Fleming, James (b. Jan 1824, d. Mar 1913)

Note: "James Fleming's obituary was published in "The Southern Argus" of March 20th 1913 -



"There was laid to rest in the Strathalbyn cemetery on Tuesday, the Reverend G.C.Love conducting the burial service, one, who came to Strathalbyn in his early days, and who for over 30 years was a prominent townsman, Mr James Fleming, who died
on Sunday at the age of 88 years. Mr Fleming was born in January 1824 and arrived in the "Forfarshire" on 3rd August 1848. On the same day he started to walk to Strathalbyn and spent his first night in South Australia within a mile of where he
died at Mount Lofty.



"On arriving at Strathalbyn he began business with the late Mr James Walker [brother of Dr John Walker a pioneer of the district who married Susan Rankine, daughter of William Rankine]. The firm of Walker and Fleming built their store in High
Street, Strathalbyn, and until recently it was used by David Bell and Co as a grocery store.



"During his residence here Mr Fleming was closely identified with all that stood for progress, and the Presbyterian Church had in him a staunch supporter. He married in May 1885 Miss Charlotte Knight, a sister of Charles Johnston Knight of
Mulgundawa who still lives there and celebrated his 90th birthday in September last. Three sons and four daughters survive. Mr Fleming retained his facilities to the last and till recently kept up a diary which he started as a boy, and
regularly posted in without a break during his long life."



James Fleming left the Strathalbyn district in about 1878 and thereafter lived at Glenelg, Adelaide and Port Adelaide and by 1896 was at Mile End, not far from the city.



After his retirement from the Customs Department where he was employed after leaving Strathalbyn, he and his wife made their home at Mt Lofty until their respective deaths. Their daughter Mary Fleming was still living in that district in 1966.



The site of Fleming's store in Strathalbyn, after changing hands a number of times, is now the Returned Soldiers club rooms and are recognised as the best in this State.


[Later note - It is recorded elsewhere that Charlotte Knight arrived in South Australia on the "Hydaspas" whereas it is noted that Charles Johnston Knight arrived on the "Arab". Is there douibt they were sister and brother?]

Given Name: James

Change: Date: 17 Jun 2018
Time: 14:13

Note: Continuing the Family History supplied by James Stanford Knight -



"David's Grandfather, David Knight 1, had a brewery at Arbroath. When he died in 1738 the business was continued by his son Robert whose wife was Helen Scott. At the turn of the century, circa 1800, David Knight 2 [their son] "was in these
premises".



"Title deeds mention of a disposition granted by James Watson of Townhead, Arbroath, in favour of David Knight, brewer, dated 9 February 1808. A stone in the abbey burial ground indicates that David died in 1813 and his wife's name was Mary
Jamieson. Their son John carried on the brewery business when David died and he was the last member of the Knight family to be in business on those premises.



"David Knight is buried at Abbey Burying grounds, Row 10 Number 35, Almerie Close, Arbroath.



"The Knights built a two storied mansion in 1793, now called 'Maulesbank'.



Of the children of this marriage, there are Notes for John Knight and his wife Hannah Johnston and for David 3 and James 1. It appears that Elizabeth 1 and Helen did not marry.

Given Name: David

Change: Date: 5 Nov 2017
Time: 14:50

Note: No information concerning Mary appears in the Family History notes other than that her father was Mr Jamieson and her mother was Helen Duncan.

Given Name: Mary

Change: Date: 3 Nov 2017
Time: 11:46

Given Name: Mr.

Change: Date: 13 Apr 2004

Given Name: Helen

Change: Date: 13 Apr 2004

Note: According to the Family History notes the Johnsons lived at Jock's Lodge, Gowan Street, Arbroath.

John Johnson had a brother George and a sister Agnes.

They were the children of John Johnson Senior who had a brother George.

The latter became a soldier in the foreign service and died with the rank of Captain.

The father of John Johnson Senior was a well-to-do farmer on the Estate of "Ethie", belonging to the Earl of North Esk.



This information is from old records kept by Mrs J.J.Knight of Taulbridge, Portadown, Northern Ireland.

Given Name: John

Change: Date: 16 May 2004

Note: The third wife of John Johnston. Her father was John Spink, a wood merchant and ship owner. His wife was Hannah Bruce.

Given Name: Isabella

Change: Date: 17 Apr 2004

Note: There is no information in the Family History notes concerning Helen Knight, other than birth and death dates and parents' names.

Given Name: Helen

Change: Date: 11 Jun 2018
Time: 10:59

Note: Elizabeth did not marry.

Given Name: Elizabeth

Change: Date: 17 Jun 2018
Time: 08:57

Note: The Family History Notes state that David was born on 17 May 1799, he didn't marry, lived for 32 years [therefore died in 1831?], died at Demerara, British Guana, probably of fever.



Place and probable reason for death is the same as has been recorded for his brother James.



The Notes go on to say that on 2 October 1816 at a meeting of the brewing fraternity at Arbroath, David Knight, son of David Knight a free member, was admitted as a member of the fraternity with James Anderson.

Given Name: David

Change: Date: 12 Jun 2018
Time: 10:29

Note: The Family History Notes state that James was born on 7 February 1801, he didn't marry, he lived for 20 years [therefore died in 1821?], he died at Demerara, British Guana, probably of fever.



Place and probable reason for death is the same as has been recorded for his brother David Knight 3.

Given Name: James

Change: Date: 11 Jun 2018
Time: 10:56

Note: According to the Family History notes -

"Robert Knight carried on the business of the family's brewery when his father died in 1738.



"His wife is named as Helen Scott and they had a son named David."



There is no other information concerning Robert and Helen.

Given Name: Robert

Change: Date: 9 Jun 2018
Time: 14:36

Note: There is no information concerning Helen or her parents in the Family History notes.

Given Name: Helen

Change: Date: 8 Nov 2017
Time: 15:41

Note: The Knight's Family Tree and History were supplied by James Stanford Knight. The Notes that appear for various family members have been extracted from those writings.



"David Knight 1 was a brewer. The earliest mention of his brewery was on indication of his death in 1738. It was part of Almarieclose which forms the corner of James Street and Maule Street, Arbroath. After David's death his son Robert
continued the business. [From New Register House, Edinburgh, visited by J.Hector and Mary Knight on 28 August 1978].



"Page 408 [Knight] Robert Dictus Knyght, Burgess of Aberbrothoc, had a charter of a piece of land in 1331. [R.A.A.11P,10] In 1435 John Knyght, Canon of Brechin, was Rector of Funewyn [Finhaven] REB, 1, P. 196, 11, 49. Katrine Nyght, wife of
John Nicholson, Burgess of Dumphries, is on record in 1544.



"[Anderson]. Alexander Knyght was on an inquest made at Prestwick in 1572 [Prestwick]. Page 73, by some erroneously considered to be a translation of Mac Neachtain page 408 column 1. Surnames of Scotland [1946] New York public library by George
Frazer Black.



"There is evidence in the Burgh Register that this brewery was in business before 1738. This is the year that the first known owner died who was called David. The next mentioned is Mary who was married to John Wallace, Mariner. Next mentioned
is Robert, followed by David [his son] who was in these premises at the turn of the century [1800]. In the 'Mauselbank' title deeds[ this was a two-storied mansion house built by the Knights in 1793] there is mention of a disposition granted by
James Watson of Townhead, Arbroath, in favour of David, brewer, dated 9 February 1808.

Given Name: David

Change: Date: 5 Nov 2017
Time: 14:45

Note: There is no information concerning David's wife.

Given Name: Spouse

Change: Date: 17 Apr 2004

Note: The Family History notes supplied say that Mary married John Wallace but there is no other information concerning her .

Given Name: Mary

Change: Date: 8 Nov 2017
Time: 15:36

Note: In the Family History notes supplied John Wallace is described as a Mariner and as a Merchant/Cloth Maker.



There is no information concerning children of this marriage.

Given Name: John

Change: Date: 5 Nov 2017
Time: 14:43

Note: "Alexander Bowman, with his elder brother William [1812-1894] established the Middleton flour mill, near Port Elliot, during the 1850s. The house and mill store are still in use. Alexander's house 'Cawdor' is still lived in and is halfway between Middleton and Port Elliot.
"Alexander's brother William lived at the mill house and store which was built on a large scale with a central hall 45 feet long. It had 10 large rooms all opening into the large hall. Across the front is a very wide verandah and the front door is most elaborate. The hall was used for many years for church services and was lent to any denomination in need of a hall.
"The first ad for the mill appeared in a newspaper in 1861. They installed new silk sifting equipment in January 1862 and during that year in August the Bowmans shipped 350 tons of flour to Sydney and on 22 April 1863 they shipped 450 tons to Melbourne on the barque 'Sunrise'. The mill was working 24 hours a day [3 shifts] 6 days a week. This is remarkable when noted that now, 130 years later [were the Family History notes written in about 1990?] not more than 10 tons of wheat is grown in a radius of 15 miles of the mill and that in the 1860s there were five other mills operating in the district, though not as large as the Bowman's mill.
"The Rev John Anderson of Strathalbyn, who married Alexander and Margaret, held a church service in the mill hall on 30 October 1862. On 23 February 1869, when the tramway [now defunct] from Strathalbyn to Middleton was opened, a banquet was held in the mill hall in celebration with everyone of note from many miles around attending, including the Governor of the day Sir James Fergusson. After the do many of the local residents had to be assisted home.
"The Bowman brothers were noted for their lavish hospitality and although of Presbyterian faith were happy to offer the use of the hall to any other denominations. That there was another side to the Bowmans' nature is seen in this notice in The Southern Argus of 8 February 1868 - "Before B F Laurie SM, Colonel Higgins and Mr Goode at the Port Elliot local court, Robert Wallace aged 9, charged with stealing wheat from Alexander Bowman the Middleton miller. The boy's father was given severe reprimand for not using proper watchfulness and the boy was put in a cell on bread and water for 48 hours."
The mill ceased to operate after Alexander died in 1896. William had died before him in 1894."[died 29 May 1894, Port Elliot SA.]

Given Name: Alexander

Change: Date: 5 Nov 2017
Time: 16:49

Given Name: John

Change: Date: 9 May 2004

Note: Other spellings of Sarah's surname in records searched are Donner and Dunnen.

Given Name: Sarah

Change: Date: 15 Jun 2018
Time: 14:23