George Penton fatally shot an Aboriginal man in the vicinity of Gum Flat (Minlaton), 20 January 1849

Date: 20 Jan 1849
Place: Minlaton
After learning that a flock of sheep had been rushed and some sheep taken, Anstey’s overseer, George Penton, went in pursuit. Penton came to a group of about fifty people who were roasting eight sheep. On seeing Penton, the group ran away, with the exception of one man who stood his ground. While this man was reportedly either preparing to throw or in the act of throwing his spear, Penton shot him through the head.
(See 'The South Australian Frontier and its Legacies' for more details.)
Notes:
LocationAccuracy: Close

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  • George Penton fatally shot an Aboriginal man in the vicinity of Gum Flat (Minlaton), 20 January 1849
    20 Jan 1849 — Minlaton
    After learning that a flock of sheep had been rushed and some sheep taken, Anstey’s overseer, George Penton, went in pursuit. Penton came to a group of about fifty people who were roasting eight sheep. On seeing Penton, the group ran away, with the exception of one man who stood his ground. While this man was reportedly either preparing to throw or in the act of throwing his spear, Penton shot him through the head.
    (See 'The South Australian Frontier and its Legacies' for more details.)
    Source: Robert Foster, Skye Krichauff and Amanda Nettelbeck, The South Australian Frontier and its Legacies, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 2024, http://ua.edu.au/south-australian-frontier