Who was the first discoverer of gold in Gympie
DENMAN Reuben John
Who was the first discoverer of Gold at Gympie?
R. J. Denman claimed that he led James Nash to the spot where Gympie gold was discovered on the understanding that any success would be shared.
In the England Census for the 30th March 1851 he is listed as John, 20 years old with an occupation of Stationer living with his Mother, a Widow, and a sister, Mary Anne who is 19 years old.
Reuben John DENMAN arrived, from London, in Sydney Australia on 5th June 1861 on the City of Melbourne as a crew member.
On the 24th December 1862, in Sydney, Reuben John DENMAN, a native of Staunton England, married Elizabeth Caroline Brown, a daughter of Robert Brown and Elizabeth nee Leighton of Sydney.
Their children were all born in Queensland, they were Eliza Elizabeth 1865 – 1957, Reuben John Jnr 1869 – 1885, Robert William 1872 – 1946, Edward Staunton 1876 – 1928, Sydney Josiah 1878 (no birth registered) – 1950, Sophia Sydney 1878 (birth registered, no death or marriage) (a birth notice for the same date only states a son being born), Mary Anne 1880 – 1944, Abraham Henry 1882 – 1952 & Walter Charles 1884 – 1884.
” A sight of unusual interest is afforded by a monster raft of splendid cedar from the Upper Mary, nearly a thousand feet in length, which is now lying in the river alongside, and for some distance above the timber yard of Messrs. Cooper and Jones, the purchasers. The value of this immense mass of highly-prized material is between two and three thousand pounds, and most of it has taken Mr. Denman, the original owner, two years to fell and collect from a point 180 miles distant from the head of regular navigation. It will give some idea of the toil to be encountered in piloting down so huge a pile of timber when we state that some of the logs are upwards of six feet in diameter, while few run less than a yard, and that these bulky masses were for the distance above indicated entirely dependent on a chance freshet for their transportation.
Mr. Denman, who has some claim to be considered the originator of the gold discovery at Gympie, as the first to put the actual discoverer, Mr. Nash, on to the spot — is now about to retire from the pursuit of his long and not unprofitable labours in opening up the cedar trade on our noble river. It is to be hoped that the opening thus afforded to a man of enterprise and moderate capital will not long remain neglected. Mr. D. informs us that there is plenty of cedar, of equal size and quality to that inspected by us, existing on the banks of the Upper Mary, and it would be a pity that a trade so eminently conducive to the prosperity of any seaport town capable of commanding it should be suffered to fall into abeyance.
Some of the timber forming part of Mr. Denman’s raft has already been converted into planks by the sawmill, and the unusual width of many of these— varying from three to four feet — added to their closeness of grain and beauty of marking, point them out as fully equal to mahogany for heavy descriptions of furniture, while the most elegant veneers are produced from others of a more knotty texture and intricate veinage. A continued and regular export of this favourite description of timber in a wrought condition would soon exercise a beneficial influence on the trade and traffic of the town and its river. “
Here is a letter written by DENMAN, in December 1869, to the Editor of the Maryborough Mail stating his side of their meeting and the discovery of Gold and the aftermath.
” Sir, – Having had my attention called by you to a statement in the Gympie Times, of the first rise and early history of the Gympie Goldfield, I now wish to give you the facts of the case, so far as they are within my personal knowledge. I am aware that where I am known my word will be considered sufficient testimony, but lest any at a distance should be inclined to doubt, I beg to say that for all the first interview between myself and Mr James Nash, I can, if requisite, produce two witnesses who were at that time in my employ, and who heard the whole conversation which transpired.
“About the middle of September, 1867, I was camped on Umamah Creek, some few miles above Traveston, on the north or Maryborough side of the river, engaged in the cedar business. One day, at this time a man came to my camp inquiring his way to Widgee. He said his name was Nash. As it was about dinner time, he was asked to take dinner with us. Afterwards a conversation to the following purport took place. Nash said perhaps I had heard of a man prospecting on Imbil (Yabber) Creek, and that he was the person. He showed me about three pennyweights of gold which he had got there. I remarked that where he got that gold he must be near the reef, as the gold was rough and not waterworn. He said he could not make it pay him, and he was now going to Widgee to try that country, having heard it much spoken of, he had £2 left, and he would give it a good trial as long as that lasted, and if he came on nothing he would have to go back to the old game. On asking what that was, he said shepherding.
“I told him I had an experience of twelve years at digging in Victoria and New South Wales, and from what I know of the matter, and of the country about Widgee, it was useless to go there ‘But,’ I said, ‘if you like to go to a place I can tell you of, you can get gold, and I believe it will be payable’ His reply was, ‘By G— if you will tell me I’ll go’ “I then told him he must take my track across the river to Traveston, and stop there the night, and that in the morning he should ask the stockman – Mr Best, now of the One mile, and treasurer of the Gympie Race Club – to put him on the Maryborough track. I described to him the creeks and gullies he would have to pass before he came to the Twelve-mile Creek (now the Deep Creek) Here, I told him, he would find a log crossing, which I had made to fetch my drays over, and, said I, as soon as you are over that creek you are in a gold country. I advised him to go on about a mile, until he came to a waterhole, when he had better turn to and wash his stuff in that hole, as he would then be in the midst of a gold country. He left my camp, and went to Traveston that night. “
“Nash obtained the directions required at Traveston, and went straight on to the waterhole in question, long since filled up by the wash dirt washed there, and, as I ascertained subsequently, from a statement of his, within 24 hours of the time I was telling him of the
place, he was washing out 8 pennyweights to the dish. He continued there eight or ten days
and then repaired to Brisbane, where he sold 62 ounces of gold to Messrs. Flavelle Brothers,
Queen street, stating that he had brought it from the Cape River. He then telegraphed to his brother in Sydney, and he and Malcolm at once returned, bringing with them a horse and dray, with rations, &c. After his return, I passed that way and had some conversation with him. He washed a dish of stuff in my presence, and got two or three colors from it.
He said that was just what he could get wherever he tried, but he could get nothing payable.
He also stated that he had gone down to Brisbane and had fallen in with this mate of his,
who had a little money, and who had bought the horse and cart, &c. They liked the look of
the country or intended giving it two or three months trial, and had fetched the dray to cart
their dirt from wherever they were prospecting to the water. I remarked that it was very
strange, that there ought to be good gold in that country. I asked him, if he dropped on
anything, to let me know. He said he would, and I left.
“After this I heard no more of him until eight or ten days after the rush had taken place I then, on reaching the rush, accused him of having deceived me, and of telling me an
untruth. He said, as things had turned out, it would have been better if he had told me the
truth, but being so excited he did not know what to do until he had his own interest secured. ‘But never mind,’ he said, ‘I will give you one of my claims, and if I get the reward you shall have half of it’ I need not tell you, sir, as everyone knows already, that he never did the one or the other, and that I never got the value of a penny piece from him in any way as an acknowledgment of the value of my information ; although he always acknowledged it in his conversation.”
Such, Sir, is a plain and truthful statement of my connection with the discovery of Gympie,
and I do really think it rather hard that after losing any pecuniary benefit which I might think myself entitled to, writers in the Press should not only entirely ignore me, but give a perverted and incorrect statement of the whole affair. I think it but a pardonable pride on my
part to desire the true state of the case to be given to the public, believing as I do, that had
it not been for me, Gympie would probably have been unheard of for the next twenty years.
—I have, &c.,
R. J. Denman.
Maryborough, December 31, 1869. ”
He was a resident of Maryborough for 30 years.
Reuben John DENMAN passed away suddenly on the 26th August 1890, at his residence, at the age of 58 years. He had been in failing health of late, but attended to his various duties up to the last. He was described as a quiet unassuming man.
Probates and Administrations had Reuben John DENMAN classed as a Master Mariner.
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So, if you are thinking of starting, or you are doing your family tree, and have any kin whom have worked and lived in the Gympie area, as far back 1867,
the Gympie Family History Society, has and access to thousands of mining records of all types.
Ask our research officer, and check out our website for details on how to contact us or opening times, or send us an email to research@gfhs.com.au
Top photograph: Mary river, Gympie – cedar and silky oak logs.
Story written by Conny Visini
Sources: TROVE, Ancrestry & Qld BDM
Previously published in GFHS Facebook & Gympie Today newspaper.
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