Family Treeof Trudy Mae COWLEY
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CensusAt the 1843 census, John (Mr SHERBURD) owned 35 Davey St and 37 Davey St, Hobart. There were five other inhabitants, including one small child. (CEN 1/52/20) At the 1852 census, John still owned 35 and 37 Davey Street, Hobart (where the Commonwealth Law Courts are now). Community LifeOn 1 December 1825, John signed his name to a memorial to Governor George ARTHUR. The petition was also signed by John BEAUMONT, David LORD, John EDDINGTON, George FLEXMORE, P G HOGAN, Robert HOWETT, Jon CROPPER, Andrew RODDING, Daniel ANDERSON, Francis ALLISON, H J EMMETT, Elizabeth FREE, John BLONDELL, John REEVES, George CARTWRIGHT, John THRENHOLM, Scott WINTLE, James SHARP and H ROSS, all residents of Sandy Bay (Queenborough) (Lord, 1998). The memorial stated: The Memorial of the Inhabitants of the District of Queenborough Respectfully Sheweth, That your Honor's Memorialists are engaged in the Cultivation of their Farms which from the smallness of their extent are only equal to limited Agricultural and Gardening pursuits. That although seated on the Banks of the River Derwent but few of the Farms possess the advantage of a Landing for Boats therefore the greater number of the Inhabitants of Queenborough are obliged to find Lane (sic) [Land] Carriage for their Produce to the Hobart Town Market. That no Road having ever been cut except partially by the Inhabitants at various times, the Passage is at all times very laborious for Carts and in the Winter Season not only difficult and dangerous, but at times absolutely impassable. That it would materially add to the comfort as well as to the profit of the Memorialists by facilitating the disposal of Produce would your Honor graciously order the completion of a Road through the District which it is humbly submitted would prove to be a benefit to the Public in addition to its advantage to Memorialists. DeathJohn died aged 91 years at Kingston on 12 June 1889. The informant was Alex CLARKE, undertaker of Hobart. His death was registered on 15 June 1889. Cause of death was old age. John's death notice in The Mercury of 14 June 1889 read: On Wednesday June 12th. 1889 at his residence in Blackman's Bay, Captain John Sherburd, after a long illness, in the 92nd year of his age. EventsJohn was involved in an incident with Tasmanian natives on 25 October 1818. An article in The Hobart Town Gazette of Saturday, 28 November, 1818 read: Savage Murder. We regret we are called again to record another, and not a new act of savage barbarity. On the 25th of October last a party of five persons, consisting of James Foley, John Sherberd, Zachariah Chaffey, William Garth, and John Kemp, all young men residing at this Settlement, proceeded in an open boat belonging to Mr. T. W. Birch to Oyster Bay, distant from our harbour about 150 miles N.E. in order to procure swan feathers, and kangaroo, seal, and swan skins. Their labours were attended with more than usual success; having at this place procured 300lbs. of swan feathers, 60 swan skins, 100 kangaroo skins, and 34 live swans; and at Big Swan Port (commonly called the White Rock), which lies nearly contiguous, they got 151 seal skins. Their labours being thus successfully terminated, they were inclined to return home; and in order to arrange for that purpose on the 13th instant they put into Grindstone Bay (31 miles distant from Oyster Bay), where from contrary winds they were detained three days. During their stay at this place, they went a second time to Big Swan Port, for the purpose of increasing their number of seal skins, leaving behind John Kemp in care of the live swans, 4 kangaroo dogs, 3 muskets, some ammunition, sealing knives, and the various skins, &c. they had procured. After having obtained more seal skins, they returned the same day to Grindstone Bay; and when near the shore, the first object which attracted their fight was the corpse of their unfortunate companion kemp lying at the water’s edge, cut and mangled in a manner too shocking to relate. Foley instantly jumped out of the boat and had only time to perceive that the greater part of the articles left with the deceased were destroyed or taken away, when the natives, who were in ambuscade, suddenly appeared on the beach, armed with spears. He made all speed to return, and with the help of Chaffey with the greatest difficulty got the body in the boat; immediately after which, they shoved off, and fortunately got out of the reach of the natives. On the approach of the boat, two of the dogs that were at some distance on a rising ground set up a terrible howl, ran to the water, and swam to the boat: one was also found dead by the body of Kemp, and the other, from the blood and foot-marks on the sand, is conjectured to have been killed by the natives’ spears. A native girl, who had been some time among those at present walking about the streets of Hobart Town, accompanied this group, which consisted of nearly 20. She often in an apparent friendly, but artful manner entreated the part to return, which they very prudently declined, and instantly made sail from the awful scene. Owing to unfavourable winds for four days, and the putrid state of the body, they were reluctantly compelled to put into East Bay where they performed the last offices of humanity to their unfortunate fellow creature. It may be regretted that the muskets and ammunition are now in the possession of these natives, as their natural fear of fire-arms may be in some degree removed by the native girl before noticed. We have only to hope, that this unhappy circumstance will put persons, who are in the habit of frequenting the woods and islands, on their guard in future not to lose sight for a moment of their arms, or to go any distance without them, which would probably in all cases prevent disasters of this description, and the necessity of proceeding to extremities on either side, so much to be desired. We are credibly informed by a person who has often visited Oyster Bay, that it is a favourite resort of the natives, no less than 500 having been seen assembled there at once. ImmigrationJohn emigrated from Norfolk Island with his parents and siblings, embarking from Norfolk Island on 3 September 1808 per City of Edinburgh. On the shipping list of people who boarded the City of Edinburgh on 3 September 1808 were No.96 William SHERBURD and wife Esther (THORNTON) and six children William, Ann, Elizabeth, John, Mary and Esther. (CSO 1/177/4306). John is listed on the Memorial to the First Fleeters and Norfolk Islanders who came to Van Diemen's Land during the evacuation 1807-1813 in St David's Park. He sailed per City of Edinburgh from Norfolk Island on 3 September 1808 with his family, arriving in the Derwent River on 2 October 1808. The ship's master was Simeon PATTERSON.
MarriageJohn SHERBURD married Mary BLACKLOW on 23 October 1826 by banns at St David's Church, Hobart. John was a bachelor. Mary was a spinster. They were married by William BEDFORD. Witnesses to the marriage were Michael CONNOR (x mark) of Hobart Town and W WORTHY of Hobart Town. OccupationsAccording to Kevin WHETTON, John was a farmer and bay whaler in the Channel, possibly on Bruny Island, with his brother William SHERBURD and his brother-in-law James FOLEY. Later, John was in partnership with Askin MORRISON in bay whaling. John and his brother William were both
Masters of whaling ships, although illiterate, making numerous voyages over many
years. John made 12 voyages as captain of a whaler from 1844 to 1850 (Chamberlain,
1988). From 1822 to 1826, John SHERBURD farmed the properties inherited from his father until shortly after the death of his mother in 1826. In 1830, as well as being involved in whaling, John was still farming the 50 acre grant at Blackmans Bay inherited from his father, which he considerably improved. On 12 August 1861, John was listed as the Master of Catherine, a whaling ship of Hobart Town. Catherine was registered at the port of Hobart Town, with a tonnage of 163. The Agreement for Foreign-Going Ship being a ship employed whaling stated no spirits allowed. Members of the crew included William GARTH, age 34, born in Tasmania, employed as chief mate; William Henry HARRISS (John's son-in-law), age 27, born at Rhode Island, last served on Catherine, employed as shipskeeper. In 1882, a Captain SHERBURD was master of the ketch, Aurora, New Zealand to Hobart on 23 December with 160 seal skins from Bass Strait. This may have been John SHERBURD. PropertyMuch of the following information is extracted from Willing (1988). The history of John SHERBURD and his
brother William is well documented. Both
were land holders in the Kingston and Blackmans Bay districts as well as house
owners in Hobart. When John's father died in 1822, John, being heir-at-law of the original grantee, inherited all his father’s property, including the farm and properties at Davey Street, Hobart Town and Blackmans Bay in the county of Kingborough. On 15 February 1823, John measured a town allotment, likely to be his property in Davey St, Hobart. On 30 October 1826, in accordance with his father’s expressed wish, John made over the remaining 54 acres of land to William, his brother. William farmed the land for some time and then became a ship’s master and went to sea. William VINCE then became the tenant of the farm and remained until 1860. In 1830, John applied for a grant of land. He owned £50 in cash and a cottage in Davey Street valued at £100. In consideration of this and “adverting to his industrious habits” the Land Board recommended he be given 50 acres adjoining his present land. Lieutenant Governor ARTHUR, having ascertained that John and his wife had one child of their own and were bringing up his sister’s two orphaned children, increased this to 100 acres (CSO 1/468/10366). These children perhaps were those of his sister Mary Anne SHERBURD and her husband Joseph Lester HOPWOOD. John's land at Blackman's Bay had water frontage and was next door to the properties of J FOLLEY (John's brother-in-law) to the south and MCGAUGHRAN (John's brother-in-law) to the north. John built a stone house on this property at Blackman's Bay - this house was demolished in the 1930s. In 1843, there was a dispute about the ownership of the family farm. William SHERBURD applied for the survey title of the land, stating that the land had been in his possession for many years. John SHERBURD stated that he had made the land over to William. On 8 August 1848 the title of the land was given to William SHERBURD. From 1858 to 1861, John leased his farm of 150 acres at Blackmans Bay, with an annual value of £20, to James BENNETT. ProvisionJohn THORNTON was listed as a child above 2 years on the stores at Norfolk Island in February 1805. John SHERBURD was listed in General Muster of the whole of the free men, women and children, off and on the stores in His Majesty’s settlement at Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land, under the immediate inspection of His Honour Lieut. Governor Sorell assisted by Mr Acting Deputy Assistant Commissary General ARCHER commencing on the 7 Sept and ending on 2 Oct 1818 inclusive. He was noted as being born at Norfolk Island and was listed as being off the stores. (Wright, 1986) |
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