Australian Royalty: Genealogy of the colony of NSW

It is believed that he had been a slave of Captain John Randall of Stonington, Connecticut, United States of America. When he later joined the New South Wales Corps he gave his place of birth as New Haven, Connecticut.

John RANDALL was tried at Manchester 1785 for stealing a silver watch chain, was then sent to the Ceres Hulk, then 1786 delivered to the ship Alexander for transportation for 7 years. He states his birth place to be New Haven Conn. Nth America.
Given the social conditions in America at the time it is almost certain that John and his parents would have been slaves. He was convicted in Manchester on 14 Th. April, 1785 for stealing a steel watch chain and sentenced to seven years transportation. How or why he turned up in the North of England is not known, however at the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1782, many of the British troops and (perhaps) some of their auxiliaries, were repatriated to the Lancashire area. There is no direct evidence that he had been a soldier, but there are a few intriguing hints of a familiarity with things military.
The ship Alexander and the other transports, storeships and men-o'-war of the First Fleet sailed on the 13 th May 1787 from Portsmouth. They rested at the island of Tenerife, and the towns of Rio de Janeiro in South America and Cape Town in Africa , where food supplies were replenished. The first elements of the fleet arrived at Botany Bay on the 18th of January 1788 and the rest by the 20th January. The site of the settlement was quickly moved to Sydney Cove because of the lack of a reliable water supply at Botany Bay, and all the ships of the fleet were moved there by the 26th January.
In 1802 his wife Mary died leaving three children. One was Mary Randall, b.1793, who married his fellow ship mate John Martin, another Negro. He left in 1810, then became a Sydney Town Constable. He left this position, then in 1817 a John Randall, acting chief constable, was murdered in Tasmania.

Randall married Esther Howard/Harwood on 21 February 1788; she died on 11 October 1789.

"Permission of his Excellency Arthur Phillip Esq. Governor
Solemnization of Matrimony by banns between John Randel and Mary Butler
Married this fifth day of --- in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety by me Richard Johnson Chaplain
John Randel and Mary Butler made their X marks in the register
In the presence of Edward Smith who signed the register and John Dawson who signed the register

He recived a 60 acre land grant on the Northen boundaries, which he sold to Joseph Holt in 1801 (see below), who described him as a "well made black about six feet, played the flute and tambour well". Randall would sell his land cheaper if he could get him in to the New South Wales Corps choir. Randall joined the New South Wales corps and was described as "a black" from North America.

John Randal, 60 acres grant at Northern Bounday by A. Phillips, 29 Nov 1792
Quit rent 1 shilling commencing 29 Nov 1802
Named Randal's Farm
Laying to the eastward of the Northern Boundary farms
Regranted to Joshua Holt

In October 1793, Collins reports;
"Several instances of irregularity and villainary amongst the convicts occurred during this month. From Parramatta , information was received, that in the night of the 15th four people broke into the house of John Randall, a settler, where with large bludgeons they had beaten and nearly murdered two men who lived with him. The hands and faces of these miscreants were blackened; and it was observed , that they did not speak during the time they were in the hut. It was supposed that they were some of the new-comers, and meant to rob the house; and this they would have effected, but for the resistance which they met with from them. At this time seven of the male convicts lately arrived from Ireland, with one woman, had absconded into the woods. Some of these people were afterwards brought in to Parramatta, where they confessed that they had planned the robbing of the millhouse, the governor's, and other houses; and that they were to be visited from time to time in their places of concealment by others of their associates who were to reside in the town, and to supply them with provisions, and such occasional information as might appear to be necessary to their safety. They also acknowledged that the assault at Randall's hut was committed by them and their companions".

In June 1799, John Randall was accused of the theft of plates and glasses from Government House . There is some confusion as to which Government House it was, Parramatta or Sydney. He was "forgiven".
Source: NSW State Records Microfilm Reel 655/ page 83.

(Friday June 7, 1799)

"At an extra meeting of Magistrates commenced at the hour of 4 in the afternoon on Friday the 7th day of June 1799 for the special purpose of clearing the Gaols Report previous to the assembling of the Criminal Court tomorrow.

Present
The Judge Advocate
The Rev. Richard Johnson

The Gaol Report Produced

John Randall (a black) was brought up charged on the oath of John Keys(?), Servant to His Excellency the Governor, with having on Wednesday Night in his possession sundry Plates and Glasses the property of his Excellency , which he was feloniously removing from Government house with intent to steal - and it appears from the testimony of said Keys that the prisoner was met by him between the door of the kitchen and the gate leading to the sentry box, and that on being questioned as to what he was about to do with the said articles Randall replied "Shifter Shifter. The fact was established but on sending to Government House for the plate and glasses the Magistrates understood they had been indiscriminately mingled with others of the same description and therefore conceived the evidence insufficient to send the prisoner before his County(?).

(But,)
Being further charged on the oath of William Nott a constable on duty at Government House with a similar attempt to make off with certain other glasses, to wit, 5 whole and two broken glasses, about the hour of ten at night after the former offence had been looked over , and which said glasses were found near the prisoner on the ground at the time the constable searched him.

The Magistrates submit to his Excellency the propriety of ordering the offender such exemplary punishment as in his Excellency's wisdom shall seem most (appropriate ?).

Saturday Morning,

The Governor informs N. Dove that he had received a petition from black Randall (with) expressions of his sincere contrition. As the robbery attempt to be committed was upon him, He is willing to forgive him, if Mr. Dove would take the trouble to order him to be liberated.

Nick. Dove Esq.
Liberated accordingly".

On November the 10th, 1800, John Randall sold his Property at "Northern Boundary" (North Parramatta). It was purchased by Joseph Holt and Joseph eventually sold a part of it to John Hackett (I59516).
Randall descendants are fortunate that one of the pivotal events in his life was recorded for posterity in the Journal of the Irish Revolutionary, "General" Joseph Holt, one of the more successful leaders of the ill-fated 1798 uprising of the "United Irishmen" in County Wicklow.
Hlt records that he was in conversation with Captain William Cox, of the NSW Corps (and later responsible for the first road over the Central Tablelands), who was his supervisor/employer. Although Holt was technically a convict, he worked on Cox's private estates at Brush Farm, as his estate manager and "superintendent of convicts".
Holt relates:
"In our conversation there, I saw a black man, of the name of John Randal, walking past the windows and I told Mr Cox who he was, that the said John Randal was sportsman to General Grose. He bid me go and see what he wanted. I walked out and asked him. He told me he had a farm to sell of sixty acres, and that he would sell it very cheap if I would give him a promise to get him in the choir. I told him to call next day, as I was busy at that moment. I returned in and told Mr Cox it lay one mile and three quarters from Mr Cox's estate. He says: 'If you like the farm for yourself, buy it. I am sure I can get him in the Corps, and you had better begin for your own family'. I made some remark to Mr Cox (which was my duty) that perhaps I had not as much money coming to me as would pay for it. He looked at me and said: 'If you buy as cheap for yourself as you have bought for me, it won't cost you much, and I will advance for you moneys. You get good value to the amount of five hundred pounds' and, looking at me very earnest, said: 'Holt I know you.' I answered and said I was very glad he did know me, for that gave me pleasure, so we took some more wine and water. He was a good soul over his glass.
Next day John Randal came, and I went and viewed the farm. I liked it well, and another thing-it being so near me where I had every hopes that Mr Cox and I would continue together. I asked him the price. He tould me sixty pounds, and to engage him to get in the Corps. I told him that was more than I could do at present , but I told him I would give him forty pounds if I could get him in the Corps, and fifty if I could not get him in, and, if he wanted to come over, he should have my letter to the Colonel. This black played on the flute and tambour. He was about six feet high, well made and straight.
I wrote to the Colonel in the most polite manner I was able to, and he received it in the most friendly tone and said, if he would perform his agreement with me, he would, on my recommendation, take him in the Corps. He returned and came to me with the answer. I told him I would engage to get him under pay. In three days after, I had got the conveyor of the Deeds and he desired me to get them ready. I came with Randal to Mr Cox's and showed the Colonel's letter, and Mr Cox said he would have the deeds on conveyance ready against ten o'clock. The next day the conveyance was made out in Hester Holt's name, as I was not free though no indent against me but, to stand full in law, she made the purchase. On the tenth day of November , in the forty first year of His Majesty's reign, the money was paid down and witnessed by William Cox, Rebecca Cox, James King. This Conveyance I have now in my possession in Dunleary (Ireland)".

Common law. Besides two daughters, this couple had two boys who both died in an accident in 1816:
"Last Sunday se'nnight, two fine boys, one eight and the other nine years old, sons of John Randall, in the employ of Mr. R. Campbell, jun. were drowned in attempting to cross Manly Beach in a boat, a tremendous surf being on at the time, which rendered their feeble exertions unavailing. - One of the bodies was found nine days after, close in shore, but the other has not yet been recovered." - The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842) Sat 13 Jul 1816 Page 2

It was thought that John sold up his Sydney assets in about 1814, and then left for Georgetown in northern Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania), where he was appointed as a senior constable. A John Randall, Senior Constable was murdered there by a convict in 1817. It is now clear that this was another convict brought directly from England in 1816 on the convict transport Atlas 3.

His common law wife, Fanny, petitioned the Native Institution to take in their two daughters in 1822. Fanny described herself as a widow.