James Holden, an agricultural labourer, was born in 1812 in County Antrim, Ireland. In 1832 he married Agnes (Nancy) Manson, b1812. Nancy was also from County Antrim and the daughter of local agricultural workers. The couple had eight children by 1850, when the whole family left Ireland for England. The children were John b1833, Jane b1834, Rachel b1835, James b1838, Thomas b1844, George b1846, David b1848 abd Ellen b1849. Daughter Jane died in 1842.
Son James was one of Rhonnie’s matrilineal great great grandfathers.
Things were not too good for James and Nancy in England and in 1851 they decided to emigrate to the new Colony of Victoria, where they already had relatives. They boarded the ‘Cambodia’ in December of that year at Plymouth and arrived at Point Henry, Geelong on the 31st March 1852. All of the family survived the journey. The shipping manifest has them travelling on their own recognizance and to be met by relatives in the Colony. James and Nancy appear to have stayed in the Geelong area, having another child Joseph in 1853 at Indented Head. Nancy died in 1875 and James in 1882.
James Holden (junior) b1838, continues our family story. James was 14 when he arrived in Victoria and had worked as an agricultural labourer, both in Ireland and England. It was, therefore, quite likely that he continued this employment in and around the Geelong area. All we know is that he met and married a Scot’s lassie, name of Mary Pollock. They married in 1864 at Indented Head, where their first child, Margaret, was born that same year, 1864.
James and Mary Holden, shortly after, moved to Mount Prospect, close to Kangaroo Hills, where they had their first son, which they also named James, b1866. Other members of the Holden family had also emigrated form Ireland and came to live in the same district. All were involved in farming on rented land or agricultural labouring in the surrounding district. Continuing at Mount Prospect, they had two other children, Wilhelmina b1868 and Elizabeth b1870.
The Mount Prospect district was both farming and mining country in the 1860’s. So, it is highly likely that some of the family were involved in the diggings and accumulated some wealth. In 1869 land in the Inglewood and Derby district became available, through local selection auction and James, father Samuel and brother Samuel, applied for an 80 acres allotment. By 1872 James had built a significant house on this land and was well known district farmer. In 1873 he was part of a petition to establish a local school at Derby. In fact the existing school was running from the Holden’s house (see www.Drumbane to Derby and Beyond). The couples last child Jas Massey, was born in that 1873 year.
Over the years, farming became difficult for the family and, although, James consolidated the families different land allotments in the district, by 1896 the bank had foreclosed and sold the property to a Newbridge storekeeper. James and Mary moved to nearby Bridgewater, with James working as a blacksmith. James was still a respected citizen, involved in organising the local agricultural show. James and Mary also competed. James with ploughing and Mary with cooking, baking and preserving.
Their son David married his cousin Margaret Pollock, daughter of Alexander and Janet. Son James married other cousin Wilhelmina Pollock, sister of Margaret. Mary Holden died in September 1910 at Bridgewater. James lived to 1921 at 80 years, living with son at Fitzroy, Melbourne. He is buried with Mary at Bridgewater.
Eldest daughter Margaret Holden continues our family line, when she marries William Rowe in 1885.
IN PROGRESS