Maria Greentree (1831-1920)

Obituary
Another grand old Hawkesbury native has gone to her rest, in the person of Mrs. George Turnbull, who died on the 15th in stant, at the ripe old age of almost 90 years. She was the widow of the late George Turnbull, of Wilberforce, and lived the whole of her long life, with the exception of the last three years, at Sackville Reach and Wilberforce. Three years ago she went to reside with her eldest daughter, Mrs. R. Jones, at Wellington, and died there. The late Mrs. Turnbull was a fine Christian woman, endowed with great piety, and took a very deep and abiding interest in the religious and material progress of this district, and in all movements which had for their object the advancement of the people. She enjoyed remarkably good health for her great age, and was ill only two weeks prior to her death. She was one of the noble type of women who, by their example and precepts, leave the world a better place than they found it. Five of her children survive her, viz. :—Mrs. R. Jones (Wellington), Mr. H. A. Turnbull (Sydney), Mr. Louis D. Turnbull, J.P., (Geurie), Mr. Irwin Turnbull (Springwood), and Mrs. James Buttsworth ( West Austra lia). Her daughter, Mrs. Harold Dean, and son, Amos George Turnbull, pre-deceased her. As instancing the wonderful progress the State has made since the late Mrs. Turhbull's childhood, it is interesting to mention that there were no denominational or public school then, and her father provided a private tutor who lived in the home. At that time no railways had been constructed in the State, and communication with Sydney was by coach or private vehicle, while produce had to be carted by road from the Hawkesbury to Sydney. The remains of the late Mrs. Turnbull were brought from Wellington by train, and laid to rest by the side of those of her late husband, in the historic Presbyterian cemetery at Ebenezer. The Rev. D. Baird, assisted by Rev. J. Scharkie, conducted the burial service. A short service was first held in the church, and was attended by a large number of relatives and friends. The late Mrs. Turnbull was a daughter of the late Reuben Greentree, and a sister of that fine old Hawkesbury native, Mr. Reuben Greentree, J.P., of Wilberforce, who is now over 80 years of age. One of the deceased's sisters is Mrs. Jane Gosper, of Meranburn, in the Molong district, who is 83 years of age. The deceased's husband, George Turnbull, was a grandson of one of the early Presbyterian pioneers, John Turnbull, who settled at Ebenezer in 1802, and was buried in the historic cemetery there in 1834. The father, grandfather and great grandfather of the present generation of Turnbulls are all buried there.

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