Mary Ann Carroll

Other Events:

• Personal: 23 May 1939, Coffs Harbour Advocate, NSW; Mrs. M. Dillon, Coramba To celebrate her 89th birthday on May 12, Mrs. M. Dillon, of Coramba, was given a surprise party by many friends at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. R. Kermode. That the old lady is very popular in the comumunity was obvious, and there were many remarks about her activity for her age and the way she is still able to carry out household duties. Mrs. Dillon has spent her life all the Bellinger, Dorrigo and at Coramba. She and her husband were among the first four settlers to take up land where the township of Dorrigo now stands, and it is stated that her husband was the first man to negotiate the steep Dorrigo Mountain Road between Dorrigo and Beliingen with a bullock team, cutting a track before him as he drove the bullocks down. Mrs. Dillon accompanied him on that hazardous trip. She can relate many stirring stories of the past and of the hard and at time perilous times gone through by the pioneers. At the birthday gathering Rev. G. W. Bradley was chairman. He said that in the few months he had known Mrs. Dillon, he had come to look up on her as a grand old lady and a wonderful mother. Mrs. Dillon, by the way, can count five generations living, as she is a great-great grand mother. Other speakers were Mr. B. Pryor and Mr. D. Duggan, who spoke of Mrs. Dillon's remarkable activity and very fine character, and all wished her many more happy birthdays to come. Rev. Bradley handed over to her many gifts from her numerous friends and relatives. The assemblage sang heartily, "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow." A son, Mr. Tom Dillon, responded on his mother's behalf, and was supported by the son-in-law, Mr. R. Kermode, who expressed warm thanks to the organisers of the party, Mrs. J. Klein and Misses S. Wingfield and M. Martin. During the evening there was dancing and community singing, as well as individual vocal items by Miss Phyllis Dillon, Mr. W. A. Cuneen and Miss Barbara Kermode, pianoforte solo by Miss Heather Kermode, and piano duet by Misses Heather and Ivy by Mesdames J. Percy, A. H.-, Misses D. Grant, Heather Kermode and O. Blythe, and Mr. C. McFadden. A feature of the evening was the large birthday cake with 89 candles on it, made by Mrs. Dillon's great grauddaughter, Mrs. S. Akers. Coffs Harbour Advocate, NSW, Tuesday, 23 May 1939
• Personal: 9 Aug 1939, Daily Examiner, Grafton, NSW; CORAMBA personal. Coramba residents will regret to learn that Mrs. M. Dillon ("Granny"), a popular pioneer of the Dorrigo district, is seriously ill. On Sunday afternoon last the ambulance conveyed her to Coff's District Hospital. Daily Examiner, Grafton, NSW, Wednesday, 9 August 1939
• Obituary: 29 Sep 1939, The Don Dorrigo Gazette and Guy Fawkes Advocate, NSW; Dorrigo Pioneer DEATH AT COFFS HARBOUR MRS. MARY DILLON The death of Mrs. Mary Dillon, aged 89 years, which occurred in Coffs District Hospital about midday on Thursday of last week, removed one who is believed to be the last survivor of the earliest settlers on the Dorrigo Plateau. She went, there with her husband 70 years ago, when she was only 19 years of age, and experienced many of the hardships of the pioneers in virgin country. Deceased had had a life full of adventure. Under the most primitive conditions of early bush life, far removed from the centres of civilisation, she had to care for a large family of 14 children, 11 of whom are still living. Despite her own responsibilities; however, she found time to assist other settlers in time of sickness and trouble. Many miles she rode over rough bush tracks, alone through dense scrub on horseback, to see safely the arrival into this world of many babes, carefully tending the mothers in their hour of travail, and often of dire peril in the absence of available medical attention when any thing went wrong. Many a mother and many a child had reason to thank her for their lives. She carried out these duties on both the Bellinger and the Dorrigo for years. She was also the first white woman to travel down the Dorrigo Mountain between Dorrigo and Bellingen on a vehicle. It was a bullock waggon, and the track it negotiated was a very rough one. On the trip she camped with others of the party, including her husband, halfway down the mountainside. The late Mrs. Dillon, known more familiarly amongst her acquaintances as "Granny Dillon," in later years, was born at Oberon, in the Bathurst district. At the age of 16 years she maarried Mr. Frederick Dillon at Windsor, in the Hawkesbury district. He died about 34 years ago. Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Dillon went to the Mudgee distiict, where Mr. Dillon was engaged in timber getting. Three years later the Dorrigo, then becoming known for its wealth of cedar, attracted them, and they decided to go there. They made their home at Paddy's Plain, where the Spokes family had the only home in that locality at that time. There were many aboriginals about, and the pit sawyers found them very treacherous at times. Deceased could relate some stirring stories of murders committed by the blacks and reprisals by the whites. After some years cedar getting at Dorrigo, deceased and her husband shifted down to Bellingen. That was when she made her first trip down the mountain. They remained in Bellingen for a couple of years only and then went back to Dorrigo, settling for a time at Bald Hills. Their next move was to Gordonville, where Mr. Dillon selected land. Twenty-two years ago deceased went to reside with her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Reg. Kermode. at Coramba, and she has betn there ever since. She enjoyed excellent health, hardly knowing what a day's sickness was until the last few years. She took a keen interest in life, was always ready and willing to give personal assistance when it was needed amongst relatives and acquaintances, and possessed such an amiable disposition that everyone loved her and she had not an enemy in the world. Her health had failed within the past couple of years, and she entered the Coffs Hospital about, six weeks prior to her death. The funeral was at the Church of England portion of Coffs Harbour cemetery on Friday morning. Rev. G. W. Bradley, of the Coramba parish, conducted the service and he was assisted by Rev. L, C. Ferris, of the Coffs Harbour parish and formerly of Coramba. The eleven surviving members of the family comprise seven sons and four daughters. One son died on the Tweed River during the pneumonic influenza epidemic in 1919. The surviving sons are Messrs. Charles (Syd ney), Percy (West Australia), George and Wellington (Sydney), Lloyd and Thomas (Sawtell), and Herbert, (Queensland). Mesdames J. Spokes Sawtell), C. Hall (Glebe Point, Sydrey) and R. Kormonde (Coramba) are the daughters.-'Advocate.' The Don Dorrigo Gazette and Guy Fawkes Advocate, NSW, Friday, 29 September 1939

Notes:

Birth:
If born in Australia
CARROLL MARY A
1132/1846 V18461132 63
JOHN
MARY
New South Wales Birth Index 1788-1915)

Name: Mary A Carroll
Birth Date: 1846
Birth Place: New South Wales
Registration Year: 1846
Registration Place: Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia
Father: John Carroll
Mother: Mary
Volume Number: V18461132 63
New South Wales Birth Index 1788-1915)

Died:
Name: Mary Ann Dillon
Death Age: 89
Birth Date: 1850
Death Date: 21 Sep 1939
Cemetery: C. H. Historic Cemetery
Section: 1
Cemetery Location: Coffs Harbour, New South Wales
Grave Place: Row Y Plot 27
Remarks: Born 12.05.1856; Headstone: Yes; Undertaker: Everingham.;Anglican
Australia Cemetery Index

DILLON MARY
17562/1939
JOHN
MARY
COFFS HARBOUR
(New South Wales Death Index 1788-1985)

Mary — Frederick/Adam Frederick Coram Dillon. Frederick/Adam (son of Robert Coram Dillin and Charlotte Walker) was born Abt 1840, Hinton, New South Wales, Australia; died 6 Jan 1915, South Grafton, New South Wales, Australia; was buried 7 Jan 1915, South Grafton Cemetery, New South Wales, Australia. [Group Sheet]

1. Thomas Edward Dillon was born 1882, New South Wales, Australia; died 29 Jul 1956, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia; was buried Coffs Harbour Historic Cemetery, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.
2. Herbert Arthur/Herbert Patrick Dillon was born 1888, Boat Harbour, New South Wales, Australia; died 30 Dec 1940, Baralaba, Queensland, Australia.