"Jimmy" / "Jamie" James Kinnear HEBITON
Born 1880 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia [15]
Son of saddler James HEBITON and Jane Hannah LANG [15] [20]
Resided with his parents in New South Wales until 1884 when he shifted with them back to their native Scotland [28] [120: 5-Oct-1933]
He was living with his parents and four brothers at 43 Saundyfauld Street, Govan in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1891 [20]
By 1901 he was working as a Clerk and boarding with a family at 3 West King Street in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, Scotland [20]
Immigrated to Western Australia where he secured employment with the Midland Railway Company as a Railway Guard [120: 5-Oct-1933]
Married (1) "Jenny" Janet Cochran Malcolm BAIN in Fremantle in 1902 [15]
His wife's brother Donald M. BAIN had immigrated to Western Australia and also worked for the Midland Railway Company [6] [50]
His wife Janet passed away on 12 January 1921, aged 47 years, and was buried at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth [2]
Married (2) Ethel Elizabeth COCKING in Perth in 1924 [66]
Railway Guard in Walkaway 1906-1909 [44] [50]
He was in Walkaway when he purchased the 482 acre Lot 11 of the Kadathinni Agricultural Area in Three Springs [44]
The Kadathinni Agricultural Area was 10,000 acres in size and was initially intended to be a State Experimental Farm [120: 5-Oct-1933]
Farmer of Inverbeg Farm in Three Springs 1910-1951 [4: 17-Nov-1951] [19] [44]
His early settlement and farming efforts along with others of his time helped prove the potential wealth of the district [120: 5-Oct-1933]
Purchased additional farmland increasing his Inverbeg Farm in Three Springs to 1,500 acres [120: 29-Dec-1929, 5-Oct-1933]
Also acquired a further 8,000 acres which made up his Bonnie Doon Farm, which was used mainly for the grazing of stock [120]
Grew 150 acres of crop on his farm in Three Springs in 1910 [9: 17-Jun-1910]
His 1910 crop was "good and regular, and testified to the fertility of the soil, and to a good rainfall" in Three Springs [31: 7-Oct-1910]
"Hebiton Bros" exhibited a sheaf of Gregson wheat at the Moora Agricultural Society's Annual Show in Moora in 1910 [9: 28-Oct-1910]
His crop was among those inspected when Samuel F. MOORE M.L.A. visited Three Springs on 30 September 1910 [9: 14-Oct-1910]
The Three Springs Race Club's Inaugural Race Meeting was held in one of his cleared paddocks on 9 March 1911 [9: 17-Mar-1911]
Member of the Kadathinni Farmers & Progress Association in 1910 and 1911 [9: 28-Oct-1910, 24-Feb-1911]
By 1911 he had been appointed a Justice of the Peace and local Honorary Magistrate [9: 23-Jun-1911] [31: 30-Jun-1911]
In mid 1911 was appointed one of three trustees to make plans for the construction of an Agricultural Hall in Three Springs [9: 2-Jun-1911]
Member of the committee who had the Agricultural Hall built in Three Springs in 1912 [9: 12-Jul-1912]
He was also one of 15 guarantors who covered the £300 debt to complete and furnish the new Agricultural Hall [9: 12-Jul-1912]
He donated five shillings to the Moora District Hospital Fund during November 1912 [9: 15-Nov-1912]
Donated the prize for the dux of Standard V of the Three Springs State School in 1913 [9: 19-Dec-1913]
Chaired the Social & Concert held in Three Springs on 24 April 1914 to welcome Rev. J. W. BAYLISS to the district [10: 1-May-1914]
Also competed in and won the guessing competitions conducted during the evening (with 12 out of 15 correct guesses) [10]
Member of the Hall Committee that managed the Agricultural Hall in Three Springs - was Secretary in 1914-15 [10: 10-Aug-1915]
Played dozens of games of crib at a Surprise Party held at David TODD's home in Three Springs in early February 1915 [10: 5-Feb-1915]
Attended the Saint Patrick's Day Sports Meeting held at the recreation ground in Three Springs on 17 March 1915 [10: 26-Mar-1915]
Attended the lecture "Factors on Wheat Growing" by a professor at the Commercial Hotel in Three Springs in 1915 [10: 21-Sep-1915]
Won 2nd prize for a Collection of Vegetables at the "Three Springs Day" on Monday 16 September 1915 [10: 24-Sep-1915]
One of four men appointed to manage and control the Three Springs Recreation Reserve in 1916 [10: 18-Aug-1916]
Trustee of the Three Springs Recreation Reserve No. 12432 for at least 13 years, as he was still a Trustee in 1929 [4: 17-Aug-1929]
Awarded prizes for entries exhibited in the Wheat sections of the Royal Show held in Perth during October 1916 [10: 20-Oct-1916]
Attended the talk and debate on the issue of conscription held in Three Springs on Tuesday 17 October 1916 [10: 24-Oct-1916]
He gave evidence to the Royal Commission on the Agricultural Industries of W.A. in Three Springs on 16 December 1916 [152]
Provided one of his paddocks as the grounds for the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee's Sports Meeting in 1917 [124]
Judge of the horse races at the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee's Sports Meeting on Saturday 17 March 1917 [124]
Vice President of the Three Springs Saint Patrick's Day Committee's Sports Meetings on 16 March 1918 and 17 March 1919 [124]
Grew 280 acres of wheat crop on his Three Springs property in 1917 [10: 19-Jun-1917]
Won 2nd prize for Wheaten Sheaves at the Three Springs Day on Mrs Minnie M. WATSON's farm on 26 September 1918 [10: 4-Oct-1918]
Won the Sunday Times Cup for the Best Wheat Exhibit at the Perth Royal Show in 1918 and again in 1919 [10: 24-Oct-1919, 14-Nov-1919]
Inaugural Director of the North Midlands Farmers' Co-operative Company in 1919 [9: 27-Jun-1919]
As early as 1916 he'd tried to get local farmers to co-operate so they could save through bulk purchases, sales and freights [152]
Manager of the North Midlands Farmers' Co-operative Company in Three Springs 1922-1929 [4: 10-Nov-1928] [120: 26-Dec-1929]
Gave a bag of pedigreed wheat to the Basket Social & Dance in Three Springs in aid of Church funds on 10 February 1919 [9: 21-Feb-1919]
On the back of his truck Conveyed a large number of people to the local Sunday School Picnic on 11 October 1919 [10: 17-Oct-1919]
Sold six bales of wool for 15½d. per pound through Elder Smith & Co at the first sale of the season in November 1921 [10: 11-Nov-1921]
As of January 1922 "the record wheat crop of the Three Springs district" was believed to have been a crop he grew [10]
The crop in question was a 30 acre plot of Sailor's Fortune wheat, which averaged 40 bushels per acre [10: 6-Jan-1922]
He made a donation to the Harvest Thanksgiving Service at the Presbyterian Church in Midland Junction in 1922 [129: 3-Mar-1922]
The Three Springs Kangaroo Hunting & Picnic Party inspected his crops on the way their hunt of 1-2 September 1922 [9: 15-Sep-1922]
Awarded 1st prize for Bag of Wheat exhibited at the Three Springs Day held on Thursday 28 September 1922 [9: 20-Oct-1922]
Received 1st prize for an exhibit of Fairback wheat in Class 2 for Zone 2 at the Royal Show in Perth in October 1922 [9: 20-Oct-1922]
Judge of the General Exhibits at the Annual Show & Sports Carnival in Carnamah on Thursday 20 September 1923 [86: 4-Oct-1923]
By 1924 he'd acquired 1,825 acres of land adjoining and near the western banks of the Mulliah / Yarra Yarra Lakes in Three Springs [44]
The 1,825 acres consisted of Victoria Locations 3375, 3406, 3467, 3479, 3480, 4494, 5467 [44]
Victoria Locations 3375, 3467, 3479, 3480 and 4494 were adjoining and adjoined his brother John's Victoria Location 6613 [44] [62]
Victoria Locations 3406 and 5467 were adjoining but separate from the other blocks, being a short distance to the south west [62]
His wife later owned the nearby Victoria Location 4123 which almost adjoins the western banks of the Yarra Yarra Lakes [61] [62]
This and further land is believed to have made up his 8,00 acre Bonnie Doon Farm in Three Springs [120: 5-Oct-1933]
In 1926 it was remarked that he had "demonstrated his thorough methods of farming to be fruitful" [81: 24-Oct-1926]
Speaker at the Valedictory Social for his co-op co-worker Mrs Edith SHEPPARD in Three Springs on 11 November 1927 [9: 18-Nov-1927]
Attended the conference in Three Springs on 2 March 1928 to discuss the formation of a Road Board in Three Springs [4: 10-Mar-1928]
Attended the wedding dance of Charles ROBERTSON and Winifred M. LANG at the Carnamah Hall on 27 March 1928 [4: 31-Mar-1928]
In 1928 he grew 500 acres of wheat and carried 1,700 Merino sheep and 100 head of horses and cattle [120: 5-Oct-1933]
Inaugural Committee Member of the Three Springs Agricultural Society in 1928 [4: 29-Sep-1928]
Proposed one of the toasts at the Official Luncheon of the Society's First Annual Show held on 20 September 1928 [4: 29-Sep-1928]
He was the Society's President in 1933, and Vice President 1935-1937 [5: 26-May-1933, 17-May-1935, 1-May-1936, 25-Mar-1937]
In 1936 himself, William M. CARMODY and Evander W. FRANKLIN drew up rules and by-laws for the Society [5: 22-May-1936]
Committee Member and Schedule Committee Member of the Society in 1937 [5: 2-Jul-1937]
Won 1st prize for Sheep Skins and 2nd for Merino Fleeces at the first annual Three Springs Agricultural Show in 1928 [4: 29-Sep-1928]
In 1928 he was described as "one of the most successful farmers" in Western Australia [4: 9-Jun-1928]
The Irwin Index newspaper reported he was "responsible for long list of meritorious performances in agrarian pursuits" [4: 9-Jun-1928]
Secretary of the committee that built the North Midlands District Hospital in 1929 [120: 26-Dec-1929]
Inaugural Board Member of the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs in 1929 [120: 26-Dec-1929]
Advertised in April 1929 that he had Ruakua and Burt's Early varieties of seed oats for sale for 4/- per bushel [4: 6-Apr-1929]
Managed the North Midlands Farmers' Co-op until May 1929 when he retired to look after his extensive farming interests [4: 18-May-1929]
During his time as manager of the Co-op his telephone number had been Three Springs-7 [60]
Member of the Three Springs Progress Association in 1929 [4: 25-May-1929]
Winner of the Fat Beast Guessing Competition held at the Three Springs Agricultural Society's Annual Show in 1929 [4: 19-Oct-1929]
Attended the funeral of Charles C. MALEY M.L.A. at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth on 16 October 1929 [4: 19-Oct-1929]
With a plot of Nabawa wheat won the Three Springs Agricultural Society's 50 acre crop competition in 1930 [4: 29-Nov-1930]
Attended the Commemoration Dinner held at the Commercial Hotel in Three Springs on Friday 26 August 1932 [5: 9-Sep-1932]
The dinner was to commemorate Three Springs having the highest average yield for wheat in the State for the 1931-32 season [5]
Exhibited in the Cattle, Wool and Grain-Fodder sections of the Three Springs Agricultural Show on 22 September 1932 [5: 30-Sep-1932]
Won 1st for Australian Strong White Wheat, Australian Premier Strong White Wheat, Wheaten Chaff, Brown Wheaten Chaff [5]
Won 2nd for Pure Breed Bull, Best Butter Yield, Medium Wool Merino Fleeces and Australian Premier Strong White Wheat [5]
Attended the Farewell Evening tendered to local pioneer Mrs Blanche M. KOCH in Three Springs on 3 December 1932 [4: 10-Dec-1932]
Justice of the Peace and Local Magistrate at cases that went before the Three Springs Police Court [5: 9-Jun-1933]
A sample of Carrabin wheat he grew was exhibited at the World Grain Show in Regina, Canada in 1933 [5: 4-Aug-1933]
Won 1st prize for Wheaten Chaff at the Three Springs Agricultural Show on Thursday 21 September 1933 [5: 29-Sep-1933]
Attended and spoke at the send-off to Albert and Elsie STOKES in Three Springs on Saturday 23 September 1933 [5: 29-Sep-1933]
Sold ten bales of wool at 17½d. per pound in Perth at the fourth wool sale of the season in December 1933 [5: 8-Dec-1933]
Received 3rd prize for Zone 1 in the Royal Agricultural Society's 50-acre Crop Competition in 1933 [5: 22-Dec-1933]
Pallbearer at the funeral of Mrs Ruth Henrietta FOGARTY at the Three Springs General Cemetery on 19 April 1934 [5: 27-Apr-1934]
Attended the Three Springs C.W.A. Ball at the Three Springs Hall on the evening of Thursday 22 November 1934 [5: 23-Nov-1934]
Served on the North Midlands Football Association's Disputes & Protests Board 1935-1937 [5: 3-May-1935, 25-Sep-1936, 30-Apr-1937]
In August 1935 the Three Springs Road Board resumed a small amount of his farmland from Victoria Locations 3479 and 3980 [5]
The resumed land was for the surveying and establishment of a road on the west side of the Yarra Yarra Lakes [5: 16-Aug-1935]
The Three Springs Road Board cleared a 22 feet wide road on the resumed land in July 1936 [5: 10-Jul-1936]
Won 1st prize for "Five Ewes Suitable for Breeding Export Lambs" at the Three Springs Agricultural Show in 1935 [5: 27-Sep-1935]
Sold 101 sheep through Westralian Farmers Ltd at a sheep sale at the Midland sale yards on Tuesday 8 October 1935 [5: 11-Oct-1935]
Sold 27 suckers at 15/10, 60 suckers at 17/7, 1 shorn wether for 11/4, 5 shorn lambs at 11/4, and 8 lambs at 16/7 per head [5]
Attended the funeral of Miss "May" Mary L. LANG of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on 26 November 1935 [5: 29-Nov-1935]
In December 1935 requested with the Three Springs Road Board for the closure of a road running though Victoria Location 4374 [5]
As the road led to a dead end in his farm the Board agreed with his request and recommended the road be closed [5: 13-Dec-1935]
A field demonstration of the 1936 Massey Harris 25-40 tractor was held on his farm in Three Springs on Saturday 22 August 1936 [5]
Pulling a 12-disc Sun general plough and an 18-tyne Sunduke scarifier the tractor easily rooted up hard baked clay [5: 4-Sep-1936]
Speaker at the Farewell Smoke Social to local Co-op manager Harold BARNETT in Three Springs on 14 September 1936 [5: 18-Sep-1936]
Successfully exhibited across six sections of the Three Springs Agricultural Show held on Thursday 17 September 1936 [5]
Received prizes for Australian Strong White Wheat (1st), Australian Premium White Wheat (1st & 2nd), Child's Pony (1st), [5]
Pen of Three Merino Ewes suitable for breeding export lambs (1st & 2nd), Wheatmeal (1st), Two Baconers (1st & 2nd), [5]
Two Porkers (2nd), Ham (2nd), Dressed Fowls (2nd), Lard (2nd), and milking strain Shorthorn Bull (2nd) [5: 25-Sep-1936]
Sold three wethers at 15/1 per head through Westralian Farmers Ltd at the Midland Market on 21 October 1936 [5: 23-Oct-1936]
Speaker at the Social Evening for newlyweds Richard H. S. & Rachel M. A. JAMES in Three Springs on 5 January 1937 [5: 8-Jan-1937]
Spoke on behalf of the old residents of the district and remarked that if they ever met troubles he hoped they'd be little ones [5]
In March 1937 the Three Springs Road Board were looking into providing a crossing to his Boonie Doon Farm [5: 25-Mar-1937]
He was one of only six who attended the Annual Ratepayers Meeting of the Three Springs Road Board on 22 March 1937 [5: 2-Apr-1937]
Spoke on behalf of the Justices of the Peace at the farewell to the CARMODY family in Three Springs on 12 July 1937 [5: 16-Jul-1937]
Speaker at the Valedictory held for Mrs Minnie WATSON & Arthur MORTIMER in Three Springs on 15 February 1938 [4: 19-Feb-1938]
Resided in Three Springs until his death in 1951 [2]
Died 8 November 1951; buried at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, Western Australia (Presbyterian, KA, 470) [2]
From the Progress Report of the Royal Commission on the
Agricultural Industries of Western Australia on the Wheat-Growing Portion of the South-West Division of the State:
Saturday 16 December 1916 at Three Springs
JAMES KINNEAR HEBITON, Farmer, Three Springs, sworn and examined:
"I have been here for seven years and was previously a guard in the Railway Department. I have 482 acres which cost £1 an acre and 300 of them first class land. I have 150 acres of second class land and 30 acres of stone. The property adjoins the town. I have cleared 350 acres which is subdivided into four paddocks [fenced] with three wires. I am a married man with three boys attending school. I have a four-roomed weatherboard and iron house and no stabling. My implement shed cost £150. I have a set of farming implements, seven working horses, four young foals, three cows, three calves, four pigs, some fowls and turkeys. I had £73 when I started. I was on the Agricultural Bank and went to the National Bank afterwards. I owe them about £850.
I put in 250 acres this year. There was no fallow. I have not enough land to go in for fallow. The highest average yield I had was last year, 19 bushels over 250 acres. I expect 15 bushels this year. To pay the actual cost of putting in and taking off would take 10 bushels. I would expect more than 15 bushels in a normal year if the land was fallowed. Bulk handling would reduce our costs. It is the tariff that hurts us most. If the farmer requires £600 worth of machinery at Fremantle we have to pay 32½ per cent duty and 25 per cent for the man distributing. That would total about £1,000. If the duty was free and he got his 25 per cent it would come down to £750, and that would go a long way to build a decent house for wives and families.
I had septoria last year at the start. I run my wheat through the winnower and pickle it. No man should hold less than 1,000 acres here and should be able to crop with a little help at harvest time 250 acres with five horses in a three-fallow plough. I do not believe in big terms, but I do believe in co-operation for the purchase of supplies and the marketing of produce. I have been trying to get the farmers in it. Then there are railway freights. Amongst us we got up 12 bales. The fright came to £4 12s. 8d. At the same time there was one bale in the same truck that cost 16s. 10d. Our bales averaged each 9s. That is a small instance of the value of co-operation. Our land laws are very liberal, but as long as the man is improving his land he should have the first five years exempt. So far as the tariff is concerned, if we manufactured here and did not require to import anything vessels would come here empty to take away the grain and the freight would be proportionately increased. As for the railway rates, the further one lives away from the city the more one pays for freight. On the railway it costs £7 5s. 5d. freight on a reaper thresher from Fremantle, £6 9s. 5d. to land a harvester, £4 17s. 6d. to land a motor car. A 2,000 gallon tank costs £6 14s. 9d., four head of cattle cost £2 13s. 11d., one horse costs £2 2s. 6d., and yet each of these items only occupied a [rail] truck. The man who gets his goods in small lots is hit up every time, and the difference is far too big. To show the increase in the railway freights I may point out that B class jumped from 28s. 10d. to 31s. 7d.; C class from 43s. 3d. to 47s. 4d.; first class from 61s. 2d. to 79s. 8d. Groceries come in under this heading. Second class jumped from 80s. 4d. to 104s. 8d., and third class jumped from 99s. 5d. to 129s. Parcels have also gone up slightly. 'Parcels to pay,' if they cost 2s. 6d.m, it amounts to 3s. 9d. here. It is awkward because you do not always know what the cost is. The loading charges: they charge us 3s. for counting 18 bags. The minimum on chaff is £3 10s. on a small [rail] truck. I can only get about 30 bags to the ton. A few years ago the rates were cheaper. I had only 10s. a day when I left the Railway Department and I had no worry while I was on wages. Now I keep going but my life is one long worry. The working man is getting far too high wages and it all reacts on the farmer. If I was in the Railway Department, unless I was forced to become a member of the union I would not do so, and it is not fair that we should be charged one-half as much more in Geraldton for handling as we are in Fremantle. I believe that co-operation is the solution of the whole trouble. The already heavy cost of living in the bush is steadily mounting up. Free trade and co-operation combined are the main factors in prosperity."
From The Irwin Index newspaper, Saturday 23 February 1929:
"Mr. J. K. Hebiton and Mrs. Hebiton have just returned to Three Springs from a visit to Perth, where at the Brisbane Street Methodist Church they attended the weddings of Messrs. Don and Bob Hebiton. On Saturday, February 15, Mr. Don Hebiton was married to Miss Olive Cocking, and on Monday, February 18, Mr. Bob Hebiton and Miss Evelyn Cocking were pronounced man and wife. The Hebiton family must surely hold a record for a father and three sons have now married four sisters. This is a magnificent testimonial to the family from which so many charming brides have been wooed and won."
From The Western Mail newspaper, Thursday 26 December 1929:
Country Towns and Districts - Three Springs and Mingenew - Cereal and Pastoral Wealth - People and Properties
""Prize wheat growing is my hobby." says Mr. J. K. Hebiton, snr., "so perhaps that is why I have been so successful." To be permitted to inspect the many and varied trophies won by Mr. Hebiton in crop and wheat competition is to realise what an outstanding wheat grower he is. On six occasions he has annexed "The Sunday Times" trophy at the [Perth] Royal Show for the champion bag of wheat. The highest yield he has ever obtained was an average of 40 bushels from 50 acres of Major. Mr. Hebiton is at present working on a three-year rotation, but he intends to enlarge the cycle by another year. He has two properties - Inverbeg, consisting of 1,500 acres, which grows most of the champion wheat, and Bonnie Doon, chiefly a grazing property. When a guard on the Midland [railway] line, almost over twenty years ago, he first acquired land in the district. Having been manager of the North Midlands Co-operative Society for eight years, Mr. Hebiton resigned this year. He is a J.P. and as secretary of the hospital building fund he has rendered sterling services."
From The Western Mail newspaper, Thursday 5 October 1933:
Country Towns and Districts - Three Springs and Carnamah - Rich Pastoral and Wheat Lands - A Progressive Community
The Hebiton Family - Some Notable Achievements
"The Hebiton family is closely identified with the progress of Three Springs. Mr J. K. Hebiton, sen, the proprietor of Inverbeg. A property that has a State-wide reputation for its prolific wheat yields per acre, is a native of Sydney, New South Wales. At the age of four years he was taken by his parents to Glasgow, Scotland, where he remained until he reached manhood. The early impressions of sunny Australia were ever with him during his long sojourn in the land of fogs and mists, and they eventually determined him to return. Securing employment as a guard with the Midland Railway Company, he had ample opportunity to learn the outstanding value of the land at Three Springs, through which he frequently passed, and he decided when the opportunity offered to avail himself of it. Eventually he selected 482 acres on the conditional purchase system in vogue at that time, and has since augmented this by purchase to a total of 9,600 acres, which includes the Bonnie Doon property of 8,000 acres. Though only cropping 500 acres annually, Mr Hebiton usually wins a yield of seven bags or even more to the acre, and it is on record that he has obtained an average of 40 bushels per acre from a 30-acre block. This splendid result is only one of the many outstanding achievements as a wheat grower achieved by Mr Hebiton. Below is given a more or less detailed record of the prizes he has won in open competition since 1918. His property also carries 1,700 Merinos and 100 head of horses and cattle. Mr Hebiton, notwithstanding his strenuous activities on the farm, also manages to find time to devote to the social improvement of the district. A Committeeman of the original local hospital, he was also one of the originators of the scheme to build the present substantial and useful institution, of which the residents of the district are justly proud, and of which he is one of the financial guarantors. He is president of the local Agricultural Society, a director of the North Midlands Co-op Company, and a member of the Primary Producers' Union since its inception. As far back as 1918 Mr Hebiton, annexed the cup for the champion bag of wheat at the Royal Show, a success which he repeated in 1919 and 1921, and in the latter year he won the gold medal for bushel of wheat open to the Commonwealth. In the wheat yields competition in 1923 he gained first prize, with a yield of 25½ bushels to the acre from 426 acres, and in 1924 he again obtained the Royal champion prize. In that year, too, he won a bronze medal at the British Empire Exhibition for wheat exhibits, a success repeated in the following year. The Royal championship again came his way in the years 1926, 1928, and 1930. In 1930 and 1931 he won first prize in a 50-acre crop competition carried out by the Three Springs Agricultural Society on the first occasion with 31 bushels to the acre and on the second with 40 bushels. In 1931, too, he was the winner of the Royal Crop Competition in Zone 1 of the wheat belt, the yield being 40 bushels, and in 1932 he gained second prize with a yield of 37 bushels. Although he lost the first prize in the royal competition, he gained first in the crop competition conducted by the Three Springs Society. When Mr Hebiton has not been gathering in the trophies his sons have taken his place. Mr J. K. Hebiton, jun, won the Royal championship in 1920, 1929, and 1932, and also the championship prize at the Sydney Royal Show in 1929. Another son (Mr G. B. Hebiton) won the Royal championship in 1931."
From The Irwin Index newspaper, Saturday 17 November 1951:
Late J. K. Hebiton - Public Spirited Citizen - Wide Field of Interests
"The death occurred in the North Midlands District Hospital at Three Springs on Friday of last week of Mr James Kinnear Hebiton, who is survived by his wife and four sons. A public spirited citizen, who gave generously of his time in the interests of his fellow men while endeavouring to further the progress of the district, he led a busy life into which he crowded a wealth of activities indicative of his practical mind and interest in a wide variety of subjects. The late Mr Hebiton, who had resided in Three Springs since 1910, convened the first meeting to construct a new hospital there and became the secretary of the building committee. He had been a director and later chairman of directors of the North Midlands Farmers' Co-Operative Company Limited. Amongst his other activities had been that of chairman of the Northern District Council of the Co-Operative Federation - a post which he occupied for many years. He had also carried out duties on behalf of the Methodist Church in the capacity of secretary and treasurer. Keenly interested in the land, the late Mr Hebiton was a foundation member and a past president of the Three Springs Agricultural Society, in whose annual exhibition he manifested unflagging enthusiasm. In addition, he was a foundation member of the Farmers and Settlers' Association and later a member of the Primary Producers' Association and the Farmers' Union of W.A. He took the chair at the meeting called to form a branch of the Junior Farmers movement at Three Springs - typical of the fact that he always had the welfare of the younger generation at heart. The deceased gentleman acted as auditor for the Northern Division of the Country Women's Association for two years and as auditor for the Three Springs Branch of that Association for thirteen years. He was, too, keenly interested in football, a sport which he assisted by serving for a long time on the disputes committee. The funeral took place last Saturday in the Presbyterian cemetery at Karrakatta, where the last rites were carried out by the State Moderator (Right Rev. James McMaster). The pall bearers were Messrs H. Worthington, R. William, J. Payne, E. Hunt, E. W. Franklin and J. Callagher."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'James Kinnear Hebiton' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 19 December 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/james-kinnear-hebiton-snr [reference list] |
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