Send an e-mail to: Amanda TaylorSend an e-mail to: Amanda TaylorA Story of an Early Pioneer Family, Researched and written by present-day members of the Family, themselves.
The following article was written and researched by Grace Douglass & Laurel Legge and published in their book 'Along the Windsor Richmond Road' 1985 (ISBN 0 9589831 0 0 and ISBN 0 9589831 3 5) and is subject to copyright. Written permission is held from the late author Grace Douglass for the writer to publish contents via the Internet. However, although this book is in the public domain, it still remains copyrighted material and may not be copied for any reason without permission. I do not have the right to give permission to others to reprint the book. I was only given permission to put it on line. All copyrights stay with Grace Douglass & Laurel Legge and whoever they appointed, for control of the book. Under no circumstances may it be reprinted for profit.
Extractions of parts of the information for personal use with references to the book as the source is encouraged.
It should be noted that since the book was published over twenty years ago, that a lot of the material in the books have been superseeded by later research, some of which can ben seen at my complete Rootsweb database at Amanda Taylor's Genealogy.
The mystery child of William and Jane Ezzy. We cannot even be sure of his name - James William or William James. Overlooked by early historians and researchers, his date and place of birth, and date and place of death and burial, will probably never be known, but exist, he did.
[Note : Since the book was published I have established that this child was christened as James William HESEY on 18 July 1790 in St.Saviour, Southwark, London, England to parents William and Jane HESEY.]
According to the Ships Log for the "Royal Admiral" there were two children on board belonging to 'free' wives of convicts, but perhaps it is too much to suppose that both these children were the children of the same Mother. However, in the 1806 Muster of Women in the Colony, there were only three other women besides Jane who had come as free wives of convicts on the "Royal Admiral" who had been married in England and who had by 1806 had children. As early birth records are incomplete and unreliable as previously explained then it would be foolish to claim with certainty that Jane's sone was born in England, even if the births of these other children could all be checked out.
John Ezzey, the second son born to William and Jane was born in October 1795, exactly three years after arrival, and it is in this three year period that I feel James was born, here in the Colony.
As proof of his existence we have several references during the next twenty-five years. In the 1806 Muster of Women in the Colony, Jane is listed as having three sons, and three daughters. Louisa was deceased and Sophia not yet born). In the 1811 Muster James Ezzy is listed as an 'adult' and Jane Ezzy as 'free' 6 children, but no name of vessel, or year of arrival is given for either.
On file at the Registrar General's Department in Sydney is a copy of the Agreement signed between Laurence Butler & James Ezzy in 1809 -
Indic of Apprenticeship dated 6th November
1809 James Ezzey son of William Ezzey of
Hawkesbury hath put himself apprentice to
Laurence Butler, cabinet maker of Sydney
for the term of three years to learn his
art of work. Executed in the presence of
John......and James William Ezzey(sic)
Laurence Butler was a convict who came to the Colony in 1798 as the result of one of the many Irish Rebellions. His trade of cabinet maker was a very valuable one to the young settlement so he was allowed to work at his trade right from the date of his arrival.
In 1812 a William Ezzy, Apprentice, was before the Court, according to records held at the Archives Office, Sydney --
William Ezzy brought before this Court by
Laurence Butler to whom the said William
Ezzy is an apprentice, charged with improper
conduct and neglect of his work,
and John Boulton charged by the said
Laurence Butler with harbouring his
said apprentice and instigating and
encouraging him to disobey the lawful
orders of him the said Laurence Butler.
The Court after a full hearing of all parties ordered the said William Ezzy should be bound by his indentures of apprenticeship to the said Laurence Butler for the full term thereof; that his hours of work should be from six to six -- with the usual allowance for meals and that he should be allowed to sleep at his Father' until he made default to this order.
In light of the Apprenticeship Agreement signed in 1809, it can readily be seen that James Ezzy and William Ezzy, apprentice, were one and the same person, especially with friend John Boulton in the picture! James had almost completed his term of three years apprenticeship when he came before the Court.
In May 1813, James Ezzy advertised his intention to leave the Colony on the Brig "James Hay". As previously explained there were no records kept of free persons leaving the Colony, only these advertisements i the Sydney Gazette newspaper. The "James Hay" left the Colony on the 25th May for the Pearl Islands and Otaheite -- it carried no cargo only ballast -- it returned to Sydney on 20th December, 1813 with a cargo of pearl shell. James' reasons for leaving the Colony are very clear, he was not a farmer, he was a tradesman, and as a skilled worker with wood he had a trade that would have been much in demand on a wooden sailing vessel. The "James Hay" next left on a sealing venture and later returned to England, all before November, 1817 when John Boulton inserted an advertisement in the Sydney Gazette making a claim on the Estate of James William Ezzy. James William was deceased.
Once James had published his intention to leave the Colony in 1813, and joined the crew of the "James Hay" he could have returned to the Colony an number of times without leaving a trace. The crew did not have to keep publishing their 'intentions' the Captain of each vessel just inserted a notice saying that the ship was leaving port. So James may have been buried anywhere -- on land or at sea.
My complete Rootsweb database can be seen at Amanda Taylor's Genealogy
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