John HENRY
| Town/City | Wagga Wagga |
|---|---|
| First name | John |
| Last name | HENRY |
| Country of Origin | Scotland |
| Date of Birth | 1804 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1838 |
| Submitted by | Brian HENRY |
Story
John Henry
John Henry was born about 1804 in either Scotland or Ireland. John married Margaret McSeveny 18-12-1824 in the Parish of Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland. For the next thirteen years or so they lived in the Kirkoswald area and John became a church elder. Seven children were born to them, Agnes (1824), Thomas (1826), Adams or Ademia (1828), John Nelson (1830), Bryce Nelson (1832), James (1834) and William (1836).
With these seven children and an eighth on the way the family decided to seek a better life in Australia. They left Greenock on board the ‘William Rodger’ 12-5-1838. The ship was carrying Bounty Immigrants. It embarked with 115 adult immigrants and 137 children. The Captain was John Hall and the Surgeon in Charge was John Reid. John Henry\’s occupation was given as ‘carpenter and sawyer’. He was occupied during the voyage by assisting the ship\’s carpenter. He and Margaret were both recorded as being ‘healthy and useful’. The journey was uneventful until the ship rounded the Cape of Good Hope. The passengers then had to be confined below decks as there were gale force winds and rain. Conditions were very bad and several people became ill. John complained about the state of the water available particularly for his pregnant wife. At one stage the ship was surrounded by pirates. They only left when some passengers dressed up in military uniforms and convinced the pirates that the ship was carrying convicts to NSW. Therefore there were no free settlers and nothing of value on board.
On 26-9-1838 the ‘William Rodger’ approached Sydney Heads. The Captain reported that there were some cases of some sort of fever on board. The ship was ordered to remain at anchor off the Quarantine Station. More passengers fell ill and by 5th October it became apparent that the fever was Typhus Fever. The ship was towed to Spring Cove and the passengers were landed in the Quarantine Station grounds. The hospital there was staffed by convicts and untrained people under the direction of visiting surgeons. New cases of Typhus Fever continued during the next couple of months. Sixteen people had died during the voyage. Four children were born. Twenty-nine adults and sixteen children died while the ship was in quarantine. Two more children were born, one being John and Margaret\’s son Isaac. On 3rd of January 1839 the passengers were taken up the Harbour and at last allowed to go free. John was engaged by a Mr Gerard or Gerand of Sydney with a wage of 2 pounds 10 shillings without rations per week.
An investigation was held into the conditions on board the ‘William Rodger’ and similar ships and as a result much stricter conditions and standards were imposed on ships carrying immigrants.
Shortly after landing, the family went to the Illawarra area of NSW. In the 1841 Census the family was living in a house owned by J. G. Collins. John was possibly working for Captain John G. Collins who owned the Woodstock Mill in Jamberoo. Later John was one of many people who had a tenant\’s lease at ‘Riversdale’, Jamberoo, a large property owned by James Robb. John operated a sawmill and possibly did some lay preaching, as in his son\’s obituary he is referred to as ‘the Rev Mr Henry’. Five more children were born at Jamberoo, Hugh (1840), Margaret (1842), David (1844), Jacob (1846) and Agnes (1848).
John died 20-7-1849 at ‘Riversdale’ and was buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery of St Stephen\’s Church, Jamberoo. He left behind a widow with thirteen children, the youngest was not even twelve months old. He was just 45 years old. He did not live long enough to witness the tragic deaths of two of his sons in the prime of their lives.