Daughter of James Heneker and Mary Ann Spencer
*Martha Heneker was born on the 6th October 1852 [100 years -1 day from my own birth date!!] Martha like most of her siblings was born at Scotts Creek in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, to James and Mary Ann (nee Spencer) Heneker.
*Martha married *Henry Gunter on the 18 June 1872 when she was 19 years old. They married at the Residence of Mr. Gunter Senior at Blinman, South Australia. Their first child *Samuel Gunter was born on the 6th October 1872 at Blinman. *James Henry Gunter was born at Sliding Rock on 1st May 1874. *Thomas Gunter was born at Patterton, South Australia on 26 September 1875. (Patterton is an area near Blinman, where it appears many settlers had properties.
Three months before the birth of his son Thomas, * Henry Gunter died on the 2nd June 1875 at Sliding Rock. The South Australian Register recorded his death “At Sliding Rock, of inflammation of the lungs, Henry Gunter, aged 28 years” [South Australia Register/Fri 18 Jun 1875/Page 4/Family Notices].
[The South Australia Chronicle & Weekly Mail] published the following information on 12th June 1875 “I regret to announce the death of Mr H. Gunter, which was rather sudden, he only having been laid up a few days. He leaves a young widow and 2 children”
Information recorded on Billion Graves.com state that Henry is buried at Cadnia Sliding Rock Cemetery, Beltana Outback Communities, South Australia. There does not appear to be a headstone.
[billiongraves.com/sliding-Rock-Cemetery/153412]
Although the newspaper entry above states 2 children from the marriage of Henry and Martha, the Genealogy SA database of Births, taken from BDM Adelaide records, states the birth of *Thomas Gunter in 1875. As Henry died before the birth of his son Thomas, this is why the newspaper would have different information. Also within the Birth records of GenealogySA is an entry for *William John Joseph Gunter born 26 Nov 1879, recording the father as William Davis and mother as Martha Gunter (nee) Hencker, of Blinman. (note the mispelling of Heneker). [genealogysa.org.au]
On the *28 June 1882 Martha married George White at her residence in Blinman, South Australia. Martha went on to have another 5 children to George White. *Abel George White born on the 27 March 1885 at Blinman, *Herbert Charles White was born on 4 December 1887 at Blinman, *Mabel Martha White was born on 23rd June 1889 at Blinman, *Daisy Eveline Lydia White born 29 September 1891 at Blinman, *Mary Ann White born 4 December 1883 at Blinman.
*George White died on the 11 September 1912, aged 66 years, and is buried at the Blinman Outback Communities Authority. His son Abel White registered his death. Also buried at the Blinman Cemetery are 2 are George and Martha’s daughters. *Mabel Martha died on the 14 November 1890 aged 1 year, and her sister *Daisy Eveline died on 8 October 1892 also aged 1 year. Also recorded is the father of George White, *John White who died 4 August 1901 aged 86 years. The inscription on his headstone is “father of George”.
*Martha died on the 1st July 1930 at the Hawker Memorial Hospital, Hawker, South Australia.
Martha’s Obituary in The Chronicle Newspaper, Thursday 16 Oct, 1930, Page 21 reads as follows:
Mrs. Martha White of Blinman, who died at the Hawker Memorial Hospital, was born at Scott’s Creek in 1852, and was the daughter of the late James and Mrs. Heniker, who came to the North with their young family in the early pioneering days. In 1872 Martha was married to the late Mr. Henry Gunter, and resided at Sliding Rock, until the death of her husband in 1876. Removing to Blinman in 1878, she was married to Mr. George White, who died in 1912. Mrs White, with her experience and practical sympathy was the help and comfort of many in their time of need. There are 4 surviving children – S. Gunter (Kapunda), J. Gunter (Parachilna), T. Gunter (Tuntalrella, N.S.W.) and Mrs. W. Kipling (Blinman). There are 22 grandchildren and 6 great grand-children.
*PLEASE NOTE: Where I have identified births, deaths, marriages or any other references obtained from the Genealogy Society of SA I have put an asterisk * at the front of the person’s name, to save having to enter the reference everytime. The Genealogy Society of SA website allows non members to check records, but not all information is shown. Members can see the complete record as transcribed by the Genealogy Society of SA. The website is https://genealogysa.org.au/. The society is situated at 201 Unley Road, Unley, South Australia.
Heneker - a Pioneering family from Kent to South Australia 
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