Walter Daniel THOMAS 1820-1902
&
Anna Marie SUTTON 1821-1903

Walter Daniel THOMAS 1820-1902, b. Exeter, Devonshire, England to Richard THOMAS and Sarah Elizabeth GOODING arrived in Digby in 1855-6 and operated as a cabinet maker, undertaker and built all of the furniture in St. John's Church of England except for the pulpit. He died at Digby in 1902.
Walter THOMAS was married in 1841 at Exeter, Devonshire, England to Anna Marie SUTTON b. 1821 Exeter, England and she died at Digby in 1903. They are both buried in the Digby Cemetery.

1855 - Walter Daniel THOMAS, his wife Anna Maria and four children (Walter, Ernest, Anna Maria and Mary Elizabeth) arrived at Portland Bay, Victoria on the ship "Cairngorm" in 1855, moved north and settled at Digby, Victoria.

1863 - W. D. THOMAS listed as Chief Ranger for Court Perseverance No 3319, Ancient Order of Foresters at Digby.

1871 - E. H. THOMAS listed as Chief Ranger for Court Perseverance No 3319, Ancient Order of Foresters at Digby.

1873 - W. R. THOMAS listed as Chief Ranger for Court Perseverance No 3319, Ancient Order of Foresters at Digby.

P. R. THOMAS was on the list of buyers of original Digby town allotments.

Walter Daniel THOMAS and Anna Maria SUTTON and had the following known family..

1. William THOMAS b. 1842;

2. Walter Robert THOMAS 1844-1904, b. Exeter, Devonshire, England; d. Hamilton Hospital, Victoria.

3. Ernest THOMAS b. 1847;

4. Ernest Henry THOMAS 1849-1915, b. Exeter, Devonshire, England; of Digby, Victoria and farmer of Poolaijelo, near Dergholm, Victoria; skin-buyer of Digby, Victoria; d. Hamilton, Victoria; m. 1881 to Jessie McFarlane SHAW 1859-1902, b. "Elderslie" station, west of Casterton, Victoria, to John SHAW and Janet Margaret "Jessie" McFARLANE; d. Casterton, Victoria and had the following family...
   1. Walter Daniel THOMAS 1882-1932, b. Penola, South Australia; Bootmaker of Digby, Victoria; d. Hamilton, Victoria.
   2. Herbert THOMAS 1884-1884, b. and d. Poolaijelo (near Dergholm), Victoria.
   3. Janet Margaret THOMAS 1885-1970, b. Dergholm, Victoria; d. Bendogo, Victoria.
   4. Maria Sutton THOMAS 1887-1973, b. Dergholm, Victoria; d. Kyneton, Victoria.
   5. Vincent Victor THOMAS 1889-1974, b. Dergholm, Victoria; "Merino Downs" (1915); d. Hamilton, Victoria; m. 1912 to Winifred ROWE 1891-1982, b. Branxholme, Victoria to Thomas Arthur ROWE and Frances DUNBAR; d. Hamilton Victoria.
   6. Linda Marion Elaine THOMAS 1891-1917, b. Penola, South Australia; d. Melbourne, Victoria; m. 1916 to Henry George JOHNSON 1893-1930, b. Melbourne, Victoria to Frederick George JOHNSON and Mary Agnes JOHNSON; d. Melbourne, Victoria.
   7. Leslie Arnold Keith THOMAS 1893-1926, b. Poolaijelo, near Casterton; of Digby and Muntham, Victoria; d. Melbourne, Victoria; m. 1916 to Alice Frances GANNELL 1891-1970, b. Beechworth, Victoria to Edwin Henry Toby GANNELL and Alice WEETMAN; d. Melbourne, Victoria; 1 child. Lesie served with the AIF and was seriously wounded in WW1...
      • 1916, Sep 30 : enlisted, Pte 7058, 8th Battalion, AIF
      • 1916, Nov 09 : Pte 7058, 8th Battalion, AIF; farewelled at Digby, Victoria for service abroad.
      • 1916, Nov 23 : Pte 7058, 8th Battalion, AIF, embarked "Hororata" from Melbourne for service abroad
      • 1918, Aug 19 : Pte 7058, 8th Battalion, AIF, seriously wounded in France
      • 1918, Dec 24 : Pte 7058, 8th Battalion, AIF, embarked "Takada" from England for RTA (wounded)
      • 1918 : Tree No 67 : Digby Avenue of Honour, planted by Mrs V THOMAS
      • 1926, Jun 17 : died at Caulfield Military Hospital, Melbourne.
   8. Helen Lillian Shaw THOMAS 1896-1976, b. Dergholm, Victoria; d. Bendigo, Victoria; m. 1920 to John Thomas McDONALD 1891-1935, b. Merino, Victoria to James McDONALD and Ellen MILLER; d. Heywood, Victoria; 3 children.
   9. Ernest Osbert THOMAS 1897-1899, b. and d. Dergholm, Victoria.
   10. Isabella Iris THOMAS 1901-1971, b. ..?..; d. Penola, South Australia; m. 1926 to William Silas MALCOLM 1899-1974, b. Naracoorte, South Australia to Duncan MALCOLM and Clara JAMES; d. Penola, South Australia.

5. Anna Maria Sophia THOMAS 1851-1912, b. Exeter, Devonshire, England; d. Colac, Victoria; m. 1876 to Thomas BUCKLE 1840-1924;
   
   1. Francis Henry THOMAS b. 1871, Merino, Vic
      • WW1 1st AIF, 1st Cyclist Battalion, enlisted 5-08-1915
      • RTA 22-05-1918
      • Tree No 35 : Digby Avenue of Honour, planted by Miss Ethelwyn THOMAS
      • mar Ada Maude Roseclear PERRY
      1. Francis Valentine THOMAS b. 1890, Digby, Vic, d. 1891;
      2. Valentine Gordon Geoffrey THOMAS b. 1893, Digby, Vic
         • WW1 : 1913-17, Stoker, H.M.AS. Sydney, R.A.N. (Indian Ocean and North Sea, involved in the 1914 capture of German New Guinea and the destruction of the German ship "Embden" at Cocas Islands)
         • Tree No 21 : Digby Avenue of Honour, planted by Mrs A E THOMAS
      3. Ethelwyn Elizabeth Maud THOMAS b. 1897, Digby, Vic;
   2. Trevor Allen THOMAS b. 1873, Digby, Vic;

6. Mary Elizabeth Sutton THOMAS 1852-1943, b. Exeter, Devenshire, Engalnd; d. Digby, Victoria; m. 1875 to George Lynton SIMKIN 1848-1929.

7. Ellen Ann THOMAS 1856-1939, b. Digby, Victoria; d. Digby, Victoria; m. 1877 to William JOYCE 1844-1910.

8. Alfred Edward THOMAS 1858-1934, b. Digby, Victoria; d. Hamilton, Victoria; m. 1884 to Mary Elizabeth SIMKIN 1858-1941.

9. Catherine Wolcott Ruth THOMAS 1861-1864, b. and d. Digby, Victoria.

10. Percival Rupert Arthur "Percy" THOMAS 1864-1946, b. Digby, Victoria; d. Casterton, Victroia; m. 1897 to Annie HARVEY 1868-1951. Two children : Rupert William and Leslie Gordon.