Donald Henry Nicholson

   Cause of his death was drowned.

  Research Notes:

Jason Crosskey passed on a website by Tim Hill where it is noted:
An annecdote is told about him: Donald and Daniel rounded up a dozen or so brumbies and sold them to a fellow in Cloncurry. That night the brothers let the brumbies out of the holding yard. The horses scattered and took off. Donald and Daniel rounded them up again and headed to Kyuna where they were sold to another buyer.³ Donald Henry Nicholson was a stockman, and horseman of repute in 1921.³ He lived in 1921 at Koolamarra Station, Queensland.
Donald was fined as follows: in May 1921:
Donald Nicholson was fined £150 and £33 costs at Cloncurry (Q.), for illegally branding two cows and calves, the property of J. W. Kenrish. It was stated in evidence that Nicholson tried to sell the cattle in question to complainant's brother.
Donald eventually fell foul of the police. He was convicted in Charters Towers District Court for stealing two horses and sentenced to 2 years jail at Stuart Creek Prison in Townsville. When he got out, he bought a model T and started selling groceries to people on isolated stations. in 1925. Mary used to light a fire on the top of a hill in Kajabbi as a warning to Don if the troopers were in town. in 1925. Donald Henry Nicholson was a horse breaker in 1926 at Mount Leyshon, Charters Towers, Queensland.
Donald died due to drowning on 18 February 1927:
"It had been noted by family members that Donald was involved in a card game the night before he died, winning a considerable amount of money. After the card game he headed for home. it had been raining heavily all that day and the Leichardt River was well in flood. Apparently someone was not all that happy with how Donald won the money. This person or persons followed Donald along the bank of the flooded river and what happened next is anyone's guess. His body was recovered the next day minus the money. Although unproven it does appear someone else was involved as he had several marks on his body not normally associated with drowning. All tracks tot he river had been washed away by the rising water or rain."
The following was reported in the Police Gazette::
"The brown saddle mare, No. 25 on this weeks list, and the bay half draught gelding No.26. the property of William A. Reid, was loaned to a man named Don Nicholson, a drover, during the year 1926. On the 18th of February, 1927, Nicholson was drowned in the Leichardt River; his horses were mustered by a man named Rose (at the request of the deceased wife), and it cannot be ascertained if the above were found, and the whereabouts of Rose is at present unknown."

Donald married Mary Plant on 3 Sep 1913 in Charters Towers, Queensland Australia. (Mary Plant was born on 14 Aug 1891 in Mount Leyshon, Charters Towers, Queensland Australia, died on 2 Nov 1964 in Townsville, Queensland Australia and was buried in Belgian Gardens, Townsville, Queensland Australia.)