Page:A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Colonial Gentry Vol 1.djvu/410

 378 BURKE'S COLONIAL GENTRY. ^ ALSTON, JOHN, Esq. of Hampden, Deddingion, Tasmania, J.P. for LV) the district of Evandale, b. 10th October, 1850 : is unm. Hintagc, Crawford, in bis History of Renfrewshire, gays, " This very ancient family is descended from the Macduifs, Thanes, or Earls of Fife (rendered illustrious by tradition as having slain Macbeth, and restored the rightful sovereign to the throne of Scotland) ; one of ■whom, having had a son named Ralph, vfho obtained a grant of lands in Renfrewshire, he called them after himself (as was common in those days), Ralphstoune, and this, softened down in time to Ralston, became the family name." He refers to charters, &c., wherein the family are named as early as 1272 and 1346. Robertson, in his History of Ayrshire, says : — The iirst of them, however, I shall begin with, is, John db Ealstoune, who flourished in the reign of James the SECOifD of Scotland, and who rose to the highest honours of the church and state. In 1444, he was made lord keeper of the privy seal; in 1448, lord bishop of Dunkeld; and in 1449, lord high treasurer. He was sent the same year ambassador to the English court ; and again in 1452 (see Keith's Catalogue of Scottish Bishops), where he calls him the representa- tive of a most ancient family of the same designation in the shire of Renfrew. From this John de Ralstoune descended, according to tradition, Matthew Ralston, Esq, of Hampden, Deddiugton, Tasmania, h. in co. Wigton, Scotland ; emigrated, when about 17 years of age, with his parents, to I'asmania, and after a few years took up land on the Nile River, about 12 miles from Evandale, and there built his residence of Hampden, where hia family were all born. (His father also took up land near Evandale, and built liis resi- dence, now called Logan.) He m. in Tas- mania, Elizabeth, daughter of , a native of Scotland, and by her (who d. 29th June, 1881) had issue (besides two sons and one daughter, who d. in infancy), I. William Bryce, unm. II. James, tmm. III. John, now of Hampden. I. Marion, m. Robert Taylor, Esq., and has issue, 1. James ; 2. George ; 3. Matthew ; 4. William ; 1. Helen ; 2. Margaret ; 3. Minnie. Mr. Matthew Ralston d. 11th October, 1887. Arms nsed — Arg., on a bend, az., three acorns in the seed or. Crest — A falcon, ppr., with bells at its feet. Motto — Fide et marte. {By fidelity and valour.) Residence — Hamjxlen, Deddington, Tas- mania. Estates — Hampden ; Gtlen Stewarts ; and Marathon, Tasmania, comprising in all about 7,330 acres. ^l^iUtps tst Brj? 3^tbtr Station. PHILLIPS, COLEMAN, Esq. of Dry River Station, Ma.rtinboro', Wairarapa, New Zealand, J. P., barrister-at-Iaw, Supreme Court of New Zealand, h. 10th December, 1846 ; is unm. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1864, and had to fight for his lands with the natives, becoming what is since known as a "military settler." He is first cousin to Alderman Sir Benjamin Samuel Phillips, Knt. (1866), commander of the Order of Leopold of Belgium, and Grecian Order of Our Saviour ; Lord Mayor of London, 1865-6 ; J.P. and D.L. ; sheriff of Middlesex, 1859 ; and second cousin to G. Faudel Phillips, Esq., sheriff of London and Middlesex. Htncagc. This is a very old Jewish family, Mr. Cole- man Phillips being a " Cohen," which gives him an undisputed genealogy of some 3,400 years.