullock team between Ararat and Geelong,Victoria. Then he went to Stawell in Victoria and was working in the timber mill there where he met and married Margaret Campbell in 1868. They moved on to Halls Gap and later Eagan's Creek in the Stawell district. Then Edward selected land at Lorquon in the Nhill district where he bred sheep, very good clydesdale horses and 8 children. In 1925 he retired and moved back to Stawell where he died.
As for his association with Fawkner I doubt it. Fawkner's first paper was the Launceston Advertiser 1828 and his first paper in Melbourne was nothing more than a 4 page manuscript with an article on the first page and the other 3 pages advertisements and columns of gossip. Fawkner died in Smith St, Collingwood, Victoria in 1869. a year after Edward Stephens married in Stawell. So yes! That's a whopper. Now as for his father- Yes! perhaps Welsh and yes maybe Tasmania and he may have known Fawkner, Fawkner had a large band of adventurers/followers. Jan
janilye on 2011-03-10 00:48:17Oh and Yes he was not only the oldest living man in Stawell but in 1940 the oldest in Victoria. Jan
suegraham on 2011-03-10 03:39:20Thank you Jan,
I hope you got as much enjoyment out of that article as I had writing it.
Your right about that 4 page manuscript. I nearly burnt my eyes out a few years ago trying to read it on line at the State Library of Victoria.
GaryFlyght on 2013-11-29 20:40:10Hello Sue,
Are you still looking for information on Edward Stephens - oldest Victorian male? My wife is his great granddaughter (through Elizabeth - grandmother, then James Edward - father)and we have the family plaque of the time showing the couples achievements and photos. We also have newspaper clippings and photos taken on the day the record was reported. Happy to send you photos if you need.
Gary