Mary Plummer
| Town/City | Murray Bridge SA |
|---|---|
| First name | Mary |
| Last name | Plummer |
| Country of Origin | England |
| Date of Birth | c1835 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1840 |
| Submitted by | Terence Nutt |
Story
Mary Plummer was baptised on 8-3-1835 in Horsely, Gloucestshire, England. Her parents was Thomas Plummer and Mary Anne Howell, and was the fifth of eleven children. Thomas and Mary Plummer and six children, Harriet, Jane (deceased), George, Jane, Mary, Anne and Thomas, migrated to Port Adelaide, South Australia on 2-8-1840 on the ‘William Mitchell’.
They lived in Hindmarsh, where Thomas and Mary had four more children, Walter, Sarah, Catherine and George.
When Mary was 17 years of age, (and still mourning the lost of her mother, who died twelve months earlier), was home with her younger sister Anne, 15 years of age in the horse stable doing work. Her father was not at home at the time. Charles Dansford entered the stable, and asked for a truss of hay, and started to fondle Anne\’s foot. She remonstrated with him for touching her, and covered her feet with her needle work. Charles Dansford became agitated and threw a kitten at Anne. Mary holding a small set of sheep shears, threatened to throw them at him. He repeated the insult, and threw another kitten, which later died. Mary then threw the sheep shears, handle first at Charles Dansford he exclaimed ‘Oh God Mary’ you have stabbed me, and he later died.
His behavior was offensive and had been troublesome before. Mary was charged with stabbing and wounding Charles Dansford with intent to do bodily harm. It went before the Supreme Court and jury, and the case was thrown out.
On the 22-12-1852 aged 18 years, she married Rowland Nutt aged 20 years in the ‘All Saints Church’ in Hindmarsh South Australia. They had six children, John Thomas, Rowland George, Mary Jane, Henry Lloyd, Florence Anne and Alice Emily. Rowland was a carpenter and contractor by trade. At first they lived at Brompton, then they moved to Strathalbyn. Rowland’s main contracts were the building of the Milang schools, the North Parade Bridge, New Hamshurg Bridge, South Para Bridge, supplying 25,000 sleepers for the Strathalbyn to Middleton Tramway, the railway on top of the currency creek viaduct, a punt at Thompson crossing, alterations to the Milang Jetty, fences around Saint Andrews Church, & constructing a road at Mannum. Rowland won the contract to build the second valley jetty, but did not sign it. Rowland went fraudulently broke, and was jailed for nine months in Yatala jail in 1871.
On his release from jail the family moved to Yatina in 1874, where Rowland constructed a two-storey, sixteen room hotel for his family, and with another man built a Catholic Church in Yatina. Rowland than bought farming land in Orroroo, where he built a magnificent homestead for his family.
Mary Nutt (Nee Plummer) died in Orroroo on 28-9-1888, aged 53years, and was buried in the Yatina Cemetery. Mary had ten grandchildren (One Deceased).
Rowland then married Amy Adamson (widow) on 18-6-1891, in the Holy Trinity Church in Adelaide. They had no children. Amy died on 20-1-1908 aged 72years, and was buried with her first husband, Robert Adamson in the Bordertown Cemetery.
Rowland Nutt died in Orroroo on 28-2-1914 aged 82years, and was buried with his first wife Mary in the Yatina Cemetery. Rowland had 33 grandchildren (five deceased) and sixteen great grandchildren.