John DALE 1814-1866 & Ellen SWEENEY 1805-1899

John DALE, b. 1814, Norfolk (?), England son of James DALE and Mary SMITH was married in Tasmania to Ellen SWEENEY, b. ca 1805 ___, dau of James SWEENEY and Carol ____.

John DALE and Ellen SWEENEY had been convicts transported to Tasmania. They married in Tasmania, where two children were born and sailed across Bass Strait in 1848 to Victoria and were employed by Edward HENTY at his "Muntham" Station.

A third child was born at "Muntham" in 1849 before the family moved onto the Trentham and Kyneton areas in central Victoria.

John DALE & Ellen SWEENEY had the following known family:

1. Sarah Ann DALE b. ca 1843, Tasmania, m. 1862 Arthur Smith CLARKE and they had a large family in central Victoria.
2. Alfred DALE b. ca 1866, Hobart Town, Tas, m. 1867, Mary O'CONNOR and they had a large family in central Victoria.
3. James Henry DALE b. 1849, "Muntham" Station, Vic, m. 1874, Mary Ann CHILVERT and they had a large family in central and north-east Victoria.

"John and Ellen DALE had 2 children Alfred and Sarah when they arrived at "Muntham" Station and a third child, James DALE, born 8 October 1849 was born on "Muntham" Station. Although the birth certificate says Coleraine, very early oral history suggests that he was born at the station. They helped fight the fires in 1851 (6 Feb) or "Black Thursday". Apparently the HENTY women taught Ellen and Sarah needlework. Oral history says that there was horse racing around Henty, and that John DALE in the early 1850s was put in charge of the dairy farm due to a shortage of milk. Ellen was apparently a dairy maid."
Contact : Dean Marshall Mailmarshall@aol.com