James was born on 24 Oct 1850 in Dorchester, England

Isabella McGarland Begg was born on 24 August 1860 in Old Monkland, Lanark County (Larnarkshire) Scotland, to James Begg and Isabella Millar. This was an area of Scotland known for coal and iron ore mines. James Begg may well have been a miner.

James Crabbe had served in the British Army for a time. He arrived in Auckland on board the S. S. Countess of Kintore. He went to the Thames gold fields, then to Cromwell, Bendigo and the Nevis mining areas.

James settles in Bannockburn

James joined the Cromwell, then Bannockburn rifle volunteers

On 26 Dec 1877 Mr James Newberry Crabbe, aged 27 years, married Isabella McFarlane Begg, aged 17 years. The wedding took place in the dwelling house of James Begg of Cromwell (Isabella's father). The officiating minister was the Rev. Benjamin Drake. The witnesses were James Pryde and Samual Graham, both of Bannockburn.

It is understood that Isabella was illiterate.

William McLennan (Bill) was a coal miner. He purchased Quartzville from J Jones for 70 pounds. Jane Isabella married Jim Leslie on 2 Jan 1913. Mary McPherson Mckay married Charles David Jocelyn on 21 Aug 1907. She was Alex Jocelyn's mother. Rosina (Bud) married Robert Fitzgerald on 23 Mar 1918. Jessie Martha married John Hodson on 23 Oct 1925 Flora Elizabeth married Malcolm Kleeber on 23 Mar 1910

James Crabbe died on 6 Feb 1930 at the age of 80 years. He is buried in the Cromwell cemetery.

Isabella Crabbe died on 27 Dec 1932 at the age of 72 years. She is buried with her husband in the Cromwell cemetery.

Angus Crabbe took over the Crabbe farm on the death of his father James in 1930. Angus was a gold miner, farmer and a grader driver. He continued mining in the Smith's Creek, Povery Gully area, using the old Kelly & Party water race. This was the last sluicing claim in Bannockburn, worked until the late 1940's.

Angus Crabbe died on 22 February 1950. He is buried in the Cromwell cemetery.