Jeremiah (Gerasamo) Mitaxa

Jeremiah Mitaxa.

History

Gerasamo Mitaxa was born c. 1831 on the island of Kefalonia (Cephalonia), the largest island of the Ionian Islands group. Located just off the coast of Greece in the Ionian Sea between Greece & Italy. Gerasamo's father, Nicholas Mitaxa, was a mariner and his mother was Catherine Wallian. It is likely that the Mitaxa family lived in the south eastern region of the island in the village of Metaxata. In 1797 the Ionian Islands fell under French rule following the defeat of the Venetian Empire by Napoleon. This was short lived when in 1809, as part of their war against France, Britain mounted a naval blockade on the Ionian Islands. In September Kefalonia surrendered and the British installed a provisional government. The Treaty of Paris in 1815 recognised the United States of the Ionian Islands & decreed it a British protectorate, effectively part of the British Colonial Empire. All Ionians now held dual citizenship, they were recognised as being both Ionian and British subjects. The islands flourished under British rule, many of the islands roads were constructed, education improved & greater prosperity was enjoyed. Kefalonia distinguished itself in maritime and commercial activities developing rapidly as a centre of modern maritime activities as well as being an important British naval base. It is said that Kefalonian men “had salt in their blood." In 1850 Gerasamo, a young man of 20 years and a skilled mariner was unaware of events unfolding half a world away which would re-shape his destiny.

The Lure of GOLD

In the distant colony of Port Phillip, gold was being unearthed at places with exotic names like Ballaarat, Buninyong and Warrandyte. News of the discovery of gold had echoed around the world like a wildfire. Hundreds of sailing ships with thousands of passengers and crew converged on the distant colony Port Phillip (Victoria) drawn by the irresistible lure of gold. Arriving ships dropped anchor in Hobson's Bay (near present day Williamstown), it was common for entire ship's crews, captains included to desert their ship, joining the passengers in a tidal wave of hopefuls walking to the diggings. By June 1852, fifty sailing ships were lying derelict in Hobson's Bay abandoned by their crews; in 1857 it was reported that "The waters of Hobson's Bay were scarcely visible beneath a forest of five or six hundred abandoned vessels." All classes felt the burning thirst for gold, men walked off farms, and workers left jobs and professionals, doctors, teachers and such deserted families in the colony's capital city Melbourne. Together these men formed an endless stream of hopefuls descending on Ballaarat like a sea of ants.

The first publicised discovery of gold at Ballaarat was in August 1851, within two months this sparsely populated rural area of less than 100 farmers was transformed into a tent city of over 20,000 men. The Victorian Governor, Charles La Trobe, was sent to Ballaarat in October 1851. He reported that: he had observed lucky diggers digging up the gold, with no fewer than 2500 persons on the ground, and 500 arriving daily. He saw 8 lbs. of gold washed from two tin dishes of dirt, heard of a party that raised 16 lbs. of gold in the morning, and 15 lbs. in the afternoon Many parties of four men sharing day after day 10 oz. per man. "There can be no doubt but that gold must rank as one of the most important, if not the most important, products of the colony, and that from this time forward a very considerable and valuable section of the population will be employed in realising it."

Arrival in Ballaarat

To date no official record of Gerasamo Mitaxa has been found on ship's passenger or crew list. Family history indicates that he arrived early in the gold rush around 1851~2 and it is reasonable to assume that he was one of the many seamen who had "jumped ship". Gerasamo made his way to "The Golden City “as Ballaarat was called joining the many thousands of others seeking their fortune at the diggings. Initial discoveries were rich alluvial fields where gold could easily be extracted using nothing more than a shovel & simple gold panning dish. It was not uncommon for hard working miners to extract many hundreds of pounds worth of the glittering metal in a single day. Gerasamo banded together with fellow countrymen, Natale D'Angri and Stephano Trekardo. Together they worked a claim on the flat, west of the Main road, not far from the Yarowee River at Golden Point; one of the richest alluvial goldfields in the history of the world. Gerasmo adopted the English name "Jeremiah" however his close friends affectionately called him "Captain", a reference to his seafaring days. They had great success mining however one day Jeremiah injured his leg in an accident putting an end to his days as a miner. Unhindered by his lack of formal education, he could neither read nor write, he became a Hawker selling provisions, tools and equipment to the many thousands of miners who provided an insatiable demand for his goods. Jeremiah through sheer hard work was, by the early 1860's, the proud owner of two adjoining properties in Talbot Street south.

Marriage and Family

On Saturday December 12th 1864 Jeremiah Mitaxa bachelor, aged 33 years of Talbot street, married Hannah Maria Perkins, spinster aged 15 ½ years at the Church of England, St Peters School House. This timber building erected in 1858 served as a schoolhouse & Church. Jeremiah signed the wedding certificate with his mark "X" witnessed by his good friend Natale D'Angri. Jeremiah’s occupation was listed as "Miner" on the wedding certificate. Both Jeremiah & Natale shared a passion for gardening and along with Richard Wicking were regular exhibitors during the 1860’s at Creswick Horticultural Shows. Natale was a fellow member of the Ballarat Horticultural Society when Richard Wicking was the Society's secretary.

Jeremiah's bride, Hannah Maria Perkins was born 29th. June 1849 in Surrey England. The Perkins family, Stephen, a baker by trade, wife Jane, children Hannah (14), John (11) & Alfred (9) had only arrived at Hobson's Bay (Victoria) aboard The Pride of the Ocean on February 8th. 1864 In 1865 Jeremiah's in-laws, the Perkins family, were living in the house next door in Talbot street. Houses were not numbered at this time and have been re numbered several times since. By 1907 the original nine building blocks on the east side of Talbot Street had been further sub-divided into twelve blocks.

The Mitaxa family home was located about 100 meters in from Sturt Street, on the south-east corner of Leviathan place. This substantial, double fronted house occupied the full width of the block. A high white picket fence bordered the streetscape, with a central gate opening onto the front garden. Rose beds of pinks and reds bordered the glistening crushed white quartz pathway leading to the covered front veranda which was decorated with intricate cast iron lace work. The timber panelled front door was bordered either side with colourful stained glass lead light windows, one above the door inscribed "TALISMAN'. A central hallway ran the full length of the home with four rooms off to each side. First room on the left was the lounge room featuring a large bay window which provided a panoramic view of the front garden and Talbot street beyond. Opposite and to the right was the main bedroom with single window facing onto the front veranda. All windows were dressed with timber venetian blinds and embroidered lace curtains. The heart of the home and the centre of activities for Hannah Maria and her daughters was the spacious kitchen at the rear, warmed by the green enamelled wood stove. Stepping out the back door, the wash house (laundry) was on the left, the back yard had four raised beds of vegetables, in the back left hand corner was the stable for horses and an outside toilet. The house occupied about half the depth of the block and was bordered by Leviathan place and Syncline lane at the rear which provided access to the stables and for the services of the night man.

In 1866 the occupants of the east side of Talbot Street (commencing at Sturt Street) were; Johnson = bottle merchant - Stephen Perkins = baker - Metaxa =-miner - Johnson = baker - John Fraser = miner.

Jeremiah and Hannah Maria's first child Stefano, was born in 1865. Daughter Jane was born in June 1867, she had a short life of 10 months and was buried on April 7th. 1868. Daughter Florence Adeline was born in 1871. Son John Nicholas was born in 1872 followed by two daughters; Hannah Catherine in 1876 and Alice Beatrice in 1880. Son Charles Alexander Constantine was born in 1883. Jeremiah and Hannah Maria’s last child, Horace Gerasmo was born in 1887 when Jeremiah was 56 years of age. Horace lived for only three months, he was buried February 11th 1888. In October 1887 Jeremiah Mitaxa was fined in the Ballarat Court for failing to send his children to school for the prescribed number of days.

In his later years Jeremiah walked with the aid of a stick, he derived great pleasure from tending his garden and was often to be found reclining in his wicker chair on the front veranda enjoying the late afternoon sun.

December 12th. 1906: Jeremiah’s youngest daughter, Alice Beatrice Mitaxa (27 years) married Harrie Wicking (36 years) at the Baptist Church Ballarat. The children of this marriage were the first generation of Australian born Wickings. Jeremiah Mitaxa, Richard Wicking and Frederick Wicking had arrived in Victoria and settled in Ballaarat in the early 1850's.

Jeremiah Mitaxa died at his home, 7 Talbot Street on the 23rd of September 1907 aged 76 years; cause of death was "Senile Decay and Exhaustion".

Jeremiah's Death notice in the Ballarat Courier of Wednesday 25th September 1907 read: MITAXA On the 23rd of September, at 7 Talbot Street South, Gerasmo (Jeremiah) the dearly beloved husband of Hannah Maria Mitaxa. A colonist of 57 years. The funeral notice invited the friends of the late Mr. Jeremiah Mitaxa to follow his remains to the place of internment, the Ballarat Old Cemetery. The cortege was appointed to leave his late residence 5 Talbot Street South this day (Wednesday) at 4 o'clock. JORDAN and TIPPETT, Undertakers.

A later notice stated: The funeral of Mt. Jeremiah Mitaxa of Talbot Street took place on Wednesday at the Old Cemetery. Messrs... G. Parker, E. Jensen, F. Craig, A.B. Cray, H. Wardle and R.J. Gullen were pallbearers and the coffin bearers were Messrs... H.C. Petersen, D. Robinson, E. Poyser and A. Smith. Rev. F.E. Harry conducted service at house and grave. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs... Jordan and Tippett.

The final resting place of Gerasamo (Jeremiah) Mitaxa is the Old Ballarat Cemetery where he is interned with his wife Hannah Maria and their son, John Nicholas (31) and two infant children Jane (10 months) & Horace (3 months).

Jeremiah's will listed his total assets as not exceeding £2000. His only asset was a policy with The Australian Widows Life Assurance Fund Limited with a value of £269.

The accompanying photo shows Hannah Maria standing in Leviathan place adjacent to the Talbot street family home where she continued to reside until her death at age 72, on April 14th 1921. Born in England she had spent the last 56 years in Ballarat. The home was later sold and substantially renovated by the new owners.

Memories of Jeremiah Mitaxa

Jeremiah's grand daughters Esme and Doris Wicking described him as, " having been blessed with a great sense of humour and a man that enjoyed playing with his grandchildren, rewarding them with gifts." A favorite Christmas pastime was tying bunches of cherries on the garden bushes & hiding sovereigns in the gravel path for the amusement of his grandchildren. Doris Wicking recalls this story, " Grandpa was frightened of fast moving bicycles on the streets of Ballarat. He was crippled in one leg by a mining accident & he always used a walking stick. He took great delight in poking his walking stick into the wheel of an unfortunate speedster who rode too close to him, spilling the culprit into the muddy street".

Notes

All photographs on this page sourced from family album

External links

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--Howard Wicking 10:45, 14 March 2016 (AEDT)