Parliamentary Service |
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Electorates
- MLC East Province 6 May 1903 (by-election)–May 1904
- Contested Albany 1871 (by-election), Plantagenet 6 December 1890, East Province 30 May 1904
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Personal Information |
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21 February 1843 |
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Buckland, Northam, Western Australia |
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6 March 1909 |
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Muresk, Western Australia |
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Northam Cemetery, Western Australia |
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James McLean, sea captain, and Ann Ellen Pratt
Brother of Charles Edward Dempster, farmer and politician |
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Married (1) 28 August 1867, Northam to Mary Emily Marsden (born 11 January 1840), daughter of William and Mary Catherine, stepdaughter of Reverend Charles Clay, and a descendant of Reverend Samuel Marsden
Children: six sons and four daughters
Widowed 12 October 1888
Married (2) 12 January 1891, St Johns Church, Northam to Sarah Roe (nee Clarkson) (born 15 September 1846–died 1912), widow, daughter of Michael and Jane Drummond
No children |
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Church of England |
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Lowe’s School, Fremantle and Reverend Dacres Williams’ School, Guildford
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Farmer |
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1864 went overland with stock from Northam to Esperance, obtained further pastoral rights, also exploring for water Dundas Hills, 1866 in Fraser Range
1870–1871 exploration and well-sinking in Fraser Range, 1874 obtained lease and grant of 4,500 acres
1871 acquired cutter Gypsy, transported wool to Adelaide, stores and stock from Fremantle, sheep to Esperance islands, seal hunting
1875 to Toodyay, 1878 returned to Esperance, constructed police station, then moved to Down Farm (now Muresk) near Northam |
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With brothers first European settlers in Esperance district
Took part in numerous exploratory expeditions, 1860 east of Northam, 1861 with Charles Harper and BD Clarkson to Georgina Range
1863 chartered Emelia for south coast exploration, with brother Charles Edward opened up stock route between Esperance and Perth, leased 100,000 acres at Esperance
1874 with brothers obtained three adjacent blocks of 10,000 acres each plus 1,000 acre grant
Also 1873 with brothers purchased Drummond steam mill and farm in Toodyay Valley and owned Billabong station in north-west
1872 inherited property in Rockingham, Toodyay and Northam districts from Charles Pratt (grandfather)
1888 Justice of the Peace
1890 inherited property and livestock from father, 1907 Dempster brothers partnership dissolved
Foundation member Northam Race Club, Clerk of Course, member Western Australian Turf Club |
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D Black and G Bolton, eds, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia: volume one 1870-1930, Parliamentary History Project, Perth, WA, 2010, p. 62-63. |
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