Robert Massie

  General Notes:

the Hay Standard, Wednesday Oct 1 1890.
DEATH OF MR. R. MASSIE - We have to record the death of an old and much respected resident of Hay, who for many years has been familiar to us all, Mr. Robert Massie. He had been ailing and in a rather feeble condition for some time, and during the last two months he had been too unwell to leave the house. The sad event had been almost daily expected for the last week or two. but he lingered on until Tuesday morning when he passed quietly away. Mr. Massie was born in Aberdeen, Scotland on 26th October 1809. At an early age he was apprenticed to the civil engineering. Shortly after his apprenticeship had expired he joined the Van Dieman's Land Company as an engineer, to erect all the machinery sent out by the company, and to lay out their farm, etc. After leaving the services of this company he went with Mr. Anderson to Westernport, and they took up the first station in Victoria. This was in 1837. At that time the law did not allow those taking up land to cultivate it, and after they had sunk everything in clearing and cultivating, the Government swooped on them and they had to either buy the land or leave it, and they choose the latter. After this Mr. Massie went to Deep Creek, and then to Lancefield, and carried on farming operations. When the gold fever broke out he went to Guildford as mining manager and engineer where he lived a considerable time and shared the varying success of those who speculated in mining. After leaving the goldfields he came to Hay where he resided up to the time of his death. He leaves a widow and eight children, three sons and five daughters, all of whom are married.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Engineer, Farmer.

• connection.

• connection.

• Death Certificate Number: (6194/1890).

Robert married Eliza Armstrong, daughter of Thomas Armstrong and Mary Little, on 17 Dec 1845 in Richmond, Victoria Australia. (Eliza Armstrong was born on 6 May 1818 in Acherbeck, Canonbie, Dumfries, Scotland, christened on 28 Jun 1818 in Acherbeck, Canonbie, Dumfries, Scotland and died on 22 Aug 1905 in Hay, NSW Australia.)