The FIELD Family Newsletter

We have often said that Edward Field did some work as a blacksmith for William Cox when he built the first road over the Blue Mountains. Here is the proof:

Extracts taken from a diary kept by William Cox in making the road over the Blue Mountains from Emu Plains to a new country.

1814

JULY 20: Sent the smith to Field's to make four new axes and steel two of the English ones. Gave him 20 lbs of iron and 4 lb of steel. Fine dry weather.

JULY 21: The smith completed laying the axes and steeled five others. Much trouble today with the axes, the timber being hard, they all turned, Kept the grindstone constantly going. Made good progress on Emu Plains, the men worked very well. Weather clear and frosty.

JULY 24: Examined the ground and marked the road from the creek to the first depot (with Lewis) . Gave a pound of tobacco to Field for a lot of cabbage, which I gave to the workmen. Purchased 4 cwt. 1 gr. of bran for myself which I forwarded to the depot at 10 shillings per cwt. delivered at Martin's. The workmen exerted them civic during the week, much to my satisfaction.

There were comments for nearly every day but I have only given those regarding Field.
This was printed in The Arms Chronicle put out by The Nepean District Historical Society. They will tell more in their next issue and if it mentions our Field ancestors I will let you know.

Noted in pencil on the letter below was quote:- Maree Walker (b.19XX) daughter of Daroa B. Molly (Cannon) Walker.
Maree the author, is the Grandaughter or Great Grandaughter of Marie Keohe and Josiah Strickland

Maria Keohe & Josiah Strickland

Firstly, I will take the pleasure to relate the account of Maria Keohe told to me by herself, my mother and experienced by myself during the years I lived with my Grandparents.

Marie Keohe, born in Clare, County Clare, Ireland, approximately 1842.

One day a cousin paid a visit to the Keohe home in Ireland. He had a ticket to Australia, but he had decided not to venture on the journey. He offered the ticket around to anyone who may be interested. Maria happily accepted this ticket, much to her parents dismay. She and a girlfriend finally embarked on their journey to Australia by ship. The voyage took six months to complete and they finally landed in Tasmania.

During her stay in Tasmania, Marie took up dressmaking, later moving to Victoria. From there she finally travelled to Forbes, New South Wales, where she lived in the district for the remainder of her life.

This period of he life was very exciting. The people were flocking to the goldfields, everything was flourishing. Maria and a man named Guerber were in partnership in a hotel in the main street of Forbes. This was ideally situated as it was in the centre of the goldfields. This was during the Bush Ranger era and Maria had her long skirts especially designed with pockets in the under lining where she kept her money for sale keeping. Despite this fact, she was not afraid of the Bush Rangers.

Maria was a very beautiful woman and considered as "the most beautiful woman of the West". An oil painting showing her beauty is hanging is the home of Mona Harrigan (Grandaughter) at Nambucca Heads, New South Wales.

Mr Guerber very much wished to take the hand of Maria in marriage, but Maria was of other thoughts. She refused Guerber. He was very disappointed and sold his share in the business out to her. He left the district and moved to Strathfield, Sydney, New South Wales.

Some time later, Maria met a very smart young man named Josiah Strickland. She sold the hotel out and married him.

(This has been added to the letter in pencil) Josiah Strickland was born 21/11/1843 near Canowindra, died 15/2/1915 Five Dock, buried R.C. Forbes. Married 3/5/1867 to Maria Kehoe daughter of John Kehoe and Myra Brennan. Josiah 6th child of Pierce and Letitia Strickland. Pierce son of Phillip and Maria (Collits) Strickland.

Josiah was an excellent horseman known through out the district. He boasted no obstacle was too high for him and he never opened gate. As well as being fearless, Josiah realised in later life he had been very foolish, for this proud young man would light his pipe with Five Pound notes then throw the unburnt fragments to the ground.

As most other young men in this era, mining was his occupation, and one night Mary, Josiah's sister, had a dream. In this dream she saw the ground, the surroundings, the place and there laying on tip of the soil, glittering in the sunshine "Gold". She retold this fabulous dream to her brother and Josiah felt sure he recognised the vicinity by her description, so after a very heavy thunderstorm, he saddled his horse and rode out. Just as Mary had dreamt, there laying on top of the soil, washed clean by the heavy downpour, was "Gold, Gold, Gold!" In his great excitement he mounted his horse and rode hard back into town anxious to tell of his fantastic find. The news was well received and the townspeople were quick to act and set out to stake their claim. This finding was in 1861 and known rightly so as "Mary's Dream Mine", situated on Strickland reef.

The information in the previous paragraph was told to me personally by my Grandfather, so I know it is correct and true in every detail, although it has been queried by some who would wish to misconstrue the story.

The district was very wealthy and Pierce Strickland (Josiah's father) also found gold in the main street of Forbes, near the site where Fogarty's Commercial Hotel once stood.

Letter from Edward Field Jnr

27th August, 1824.
District of Evan.
August 25th 1824

Sir,

In reply to your letter of the 15th instant, I have the house to acquaint you, that since years ages. I obtained a Grant of 60 Acres of Land from Governor Macquarie about which period I married the Widow of the Late Philip Strickland (A constable who died of a gunshot wound he received while in the execution of his duty). Who had also obtained A Grant of 50 Acres for the comfit of her three infant children which, Governor Macquarie was pleased in consequence of our marriage, to include in my Grant and which is the whole of the land I have obtained from Government.

I have the honor to be
Sir Governor most to be decent humble servant.

Edward Field Junior.

Fred Goulburn Esq
Colonial Secretary.
Sydney.

Letter from Josias Strickland

29/9439 3rd Dec. 1829.

To His Excellency Lieutenant General Ralph Darling, governor and Commander in Chief.

The very Respectful Memorial of Josias Strickland of the District of Evan. Humbly Setteth forth.
J. Strickland
That your Excellency's Memorialist is the Second Son of the late Philip Strickland, who lost his life, while performing his duty as a Constable, by receiving a wound from a gun, while in the act of apprenhending a desperate and notorious Bushranger, who had infested this district, for several years. That your Excellency Memorialist is now Eighteen years of age, and by the recent death of his mother, is now left an Orphan, and at present resides with his Stepfather Mr. Edward Field of this district.- That Memorialist is the Grandson of Mr. P. Collitts of Mount York, and being pofsefsed (possessed) of Twenty head of Cattle, and four Horses, is desirous of imbarking in agricultural pursuits. That having sufficent means to cultivate a farm. Memorialist most Respectfully presents himself to your Excellency's notice, praying your Excellency's favourable consideration to such indulgence. Memorialist therefor most humbly begs your Excellency's gracious consideration to these circumstances, in the hope that you will deem memorialist worthy to participate in your Excellency's beneficence by granting him a Farm of Land.

That your Excellency's Memorialist as in duty bound will everpray. Josias Strickland. 24th Nov, 1829.

I have known Memorialist during the last fifteen years he is a sober, industrious and honest young man.

Castlereagh-House. Henry Fulton, Chaplain. 24th Nov, 1829

Copied from original Letter. Information obtained from Archives Office of N.S.W. Col.Sec. Letters, location 2/7978 Reel no.1185. 7/3/1985.

Letter from Edward Field

Nepean July 7th 1845

Field E.

Sir,

In a communication I had from you dated October 7th 1844, being a reply to an application made by me for other occupation of one Section of land in the County of Cook and west of the Nepean River, your request I would be so definite in my description of the boundaries of the land as to enable you to determine the Situation of the land I wish to occupy. In reference to this, I beg to state that it is bounded on the South by a Riverlet or Creek bearing east and falling into the Nepean River at the North boundary of Mr Bowman's farm in the county of cook, and opposite Fields farm in the county of Cumberland. On the North it is bounded by a small creek bearing east and also falling into the Nepean River opposite a farm granted to Jones on in the county of Cumberland. On the East it is bounded by a line bearing North parallel with the Nepean River at a distance of three quarters of a mile.

I am Sir your obedient Servant

Edward Field

Sir T.L. Mitchel
Surveror General, Sydney.

Copied from original letter from the Archives Office of N.S.W. Tile Col.Sec.Letters
2/7856 Reel 1126. 7/3/1985.

What do people do in their spare time, on week-ends or on holidays??

What do you do??

David Rawsthorne once said he spent his 30th birthday in a grave yard. David's story is in edition number 12

I wonder if he was like the fellow in the poem on page 3, who just had to have a look at the headstones in the church yard on his wedding day. I don't think so, but according to my list he has photos taken from over 40 different locations. Here are some of them: Forbes, Orange, Condobolin, Lithgow, Bathurst, Woronora, Castlereagh, Blackheath, Neville, Springwood, Trunkey Creek, Gooloogong, Parkes, Jamisontown, Wentworth Falls, Bogan Gate, Portland, Bedgerebong, Botany, Point Clare, Mudgee, Rylstone, Katoomba, Eugowra, Manildra, Mt. York, Canowindra, Cowra, Grenfell, Rookwood, Kyrang Creek, Penrith, Hartley, Lyndhurst, Canberra, Emu Plains, Mt. Clarence, Toogong, St. Peters.

David has 1202 individual pictures of headstones in 833 photographs taken from these 40 cemeteries across NSW. and one in Port Moresby.

There are 28226 individual names and 9330 families representing 4106 surnames on file and he has put ALL ofthe photos and names on a CD for you to see for yourself. No need to go on the internet, just slip in the disc.

Here is your chance to get a copy...

Don't miss out, for only $20 which includes postage and handling, you can have it all.. Just send the $20 to:
David Rawsthorne
PO Box 139
Lithgow NSW 2790
For more information phone: 02 6353 1843
Email: daviddth@iinet.net.au

Please note these CD's are no longer available - David