The Field Family Newsletter, Edition 01

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The FIELD Family Newsletter

28th Edition, November 2006, Edited by Dorothy Cefarin
Reproduced here with permission

Babies are Beautiful

CONGRATULATIONS

To Martina and Wayne Ross on the birth of their daughter Natalie Louise in 2006 at Dubbo. Natalie weighed in at 8lb 9ozs, was born at 9-30pm and measured 51 cm in length.

Ronald and Glenys Ross, who live in Perth, are grandparents for the first time and Lorna Ross a great grandmother once again

Thank you to all who have sent in stories about their families, it is great to hear how they lived and what they did many years ago. Please continue to send them. To:
Dorothy Cefarin,
24 Eggleton Street.
Blacktown. NSW 2148
Email: doff202@unwired.com.au

There are still some people that I have lost contact with, when I had my computer fail last year. If you have their address or email please contact me as I owe them some newsletters. They are:

• George Tait
• Maureen Watson
• Patricia Woodland
• Elvy Quirk
• F.A.Morrison.

Subscriptions are now due for The Field Family Newsletter for 2007. The cost is $5 per year. Those receiving this per mail will find the application form at the back of this newsletter. Those receiving it by email please send me your
Name:
Address:
Post Code:
Phone Number:
Email Address:
With your subscription of $5.

The story below is a little long but it gives us an insight as to how people lived and what they went through before and after entering Australia. A similar thing could have possibly happened too many of our ancient relatives.

William Eaton and his wife Jane Ison

A story sent in by Betty Pont

Family History;
Jane Ison Married William Eaton
Their daughter Mary Ann married James Richards (my G/G/G/ grandfather)
Their son William married Elizabeth Higgins
Elizabeth was the daughter of
Thomas Higgins and Sophia Field

The first piece relates to the arrival of the Second Fleet on which Edward Field arrived as a Private on the “Scarborough”.

Juliana’ arrived, the first fleeters who were totally unprepared for developing a settlement. Slowly were starving to death.

Almost daily one or two were buried. Phillip had to reduce food rations to such a mere portion that a week’s ration could be eaten at one meal. Later in June 1790 the remainder of the second fleet ships arrived with their cargoes of sick, starving and dieing people.

Gardens were now being tilled at “Rose Hill’, where the present race course of the same name is today. Toongabbie was soon established where many of the second, third and fourth fleet convicts toiled daily and learnt about farming. At Toongabbie, with little rations men were put in teams of 20 to pull trees down as horse and bullock teams did later. They were placed in a hut, about 14 to 17 with one woman to provide victuals for the men and keep it clean. What unrecorded things that may have been the woman’s lot may have happened. I can only leave that to your imagination. Ironically, today Westmead Hospital stands on portion of the Old Toongabbie Farm. Where once daily floggings and mans inhuman treatments of his fellow man reached it zenith in early Colonial Australia.

The first road in New South Wales was established late in 1788 between Sydney and Parramatta; later roads were primitive paths following a line of blazed trees by earlier explorers. It was after white settlement along the Hawkesbury that such a road slowly progressed to a navig- able state. Where people were way-laid robbed and at times killed.

The river itself was the main form of transport for many years. Generally speaking it was not the original 22 settlers who put the Hawkesbury into prominence, but those who followed in the next 10 to 15 years. Most of whom were 2nd, 3rd or 4th fleeters who had done their time at “Rose Hill” Toongabbie or some other enterprise and survived to later receive emancipation and a block of land.

Having given a little historical background on New South Wales, and in particular the Hawkesbury. This story is of one such family, William Eaton and his wife Jane Ison.

Jane Ison as she is recorded in most historical documents was born 2nd November 1770 at London. Her parents were James and Eleanor Lloyd, nee Brown. Jane was baptised on 5th December 1770 at Stepney, Spitalfields Christ Church, she had two younger brothers, James and Samuel. We know nothing of her childhood, except that it was a difficult time in London and without parents with money, her chances in latter life would have been drastically reduced. Only 14 years and 10 months she married Edward Jaggers on 28th September 1785. It appears she lost her mother about this time, as her father was remarried in October 1789.

Edward Jaggers is thought to have died or the marriage didn’t work. Jane lived for awhile in Canterbury, one of the oldest inhabited areas in Great Britain. Being settled for well over 2,000 years. There are still buildings there that Jane would have seen. After Canterbury she moved back to London where her troubles were to soon to be played out. On 2nd November 1792, Jane’s 22nd birthday, her friend Sarah Loft met a drover from North Wales, William Ellis, where she agreed on a price of sixpence to go to bed with him in the house of Anne Dawson. Later a fight between William and five women who had taken his silver watch valued at twenty shillings, as well as a canvas purse with money to the value of thirty one pounds erupted.

The women were successful, but were later identified, arrested and indicted for their crime. At their trial on 20th February 1793, at the Old Bailey, Elizabeth Rederick was acquitted, Sarah Loft, Ann Simmons, Anne Dawson and Jane were to stand in the court and hear their sentence read. “They were all to be hanged”. After pondering their situation for 3 months, they were all to have their sentence commuted to transportation to the eastern coast of New South Wales or some other island adjacent, for the term of their natural lives.

Jane was to spend almost 2 years in Newgate prison waiting transportation. During this time she met Thomas Lloyd a 34 year old man who was described as being 5 feet 7 inches tall.\, with dark brown hair. He had been born in Philadelphia, America and was described as a gentleman who had been convicted for libel and was serving a 3 year sentence. As a gentleman, he was most likely a privileged prisoner who was well educated and of independent financial means. Because the gaols were not sexually segregated, the prisoners were allowed to mix freely. A relationship developed between this American gentleman and the Cockney London girl. It is not known, because of his surname being the same as Jane’s original surname. If there was any blood relationship between them.

Together with her friends Ann Simmons and Anne Dawson, she arrived in NSW on 25th October 1794 on board the “Surprize”. Which had been to NSW before in the infamous second fleet where 256 male convicts were to suffer untold cruelties on their earlier voyage.

Jane was described as being 5 feet 3 inches tall, with light brown hair and grey eyes. It is not recorded who Jane was assigned to, but most likely as a domestic because she was to stay in Sydney for some time.

Shortly after arriving, she formed a de facto relationship with William Bryant. Two daughters were born of this union Jane Charlotte, born 1st August 1796, and Martha born 26th June 1798. Both were born in Sydney, William Bryant was to disappear about this time. It is possible he went back to England as his sentence would have almost expired, he may have died in Sydney, or he may have escaped, lived with or was killed by aboriginals. There was no record of any of these ideas.. However at this time those returning to England, were not often recorded, as well as about 300 people who absconded within that decade never to be seen again. As Sydney expanded, there were many skeletons of these run away convicts discovered within the next 40 years.

So Jane found herself in a new country never able to return to England with two baby daughters and alone. Her next move was to be the most important one she could have made towards respectability and stabilising her life. That was to form a relationship with William Eaton.

William was born in London in 1769, son of William and Mary Eaton. Like most of Australian early settlers we know nothing of his early life until the 14th may 1788. He was charged with stealing a Cheshire Cheese valued at one pound.

Either the cheese was over valued, or sixpence to sleep with a woman was undervalued. Things have certainly changed 200 years on. After calling eight witnesses to vouch for his good character, he was convicted and sentences to 7 years transportation.

William arrived on board the “Admiral Barrington” along with 263 other male convicts, 4 free women and one child, on 16th October 1791. Part of the group of ships known as the third fleet. He was originally assigned to the Sydney area, where he served the remainder of his sentence. It was here he met Jane. To them a daughter Mary Ann was born on 19th May 1800. The first of 7 children. On 3rd August 1800 at St. Phillip’s Church of England in Sydney they were married, Jane giving her name as Lloyd.

Ann, the Eaton’s first daughter also aged 15 married James Richards in 1816. Daniel married Mary Ann Thurston in 1826 and lived a full and long life dieing in 1889 in his 85th year. Susannah married Abraham Cornwell and had 12 children. Ann Eaton married John Cornwell the younger brother of Abraham whose father Isaac leased some land at Belmont, next door to the Eatons. Isaac was shot dead on new years day 1811 by friends after a party had got out of hand. George Eaton was only 21 when he died, not having married. John his younger brother married Mary Ann Onus, and died fairly young, leaving a young family.

In January 1814 William Eaton was taking a cart load of produce to Sydney for sale, where he was robbed of all monies and produce by 2 bandits who threatened him with instant assignation if he offered resistance. His wife Jane died at their home on August 1st 1823 and was buried 2 days later at St. Peters Cemetery, Richmond on their 23rd wedding anniversary. William was left with a young family to care for and married Jane Foster a year later.

By 1828 he was reasonably well off owning 117acres of which 57 were ploughed and under cultivation. He had 6 horses and 80 head of cattle with 2 convicts working for him.

His second wife died in 1840 at Eatonville and was buried in the family vault with his first wife. William lived a further 18 years and died aged 90 years on 31st May 1858 and was buried with his 2 wives. He was the oldest and last of the third fleeters to die.

Eatonville was left to his son Daniel, who later left it to his son. In 1928, after being in the Eaton family for 124 years, Eatonville was sold to Archibald Howe, later Sir Archibald who was a famous building contractor, politician and later mayor of Sydney. On Eatonville he established The Premier Jersey Stud of Australia known as ”Navua” where he only imported cattle from the Isle of Jersey. Also amongst the picturesque grounds he had a Shetland Pony Stud and a Berkshire Pig Stud.

After his death in 1943, his estate and valuable animals were sold. Today the farm is owned by Peter and Tonia Bracken who runs a successful thoroughbred horse stud known as Bracken Stud.

Of Janes 3 friends who were tried with her and arrived in NSW aboard the “Surprise” Ann Dawson died on Sydney on 4th September 1797 still a convict. Ann Simmons formed a relationship with John Bunn a seaman on board the “Surprise”. She had a daughter born 19th June 1795 at Sydney and called her Jane Ann. Shortly after she was living with a convict named Tom Massey who arrived on the “Gorgan” on 21st September 1810 and shifted to Port Dalrymple Van Diemans Land (Tasmania). Ann was granted a conditional pardon in October, 1810. After 1811 no records exist of her., her husband in 1819 had a grant of 310 acres and became the chief constable and superintendent of Governor’s stock in Launceston Tasmania. He died aged 99 in 1858.

St. Peters Church Richmond NSW

St.Peters was built in 1841, previously a temporary building was used. Governor Macquarie set the burial grounds and streets for the 5 Macquarie towns on high land above flood level but close to the river.
Macquarie, established a scale of fees for marriages funerals etc.

Marriage by licensed Clergyman 3 pounds 3 shillings

Funerals 3 shillings

Grave Digger 2 shillings 6 pence.

John Field

Historical Family Information

John Field. Eldest child of Edward Field 2nd and Esther Field (nee Lees)
Born: 23/3/1833 Bapt.21/5/1833 by Rev. Henry Fulton at Christ Church, Castlereagh.
Died. 14/2/1899 and buried C. of E. portion Forbes Cemetery.
(AGS) aged 66 years. Headstone.
Married: 14/3/1853 Louise Ann Peacock, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. G. Peacock of Hartley. (GS) at the residence of and by Rev. Colin Stewart.
Born. 1836
Died. 11/2/1901 aged 64 Years and buried C. of E. Forbes Cemetery. (headstone)

S.M.Herald dated 23/3/1853

Edward Field of Penrith (Deceased)
Marriage of son John q.v to Louise Ann Peacock.
Married 14/3/1853 at residence of and by Rev.Colin Stewart to Louisa Ann, only daughter of Mr. G. Peacock of Hartley.

Western Champion Friday 24/2/1899

Mr. John Field of Forbes died from cancer last week at the age of 65 years.

Forbes C.P.S. Office. Deaths

14/2/1899 Forbes. Mr. John field, labourer, aged 65 years, carcinoma of throat, debilitas 12 months. Parents Edward Field and Esther Lees. Buried 15/2/1899 C. of E. Forbes. Born Castlereagh, married Hartley aged 20 years to Louisa Ann Peacock. Children: Ada C. 39. Sophia L. 34. Elizabeth S. 28. Lillian 24 living.
2 males and 7 females deceased..

Presbyterian Marriages 81/64

I John Field do hereby declare that I am a member or hold Communion with the Presbyterian Church...................John Field.
I Louisa Ann Peacock do hereby declare that I am a member or hold Communion with the Presbyterian Church.......Louisa X Ann Peacock.
I Colin Stewart of the Heritage, Minister of the Vale of Clwyd, do hereby certify that John Field of Mt. York and Louisa Ann peacock of the same place, spinster, were joined together in Wedlock by me on 14th day of March, 1853, at the Hermitage in the presence of George Peacock of Mount Clarence and James Field of Hartley.
Witnesses: G. Peacock
James Field.
Colin Stewart. Minister.

Eliza Field: 3rd child of Edward 2nd and Esther Field (nee Lees)
Born. 31/7/1835 baptised 30/8/1835 at C. of E. Castlereagh by Rev. Henry Fulton. Parents settlers of Castlereagh. Vol.19 No. 444
Died. 3/4/1906 at Carrawobity near Forbes aged 70 years. And buried C.of E. Cemetery, Forbes.
Married: 1.11/8/1852 Joseph Scott son of Michael Scott and Sarah Collits, at Coalpit Vale by Fr. Luke Hand.
Born. 1831
Died. 3/9/1875 at Bogabigal via Forbes aged 44 years.
Married 2. 13/2/1878 Edward Field, son of William and Eliza Field and cousin to Eliza, at Carawobitty, Forbes.
Born.24/8/1844 at Castlereagh.
Died. 27/12/1878
Married 3. 1883 Charles Stewart.

Biographical data
Forbes C.PS Office – Marriages

7/1878 Edward Field, bachelor and Eliza Scott widow married at The Parsonage, C. of England, Forbes, 13/2/1878 by Rev. Ephram Dunstan in the presence of James Field, Lauria Scott. Signed: Edward Field, Eliza Scott.

Deaths.

52/75.. 3/9/1875 Broad Creek Bogabigal, Forbes, Joseph Scott, carrier, aged 44 years of Scrofulous disease of the knee joints, duration 3 months, son of Michael Scott, farmer and Sarah Collits. Informant Eliza Scott, wife. Buried 4/9/ 1875 Forbes Cemetery, C. of E. Born Penrith, married Hartley at 21 years to Eliza Field. Children: 3 males, 7 females living, 1 male deceased.

94/1878. 27/12/1879 Edward Field, 35 years, rough carpenter, cancer of face, duration 5 months. Parents William Field, farmer, Elizabeth Randall. Informant William Cunningham son-in-law, Carawobitty. Buried 28/12/1878 Forbes Cemetery , C. of E. Born Hartley. Married Forbes aged 34 years Eliza Scott (nee Field)

1906 3/4/1906 Carawobitty, Eliza Stewart, senile decay, duration 4 months. Parents Edward Field, blacksmith and Esther Lees. Buried 4/4/1906 Forbes C. of E. cemetery.
Married
1. Penrith aged 16 years Joseph Scott
2. Carrawobity 43 years Edward Field
3. Carrawobity 48 Charles Stewart.
Informant: A.R.Scott, son Carrawobity
Children 1st marriage: Sophia 53, Rozetta 51, Laurestina 46, Edward J. 43, Victoria 39, Sarah 37, William Henry 36, Arthur R. 33, Evelyn M. 31, 1 female deceased.
No children to 2nd and 3rd marriage

I wish you and those you love a very blessed, peaceful and safe Christmas as you journey towards the birthday of our Blessed Saviour Jesus..

“JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON”

Love from Dorothy