Oswald Hawsuel Ernest FREE and Adeline Ellen BENNETT Family
m. 6 Feb 1906
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Male
Oswald Hawsuel Ernest FREE
Birth 2 Oct 1881 Corack, Victoria, Australia 
Death 3 Mar 1964 Murrayville, Victoria, Australia Burial 1964 Cemetery, Cowangie, Victoria, Australia Marriage 6 Feb 1906 Donald, Victoria, Australia Father William FREE | F493 Group Sheet Mother Eliza FLAVELL | F493 Group Sheet
Female
Adeline Ellen BENNETT
Birth 6 Feb 1887 Donald, Victoria, Australia Death 8 Mar 1961 Murrayville, Victoria, Australia Burial 1961 Cemetery, Cowangie, Victoria, Australia Father Jonathan BENNETT | F571 Group Sheet Mother Eliza Emily TOUT | F571 Group Sheet
Female
+ Lilian Elizabeth FREE
Birth 14 Aug 1906 Watchem, Victoria, Australia Death 7 Nov 1999 Ouyen, Victoria, Australia Burial 1999 Cemetery, Cowangie, Victoria, Australia Spouse Charles Alfred MARSHALL | F18959 Marriage 1924 Cowangie, Victoria, Australia
Male
Ernest John FREE
Birth 8 Jun 1907 Watchem, Victoria, Australia Death 25 Jan 1960 Murrayville, Victoria, Australia Burial 1960 Cemetery, Cowangie, Victoria, Australia
Male
William Edward FREE
Birth 12 May 1908 Watchem, Victoria, Australia Death 19 Sep 1913 St Arnaud, Victoria, Australia Burial 1913 Cemetery, Watchem, Victoria, Australia
Female
+ Mary Eliza FREE
Birth 29 May 1909 Watchupga, Victoria, Australia Death 16 Apr 1962 Mildura, Victoria, Australia Burial 1962 Cemetery, Red Cliffs, Victoria, Australia Spouse Harold Thomas James O'NEIL | F7626 Marriage 1930
Male
+ George Robert FREE
Birth 6 Sep 1910 Watchupga, Victoria, Australia Death 22 Jul 1984 Burial 1984 Grovely, Queensland, Australia Spouse Nevada Ellinor IMBURGER | F18960 Marriage UNKNOWN
Female
+ Amy Maud FREE
Birth 24 Oct 1912 Watchupga, Victoria, Australia Death 21 Jul 2005 Pinnaroo, South Australia, Australia Burial 2005 Cemetery, Murrayville, Victoria, Australia Spouse Edwin Reinhard MENZEL | F7627 Marriage 23 May 1932 Cowangie, Victoria, Australia
Female
+ Elsie May FREE
Birth 24 Oct 1914 Watchupga, Victoria, Australia Death 13 May 1997 Burial 1997 Centennial Park, South Australia, Australia Spouse Reginald Herbert WALKER | F18961 Marriage
Female
+ Mavis FREE
Birth 6 Mar 1917 Speed, Victoria, Australia Death 9 Jul 2013 Strathalbyn, South Australia, Australia Burial 2013 Strathalbyn, South Australia, Australia Spouse Erwin Harold SCHULTZ | F18962 Marriage 26 Jan 1933 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Notes - From the memory of grandson Desmond Stanley Menzel
In 1917 Ernest Oswald (Ern) & wife Adeline Ellen Free (nee Bennett) moved from Watchem to Pallarang, in the North West Mallee Victoria with their family of 4 daughters and 2 sons. A 3rd son had passed away before the move. During their journey Adeline gave birth to another daughter. They settled on a farm at Pallarang where they farmed for several years, the children attended the Pallarang State School. The Free home was always a welcome haven for family & friends with many fond memories of the families getting together to celebrate Christmas & other special occasions.
Adeline was the driving force of the family, Ern being quite a subdued quiet man smoking his pipe out on the verandah, one wonders whether the sad memory of his father William's death was etched in his mind.
Their eldest son Ernest John always known as "Mick" enlisted in the Army in 1942 & was discharged in 1945. Mick continued to work & manage the farm until his sudden death 1960 at home as a result of a heart attack.
This was a huge sad loss for Ern & Adeline & so they decided to sell their farm & move into the township of Cowangie, where they had a new home built they resided there until the death of Adeline in 1961.
After Adeline's death Ernest Oswald then 80 years of age & unable to care for himself went to live with his daughter Amy Maud Menzel (nee Free) Ernest passed away in the Murrayville Hospital, Victoria in 1964 & is buried alongside his loved ones at Cowangie Cemetery.
Eldest daughter Lillian Elizabeth “Doll” born in 1906 & Charles Alfred Marshall. Married 1924 Cowangie, Victoria. Lillian the eldest of the Free children had no formal schooling but after the death of her husband in 1963 she learnt to drive a motor car & obtained her driver’s licence at the age of 57.
Eliza Free second daughter of Ernest & Adeline was born 1909. Mary suffered from very bad arthritis & was confined to a wheelchair for many years, she passed away in 1962.
Youngest son George Robert Free lived & worked on his parent’s farm at Pallarang until late 1930's when he moved to Brisbane Queensland in the late 1930's. His first wife died & then he married Nevada Ellinor Imburger. Little is known of George & his family.
3rd daughter Amy Maud Free & husband Edwin “Eddie” lived on a farm at Duddo, Victoria about 5 kms north of Danyo. The sad loss of their baby son Keith Edwin in 1937 at the age of 3 weeks was heartbreaking to the family. Amy Maud was always a huge support to her parents & family & was an inspiration to all who knew her. Amy, Edwin & their unmarried son Lindsay Ronald “Ron” moved from their farm into Murrayville. After the death of Edwin & Lindsay Ronald (Ron) who died suddenly in 1996 Amy then resided in Pinnaroo Hospital Nursing Home due to ill health.
4th daughter Elsie May Free married Reginald Herbert Walker and they resided in Adelaide, South Australia & had three sons. The Walker family enjoyed many visits to the Mallee visiting Elsie's parents Ernest & Adeline & families.
Mavis Free the youngest daughter married Erwin Harold Schultz. “Ervie” as he was known resided in the Cowangie district in the Mallee where their 3 daughters were born.
In 1948 they sold their farm & moved with their daughters to Strathalbyn, South Australia. The family was well known in the district & successfully farmed until Mavis & Erwin retired into Strathalbyn. Mavis was the last surviving member Ernest & Adeline's family she passed away in 2013.
- From the memory of grandson Desmond Stanley Menzel