Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

John arrived in the colony as a soldier on the ship 'Ganges' on 2 Jun 1797. He had enlisted in the New South Wales Corps on 18 Sep 1796.

"a few days since a temporary residence on the Nepean belonging to John Lees, lately discharged from the New South Wales Corps, and among the number that embraced the offer of becoming settlers, unfortunately took fore, and was shortly consumed, together with every article of wearing apparel, and its various other contents. Upon a representation to HIS EXCELLENCY of the unfortunate event, he had since been furnished with such articles of cloathing from the Stores as his immediate necessities required, and his general character rendered him deserving of."

Married 20 Mar 1809.

John was granted 90 acres on 4 Jun 1804, another grant of 80 acres north of the original, legalised in 1831. Another grant of 284 acres to the east of his 80 acre grant, had been promised by Sir Thomas Brisbane in 1825. He is known to have lived on the land before then as the Sydney Gazette reported his temporary residence destroyed by fire in its issue of 26 Feb 1804. He grew wheat and corn and in the flood of Mar 1806 he lost four acres of corn but saved five bushels of wheat. He later grew maize as well and later still tobacco, and raised pigs. However, John's liking for strong drink was to see him lose some of his land and most of his animals before a strange experience changed his life.
It is reported in one source that he went out one night to get some wood for the fire and grasped a deadly snake which bit him. Another source says he dreamed he saw the snake rising out of the spirit bottle. No matter which version is nearer the truth, there is no doubt that his life changed and he became a devout Christian.
When Samuel Leigh, the first Wesleyan missionary to New South Wales arrived and began making excursions into the countryside, he eventually came to John's area and was directed to his home as one likely to provide accommodation for the night. John was delighted that his prayers had been answered and lost no time in building a small chapel next to his home. This proved to be the first Wesleyan Chapel built in Australia. It was opened by the Rev. Samuel Leigh on 7 Oct 1817. John's enthusiasm led him to give an acre of his land to the missionaries. He cultivated the acre with the rest of his land, giving its harvest or the proceeds to the missionaries. The official date of transfer was 3 Oct 1821.
John soon built another larger chapel and the first small one was turned into a sleeping room for the preacher whenever he decided to stay. When a chapel was built on the land of a neighbour, Henry Stockfish, some miles away in 1823, it was through the exertions of John.
John prospered and was able to make some liberal donations to the Wesleyan cause in the colony over the years.
In 1827 the family farm was advertised for rent and the Lees moved to Sydney, living in Castlereagh Street. The John had a stroke and the family returned to the farm. He lay bedridden for several years and during this time 'his physician prescribed a certain quantity of brandy every day.' This reawakened his desire for strong drink with sad results. John's final years were spent suffering both physically and mentally, though he still continued to teach Sunday school as well as he could.

In 1827 the family farm was advertised for rent and the Lees moved to Sydney, living in Castlereagh Street. The John had a stroke and the family returned to the farm. He lay bedridden for several years and during this time 'his physician prescribed a certain quantity of brandy every day.' This reawakened his desire for strong drink with sad results. John's final years were spent suffering both physically and mentally, though he still continued to teach Sunday school as well as he could.

He was buried here because the Wesleyans at that time could not legally marry or bury.
In 1848 a new stone church was opened on the acre of land given by John and it is still (1992) in use. When the centenary celebrations for the opening of the first chapel were held there in 1917, a movement began to have 'The Chapel Builder' interred in the cemetery there and this came about in 1921. A pilgrimage was held and the bodies of John and Mary Lees were re-interred in the Methodist cemetery at Castlereagh, in the acre of land John had given to the missionaries, part of his original land grant. Tablets in the outside wall and on the inside wall were both unveiled on 15 Oct 1821 to commemorate John's efforts and generosity.