Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

A group of 10 Presbyterian families from Scotland and Northern England emigrated to Australia aboard the ship Coromandel which departed Deptford on 12 Feb 1802 and arrived at Sydney Cove on 13 Jun. They chose the Coromandel because William Stirling, the uncle of one in their number, George Hall, was her captain. The same George Hall kept a diary of the voyage. They settled along the River below Windsor. Six years after they came to the colony they commenced building a stone church at Portland Head, now known as Ebenezer. This is now the oldest church building in Australasia.
They were:
- George Hall, his wife Mary Smith, children Elizabeth 9, George 7, William 5, John 1. George was the son of a Northumberland tenant farmer, educated, and conversant with 'agricultural machinery'. He was a London carpenter when he returned north in 1791 to Lowick to marry Mary Smith.
- John Howe, his wife Francis Ward, children Mary 2, Elizabeth 2 months. Soundly educated and, by his own statement, brought up to husbandry, he worked in a grocery business in London while waiting for a passage and when in the colony he proposed to become a teacher.
- Andrew Johnston, wife Mary Beard, children Thomas 11, William 7, John 5, Alexander 2 (Died at sea 21 Mar, buried at sea), Abraham 1.
- John Johnstone
- Lewis Jones
- James Mein and wife Susannah Skene
- Andrew Mein (died on voyage 28 Apr, buried at sea)
- William Stubbs, wife Sarah Wingate, children William 5, Sarah 4, Elizabeth 1.
- John Suddis
- John Turnbull, a tailor, wife Ann Warr, children Ralph 10, Mary 5, James 4, Jessica 2.
They had decided to accept the English government's offer contained in the following document of Jan 1798, which George Hall had acquired while living in London.
"We whose names are undersigned acknowledge that, at our own request, we offered ourselves as settlers to go out to N.S.W. with our families on the following terms:
To have our passage found and our families victualled by the Government during the voyage. On our arrival in the Colony we have a grant of 100 acres of land at Port Jackson, or fifty acres at Norfolk Island. To be victualled and clothed free from the Public Stores for a term of twelve months after being put in possession of our allotments, and to be allowed the labour of two prisoners maintained by the Government for the same term. After which term we and our families are to be no further expense to the Crown. Likewise we have the same proportion of stock, such grain and agricultural tools as have been furnished to other settlers, together with such other assistance as the Governor need judge proper to afford us.
Outfit for men: 1 jacket, 1 shirt, pair of trousers, pair of shoes, 1 hat.
ditto for women: 1 Jacket, 1 petticoat, 1 shift, pair shoes, 1 cap, 1 handkerchief,
Children as above on stores.
Tools; I billhook, tomahawks, 1 spade, 1 handsaw, 2 west Indian hoes, 1 cross-cut saw (between two men), quantity of nails, one iron pot, 1 old musket, quantity of powder and 16 musket balls."

John took over Andrew Thompson's store, where he had a variety of goods of the 'best quality and at the most reduced prices for ready payment only'. At the time he was trying to collect from people indebted to Thompson and were determined not to get into a similar situation.

"Received 1 Feb 1810"
"Memorial of John Howe
Respectfully sheweth
That Your Excellency's memorialist came to this colony as a settler nearly eight years ago. That from is land proving bad, he had made but little progress or profit in cultivation, which induced him to pray Lieut. Governor Patterson for an augmentation of land and his honor was pleased to grant him ninety acres. Memorialist therefore humbly prays Your Excellency may be graciously pleased to renew the same..."

John Howe of the parish of Windsor and Jane Kennedy of Parramatta were married in this church by license from his Excellency Governor Macquarie this thirteenth day of May in the year one thousand eight hundred and eleven by me Samuel Marsden, Chaplain
Both John and Jane signed the register
in the presence of James R. Kennedy and Catherine Mason who both signed the register

MARRIED. - At Parramatta, on Monday last, by the Rev. Mr. MARSDEN, Mr JOHN HOWE of Windsor, to Miss JANE KENNEDY, of Parramatta.

Although retaining his land grant until 1813, John showed little interest in farming. He succeeded Andrew Thompson as licenced auctioneer at Windsor in 1811 and by his successful management of the sales of Thompson's property earned the lasting favour of Governor Lachlan Macquarie.
With James McGrath he contracted in 1813 to complete and repair the road from Sydney to Windsor and, for Thompson's executors, to build a toll-bridge, known for many years as Howe's Bridge, over South Creek at Windsor.
In 1815 the partners enlarged the Windsor wharf and a year later began another for the government.
As Chief Constable at Windsor from 1814 to 1821 and as coroner for the next seven years, Howe's record was one of honest, reliable service.
Encouraged by Macquarie, Howe left Windsor on 24 Oct 1819 with a party of five white men and two aboriginals, hoping to discover a trafficable route from the to the Hunter River. Part of the route had been traversed in 1817 by William Parr and in 1818 by Benjamin Singleton, both of whom set out from the .
It was common knowledge that convicts escaping from the Coal River settlement (Newcastle) made their way overland to the , but no through road had yet been established. Howe succeeded in reaching the Hunter near Doyle's Creek on 5 Nov 1819, discovering much fine grazing land, but returned dissatisfied with the route.
A second expedition, with thirteen white men and two natives under Howe's command, left Windsor late in February 1820 and, following the expert advice of the native guides, Howe mapped a route which is now the Bulga Road. On 15 March he reached the Hunter River near the present site of Whittingham and followed its course as far as Maitland before returning to the .
Macquarie rewarded him with a licence to graze his flocks on the land he had discivered at St. Patricks Plains, and with a grant of 700 acres, later named Redbourneberry which Howe selected near the present site of Singleton. An additional 500 acre grant was made in 1824.

"GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL ORDERS.
Head Quarters, Sydney,
Thursday, May 21st, 1812.
HIS EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR has been pleased to appoint Mr. John Howe to be Chief Constable at Windsor, and of the Districts situated on the Rivers Hawkesbury and Nepean, in the room of Mr. Matthew Locke, who resigns that appointment ..."

Free People
Mr Howe Coro 1

"GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL ORDERS.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, SYDNEY
Saturday, 22d September, 1821.
HIS EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR has been pleased to appoint Mr. ROBERT HOWE to be Government Printer, in the Room of Mr. GEORGE HOWE, deceased; until HIS MAJESTY'S Pleasure shall be known: - Mr. ROBERT HOWE receiving the prescribed Salary from the Date of the Decease of his Predecessor.
HIS ECVELLENCY the GOVERNOR has also been pleased to appoint Mr. JOHN HOWE to be Coroner at Windsor, and for the several Districts down the River Hawkesbury, with a Salary of Forty Pounds per Annum, commencing from the first Instant, to be Paid from the Police Fund."

"TO be SOLD and may be entered upon immediately, the undermentioned FARMS, equally adapted for Cultivation or Grazing, viz. - Fawcet's Glen, 200 Acres; Worcester ditto, 120 ditto; and Howe's ditto, 360 ditto; comprising altogether 680 Acres. The whole, or either of the above Farms, situate in the Kurry Jung, and on the Mill Creek, will be Sold, by Application to me, at Windsor.
JOHN HOWE..."

Howe, John, 52, came free, Coromandel, 1802, Protestant, Coroner, Windsor
Howe, Jane, 47, came free, Sovereign, 1795. Protestant
Howe, John K., 16, born in the colony
Howe, James, 15, born in the colony
Howe, Francis, 14, born in the colony
Howe, Emma, 13, born in the colony
Howe, Catherine, 11, born in the colony
Howe, Sophia, 9, born in the colony
Howe, Robert Rowarth, 8, born in the colony
Howe, Elizabeth M., 5, born in the colony
Howe, Richard P., 2, born in the colony

Howe left Windsor in 1839 and retired to a small farm 'Raworth' near Morpeth, where he remained until his death.

John Howe's name and that of his first wife Frances are inscribed on a tablet commemorating its founders, in the Presbyterian Church at Ebenezer. Howe's park in Singleton, once part of the Redbourneberry Estate, and Howe's Swamp, Howe's Mountain and Howe's Valley along the Bulga Road perpetuate his memory.