HESSE Eva   NEW

Compiled by Gordon Freegard based on research by Merilyn Stewart

Born in South Australia about 1891, Mrs. Hesse came to W.A. on 24th May 1904. Mrs. Hesse, a step-sister of Mrs. Jane Black, moved to Gnowangerup in 1911 as a young girl. She later married Jack Hesse Senior and they went to Ravensthorpe to live for a short time.
On returning to Gnowangerup, they took up farming at Jackitup. She and her husband traveled to Ravensthorpe by wagon and team of horses to pick up their furniture and other goods.
With her step-sister and brother-in-law, and their family, she then made the arduous return journey of 140 miles in 1919. Some of the family traveled by horse and cart.
Mrs. Hesse herself made most of the journey on horseback—herding cows. The trip took ten days, traveling being done only during the day.
At this time, Mrs. Hesse had two children, one a boy of three or four years, and the other a baby girl. Later three more daughters were added to the family.

Stops during the trip were made at Jerramungup, at the homestead of the late Ednie Hassell, and at the home of Mr. and Mrs. St. John at Ongerup.
The party ran out of flour when nearing Gnowangerup, but James Beard whose property they were passing through, came to the rescue and made a large damper in his camp oven. No bread ever tasted better.
The house Mrs. Hesse moved into on the farm was a very low-roofed place, which had been erected by Mr. George Tussler, who lived nearby.
Mrs. Hesse's husband, son, and one daughter still live in the district.
Mrs. Hesse passed on at Albany on April 10, 1952

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