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Mathias Jeremiah Tuohill by Jeanette Lee EPG Gazette April 2019
EPGs and New Zealand Wars by Jeanette Lee – EPG Gazette 2019 No 1
| Name | TUOHILL / TOOHILL / TWOHILL – Matthias Jeremiah aka DAVIS – John |
|---|---|
| Regiment (s) | Honourable East India Company Bengal Artillery 2nd Brigade |
| Regiment Number (s) | 239 |
| Date/Age/Place/Trade or Profession at Attestation | 1842 / 20 years / Liverpool Clerk |
| Description – Height Complexion/Eyes/Hair/Scars | 5 Ft 9½ in Swarthy / Hazel / Brown / None |
| Overseas Service/Duration | HEIC |
| Length of Service | 8 years 2 months |
| Rank/Date/Place of Discharge | Gunner / 12th June 1850 / Not yet known |
| Campaign Medals | Not yet known |
| Intended Residence at Discharge | Killarney Kerry Ireland |
| Pension Districts | 1850 Tralee 1854 3rd Plymouth 1855-1856 Western Australia 1856-1857 South Australia 1857-1864 Victoria 1864-1868 New Zealand 1868-1871 New South Wales 1871-1876 Victoria |
| Pension Paid | 1/3d per diem |
| Date of Departure and Place England or Ireland | 5th February 1855 Plymouth England via Cape of Good Hope |
| Ship and Date of Arrival Western Australia | STAG 23rd May 1855 |
| Date/Place of Birth | 1822 Barnwell, Alberta, Canada |
| Date/Place of Baptism | Not yet known |
| Father Date/Place of Birth | Not yet known |
| Mother Date/Place of Birth Marriage | Not yet known |
| Siblings | Not yet known |
| 1st Wife Date of Birth or Baptism | KEANE Mary Not yet known |
| Date/Place of Marriage | 23rd August 1855 Fremantle Western Australia |
| Children by 1st Wife | Eliza or Elizabeth B 20th June 1857 Adelaide South Australia M MISCHKE Carl 1883 Newtown New South Wales D 4th October 1895 Not yet known Mary Ann B c1857 Not yet known Sarah B c1861 Melbourne Victoria Lucy B c1861 Not yet known M BALFOUR George J. 1886 Sydney New South Wales D 1940 Randwick New South Wales Fanny B 1867 Auckland New Zealand D 1871 Sydney New South Wales |
| Father of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth | KEANE Thomas Not yet known |
| Mother of 1st wife Date/Place of Birth Marriage | Not yet known |
| Land Grants Western Australia | None |
| Occupation after Arrival | Policeman – South Australia Clerk and Bailiff – New South Wales |
| Newspaper Articles | The Adelaide Times Thursday 31st July 1856 – page 2 Adelaide Times Thursday 8th January 1857 – page 3 The Argus (Melbourne)Tuesday 4th November 1862 – page 6 The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser Saturday 14th October 1871 Empire Thursday 12th October 1871 – page 2 Empire 14th November 1871 – page 3 The Argus (Melbourne) Monday 10th August 1876 – page 6 Singleton Argus and Upper Hunter General Advocate Wednesday 3rd July 1878 – page 6 – Murrurundi Police Court Sydney Morning Herald Saturday 3rd October 1896 – page 1 |
| Departure from Western Australia | “Lochinvar” 14th August 1856 from Geographe Bay Western Australia to Adelaide South Australia |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial | 10th August 1876 Melbourne Hospital Victoria Not yet known |
| Date/Place of Death/Burial Wife | Not yet known |
| Will or Probate | None known |
| Further Information | Discharge: Both shoulders useless from a wound caused by roundshot while at action at Soodalapore [Punjab]. AJCP reel 466/87 part 2 Folio 233 Proceedings of a Court of Inquiry into complaints by the wives of the Pensioner Guard on the Stag into the conduct of the Super Intendent Surgeon Caldwell. Witness at the Court of Inquiry, gave evidence against Mrs Brown New Zealand Electoral Rolls 1869-1870 Matthias Jeremiah TWOHILL residence Napier Street Waipa. John Davis or as he was known in Australia, Matthias Tuohill/Toohill/Twohill came to Western Australia in 1855 as part of the Convict guard on the ship “Stag” as a bachelor. Soon after his arrival he married Mary KEANE. Barely a year later they journeyed to South Australia where their first daughter Eliza was born soon followed by Mary. Matthias obtained employment as a police trooper but soon fell foul of the law when he was accused of stealing a sum of money (He was eventually acquitted). The family then journeyed to Victoria where their third daughter Sarah was born followed by Lucy. They lived there for some time before setting out for New Zealand. On 19th January 1863 Matthias Tuohill enrolled in the 4th Waikato Regiment and set off for New Zealand together with his wife and family. One of the terms under which the men enrolled in the Waikato regiment was the reward of a land grant which varied according to the rank of the recruit. In New Zealand Matthias, according to the Electoral Roll of 1869-70, seemed to settle down to an agricultural life presumably on the land he had been granted. The final child Fanny was born at Auckland in 1867, unfortunately Fanny was unable to speak from birth which Matthias contributed to his wife’s drunkenness. In 1868 the family moved to Sydney where the couple separated and Matthias put the four eldest girls into the Randwick Orphanage, The youngest, Fanny, remained living with her mother. Unfortunately Fanny was burnt to death when she was just aged five and in her mother’s care. During his life in Sydney Matthias worked as a bailiff although his wife said he was a clerk as recorded on his WO97. Matthias moved to Victoria and applied unsuccessfully to accompany the Burke and Wills expedition quoting his service with the Bengal Artillery and participation in five major campaigns in India as well as being a competent bushman. He died in Melbourne Hospital on 10th August 1876 aged only 54 years from haemorrhage of the stomach caused by excessive drinking. |