George Finn: a man of sorrow.

Poor George seems to have suffered from melancholia. He followed his brothers Robert and Stephen to Australia. In 1841 he lived with his widowed mother, Elizabeth and his brother James (21), John (19), the twins Nathaniel and Elizabeth (18), Phoebe (16) and young Elijah (14). The house would be crowded.

Helped by his brother Robert, George came to South Australia before 1855 when Robert wrote his letter home. As yet, there is no record of him on any shipping list. The first record is his marriage to Fanny Finn, the widow of his brother Nathaniel.

At the time, the family settled in Gawler.

They enjoyed a happy marriage and had a house and land. However, a court case with Dr Ayliffe caused him great distress. There was a matter between Dr Ayllife and Fanny Finn. Ayliffe was not only a Dr, but he was also highly connected as a relative and benefactor of the George Wyndham (1787-1869), a natural son of the 3rd Earl of Egmont. The latter was created Baron Leconfield in 1859 (as he was illegitimate, he could not inherit the Earldom). The Baron had funded the Ayliffe family's immigration to South Australia. However, Ayllife was often short of money and was known to chase down debts in full. The nature of the conflict between Fanny and the good Dr is unknown.

However, as the following article in the South Australian Chronicle reporting the suicide of George, it would seem he had lost hope of winning the case. He was seeking a local doctor to sign a letter. The letter gave his wife leave to not appear in court due to illness.

South Australian Chronicle and Weekly Mail (Adelaide, SA: 1868 - 1881) - Saturday 16 October 1880

DROWNED IN A WELL.

An inquest was held on Saturday, October 9, at the Eden Valley Hotel, by Mr. W. M. Vigar, J.P., on the body of George Finn, who had been found in a well about two miles from the township. Mr. A. Lampe was chosen foreman of the jury.

Samuel Pinson said - As I was returning home from Angaston yesterday I saw deceased's horse tied up to Mr. Heggie's fence, about two miles from here. Called out deceased's name several times but got no answer. Then got out of the cart and went to the horse and towards the well, which is about fifty yards from the fence where the horse was tied. Mrs. Russach asked me if I saw that hat that the dogs were smelling at. The hat was about 8 or 10 feet from the well. Thought the hat belonged to deceased. Looked down the well, but saw nothing. Drove on to Eden Valley and sent a telegram to Trooper Bertram at Mount Pleasant that I feared George Finn had drowned himself in a well. Then went back to the well, and searched it and found the body. Made no attempt to search the well when I first, went to it, as I had no means of doing so. Was on friendly terms, with deceased. The covering on the well was in the same state when I first saw it as when the jury viewed it. Saw no foot marks near the well, but saw several in the road by the house, as if a man had been to and fro several times. Deceased was a sober man. Never thought him to be a man to be likely to do such, a rash act, but thought the case of Ayliffe against his wife troubled him a good deal.

Wm. Edge, farmer, Flaxman's Valley, gave similar evidence.

H. Rogers, of South Rhine, said - I was in the valley yesterday afternoon when news was brought that George Finn was supposed to have drowned himself in Heggie's well. I went with others to the well and search was made. Mr. W. Green went down in the well to the water edge and bound a rope round the body of deceased. Was requested by those present to search the body and did so. Found the telegram, purse, handkerchief , and letter produced. The letter was one written by deceased's wife for him to take to the Local Court, at Angaston with reference to the case of Ayliffe against herself. Handed the articles over to the police

W. Green, of Eden Valley, said - I searched the well and found the body, and brought it to the top. Life was extinct. Only saw one mark on the body on the left temple, which I think was caused by bringing it up out of the well. Believed deceased jumped into the well, as it was a very small one. The body would not be likely to turn in the well, and it came to the surface head first.

James Haines said - I saw the deceased on October 2, when he said before he would have another month like the last they would have to pick his old bones up. Saw him again yesterday about 10 o'clock. He asked if I had seen a doctor knocking about. Said no ; he was then going towards Pompa. I asked him how they were all at home, He said very bad. That is the last time I saw him.

Michael Burk, farmer, Eden Valley, said — I saw the deceased about 11 o'clock yesterday, He was coming across my paddock. He said, he had been to Mr. Vaughan's to look for the doctor, but he had left. Asked him how he, got on at Angaston yesterday with the lawsuit between Dr. Ayliffe and his wife. He said, 'Very bad I got to be in Angaston today at 12 o'clock, and now it is 11, and I cannot get the doctor's certificate to take as my wife cannot appear, being too ill in bed. I don't know what to-do, for Ayliffe and Pinson will have the roof off my house.'' Asked him what be meant, and he said, “There will be an execution in the place before night.” I told him they could not do that and asked him why he could not let his brother know. He said there was no time. Told him to put his cattle in my paddock if he liked until he could see his brother, he then said, “Oh, let them rip.” I never saw him alive again.

Doratha Russach gave similar evidence to that given by Pinson.

John Bott said - Deceased was my father-in-law. Last saw him alive on Thursday evening. He told me some two or three weeks since that he would sooner be dead than go through the same trouble he had been through. When I last saw him he seemed to be in rather low spirits. Never thought he meant to commit suicide. He was sixty-two years of age, and lived happily with his wife. The only think I knew to trouble him was the law case with Dr. Ayliffe and his wife.

The 'jury returned the following verdict - We are of opinion that George Finn met his death by drowning in a well while laboring under a state of temporary insanity, accelerated by trouble re the court case Ayliffe v. Finn.

Fanny is a widow again. She has four children and an insecure future.