The following information is a copy of JK Stokes data on Mount Barker as contained in her Rootsweb (Ancestory.com) Genealogy Website  and has been included here with permission.  No alterations or additions may be made to her information without further permission, although relevant comments and/or additions are welcome to be added at the bottom of each page.  (copied July 2014)

Obituary of Walter Paterson

Banff Herald 20 October 1894, Banff, Scotland

Death of Baffshire Man in South Australia

The "Mount Barker Courier and Southern Advertiser," South Australia, in a recent issue refers to the death of Walter Paterson, a native of Marnoch, and born on 1st April, 1811.  In 1838 he married Helen McGregor, daughter of the much respected William McGregor, Drodlandburn, parish of Keith.  There are a few "to the fore," both in the town of Keith and in the north side of the parish who remember "Wattie," as he was called, quite well, and who will be interested to hear of the prosperity which attended their old friend of former days, now deceased.

Emigrated

In 1838, he emigrated to Australia, landing near Adelaide in the Province of South Australia.  He entered into partnership with another colonist of the name of Lambert, and together they bought several sections of land, which went by the name of Green Bank, Bungarula and Yunkunga.  In 1842 Mr Paterson had the misfortune to lose his wife, leaving him with five little children - three daughters and two sons.  Our early colonists had much to contend with and to work under many disadvantages which are never felt by the enterprising individual of the present day.  Necessity is  the mother of invention. 

Ingenious and Mechanical

Mr Paterson was of an ingenious and mechanical turn of mind, and set himself at once to improve the rude and cumbrous tools which they had to do their work.  His threshing machine, the first in the colony, all of wood, and made with his own hands, did good work for several years, bullocks applying the motive power, and every implement of agriculture he had to shape and make for himself.  While his partner attended to the farm Mr Paterson took contracts for building, and the first house in the township of Mount Barker was built by him.  It was of wood.  He also started a flour mill, driven by wind, which he attended to himself for many years, and many was the bag of wheat the small settlers carried on their backs for miles to the mill to be made into flour.  When the reaping machine came into vogue he made the first one in the district, which, with the exception of the wheels, axles, cogs and pinions, was of local wood and wrought iron.  This reaper he drove for ten years himself, and the demand made upon his times was so great that he had to refuse orders for reaping, even at the high figure of £1 an Acre. the farmers supplying everything but the machine, so that at several harvests he earned from £200 to £300. 

In the long drought of 1864-65-66 he lost about 3000 sheep, which, followed by bad seasons and low prices made heavy inroads on his wealth.  Mr Paterson was a member of the District Council for many years, and one of the original promoters of the local agricultural society.  During his long life he never went to law, his tact and amiable qualities being conspicuous in all his business transactions.  Mr Paterson was fifty-two years a widower, and is survived by all his family, excepting the eldest daughter who died recently.  The attendance at the funeral service on Sunday was one of the largest seen at Mount Barker for years.

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