William Thomas Presnell
1829–1887 · From Black Snake to Parattah
My 2nd great-grandfather William Thomas Presnell was born on 4 March 1829, into a family already firmly established in Van Diemen’s Land. He was the son of Thomas Presnell and Christiana Presnell, and grandson of an earlier generation of Presnells whose lives had become closely connected with the Black Snake district on the road between Hobart and New Norfolk.
William was baptised on 6 April 1829. Evidence points to his birth being at Black Snake, where the Presnell family had been associated with farming, the ferry crossing and the Black Snake Inn.
Growing up in the Midlands
William Thomas Presnell was born into an extended family whose interests included farming, landholding and roadside inns in colonial Van Diemen’s Land.
Although evidence points to his birth at Black Snake in March 1829, his family was soon associated with the Midlands. His younger sister Eleanor Amelia was born in the Oatlands district in July 1830.
This move coincided with a significant period in the family’s history. In October 1830, John Presnell advertised the White Hart Inn at Antill Ponds, following its earlier operation at Sorell Springs.
The Presnell family’s connections with Antill Ponds extended beyond John himself. Historical accounts suggest that William’s parents, Thomas and Christiana Presnell, were also associated with the establishment, although the precise nature of their involvement remains uncertain.
Tragedy struck in April 1834, when William was just five years old. His three-year-old sister Eleanor Amelia died after being accidentally burned at Antill Ponds. A coroner’s inquest was held on 26 April, and her death was reported in The True Colonist three days later.
Other children of Thomas and Christiana were subsequently born in the Oatlands district, suggesting that William spent much of his childhood in this part of Tasmania.
Marriage to Emily Hill
On 16 September 1856, 27-year-old William married Emily Hill, aged 18, at St Luke’s Church, Campbell Town.
The original marriage register provides a small glimpse of the couple at the beginning of their life together. William was a bachelor and labourer. Unable, or perhaps unaccustomed, to sign his name, he made his mark on the register.
Emily, recorded as a spinster, signed her own name.
Their witnesses were Maria Hill and Harriett Green.
William and Emily went on to have a very large family—15 children, seven sons and eight daughters—over approximately the next quarter-century.
From labourer to farmer
When William married in 1856 he was described simply as a labourer.
The births of William and Emily’s children help trace the family’s movement through Tasmania’s Midlands. Their first child, Emily, was born at Salt Pan Plains near Campbell Town in 1858. By 1859 the family was at Blackmans River in the Oatlands district, with later children born at Oatlands and Tunbridge.
By December 1877 the family had reached Parattah, where Catherine Louisa was born, followed by William George in 1879. Their youngest child, Arthur James Edward, was recorded at Oatlands in 1881.
By the end of William’s life he was no longer described as a labourer. His 1887 estate papers identify him formally as:
“William Thomas Presnell late of Parattah in Tasmania, Farmer.”
That progression—from labourer at the age of 27 to farmer at Parattah—gives us an important glimpse of William’s working life, although we have not yet identified the farm or determined whether he owned or leased the property.
William & Emily Presnell’s 15 children
| Child | Born | Birthplace | Died |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emily Presnell | 11 Jul 1858 | Salt Pan Plains, Campbell Town | 23 Dec 1861 |
| Thomas Presnell | 23 Sep 1859 | Blackmans River, Oatlands | 1936 |
| Caroline Emily Presnell | 15 Jul 1861 | Oatlands | 1941 |
| Martha Presnell | 30 Sep 1862 | Blackmans River, Oatlands | 1925 |
| Esther Louise Presnell | 18 Jun 1865 | Tunbridge | 1897 |
| Rose Presnell | 24 May 1867 | Oatlands | 1899 |
| Charles J. Presnell | 18 Sep 1868 | Tunbridge, Oatlands | 1918 |
| Arthur Presnell | 8 May 1870 | Tunbridge, Oatlands | 4 Jan 1871 |
| Robert Presnell | 24 Jun 1871 | Oatlands | 4 Aug 1918 |
| Frederick (Fred) Presnell | 8 Oct 1872 | Oatlands | 1951 |
| Christianna Presnell | 21 Apr 1874 | Oatlands | 1960 |
| Harriet Presnell | 21 Feb 1876 | Oatlands | 1957 |
| Catherine Louisa Presnell | 10 Dec 1877 | Parattah | 1951 |
| William George Presnell | 9 Mar 1879 | Parattah | 5 Dec 1957 |
| Arthur James Edward Presnell | 21 Nov 1881 | Oatlands | 1971 |
William — or Thomas?
Although his full name appears in official records as William Thomas Presnell, there is good evidence that he was commonly known simply as Thomas.
His gravestone calls him Thomas Presnell, and other records relating to his family also use Thomas.
This is important when tracing him through nineteenth-century records: William Thomas Presnell, William Presnell and Thomas Presnell may all refer to the same man, depending upon the source.
Death at Parattah
William died at Parattah on 18 June 1887, aged 58.
He died without leaving a will. His widow Emily subsequently applied to the Supreme Court of Tasmania for administration of his estate.
The court papers describe Emily as a widow of Parattah and value William’s Tasmanian estate at no more than £400. Farmers George Wilson and Alexander Scott acted as sureties.
The surviving administration papers may yet provide another window into William’s life. An inventory of his estate, if it survives, could reveal his livestock, farming equipment, household possessions or property.
Oatlands
William was buried at Oatlands, returning in death to the district in which he had spent much of his life.
His gravestone records:
IN MEMORY OF
THOMAS PRESNELL
Who Died 18th June 1887
Aged 58 Years
Emily survived him by twelve years and was later buried with him. Their son Robert was also commemorated on the family monument.