Sam Isaacs
Samuel Yebble Isaacs | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1845 Augusta, Western Australia |
| Died | 14 July 1920 |
| Occupation(s) | Stockman, farmer |
| Known for | SS Georgette rescue (1876) |
Samuel Yebble Isaacs (1845 – 14 July 1920) was an Indigenous Australian stockman and farmer from the South West region of Western Australia, renowned for his involvement in the 1876 SS Georgette rescue alongside Grace Bussell.
Biography
Born in 1845 in Augusta, Isaacs was the son of Saul "Sam" Isaacs, a sailor of Native-American or African-American descent who arrived in the Busselton district aboard a whaling vessel during the 1830s, and Darinder, a Wardandi woman who gave him the name Yebble. Following his mother's death during childbirth, he was raised by Anne Dawson on her farm named Westbrook. From a young age, he was employed by European settlers and around 1860 joined the Bussell family at Ellensbrook homestead after losing pigs he was herding for John Molloy. He later relocated with the Bussell family to Wallcliffe House, where he worked as a stockman. Although he never learned to read or write, Isaacs earned acclaim for his outstanding skills in cattle management, horsemanship, and operating bullock teams that hauled heavy loads.
On 1 December 1876, while searching for missing cattle near the Bussell homestead, Isaacs noticed the SS Georgette in peril. He rode approximately 20 kilometres to raise an alarm and returned with 16-year-old Grace Bussell. Together they rode their horses down steep cliffs to reach passengers struggling in the water. Isaacs repeatedly entered the sea on horseback to assist survivors, while Bussell followed his instructions to stay onshore. Over four hours, they rescued around fifty individuals and brought them back to the homestead for care. Grace Bussell was awarded a silver medal for bravery by the Royal Humane Society; Isaacs received a bronze medal but was contemporaneously referred to disparagingly as "Grace's black servant." The Western Australian government granted him 100 acres at Sussex Location 243, named Ferndale, making him the first Aboriginal person in Western Australia to obtain a Freehold Crown Grant under Clause 12 of the Land Regulations of 1887. This land was subsequently divided among his sons Henry, Frederick Augustus, and Samuel Jr., who sold it in 1936.
Isaacs married Lucy (Major) Lowe, an African-American woman who arrived via whaling ship, in January 1867; together they had six children. He passed away on 14 July 1920 following a fall from his horse sulky near Metricup while returning from Busselton Train Station after dropping off his son Henry, who was enlisting with the 10th Light Horse Regiment. His burial site is located within the Church of England section of Busselton Pioneer Cemetery.
Legacy
In recognition of his contributions, the locality of Yebble, situated near Isaacs' granted land, was named after him in 2021. Several sites also commemorate his name including Isaacs Road in Margaret River, Isaacs Street in Busselton, Yebble Drive in Vasse, and Isaacs Rock (), located off the coast near Calgardup Brook. Additional tributes throughout the South West area include memorial plaques and a mural honoring his legacy.