On the 3rd My, 1800, Mr William WILLIAMS was born in Montgomery, Wales.

It is thought that his mothers name was MOLLY.

A Wheelwright and Blacksmith

In 1826 he sailed as an Assisted Passenger to Australia on the ........ he landed in Sydney.

Sydney

1830 - Bathurst and discovered gold.

Campbelltown - worked as Blacksmith.

1851 - Gold found in Ophir.

Turon River.

returned to Campbeltown.

1853 - Gold found in Ovens Valley in Victoria. Williams and his family were moving there - passing through Goulburn a son lost a thumb in an accident. At this point William decided to change and headed for Adelong.

On way they passed through Gundagai which had experienced the disastrous flood in 1852.

Adelong

Kiandra

Returned to Adelong

Tumbalong, NSW.

William Williams married Miss Eliza WILSON daughter of Mr & Mrs Wilson of Adelong.

1. Edwin Williams who married Miss E Lynum. - maybe his death WILLIAMS EDWIN B 9823/1907 WILLIAM H & ELIZA in MANLY

2. William (2nd) - Maybe death WILLIAMS WILLIAM J 6865/1893 WILLIAM & ELIZA in GUNDAGAI

3. Elizabeth (Eliza) married Mr John TILLETT.

4. Carrie married Mr L LAWSON

5. 1847 Maria was born in Adelong, NSW she died in 1929. Married Mr William (2nd) RITCHIE. who was born in 1834 and died in 1911. They had 10 children.

It seems that gold was first found at 'Upper Adelong' in the last week of 1852 by a party on their way to Tumbarumba and reported in the first week of 1853.

Adelongs (the reef) heyday came when William Williams discovered a reef of gold in 1857 on Mount Charcoal.

How rich was the field? Between 1857 and 1941, from records that are available, it is said to have produced over 1,000,000oz or over 31 tones of gold. There is no record of gold produced prior to 1857 or production from small operators. There is no record either of the gold that walked away in the pockets of miners and merchants, what was sent home by the Chinese or made into jewelry or quietly crossed the border to Victoria where it brought a higher price.

The ruins of the reefer battery provide a unique opportunity to step back into the past by following the walks. The reefer battery operated until the first world war, extracting gold from crushed quartz; two large water wheels and a hydraulic ram fed by water from the falls drove all the machinery, doing away with pumps and engines.

Near the old battery, about 300 meters upstream along Adelong creek, you can follow in the diggers footsteps. There is a place set aside for fossicking to find some colour, modern day prospectors do not need a license to fossick in this area, only good LUCK. - Ref- https://www.flickr.com/photos/89828894@N00/1396024592.

GOLD

Parts of this page are from AnyPoint Australia

Historians and Gold fossickers alike find Adelong a place of great interest. Located on the Snowy Mountain Highway in the south west slopes of the Great Dividing Range, Adelong nestles in the hills between Gundagai to the north, Batlow to the south, Tumut to the east and Wagga Wagga to the west. Adelong has a rich heritage extending back over 170 years. Hume and Hovell made the first western recording of the area as they passed by the creek on their way back to Sydney Town, completing their historic expedition of 1824-25. The word 'Adelong' contains a sense of older contact with the area, being the local Aboriginal word for 'river of plain'.

The explorers Hume and Hovell described Adelong and surrounds as "rough and difficult country", and white settlement of the area proved a slow affair. By the 1830s, 12,000-13,000 sheep were grazed along the Murrumbidgee River.

David Johnson established Adelong Creek station there in 1848.

Likewise, Thomas Hill Bardwell's "Adelong Station" was founded in late 1825, shortly after the Hume and Hovell expedition passed though the region, and covered an area in those early days extending from Tumblong to Batlow.

The first discovery of Gold at Adelong was reportedly by the Rev. B Clarke in 1841. Albeit it was not until around 1852 that the rush to Adelong commenced. These early arrivals mostly engaged in alluvial mining along the Adelong Creek and in the gullies opposite. The accommodation for these hopeful prospectors consisted of tents which flanked the banks of the creek and the gully opposite throughout the 1850s.

During this decade some 20,000 prospectors passed through Adelong, and the area yielded over 20,000 tonnes of Gold. At one stage Adelong had a tent (or canvas) city of upwards of 10,000 people.

Adelong attracted prospectors from all over the world. In fact, so many were from Cornwell in England that a section of Adelong became known as 'Cornishtown'. Some of the successful prospectors set up enterprises in the town, and remained in Adelong after the rush. Much of the township's current population can boast links to fossickers, publicans and storekeepers from the Gold Rush days.

My ancestors were attracted to the region for a number of reasons - the Schintlers came as miners, Thomas Matthews (my Great-Great Grandfather) was a Carter who carried supplies from Sydney to Adelong in the 1850's. He liked the area and, on his third trip to the region, took his family with him and they took up farm land there.

A prominent pioneer of Adelong was William Williams.

He discovered reef gold at Old Hill Reef, also known as Mount Charcoal. This site alone yielded over 4 tonnes of gold.

He reinvested his finds into the town commercially. By the 1860s he owned a number of the local businesses including the Adelong brewery.

William Williams was part owner of two fossicking companies; Williams Gold Mining Company, and North Williams Gold Mining Company. He earned the nickname 'Gold Dust', and it was known that he carried gold on his person regularly.

Once when he was prospecting in a gully north of Adelong, the bushranger Hawthorne planned to rob him. Mistaken identity is said to have led Hawthorne to attack and kill a man named Grant. Hawthorne murdered again before his capture near Goulburn. - (Ref- Parts of this page are from AnyPoint Australia).

Some claim Tumblong was first settled around 1830 by Robert Pitt Jenkins esq (1814-1859), a wealthy squatter, who built a 10-room home on 25,000 acres (10,000 ha) that he called Bangus Station. However, as he would gave only been 16 in 1830 that claim is doubtful. The earliest newspaper reference to his property calss it "Bramballa". (The Sydney Morning Herald Tue 7 Feb 1843 Page 4) Jenkins did, however, apparently move his family to this property Bramballa/Bangus in 1848 and was the magistrate in Gundagai until 1853 when he left the region for Eagle Vale near Campbelltown. Unable to sell the property and the 3000 head of sheep, he let out the residence and it became a public house called the Bangus Inn. In 1856 he managed to sell the Inn and an acre of land for £1000.

With the 1856 sale of the Bangus Inn the new owner renamed it the Home Hotel before William Williams of Adelong purchased the property in the 1870s. He built a new hotel called the Coach and Horses in 1873, this lasted until it was replaced in 1905 with the Adelong Crossing Hotel, currently the Tumblong Tavern.

In 1859, Robert Pitt Jenkins, now a member of the NSW Legislative Council, his wife and four sons were lost in the sinking of the Royal Charter off the English Coast. His daughter Alice Jenkins, at school in Paris at the time, inherited Bangus and it was sold off by her husband Hubert de Castella to finance his vineyard.

The Adelong Crossing Place railway station opened in 1903 and the line was closed in 1984.

The Adelong Crossing school opened in 1871 and was closed in 1990.

Adelong Crossing Place Post Office opened on 1 August 1864 and closed in 1973.[2]

Adelong Crossing Place was renamed Tumblong on 15 April 1913 to avoid confusion with the town of Adelong. The name came from the neighbouring property across the Adelong Creek originally owned by Henry Stuckey that he had named Tumblong. - (Ref - References[edit] ^ Jump up to: a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Tumblong (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 3 April 2015. Jump up ^ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, retrieved 2009-06-11)

Mr Wiliiam Williams, the well-known mining pioneer, of Adelong, who resides at Adelong Crossing, celebrated his 100 th birthday last Thursday, when a large number of residents of the district turned out to offer him their congratulations.

Mr Williams was born on May 3, 1830, at Montgomery, North Wales, and came to this colony in 1822, in Governor Brisbane's time.

In 1830 he went to the Bathurst diggings, and from there he went to Campbelltown, then to Ophir, where he obtained gold in large quantities, so much, in fact, that he became known as "' old gold dust." When leaving Ophir we find him credited with £65,000 in the New South Wales and Oriental Banks.

Up to date he has carried gold valued at £160,000. He came to Adelong in 1853, and prospected the ground until he found the Old Hill Reef. He sold out the claim, and began to develop the Victoria Reef, obtaining £8000 for a start and £2000 for an instalment. Finally he sold it for £46,000 getting £11,500 as his share, a similar amount going to his two sons, Edwin and William, and to Mr Curtis, of Adelong. He next invested in the Kurrajong Reef, in which his brother-in-law was interested, which was afterwards sold to a syndicate, whereby he acquired £2500 as his share.

In his 78 years's residence in the colony he acquired over £250,000 worth of gold, £188,000, of which he obtained during 35 years' residence in the Adelong district in its busy days.

He was the first man to discover a reef in the Adelong field, and started the first crushing machine in 1858. The Victoria mine was at one time the deepest in the colony, two Governments voting £1000 for finding, at 1000 ft, the deepest payable reef in the colony. A further grant of £1000 was received for showing a payable reef at 1500 ft. Tho Old Hill Reef went as high as 14oz to the ton. Mr Williams is convinced that the gold is not exhausted in the Adelong reefs yet. Mr Williams was tendered a banquet on Thursday, at which Mr Donaldson, M.P., and other distinguished gentlemen were present.Mr Donaldson spoke in high terms of Mr Williams' ability as a practical miner. A ball was held in the evening, at which there was a large attendance. Mr Williams still retains all his faculties, and should he live until January 1, 1901, he will have theunique distinction of having lived in three centuries —18th, 19th, and 20th.

DEATH OF A CENTENARIAN. Mr WILLIAM WILLIAMS, AGED 102.

A PIONEER MINER. GUNDAGAI, Monday.

He was in full possession of his faculties up till yesterday and up to a few months ago he could see to read without glasses. His hair was only partly grey.

He enjoyed the distinction of having lived in three centuries. He always delighted to talk on mining subjects.

Deceased came to this colony in 1822, and after landing at Sydney he proceeded to Bathurst. There he discovered gold, it is stated, as early as 1830. On the breaking out of the Ophir gold rush, he abandoned his calling of wheelwright and blacksmith and visited that field where he was exceptionally lucky.

He next visited the Turon, obtaining large quantities of gold. He left that field with £65,000 to his credit in the Oriental Bank.

Travellers at this period had bushranging dangers to undergo, but Mr Williams made cavities in the bed on an old dray for secreting his gold. Altogether he carried in this way 1 ton 6cwt.

After visiting the Ovens he went to Adelong, arriving there in 1852. There for a time he followed alluvial mining, until he found the Old Hill Reef, the first quartz reef discovered at Adelong, New South Wales. He subsequently developed the Victoria Reef.

After acquiring £10,000, he sold out for £46,000 and subsequently developed the Kurrajong reef, in which his brother-in-law, Mr John Tillet of Adelong, was interested. In connection with mining Mr Williams acquired over £200,000 worth of gold, of which £180,000 worth worth was got in the vicinity of Adelong. Mr Williams had been the foremost man in this colony in mining matters. His reputation for developing mines successfully became a bye-word.

He started the first crushing machine on the Adelong fields in 1858. Prior to th¡s gold was obtained by sluicing rubble and dellving, appliances for extracting gold being of a primitive nature. In those days only 10ft. was allowed each miner, and on the old reef line there were 32 claims, the returns of gold won from which totalled 54,238oz.

The Victoria reef, out of which Mr. Williams made a considerable amount of money, has an interesting history. At the time it was the deepest mine in the colony. The owners received two successive Government awards, one of £1000 for finding gold at 1000ft., the deepest payable reef in the colony, and a further award of £1000 for showing a payable reef at 1500ft. These figures were remarkable at the time. This shaft was the deepest in this part of New South Wales.

In these days Mr. Williams used to carry large sums of money about with him. In the early seventies he was prospecting near Adelong station, and it is supposed a highwayman lay waiting for him in a gully about half a mile from the road. Mr. Williams did not pass the expected spot, but a man named Grant resembling Williams, went along the gully. He was pinioned to a tree and murdered. The assassin was supposed to be a bushranger. (Ref- Digitisation generously supported by more info - Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation

Cite this title: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title434

Mr William Williams, centenarian, of Adelong Crossing, and a pioneer miner, died at his residence at 5 a.m. on Sunday, aged 102 years 5 months. At Tumut, NSW

Mr William Williams leaves three daughters-

Mrs Ritchie,

Mrs Tillett (of Adelong),

Mrs Lawson (of Adelong Crossing),

besides a great many great-grandchildren.

The body will be taken to Adelong to-day, where the remains of deceased's wife and two sons were interred.

OTHE BIRTHS named WILLIAMS

WILLIAMS SARAH A 15590/1864 WILLIAMELIZAWAGGA WAGGA

WILLIAMS CLARA 17414/1868 WILLIAMELIZAWAGGA WAGGA

WILLIAMS THOMAS 1595/1848 V18481595 33AWILLIAMELIZA

WILLIAMS WILLIAM O 15744/1866 WILLIAMELIZA WWAGGA WAGGA

WILLIAMS MARIA 1183/1847 V18471183 69WILLIAMELIZA

WILLIAMS MARIA 1495/1847 V18471495 32AWILLIAMELIZA

WILLIAMS ADELINE M 18520/1871 WILLIAMELIZAWAGGA WAGGA

WILLIAMS RICHARD STANLEY W 19852/1873 WILLIAMELIZAWAGGA WAGGA

WILLIAMS JOHN 13427/1872 WILLIAM FRANCIS CHARLESELIZAGULGONG

WILLIAMS WILLIAM 2201/1845 V18452201 62WILLIAMELIZA

WILLIAMS MARIA 13903/1874 WILLIAM HENRYELIZAMENINDIE

WILLIAMS MARY A 19543/1875 WILLIAM HELIZA M in SHOALHAVEN

WILLIAMS HENRIETTA 20753/1875 WILLIAMELIZA in WAGGA WAGGA

WILLIAMS JOHN 14649/1876 WILLIAMELIZ A'MENINDIE

WILLIAMS OWEN BULKELEY 13091/1876 WILLIAMHARRIETTE ELIZAHAY

WILLIAMS SYLVIA 14473/1877 WILLIAM HELIZAMAITLAND

WILLIAMS EVA LETITIA 23513/1878 WILLIAMELIZAWAGGA WAGGA

WILLIAMS WILLIAM R 3807/1878 WILLIAM HELIZA MBALMAIN

WILLIAMS THOMAS 26935/1880 WILLIAM HENRYELIZAWENTWORTH

WILLIAMS WILLIAM HENRY 14345/1880 WILLIAM HENRY & PHILLIS ELIZA in GOULBURN

WILLIAMS MARIA 13903/1874 WILLIAM HENRYELIZAMENINDIE

WILLIAMS MARY A 19543/1875 WILLIAM HELIZA M in SHOALHAVEN

WILLIAMS HENRIETTA 20753/1875 WILLIAMELIZ A in WAGGA WAGGA

WILLIAMS JOHN 14649/1876 WILLIAMELIZ A in MENINDIE

WILLIAMS OWEN BULKELEY 13091/1876 WILLIAMHARRIETTE ELIZA in HAY

WILLIAMS SYLVIA 14473/1877 WILLIAM HELIZAMAITLAND

WILLIAMS EVA LETITIA 23513/1878 WILLIAMELIZA in WAGGA WAGGA

WILLIAMS WILLIAM R 3807/1878 WILLIAM HELIZA M in BALMAIN

WILLIAMS THOMAS 26935/1880 WILLIAM HENRYELIZA in WENTWORTH

WILLIAMS WILLIAM HENRY 14345/1880 WILLIAM HENRYPHILLIS ELIZA in GOULBURN

WILLIAMS WILLIAM OWEN 18731/1947 WILLIAMELIZA in RANDWICK

WILLIAMS WILLIAM 12133/1935 WILLIAMELIZA in GRANVILLE

WILLIAMS WILLIAM 25500/1937 WILLIAMELIZA in BALLINA

WILLIAMS WILLIAM R 2472/1878 WILLIAM HELIZA M in BALMAIN

WILLIAMS, WILLIAM J 6865/1893 PARENTS WILLIAM & ELIZA in GUNDAGAI

WILLIAMS WILLIAM F 16436/1916 WILLIAMELIZA in ROCKDALE

This report is submitted in good faith. All endeavours have been made to make all entries authentic and correct. For any corrections and additional valuable information, maps and photos you may have please contact John

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