In 1856 Edward and his brother Richard were listed on the Victorian State electoral roll as being miners at Chinaman's Gully in the Sandhurst Division. By 1862 Edward then a coachman from Sandhurst met Mary Band a Scottish immigrant living in Queenstown, Victoria. It was on the 27th of March 1862 that Edward then 24 married Mary in accordance to the rites of the Church of Scotland. The ceremony took place at the residence of Mr White of Queenstown, who is believed to be the maternal grandfather of Edward.
Over the years between 1866 and 1882 Edward purchased well over 160 acres of land. Edward and his wife Mary were the founders of the Wellers Hotel/ Pub at Kangaroo Ground. (Wellers is now a restaurant at Kangaroo Ground.This is the address to the site for Weller`s Restaurant, the Hotel/Pub once owned by my [Rochelle Haines] GG grandfather Edward Weller. It is no longer in the Weller family but still uses Edward and Mary Weller`s name. (The restaurant is still there today: http://www.wellers.com.au/. It is now in the ownership of Shawn and Stephanie Wolfe.)
It was on 3rd of October 1866 that the Weller's had a man stay at the hotel, he had a meal and skipped out after going to his room for the night. He was Robert Bourke the bushranger; it was very lucky for the Weller's that they did not know who he was. As the next day he killed a farmer by the name of Henry Hurst, who had confronted Bourke on his farm. Robert Burke was later hung for this crime at the Old Melbourne Gaol.
Edward became a very respected and liked member of the community. It was in the newspaper The Evelyn Observer dated Friday June 1st that the genuine out pouring of grief from his peers is shown:'Mr Weller has kept an hotel and store on Kangaroo Ground for twenty years, during which time he has endeared himself to everyone with whom he came in contact, always a true and trust worthy friend, upright, civil and obliging'.
Edward died on 25th of May 1883 after a long unknown illness, believed to be cancer of the stomach. This was never fully diagnosed, as his attending doctors could not agree on the cause of his illness. His death certificate states he died from stomach haemorrhage, diarrhoea and exhaustion, after 8 months of illness.His funeral procession left his late residence on 28th Of May 1883 around 1 pm, heading for the Kangaroo Ground Cemetery. A large gathering of people witnessed Rev Alexander Mackie perform the service over Edward's flower draped coffin.
Even to this day Edward and Mary Weller are well respected in the Kangaroo Ground area.
Information supplied by R Haines