Biography

Miers was respected for his many fine qualities and his patient endurance of constant ill health. He died peacefully in his sleep. Frederick

Miers was the youngest of nine children born to Janet and Robert Miers between 1844 and 1864. They were: Jane born 1844; John William born 1845; Alexander born 1849; Robert born 1853; William born 1854; Jessie born 1855; Agnes born 1857; George Edwin born 1859.

Robert Miers was born in London in 1807. He met Janet Clemence Wighton in New South Wales and their first six children were born in that state before they moved to South Australia where the last three children were born. Robert Miers died on 27 April 1864 in Hindmarsh Valley, South Australia. His wife was born in Forfar, Scotland, in 1821. She arrived in Australia on 12 August 1838 and married William Henry Whyte in 1840. A child, Mary Ann Barbara Whyte was born 22 April 1841 but the child died within her first two years of life. On 6 March 1844, Janet gave birth to Jane Miers, who died two weeks later. She married the child's father some time that year. Janet died on 24 August 1900 at Malvern, South Australia, after 35 years as a widow, during which time she had buried 4 of her children.

On 20 January 1888, Frederick James fathered a son, Albion, at Port Adelaide. On 31 May 1890, at Wentworth, New South Wales, he married Harriet Ann Oxley, the mother of his son. It seems they separated and she ran several hotels in Adelaide, some with her sister Louisa Buckingham. Frederick Miers leased several gold mines in the Southern Cross area in 1903, 1910. In 1907 he and Alfred Charles Sunman of Meekatharra applied for the licence of the steamship Decoy in Perth. Miers was living on the boat. But in 1910 he was at Comet Vale. The deceased had lived in South Australia for 24 years before moving to Western Australia.