Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Henty, Edward
HENTY, EDWARD (1809–1878), pioneer of Victoria, sixth son of Thomas Henty of West Tarring, Sussex, was born there on 10 March 1809. His father, a landowner, induced by the offer of a large grant of land, sent out three of Edward's elder brothers in 1829 to the Swan River in Western Australia. They removed thence to Launceston in Van Diemen's Land, where Edward, with the rest of the family, joined them; but they soon returned to the continent. Edward Henty touched at Portland Bay in July 1833, and settled there on 19 Nov. 1834 with stock and boats to form a whaling establishment, thus inaugurating the first permanent settlement in what is now Victoria. Several of his brothers followed him, and when Major (afterwards Sir Thomas) Mitchell the explorer came from Sydney down the valley of the Wannon and Glenelg in 1836, he found a small but prosperous colony at Portland. By Mitchell's advice Henty and his brothers pushed inland, and obtained possession of great sheep-runs. Besides managing a very large estate, Henty carried on business as a merchant. The whole family were careful to improve the breed of sheep. In 1856 Henty was elected to represent Normanby in the Legislative Assembly, but was defeated at the election of 1861. During the last years of his life he resided at Offington, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, and died there on 14 Aug. 1878.
[Melbourne Argus, 15 Aug. 1878; Australiana, by Richmond Henty, nephew of Edward Henty; Heaton's Australian Dates and Men of the Time.]