Jim Haas was born at St Marys, Tasmania, on the 5th March 1945. He is a direct descendant of James (Johastan) Haas who, at the age of 19, accompanied his parents, Heinrich and Ann Marie, along with his brother Christain and sister Elizabeth, from Hessen in Germany to Van Diemems Land (Tasmania) on board the "America" in 1855.
Jim Followed the family tradition by going to working in the coal industry at the age of sixteen and remained there for the next 32 years. He married Elizabeth, a coal miner's daughter and together they have spent most of their lives at Cornwall where they have raised three children.
Jim has always had a keen interest in Australian history and in recent times has concentrated his research on Tasmania, in particular the East Coast and Fingal Valley. His latest book called "150 Years of Heritage" is a overview history of the Break O' Day Plains, which is the area in which the township of St Marys is situated.
The Book is a Sesquicentennial souvenir and is available for $10 plus $3 postage by emailing jimhaas@bigpond.com
