Henry Cone

75

iain Frazier on 14th August 2025

Family connections for Henry (Cone) are: CONE Henry (Cohen/Crehan/Cone) son of John (Cone) & Hannah (???) (& brother of John (Cone) who was executed at Rushmere-placename in several counties & Ireland-in April 1785) was born about 1759, perhaps at Bury St Edmonds Suffolk. He was a butcher at Halesworth when he was tried for stealing money of John (Wade) publican & items of Charles (Haward) at Suffolk (or Northampton Assizes or Buckinghamshire & Norfolk Assizes), sentenced to death reprieved on 5 6 1787 to Life, was transported on GUARDIAN (which struck an iceberg & drifted for 9weeks), was transferred to Fleet ship NEPTUNE (a voyage noted for extreme brutality of prisoners with a high death rate) at Cape of Good Hope & arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 7 1790 (this Website has 2 12 1790 which may be the final arrival of GUARDIAN) after a total journey of 18months on NEPTUNE; he was issued his Conditional Pardon as a result of his efforts in saving the GUARDIAN. He was sent to Norfolk Island on SURPRIZE on 7 8 1790. In Februaey 1805 he is recorded as a labourer Free by Servitude sentence ezpired on stores. He had a first relationship with Mary Ann (???).>>> [Some details taken from this Website] Mary Ann (???) was a convict Free by Servitude. She went to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) with her family on CITY OF EDINBURGH on 3 9 1808, arriving on 2 10 1808; to Argyle. She is recorded on 2 10 1818 off stores at Hobart Town.] Need more information to find Mary Ann (???)s entry on this Website-or is she really Hannah (Hawkins)? Henry (Cone) & Mary Ann (???) produced 2children: 1.Robert (Cone) was born on Norfolk Island. He was taken to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) with his parents on 3 9 1808 arriving on 2 10 1808; to Argyle. .. 2.Henry (Cone) was born in 1809 & died on 14 10 1809 age<10m. .. >>>Henry (Cone) was transported to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) with his family as part of the first evacuation (for which volunteers apparantly had been called with appropriate compensation offerred & for which he may have tried to decline as some successful farmers were asked to stay) on CITY OF EDINBURGH on 3 9 1808, arriving on 2 10 1808, where he was later granted 30acres at Argyle near Hobart. He is recorded as Henry (Cohen) in Hobart in 1809 with 2children. He, as Henry (Cohen/Crehan/Cone), had a second relationship with Hannah/Mary (Hawkins her second (2of4) relationship). He was recorded on 2 10 1818 at Hobart Town off stores & in 1819 with 10acres sown & 4children (indicating another child of his or an earlier one of Hannah (Hawkins) not mentioned here.) He died, as Henry (Cohen), on 24 12 1847 of old age88 father of maybe 5children at Hobart. Hannah (Hawkins) was born in 1767. She was tried at Stafford Assizes, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 26 6 1790 after a voyage of 7months on Fleet ship NEPTUNE; a voyage noted for extreme brutality of prisoners with a high death rate. She was sent to Norfolk Island arrivimg there on 7 8 1790. She associated firstly (1of4) with Henry (Taylor) & may have married him on 5 11 1791 in group ceremony on Norfolk Island-but not on list of such marriages. She left the island on 3 9 1803. She separated before 1801 when she returned to Sydney. She was in Tasmania in 1816. She had a third (3of4) relationship with Archibald (Kane) whom she may have married. In 1822 she is recorded as Free by Servitude at Windsor with E (Kaine). In 1825 she is recorded as a widow at Richmond where she is recorded as still living in 1827. She was in a fourth relationship with John William (John his second relationship). She died on 1 6 1837 age70 mother of perhaps 2children. [Some details taken from this Website] Henry (Cohen/Crehan/Cone Free by Servitude) & Hannah (Hawkins Free by Servitude) produced at least 2children: 1.Ann (Cohen/Crehan/Cone) was born on 30 3 1816 & was baptised on 17 6 1819 age3 w/John at St Davids CofE Hobart. 2.John (Cohen/Crehan/Cone) was born on 24 2 1819 & was baptised on 17 6 1819 w/Ann at St Davids CofE Hobart. References: Craig James Smee 'Births and Baptisms Marriages and Defacto Relationships Deaths and Burials New South Wales 1788-1830' ..a complete listing from church & other records in the early colony. Irene Schaffer & Thelma McKay 'Exiled Three Times Over! Profiles of Norfolk Islanders Exiled in Van Diemens Land 1807-1813' James Hugh Donohoe 'Norfolk Island 1788-1813-The People and Their Families' Reg Wright 'Forgotten Generation of Norfolk Island & Van Diemens Land'

342

Maureen Withey on 14th November 2021

The Guardian transport was to sail this morning from Portsmouth on her voyage to Port-Jackson; she has 25 convicts on board, mostly carpenters and blacksmiths, and a lading of beds, clothing, and other articles, of which Commodore Phillips had not a sufficient supply, Eight superintendants of convicts embarked with them; and a skilful botanist, provided provided with glass frames, and every thing necessary for the preservation of rare plants, for the royal garden at Kew, also takes his passage on board this ship. Derby Mercury, 10 Sept 1789. Riou departed on the final leg of the Guardian’s journey to Sydney on 12 December 1789. About ten days later, the ship ‘fell in with several Islands of Ice, floating in the Ocean 400 leagues from land’. According to Riou’s account of what followed, he judged conditions safe enough to sail closer to the icebergs, so as to collect floating slabs of ice with which to supplement the ship’s supply of fresh water. But then the weather deteriorated and on the evening of 24 December the ship struck what Riou recalled as ‘a body of Ice full twice as high as the Masthead’. The collision opened a huge gash in the Guardian’s hull and tore off its rudder and part of the keel. The next morning, the crew attempted to remedy the damage: strapping a sail along the hull, pumping out water and jettisoning heavy objects such as guns, anchors and livestock. The following day, acknowledging that ‘little chance was left of safety’, Riou agreed to demands from roughly half of the ship’s company to escape in the longboats. All but fifteen of those who abandoned ship perished. Riou remained on board with 60 others, including 21 convicts, who managed to keep the stricken vessel afloat for nine weeks until it drifted within sight of the Cape and was rescued. The surviving convicts and salvaged cargo eventually arrived in New South Wales in June 1790, having been distributed among the ships making up the infamous Second Fleet when they called at Cape Town. Fourteen of the convicts were immediately pardoned due to Riou’s report of their ‘admirable and wonderful’ conduct in assisting to save the Guardian. https://www.portrait.gov.au/portraits/2011.65/part-of-the-crew-of-his-majestys-ship-guardian-endeavouring-to-escape-in-the-boats A lot of information about the voyage of the Guardian, and its collision with ice, twelve days after leaving the Cape, having taken on more supplies there. https://www.freesettlerorfelon.com/convict_ship_guardian_1790.htm Henry Cone was one of the 14 convicts who received a pardon.

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Maureen Withey on 13th November 2021

Committed to our gaol, … Tuesday Henry Cone of Halesworth, butcher, was committed to the same place, by Charles Purvis, Esq. charged on the oath Mr. John Wade of Halesworth aforefaid, innholder, on suspicion breaking open a drawer in his chamber, and stealing thereout two crown pieces, one half crown piece, and some shillings, the property of the said John Wade, in the night of the 8th inst. He is further charged on the oaths of Mr. Cha. Haward and Mr. Wm. Revans with having divers goods in his possession, the property of the said Charles Haward. And on Wednesday one Samuel Root, a shoemaker, was apprehended here, by the constables from Halesworth, on suspicion of being an accomplice with the above offender. He was confined in a room in the King’s Head in this town, for that night; from which place he made several efforts to escape, and the next morning was conveyed to Halesworth, to be examined by the magistrates. Cone is brother to John Cone who was executed at Rushmere April 1785, with Larter, and is the person who accompanied them to the place of execution in a post-chaise. Ipswich Journal, 17 Feb 1787. -------------------------------------------------- At our Assizes, which ended, ten were capitally convicted, and received Sentence of Death, viz. ... Henry Cone, for stealing Sum of Money out of the Dwelling-House of Mr. John Wade, ... Northampton Mercury, 7 Apr 1787.

221

D Wong on 27th April 2020

Henry was the son of John and Hannah Cone. Henry Cone, aged 24, was sent to the 'Lion' prison hulk at Gosport. Henry sailed on the 'Guardian' and on the 24/12/1789 it struck an iceberg. The ship eventually struggled her way to Table Bay (Cape Town) where she was beached. Henry was transferred to the 'Neptune' at the cape. He was granted a conditional pardon for helping to save the Guardian. Henry was sent from Port Jackson to Norfolk Island, arriving 7/8/1790 on the 'Surprize'. He was recorded there in 1801 and in 1805 was described as a landless labourer. 2/10/1808: Henry arrived in VDL with a woman named Mary Ann and a child, Robert on the 'City of Edinburgh', here he was granted thirty acres in the Argyle district near Hobart. 1809 Muster: Listed as Cohen, he was with a woman and 2 children, on the land, owning 2 pigs. 1819: Henry now had 4 children, 10 acres sown in wheat, beans and potatoes. 24/12/1847: Listed as Cohen, Henry died of Decay of Nature, aged 88, a farmer, he died at Hobart.

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Maureen Withey on 27th April 2020

Henry Cone, for stealing a sum of money out the dwelling-house of Mr. John Wade, of Halesworth. Bury and Norwich Post, 4 April 1787.

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Maureen Withey on 27th April 2020

National Archives. HO 47/6/84 1787 June 5 Certificate/memorial of William Henry Ashhurst on capitally convicted on the Buckinghamshire and Norfolk Assizes, but 'some favourable Circumstances' appeared on/after their trial and recommended to mercy on the conditions set against their names: Suffolk Assizes at Bury St. Edmunds, 28 March 1787 Henry Cone, James Weaver and Robert Sharman, for burglary. Transported for life.