Marine Private James (John) Williams (c1760.....1820)

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Descendants

Some Information supplied by Lawrence J Jones lj.jones@bigpond.com;

 

Area Settled :

Mulgrave Place Liverpool

Children :

1 . Susannah Williams (b.1792 Norfolk Island ....d.1842 )Botany Sydney M1 John Baxter 1813 Sydney M2 Johnathan Asquith 1839 Sydney

2 . Ann Williams (b.1794.Norfolk Island.....d.1855 Seven Hills Sydney ) M Thomas Howard 1811 Sydney

3 . Sarah Williams (b.c1789.Sydney....d.1830 Port Macquarie )m   Steven Partridge 1816

4 . Michael Williams. (b. c 1802.Sydney .....d.1858 Woolongong N.S.W )

History & Achievements :

James Williams enlisted as a Marine and was a member of the 23rd Portsmouth Company . He was stationed on board the ship " Sirius " and it was on this ship he left England for Australia. Upon his arrival in Sydney John was sent to Norfolk Island on the ship "Golden Grove " on the 2nd of October 1788. He returned to Sydney where he enlisted in the Royal New South Wales Regiment . He discharged from the Regiment only to Re-Enlist . When the Regiment returned to England he stayed as a member of the Royal Invalid (Veterans) Company. Granted lands at Cascade Stream of 60 acres, James made several trips back and forth from Norfolk Island .

James was a First Fleet Marine 23rd Company on "Sirius".  See Mollie Gillen "The Founders".

James Williams was a Private Marine 23rd (Portsmouth) company, He joined 'Sirius" as part of the ship's compliment on 24 February 1787.  From "The Founders of Australia". "

He joined the Marine Corps on 16 March 1872 and served in the East Indies in 1783-85.

From Port Jackson on 2 October 1788 he was sent to Norfolk Island by "Golden Grove", having made a will to William Stanley on 30 August.

At Norfolk Island on 26 April 1789 Williams received 24 lashes after a quarrel with a fellow Marine (12 for the quarrel and 12 for fighting in the hut of a convict.)

He returned to Port Jackson by "Supply" on 12 February 1791 and in March was discharged from the ships books to the Port Jackson detachment.

Deciding to become a settler, he returned to Norfolk Island by "Atlantic" on 26 October 1791 and was given 60 acres on the left of Cascade Road, Phillipsberg selling grain to the stores from 1792.  It has been established this grant was never gazetted.

He left the island in September 1792 by "Atlantic" and joined the NSW Corps. 

He was back at Norfolk Island in 1793, arriving by "Kitty" in February.

He was transferred back to Sydney at the end of 1794 and discharged from the company of George Johnson in October 1799. 

James Williams apparently re-enlisted soon afterwards.  By September 1808 he had served 26 years 234 days; he was then aged 48 years and six months.

Born at Wrexham (Wrexham) Dendigh, Wales, he was a blacksmith, 5ft 8 ins tall, with a long dark complexioned face, black hair and hazel eyes.

In 1806 Williams was living with Rachael Watkins (Neptune 1790) who in that year was recorded with one son and three daughters, Susannah (1792), Ann (1794) and Michael (c1802).  She was sent to Norfolk Island in August 1790 and returned to Port Jackson after 1796.  The date at which her relationship commenced with Williams is uncertain.

When the NSW Corps was withdrawn in 1810 Williams remained in the colony, transferring to the Invalid (later Veteran) Company. 

He was on guard duty at South Head when he died on 16 March 1820.  His burial was registered at St Phillip's Sydney, age given as 70.

His wife and several of her children later worked for the manufacturer Simeon Lord at Botany where Rachael died on 10 February 1840, aged about 80