Twenty-one years later, in 1838, he married Isabella Gibb at Kincardine by Doune on the north shore of the Firth of Forth. Isabella, who was two years older than her husband, was the daughter of Henry Gibbs and Elizabeth née Coulter.
The first UK census in 1841 recorded the couple as living about 20 km inland from the Firth of Forth, at the farm of James Reid, Cambushinnie. Peter is listed as an agricultural labourer and Isabella as a servant. By now they had two small children: Mary and Peter.
Four more children were born in Scotland: Hendric/Henry, Elizabeth, Margaret and Alexander.
Economic conditions in Scotland at this time were harsh, and the government encouraged and supported people to migrate. In 1851, the Scotts made the momentous decision to join the departing citizens and start a new life on the other side of the world.
The family booked passages on the barque Calphurnia, which sailed from London via Plymouth (on 30 December 1851). There were 278 government immigrants on board, although not all of them had subsidised passages. The Scotts were recorded as paying their own way, which meant that they were free to find their own employment in Australia.
After a journey of three months, Calphurnia arrived in the colony of Victoria with six deaths and three births having taken place on the passage. The Argus, a Melbourne newspaper remarked:
'The cleanly and comfortable appearance of the emigrants, together with the order of the vessel, reflects great credit on Dr Fletcher [Surgeon Superintendent], and is evidently a vast improvement on the old state of emigrant ships in general.'
According to Peter Scott's obituary, he proceeded 'at once' to Purnim, a settlement on the Merri Creek about 250 km southwest of Melbourne. Here he 'took up land which he farmed successfully for many years.'
The traditional owners of this area were the Dhauwurd wurrung (Gunditjmara) and Girai wurrung, although their numbers had plummeted by the time the Scotts arrived. Guerilla war with pastoralists and disease were the main reasons, and in 1865 most of the surviving population chose to move, or were forcibly relocated, to Framlingham Aboriginal Reserve.
Two more children were born to Peter and Isabella in the Purnim area: Rubina Hoyle at a locality called 'Saltmarsh' in 1854, and Ellen Wilson at Purnim in 1860. Ellen only lived 22 months. The couple also lost a fifteen-year-old son in 1866, Alexander, when he accidently shot himself kangaroo hunting (see future blog).
In 1872, Peter and Isabella followed their sons Henry and Peter Jr to the Wimmera district in the northwest of the colony. Peter Sr selected Section 83 (95 acres) and Section 84 (144 acres) in the Parish of Natimuk, situated between the nascent settlement of Natimuk and the Wimmera River (see map blog).
The couple worked strenuously to make improvements on Section 84 valued at £160.12.0. These included clearing the native vegetation, fencing paddocks and cultivating wheat. In addition they built a two-room house 12 feet by 24 feet made of lag and plaster, dug a tank and lined it with logs to store water, planted a garden and built a piggery.
Despite the improvements, Peter fell into debt and decided to sell his lease in 1878 'for the purpose of obtaining money to pay off my liabilities'. As his son Henry took it on, however, the land stayed in the Scott family. Henry obtained the freehold of section 84 in 1883.
Peter also made improvements on Section 83 to a value of £105.2.6, although these did not include a dwelling because he lived on Section 84. After failing to keep up with rent, the government threatened to revoke his license in 1878. Peter explained that he had been unable to work for several weeks due to an accident 'while attending on a reaping machine', and that severe drought ruined his crops. The government relented, but Peter transferred the lease to Henry in March 1880.
Peter also made improvements on Section 83 to a value of £105.2.6, although these did not include a dwelling because he lived on Section 84. After failing to keep up with rent, the government threatened to revoke his license in 1878. Peter explained that he had been unable to work for several weeks due to an accident 'while attending on a reaping machine', and that severe drought ruined his crops. The government relented, but Peter transferred the lease to Henry in March 1880.
Isabella Scott died at 'Waterside Farm', Natimuk, on 29 June 1888 aged 73. Her death certificate describes her as a housekeeper. Cause of death is given as heart disease from which she had suffered three or more years. She was buried on 1 July 1888 at the Natimuk Cemetery.
Peter died at his son Henry's farm on 10 September 1896 aged 80. The cause of death was bronchial catarrh and heart failure from which he had been suffering for three months. Peter was buried in the Natimuk Cemetery on 12 September 1896.
References
Argus Melbourne, 31 March 1852, p. 4 (shipping records)
Clarke, Ian (1995) Scars in the landscape: a register of massacre sites in western Victoria: 1803–1859, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra.
Death certificate, Isabella Scott, 1888, Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria.
Death certificate, Peter Scott, 1896, Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria.
Peter and Henry Scott land file, section 83, Parish of Natimuk, No. 3773, unit 1159, VPRS 626/P/0000, Public Record Office Victoria.
Peter and Henry Scott land file, section 83, Parish of Natimuk, No. 3773, unit 1159, VPRS 626/P/0000, Public Record Office Victoria.
Peter and Henry Scott land file, section 84, Parish of Natimuk, No. 34580, unit 463, VPRS 625/P/0000, Public Record Office Victoria.
Register of assisted British immigrants, 1839–1871 (ancestry.com.au).
Scotland Census 1841 (findmypast.com.au).
