Thomas Shadrach James
Encyclopedia
Thomas Shadrach James was a school teacher
, Methodist
lay preacher
, linguist and herbalist
.
Thomas in Mauritius
. His father Samson Peersahib was an interpreter of Indian
descent. After his mother's death he moved to Australia
and changed his first name in honour of his mother. James was fluent in the Tamil language.
In 1885 James married Ada Bethel Cooper, a Yorta Yorta
woman. James Peersahib converted to Christianity around this time and, taking another name from his family, became Thomas James, and it is by this name he became better known in Australia. In 1890 they had a son, Shadrach Livingstone James
, who later became an Aboriginal activist.
, James volunteered to work as a teacher to Maloga Aboriginal School where he worked for two years without pay. In 1883 he was appointed Head Teacher of the school. When the residents of Maloga were transferred to Cummeragunja
in 1888, James relocated his school.
Over the course of his four decades of teaching James taught many Aboriginal people who later rose to prominence including Douglas Nicholls
(his nephew), William Cooper
(his brother-in-law) and Bill Onus
.
While at Cummeragunja
he worked as a translator of the Yorta Yorta language.
In 1922 James retired from teaching having been removed as head teacher in 1921. He had hoped that his son, who was his teaching assistant, would be appointed as his replacement. However the New South Wales Government decided to appoint someone else.
James moved to Barmah
and then to North Fitzroy.
James published a book on Aboriginal culture called Heritage in Stone.
and was buried at Cummeragunja
.
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
lay preacher
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
, linguist and herbalist
Herbalist
An herbalist is:#A person whose life is dedicated to the economic or medicinal uses of plants.#One skilled in the harvesting and collection of medicinal plants ....
.
Biography
James was born as James Peersahib in a Muslim family to Samson Peersahib and Miriam Esther, néeNEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Thomas in Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
. His father Samson Peersahib was an interpreter of Indian
Non-resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin
A Non-Resident Indian is an Indian citizen who has migrated to another country, a person of Indian origin who is born outside India, or a person of Indian origin who resides permanently outside India. Other terms with the same meaning are overseas Indian and expatriate Indian...
descent. After his mother's death he moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and changed his first name in honour of his mother. James was fluent in the Tamil language.
In 1885 James married Ada Bethel Cooper, a Yorta Yorta
Yorta Yorta people
The Yorta Yorta people are the Indigenous Australians who traditionally lived around the junction of the Goulburn and Murray Rivers in present-day northeast Victoria....
woman. James Peersahib converted to Christianity around this time and, taking another name from his family, became Thomas James, and it is by this name he became better known in Australia. In 1890 they had a son, Shadrach Livingstone James
Shadrach Livingstone James
Shadrach Livingstone James was a teacher, unionist and Aboriginal activist.-Biography:James was born in 1890 to Thomas Shadrach James and Ada Bethel Cooper at the Cummeragunja Mission in New South Wales. His father was a Mauritian-born Indian teacher and his mother a member of the Yorta Yorta...
, who later became an Aboriginal activist.
Teaching
On meeting prominent missionary Daniel Matthews in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, James volunteered to work as a teacher to Maloga Aboriginal School where he worked for two years without pay. In 1883 he was appointed Head Teacher of the school. When the residents of Maloga were transferred to Cummeragunja
Cummeragunja Mission
Cummeragunja Mission, or Cummeragunja Station, was an Australian Aboriginal mission established in 1881 on the New South Wales side of the Murray River, on the Victorian border near Barmah. The people were mostly Yorta Yorta....
in 1888, James relocated his school.
Over the course of his four decades of teaching James taught many Aboriginal people who later rose to prominence including Douglas Nicholls
Douglas Nicholls
Sir Douglas Ralph "Doug" Nicholls KCVO, OBE, was a prominent Aboriginal Australian from the Yorta Yorta people. He was a professional athlete, Churches of Christ pastor and church planter, ceremonial officer and a pioneering campaigner for reconciliation.Nicholls was the first Aboriginal person to...
(his nephew), William Cooper
William Cooper (Aboriginal Australian)
William Cooper was an Australian Aboriginal leader.-Early life:Born in Yorta Yorta territory around the intersection of the Murray and Goulburn Rivers in Victoria, Australia, he was forced to work for a variety of pastoral employers...
(his brother-in-law) and Bill Onus
Bill Onus
William Townsend Onus Jr , known as Bill Onus, was an Aboriginal Australian political activist.-Early life and education:...
.
While at Cummeragunja
Cummeragunja Mission
Cummeragunja Mission, or Cummeragunja Station, was an Australian Aboriginal mission established in 1881 on the New South Wales side of the Murray River, on the Victorian border near Barmah. The people were mostly Yorta Yorta....
he worked as a translator of the Yorta Yorta language.
In 1922 James retired from teaching having been removed as head teacher in 1921. He had hoped that his son, who was his teaching assistant, would be appointed as his replacement. However the New South Wales Government decided to appoint someone else.
James moved to Barmah
Barmah, Victoria
Barmah is a town in Victoria, with the distinction of being located north of the southerly border with New South Wales. At the 2006 census, Barmah had a population of 201....
and then to North Fitzroy.
Later life
In North Fitzroy James worked as a herbalist and masseur, specialising in treatment of arthritis.James published a book on Aboriginal culture called Heritage in Stone.
Death
James died in January 1946 in SheppartonShepparton, Victoria
Shepparton is a city located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River in the north east of Victoria, Australia approximately north-east of Melbourne. It is the fifth largest city in Victoria, Australia. The estimated population of Shepparton's statistical area is 48,926.It began as a sheep station...
and was buried at Cummeragunja
Cummeragunja Mission
Cummeragunja Mission, or Cummeragunja Station, was an Australian Aboriginal mission established in 1881 on the New South Wales side of the Murray River, on the Victorian border near Barmah. The people were mostly Yorta Yorta....
.