Henry BEST 1831-1863
&
Virtue WILLIAMS 1829-1923

Henry BEST 1831-1863, b. Dorsetshire, England, son of Charles BEST & Maria COUSINS was married in 1848, Dorsetshire, England to Virtue WILLIAMS 1829-1923, b. Dorsetshire, England, daughter of William WILLIAMS and Harriet GOBEY.

Henry BEST emigrated to Australia in 1849 aboard the "BRITISH EMPIRE" along with his wife Virtue (nee Williams) aged 20, his father & mother Charles BEST & Maria (nee COUSINS), his brother William & sisters Jane, Ann & Sara.

Henry BEST was a wood cutter by trade & very handy with an axe. It has been noted elsewhere that their names are perpetuated in "BEST'S HILL", and linked with early "RUNNYMEDE" Station when they worked there. Henry also had the contract for suppling the fencing materials for "Merino Downs" Station when it was operated by the HENTY family.

Henry BEST died in 1863 when swimming a swollen stream near Sandford while on a night ride to fetch a doctor for a sick child. He died leaving a wife and eight children and his wife was pregnant with their ninth child.

Link to a Newspaper Report : Henry BEST's death, Sandford, S-W Victoria in 1863.

Henry BEST and Virtue WILLIAMS had the following children:

1. Eli William BEST b. 1850, Port Fairy, Vic d. 1941 Western Australia m. 1873, Elizabeth KERR 1848-1929;

2. Jane BEST b. 1852 Warrnambool, Vic, d. 1925, Ararat, Vic, m. 1868 to Heinrick MOLLER 1843-1920 who had been born in Denmark;

3. George BEST b. 1854 Wangoom, Vic,.............?

4. Charles Henry BEST b. 1856 Wangoom, Vic, d. 1885, (Accidentally Shot) Mount McIntyre, South Australia, m. Isabelle "Belle" REID (1860-1940);

5. Annie Georgina BEST b. 1858 Ararat, d. 1934, m. William HAMMOND 1855-1893;

6. Mary Ann BEST b. 1859 Hamilton, Vic, d. 1936, Casterton, Vic m. William Edward SEALEY 1857-1936;

7. Georgina BEST b. 1860 Casterton, Vic d. .........;

8. Harriet BEST b. 1861 Digby, Vic, d. 1881, Casterton, Vic;

9. Mary BEST b. 1863, d. 1863 Merino, Vic;

10. Sarah BEST b. 1864, Merino, Vic, d. 1953 m. William John SPURRELL 1861-1901, Casterton, Vic.

Virtue WILLIAMS had another daughter near Stawell in 1867 as follows:

1. Virtue BEST, b. 1867, near Stawell, Victoria, d. 1952, Port MacDonnell, SA, m. Charles Henry LEWIS.