Betsy Sarah Byers was born in Kyneton Victoria in 1866 to James Byers and Louisa Julia Kenworthy. James came to Australia in 18 from Wetheral, Cumberland in the UK but Louisa was 1st generation Australian, also born in Kyneton, Victoria. James and Louisa had 8 children. Betsy was the second child and also second daughter.She married John Bell in 1890 in Deniliquin, New South Wales. John was a Scot from Dumfrieshire who came to Australia with his brothers Peter and Jim. The Bells moved to Medway, near Dubbo and John bought "Langley Dale" in 1891.
John and Betsy had 5 children, 3 girls and two boys.
Betsy died 14 July 1899 when her eldest daughter was 9 and the youngest was only 9 months old. Below is an extract of a diary entry of MRS C.W. BROWN OF BRANSTON. DUBBO.
JULY 10. 1899; Monday evening 10 p.m. Rain, glorious rain, three inches has fallen since 10 o'clock yesterday morning and it is still falling. What a blessing it is. It will give the crops a chance to grow and the grass has improved already.
JULY 16. 1899: Sunday evening; Poor Mrs Bell has passed away from us. She died at twenty minutes to four o'clock on Friday morning last. She will be buried to-day. The hearse passed here at eight o'clock this morning on its way to Dubbo. The two Mr Bells [John and Peter] and Ben Byers [Betsy's brother] and his wife drove up soon after. They waited here for about fifteen minutes and had a cup of tea, then hurried off to overtake the hearse. The roads are in a fearful state, so heavy with all the rain that has fallen - we had some heavy showers yesterday. Tom and Walter went together in the sulky, Charly and Bewicke on horse-back. They will be all day getting in. The burial will take place about five o'clock. Mr and Mrs Ben Byres came all the way through from Obley (sixty miles) yesterday. Mr Hunt (their employer) took the telegram out to them that Walter sent them when he went in to Dubbo on Friday morning to arrange about the funeral. Mr Hunt gave them his own buggy and horses and sent a man on in front with two changes of horses. When they got to Dubbo they got another change and came on out. They got here at nine o'clock- we were surprised- we thought they might be up in time for the funeral but did not expect to see them out here. After they had a cup of tea they went on to Langlydale. Ben said he would like to see his sister before the coffin was closed. Bewicke went part of the way over with them. Charly had gone over with the hearse just before dark- he helped to put the corpse in the coffin.
I was with Mrs Bell from half past ten o'clock in the morning (on Thursday) til she died at twenty minutes to four on Friday morning. At dinnertime on Thursday Mr Bell started in to Dubbo to get some medicine for her and perhaps bring the Doctor back with him. She had been ill since Tuesday night and we were getting rather anxious about her. After he left she kept getting worse and I sent Luke Cheatham down to the mill a mile and a half away to ask Mrs Pye to come and stay with me till Mr Bell came back. She came just before dark-she was quite a stranger to me - I had never seen her before, but she had told Mr Bell when me saw her the day before, that she would come if she could be of any assistance. She was very kind and was a great help to me through the long weary hours that Mr Bell was away. Twelve hours from the time he left til he returned at a quarter to twelve o'clock.
When Mr Bell left to go to Dubbo he said he would try to get a horse at Branston, his own being in such low condition he was afraid it might knock up on the way in. I told him I was sure Charly would lend him his mare - she was being well fed and very fast.
As time wore slowly on and Mrs Bell got worse I became very anxious - she seemed so ill - I was afraid she might die before Mr Bell got back. About half past nine o'clock I sent Luke Cheatham over to Branston to enquire if Mr Bell had got a fresh horse there and what time they expected him back. To hurry him home as soon as he reached there and tell him that a Doctor was needed for Mrs. Bell. Luke did not take long to go to Branston and back again - he brought me word that Mr Bell had got a quick horse, that he left Branston at two o'clock and was expected back at eleven o'clock. Oh; those long weary hours, how slowly the time seemed to go. A quarter to twelve o'clock I heard his horse's footsteps at the gate. Mrs Bell heard it too. "That Jack," she said. I went out and met him, he told me what the Doctor said. We lost no time in applying the Doctor's remedies, but alas, they were too late - nothing could do her any good now. She had been sinking for some hours - still I hoped she might revive under the Doctor's treatment. A little before three o'clock she seemed much easier and I lay down on the bed in the next room to rest, leaving Mr Bell and Mrs Pye to attend to her. Twenty minutes to four Mrs Pye came and bent over "come and see her" she whispered. I went in and looked at her - she was dead - she had passed away without a struggle. Luke Cheatham left before daylight to bring Mr Jim Bell and his wife over. They came just after dinner time - the meeting between the brothers was very affecting. Walter went in to Dubbo and arranged about the funeral -took place on Sunday.
JULY 25. 1899. Wednesday evening. Ben and Mrs Byers came out from Dubbo to-day, they are having a three weeks holiday and will spend it with Mr Bell. I had a letter from Mrs Byers Snr; thanking me for my kindness to Mrs Bell during her illness.
AUGUST 4, 1899. Friday evening Mrs Jim Bell was here yesterday, she is going to stay at Langly til Mrs Byers comes up from Deniliquin next week .... The girls and myself are making the children's black dresses.
AUGUST 7, 1899. Thursday evening. Mrs Byers will be in Dubbo to-morrow morning, Ben has gone in to-day to meet her and bring her out.
AUGUST 17, 1899. Thursday evening, Mr Montgomery [the Presbyterian minister] has paid us his final visit ... He was sorry he could not make a longer stay with us, we are extremely sorry that he is leaving Narromine, he has been coming here for over seven years and we will miss him. There have been a lot of changes around us lately, changes that sadden one, changes that must come sooner or later. Deaths and partings that wring the heart.
John Bell remarried 10 years later in Orange, NSW. He had no other children. John died 5 January 1939 in Dubbo, NSW.
