Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

There is a consistency in all of her recorded ages, right through to her Sydney gravestone, that point to a birth in 1779, 1780 or 1781. We know from her marriage record that her maiden name was Frances Mills, and by her own evidence she was born in Morpeth. This all points to the Frances Mills born on 3 August 1781 to James Mills, as recorded in the General Register of St Mary’s, Morpeth, under the heading “Births of Dissenters.” Morpeth, a market town, had a population of 2,951 in 1801 and probably a few hundred less than that when Frances was born, so the field of candidates is not large. The church of St Mary the Virgin at Morpeth dates from the late 12th century and was probably the place where Frances’ father, James Mills, married Margaret Mitchell in July 1778.

Name Mark Johnson
Spouse's Name Frances Mills
Event Date 23 May 1798
Event Place Christ Church, Tynemouth, Northumberland, England

Frances Johnson, one of 101 convicts transported on the ship Lord Melville, August 1816.
Sentence details: Convicted at Lincoln, Parts of Lindsey Quarter Sessions for a term of 7 years on 14 July 1815.
Vessel: Lord Melville.
Date of Departure: August 1816.
Place of Arrival: New South Wales.

Arrived in the colony 24 Feb 1817

I’ve... discovered that Frances Johnson was in Hobart when she became pregnant with William, early in 1818. There is considerable evidence, through Y-DNA analysis, that William’s father was a Frenchman, Jean Pierre Meunier (Monnier/Mounier), who was in Hobart at the right time. I’m still a few degrees away from being certain...

Common law, resulting in the birth of a son William in abt 1818

The father of Eleanor Johnson is thought to be another convict, John MAWSON/MORSON, who arrived on the ‘Ocean’ on 30 January 1816. Frances JOHNSON and John MAWSON applied to the Governor in March 1819 for permission to marry, but the marriage seems not to have taken place, and MAWSON died on 19 February 1821.

List of persons praying His Excellency's permission to have their names published in church in order to their being married, Sydney 1 Mar 1819...
John Mawson, convict per ship Ocean, and
Frances Johnson, convict [per ship Lord Melville
approved 17 Mar 1819

Common law, resulting in the birth of a daughter Eleanor in abt 1818

Johnson, William, 8, born in the colony
Johnson, Eleanor, 5, born in the colony
both of the above bracketed as children of Francis Johnson, Sydney
Johnson, Frances, free by servitude, Lord Melville, 1817, 7 years, housekeeper, Sydney

V182878 73A/1828 PASS CAPPER JOHNSTON FRANCES JA (Sydney, Scots Church Presbyterian)

Capper Pass, 46, Canada 5, 14 years, ticket of leave
Frances Johnston, 45, Lord Melville, 7 years, free

Johnson, Frances, free by servitude, Lord Melville, 1817, 7 years, Ux [wife of] Capper Pass, George Street Sydney
Johnson, William, 10, born in the colony, Protestant, son Capper Pass

Frances PASS died 23rd December 1837 aged 57 years.
Erected by her children.
also to Christina Victoria JOHNSON
died 11th November 1848 aged 2 years & 3 months