Frances was always interested in Daniel Hugh Evans. He was the son of Jane Edwards - the aunt to Frances. As Frances was left with this aunt after her mother's death this boy we might say [was] brought up at the same[?] - He preceded her to Australia but they were far apart still for he was at Wangaratta, and Clow often hearing his wife speaking if him decided to go there and look him up. His idea was also to obtain profitable employment if such may be found. He did get some work and sent a little money home. Meanwhile Margaret his sixth child was born. Then came a letter that Clow was dead. He sleeps in an unmarked grave on the banks of the Loddon 22 miles fromWangaratta. Frances was acquainted with Clow for about 13 years 1861-1874. To get the important facts of his life together has been very difficult. The marriage was celebrated by Pastor Logan - Afterwards Moderator of the Assembly and because he was much older than the bride he gave his age as 28 whereas he was 39 all out. I discovered his age by research in Scotland and by the subsequent discovery of his father's Bible. This shows information on a Legal Document cannot be depended on unless there are other facts with which to confirm it. It is strange Frances never doubted but that Clow was the age he said he was and to the day of her death she never knew it was otherwise. Frances shed rivers of tears for Clow she loved him most affectionately and longed to be buried with him. Of his six children only three remembered him. - He was a well mannered gentleman. Nothing is known how he spent his early life. I think he must have come to Melbourne in the first place with the Rev. James Clow: for he was well informed about the Minister's family. But he had never made any progress in life. And as he was somewhat given to drink it may have caused the break between him and the minister's family. Clow related incidents that he was connected with what occurred in Melbourne in 1839 which shows he was likely connected with Melbourne from its beginning. In the little business at Heyfield there was not a living for Frances and her children, and times were hard. She toiled by day and spent half the night crying. Still her little property was there and it was something. Two years passed and nothing bright seemed to show itself. One night she dreampt that she saw the roof open and a black angel got into bed beside her. Frances screamed in her sleep and awakened the children. Coming events cast their shadows before. It is not becoming for any man to speak against his father but I cannot refrain in this case. Of what service is Biographical information unless the correct information is given. Indeed I often wonder how much "History" as it is called is reliable? How much is glossed over to make a befitting readable connection to the narrative? Let the truth be told no matter who suffers. At this time viz: in the year of 1876 my father turned up at Heyfield. He was very nice to begin with and nice to Frances but his politeness was superficial - it was not lasting but it continued for a while until the end he had in view was accomplished, and he married Frances in 1876 - The marriage was performed by Pastor Roberts of the Stratford Presbyterian Church. For a while they dwelt in Heyfield and my father persuaded Frances to sell the property. - It realised £140. It was purchased by Fox who sold it to the Government for a Police Station. The proceeds of the Heyfield property were used to make a home on a Selection situated six miles off on the Seaton Road. It was on the south side of the road and the house in which I was born stood almost level with the road, about three (Y) hundred yards to the western side of Welles' Creek. Opposite to us were Smitzer and Walker. My father's father lived closed [sic] to Rev. James Clow at Dandenong, and while he [RJC's father] was a boy he drove bullocks for James Clow while he was that small that he had to stand on a box to yoke them up. He got to be called Clow but his right name was Armstrong. At the time he married Frances he owned the Union Hotel at Sandhurst - as Bendigo was then called. Two Blocks of forty acres each. One selected by Frances and one by my father and a twelve acre block that originally belonged to Harry Welles was purchased by Frances and these three paddocks comprised the estate. Some of the last of the descendant stock of the cattle Frances had earned at Sale grazed on these fields. Indeed I remember the very last one. The place was fenced and a good spacious bark house was built and by this time I was hourly expected and Frances became my mother. I was born just at 12 oclock noon-day on June 11th 1877. Mrs. Barker was in attendance on my mother at the time. She went out and said: "A fine son," and my father rushed in to see me. The Government surveyors were at the place engaged on a survey of the top paddock. Addressing the nurse father said "You had better make the surveyors a cup of tea." Bother them," Mrs. Barker replied, "Let them go - you won't get a bit more land." At any rate father made her get the tea for them. [The] Clow children gave me a very happy welcome to this world and they always treated me as a full brother. Harry the youngest boy was greatly delighted he said: "I never thought we would have a baby, Mama." Upon Mrs. Barker devolved the necessity of explaining my arrival to the children in the house. The house in which the nurse lived was on the northern side of the Seaton Road and stood on the eastern bank of Welles' Creek on a little flat and in front of her house was a mulberry tree. Now Mrs. Barker explained to the children in our home that she was digging in her garden and she found me under the mulberry tree. What perhaps helped to aid this suggestion was I had a Mulberry mark on my thigh. Mrs. Barker showed this to the children and she told them that was where she cut me with a spade while she was digging me out if the ground. This story much interested Harry and thinking more discoveries might be made he took a spade, and dug in our garden thinking to find another baby like me, but no more were to be had. When he got tired he asked Maggie to watch where he had been digging and he said "bye and by you will see his little footey-tootey coming up." Harry was seven years my senior and when I was eleven years and Harry was seated in a fine company of grown ups I related this incident. I could see Harry was greatly embarrassed. I gave the whole story fully out. Harry said nothing; but I looked at him and can remember him blushing. After I was born progress in that district was very slow and to obtain employment Dad went to Queensland, and mother and the children were in occupation of Seaton. Affairs the while had their bright side but many sad things also occurred. Funds ran low in the house and Fanny [Fanny Susannah, b.1862] Willie [William Peter, b.1864] and Bella [Isabella, b.1866] were all placed in situations because there was no money at home to buy food for them. James [James Edward, b.1869/70] was only nine and was placed with McCann. Maggie [Margaret Morrison, b.1874] was taken for a short time by Miss Temple at Heyfield. To provide for Harry [Henry Morrison, b.1871] as best she could mother placed him with Mrs. Shore [Shaw] at Glenmaggie. And mother used to go frequently to see him. When it would be time for her to go Mrs. Shore would say: "Now Harry put on your hat, and go [a] bit of the way with your mother,["] and he would accompany her. About a mile on the road there was an old familiar tree. Thus far they would journey together, and by this tree they would both kneel down and pray for each other - Then they kissed and parted. Harry remained in the district until he was seventeen years old [1888]: then he got lost. What became of him was never known. Mother greived [sic] for him, and to the end of her days she looked well into the face of every stranger that she saw to see if it was her Harry. William was a big strong boy and worked at Newry. The children were young and they could earn but little. The worst feature of the selection was that as yet it was not in shape - It had to be developed and as yet had no carrying powers. Mother was glad the children were all away because she knew, even if some of them earned nothing their food was assured whereas at home the cupboard was empty, and no signs of it being replenished.