Early Hunter Valley Settlers

Free Settler or Felon?

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The Hunter River Valley was the largest of the lowland plains on the New South Wales coast. It was the first area outside the Cumberland Plains to be permanently occupied by white settlers, however these first settlers were small farmers, allowed the indulgence by Governor Macquarie. After the Governor's first visit to Newcastle in January 1812, well behaved convicts Benjamin Davis, George Pell and Richard Binder and son of convict storekeeper John Tucker (John junior) were permitted to take up land on Patterson's Plains.

In 1817 and 1818 more settlers were allowed farms as well, including John Tucker senior who had retired from his government position at Newcastle; John Powell, John Swan, William Evans, Robert Whitmore, Thomas Addison, John Reynolds, Anthony Dwyer and John Reeves. The conditions under which the farms were held were mentioned in an order published in March 1818 warning the farmers that: they were not to regard the land so given them their own property, the right being exclusively vested in the Governor and that they were only allowed to cultivate and to reside on their Farms so granted during their good conduct and the pleasure of His Excellency the Governor.

Governor Macquarie described the country in his Journal on 30th July 1818 :-

'Thursday 30th. July. Got up at Day-break and Breakfasted immediately so as to prosecute our Journey up the River. At 10 a.m. we arrived in the Gig at Point Reception, and at the confluence of the 2d. & 3d. Branches of the River. -- We proceeded up this Branch to the Farms some time since permitted by me to be occupied by 6 well behaved Convicts and two Free men. Arrived at the first Farm (young Tucker's) at 1/2 past 11 o'clock, distant about 9 miles from Point Reception, where we landed and walked about for some little time examining the improvements and nature of the Soil, which last is most excellent. We then proceeded to view the rest of the Farms on both sides of this beautiful River -- finding the soil of all of them very good -- and much more ground cleared & cultivated than I had any idea of. -- After we had explored most of the Farms, we quitted the Boat entirely and walked across the Country to the 3d. Branch -- leaving orders with the Gig to meet us next day at Reception Point on our way back. -- The Country between the two Rivers thro' which we travelled was principally fine open Forest Land, very fit for grazing but not for cultivation but we also passed through some very close thick Brush Country and indifferent land. '

In the early 1820's there were other trusted ex - prisoners who were allowed to settle near Maitland also - George Mitchell, Molly Morgan, Richard Martin, Patrick Riley, John Allen, John Smith, Thomas Boardman, Patrick Maloney and John Cahill and William Jones. William Eckford and William O'Donnell were also early small settlers.

Because of the Newcastle Penal settlement there was a deliberate refusal to allow any large scale settlement of the Hunter Valley. Other than the indulgences to the small farmers mentioned above, the granting of acreages in the Hunter Valley was delayed until after the penal settlement closed and convicts were transferred to Port Macquarie. Consequently the majority of the valley's settlers were new immigrants whose enterprise, together with the natural resources of the valley produced a rapid development of both agriculture and stock raising.

After Commissioner Bigge recommended closure of Newcastle penal settlement and relinquishment of the land of the Hunter Valley for free settlement these new settlers began pouring into the area. The river banks of the lower Hunter and their surrounds had been denuded of timber in the preceding years and the land was now seen as a resource for wealth and revenue via agriculture.

The new settlers included merchants and military men, agriculturalists, doctors and sea captains. They sailed sixty miles up the coast from Sydney in little colonial vessels and disembarked at the stone wharf at Newcastle. They then transferred to smaller vessels to make the voyage up the river.

They came with wealth and privilege and under the new laws in NSW had great potential to extend this wealth. They were granted land according to their resources and allocated a convict for every 100 acres able to be effectively developed. Some were also allocated allotments in the township of Newcastle. Many of these early settlers were still on their land in 1837, some had sold out or passed away, their land being taken up by family members or others.

As well as the 1837 maps, there are Wikimapia maps on each page. Use the controls in the top left hand corner of the map to zoom in and out and to move the map left to right etc. Or click and drag the map

Map 1

Australian Agricultural Company Adam Beveridge William Bradridge George Brooks William Brooks (Lochend) John Eales (Duckinfield House) John Field George Thomas Graham Vicars Jacob James Thomas Lamb John MacLean Francis Moran (Duck River Farm) William Peppercorn(Eyeball Reach) John Laurio Platt Henry Rae Alexander Walker Scott (Ash Island) Francis Shortt Richard Siddons William Sparke Jonathon Warner Joseph Weller George Weller Richard Windeyer Australian Agricultural company John Field, Simeon Lord, Iron Bark Creek, Nobbys Island

Map 2

James Adair Samuel Adair, George Adair Edward Cory Gilbert Cory John Cory William Cummings Andrew Dixon Robert Corum Dillon Leslie Duguid William Dun William Evans George Frankland Standish Lawrence Harris William Hicks Beresford Hudson Richard Jones James Kelly Andrew Lang Robert Lethbridge Alexander Livingstone James McGillivray George Muir Thomas McDougall James McClymont Timothy Nowlan Henry Dixon Owen James Phillips Richard Charles Pritchett James Read George Shaw Rutherford Walter Scott Gentleman John Smith John Galt Smith Hugh Torrence John Tucker Susannah Matilda Ward William Charles Wentworth John Wighton George Williams Caleb & Felix Wilson Thomas White Melville Winder

Map 3

Ferdinand Anley Alexander Park Alexander MacDuff Baxter Charles Boydell Crawford Logan Brown Matthew Chapman James Dowling Francis Gibbes Grayson Hartley John Hooke John Lord John Mann Duncan Forbes Mackay John McInytre Joseph Rookin Major Smeathman Benjamin Sullivan George Townshend John Verge Charles Windeyer

Map 4

Archibald Bell junior (Corinda) James Black William Brooks James Busby John Cobb (Minimbah / Rusholine) Henry Dangar John Earl John Gaggin William Harper (Oswald) William Kelman John Larnach (Rosemount, Castle Forbes) David Maziere Alexander McLeod James Mitchell James Mudie Robert and Helenus Scott (Glendon) Alexander Shand Benjamn Singleton Alexander Brodie Sparke Thomas Steele Joseph Underwood George Wyndham (Dalwood) George Boyle White (Greenwood Estate)

Map 5

William Simms Bell (Cheshunt) George Bowman James Bowman (Ravensworth)

David Brown

John Martin Davis Robert Dawson (Goorangula) George Dight John Gaggin James Glennie (Dulwich)

James Hale

Rev. Richard Hill Richard Hobden (Great Lodge) Robert Hoddle John Howe (Mibrodale) Sampson Marshall

James Mein

George Galway Mills Archibald Mossman Joseph Onus Thomas Parmeter Robert Pringle Robert Adamson Rodd

Map 6

Alexander Anderson James Arndell (Woodlands) Thomas Arndell James Brindley Bettington John Henshall Bettington George Blaxland (Wollun) Charles Cameron Peter Cunningham (Dalswinton) Cyrus Matthew Doyle (Lucan Park) John Hoskings Rev. John McGarvie

William Ogilvie (Merton) James Robertson

Map 7

Francis Allman (Overton) Joseph Horton Bettington William Buchanan - Belltrees - Hunter Valley Settlers (Marsheen) William Cox (Negoa) Henry Dumaresq (St. Heliers) Francis Forbes (Skellator) George Forbes (Edinglassie) Captain John Pike (Pickering) Samuel Wright (Bengalla) Muswellbrook

Map 8

Hugh Cameron William Dangar William Dumaresq - St. Aubins Thomas Potter Macqueen - Segenhoe Peter McIntyre

Map 9

John Bingle (Puen Buen) William Bell Carlyle (Satur) Stephen Coxen Stephen Coxen Joseph Docker (Thornwaite) John Dow ( Arden Hall) Mary Ann Fennell George Hall Archibald Little (Cressfield) Francis Little (Invermein) Alexander Livingstone ( near Mt. Wingen) Donald McIntyre (Kayuga) Peter McIntyre Hamilton Collins Sempill James White ( Broomfield)

Sources

1. Australian Medical Pioneers Index

2. Backhouse, James., A Narrative of a visit to the Australian Colonies in 1843

3. Bateson, Charles, The Convict Ships 1787 - 1868, Library of Australian History, 1983

4. Boyle, H.F., Lieutenant Commander Frederick Bedwell R.N, Paterson Historical Society

5. Census of New South Wales. 1828

6. Clouten, Keith H., Reid's Mistake; the story of Lake Macquarie from its discovery until 1890. Boolaroo NSW; Lake Macquarie Shire Council, 1967

7. Convict Indents

8. Decisions of the Superior Courts of New South Wales 1788 - 1899

9. Early Days of Port Stephens - Extracts from Sir Edward Parry's Diary. Dungog Chronicle

10. Hainsworth, D.R. The Sydney Traders, Simeon Lord and his Contemporaries, Cassell Australian, Melbourne, 1872.

11. Hunter, Cynthia., The Settlers of Paterson's Plains, Paterson Historical Society, 1997

12. Hunter Valley Gazette

13. Index to the Colonial Secretary's Papers, 1788 - 1825

14. Maitland Mercury

15. Mitchell, C., Hunter's River, Estate of Cecily Joan Mitchell, 1984

16. Newcastle Coal Report: History of Newcastle Mines under Crown and Australian Agricultural Company

17. New South Wales Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages

18. Proceedings of the Old Bailey

19. Sydney Gazette

20. Sydney Morning Herald

21. The narrative of a voyage of discovery performed in his majesty's vessel the Lady Nelson of sixty tons burthen, with sliding keels; in the years 1800, 1801, and 1802, to New South Wales

22. Turner, J.W., Manufacturing in Newcastle, 1801 - 1900. Newcastle History Monographs No 8., Newcastle Public Library 1980

23. Uebel , L., The Port Jackson Convicts Anthology, 2001

24. 1832 Directory

25. General Return of Convicts to New South Wales 1837

(26)Roope, C., Gregson, P., 'An Organised Banditti,The Story behind the Jewboy Bushranger Gang.,Lake Macquarie, 2002

(27) Sydney Herald,December 10th 1840.

(28) 1832 Directory

(29) Sydney Gazette12 May 1835

(30) Sydney Gazette 4 October1834

(31) AO 1046 6/6007 CSOL 1832 -1833, 32/972

(32) Commercial Journal 4 September 1839

(33)Maitland Mercury 24 May 1845

(34) Sydney Gazette 4 June 1831

35. Sydney Gazette 9 April 1835

36 Maitland Mercury 17 October 1849

(37) Maitland Mercury 10 November 1849

38Wood, Allan, Dawn in the Valley, Wentworth Books, Sydney, 1972. p131.

39 Turner, J.W. Newcastle as a Convict Settlement: The Evidence before J.T. Bigge in 1819 - 1821, p.128