Robert Carruthers MOFFATT

Wife: Robert married Rebecca Stanley Creek, (daughter of John Creek and Lucy Stanley) on the 3rd Jan 1872 in St Paul’s Church, Adelaide, South Australia.

Children:

Ada Mary MOFFATT was born on 14 Apr 1872 in Bowden, SA and died on 25 May 1873 in Kadina, SA at age 1.
Sarah Ann MOFFATT was born on 7 Nov 1873 in North Kadina, SA and died on 8 Aug 1959 in Victor Harbor, SA at age 85.
Catherine Ellen MOFFATT was born on 4 Aug 1875 in Paratoo Station, SA and died on 29 Dec 1935 in North Adelaide, South Australia21 at age 60.
John Charles MOFFATT was born on 18 Sep 1877 in Blinman, SA
Mary MOFFATT was born on 8 Jul 1879 in Mount Lyndhurst, SA
Alice Maud MOFFATT was born on 17 Feb 1881 in Mount Lyndhurst, SA and died on 22 Mar 1882 in Mount Lyndhurst, SA at age 1.
Morton Oliver MOFFATT was born on 20 Dec 1882 in Mount Lyndhurst, SA and died on 8 Dec 1962 in Kent Town, SA at age 79.
Francis Herbert MOFFATT was born on 4 Apr 1885 in Mount Lyndhurst, SA and died on 3 Sep 1964 in Adelaide, SA at age 79.
Robert Alfred MOFFATT was born on 17 Feb 1887 in Mount Nor-West Station, SA and died on 7 May 1971 in Adelaide, SA at age 84.
William Albert MOFFATT was born on 21 Dec 1888 in Mount Nor-West Station, SA and died on 23 Dec 1962 in Springbank, SA at age 74.

Ruby May Moffatt [120] was born on 28 Apr 1892 in Farina, South Australia.

Robert Carruthers Moffat was born in Carlisle, England in 1846. He appears in the census there in 1851 and 1861, but not in 1871. The next record I have of him is his marriage to Rebecca Stanley Creek in St Paul’s Church, Adelaide on 3rd January 1872. Rebecca was born in Adelaide on 18th June 1852, just four weeks after her family had arrived at Port Adelaide on the “Anglia” from London. Rebecca’s family name was originally “Crick”, but this was changed to “Creek” in around 1863.

Robert and Rebecca’s first child was born in Bowden in 1872. They had 10 more children, one at Kadina, one at Paratoo Station, one at Blinman, four at Mount Lyndhurst station (including my grandfather Francis Herbert), two at Mount Nor-West station, and the last in 1892 at Farina. During this time Robert was variously recorded as working as a blacksmith and an engineer.

Robert died on 8th July 1906. His death certificate gives the location as “On road between Farina and Lynda Mine”, and the cause as “Supposed heart failure”. An article in the Broken Hill Barrier Miner on 14th July 1906 gives some details:
Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW) Saturday 14 July 1906, page 3
TRAGEDY OF THE FAR NORTH
 – Found Lifeless in a Buggy.
Inspector Clode, of Farina, on July 9 received a message from Mounted constable Smith (says the “Express”), who is stationed at the Lynda mine, to the effect that Robert Moffat had been found dead in his buggy on the previous day. As there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, a burial certificate was granted.
The deceased was employed on the mine as a blacksmith and engine driver, and was regarded as a most useful man. He drove into Farina, which is about 20 miles distant, on Saturday to post a letter to Mr. A. Dawe, secretary of the Lynda mine, of National Buildings, King William street, and, from the fact that he was found dead in the vehicle, it is surmised that death overtook him on the way back to the mine, and the horses, knowing the route, brought his remains into camp. A son of the deceased is working on the mine, but the remainder of the family reside at Farina.
It is perhaps surprising under the circumstances that no inquest seems to have been held.

Many of Robert and Rebecca’s descendants have added a second “t” to the name, but Robert persisted with Moffat to the end, with his headstone recording him with the extra “t” for the first and only time.

Biography provided by Bob Moffatt, great-grandson of Robert Carruthers Moffatt.

Robert Carruthers Moffatt appeared not to directly own land at Farina, however land was owned by Rebecca Moffatt and Robert Alfred Moffat.