Samuel Free

75

iain Frazier on 12th January 2026

Family connections for Samuel (Free) are: FREE Samuel (Free//Tree/Frear/Isreal) was born about 1771. He was tried for stealing, on 18 10 1788, handkerchief of Samuel (Rushart) at Old Bailey on 22 10 1788, sentenced to 7years, held at probably London or Middlesex Gaol Delivery & Newgate & hulk DUNKIRK in Portsmouth harbour from <1790 & arrived in NSW as a convict on 9 7 1791 after a voyage of 6months on Fleet ship SALAMANDER; he was onshipped to Norfolk Island in September 1791. He associated with Elizabeth (Smith/Grace her second relationship) whom he later married. He was Free by Servitude by 1797. He is recorded in February 1805 & 1807 as sentence expired on stores with his wife & 5children as farmer & constable on 50acres on Norfolk Island. He had 50acres on 26 12 1807 when he went 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 HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), arriving on 17 1 1808; to 70acres later granted at Queensborough (near current Casino where Derwentwater Ave Sandy Bay is now). He married Elizabeth (Smith/Grace) on 23 4 1810 at St Davids CofE Hobart Town. He is recorded on 2 10 1818 as on stores at Hobart Town. He became a constable at Sandy Bay Derwent in 1819. He died on 3/8 6/7 1819 age48 at Sandy Bay & was buried on 7 6 1819 at St Davids CofE Hobart; the land at Sandy Bay passed to son Thomas. [Some details taken from this Website] Elizabeth (Smith) was born about 1771/6. She was tried w/4others for robbery with violence at Old Bailey on 27 2 1788, sentenced to death by hanging reprieved to Life, held at Middlesex Gaol Delivery & Newgate & arrived in NSW as a convict on 3 6 1790 after a voyage of 12months on LADY JULIANA-a ship with 228females who easily entertained the whole crew & also sailors at Teneriffe stopover; she was sent to Norfolk Island on 7 8 1790 on SURPRISE. She had a first relationship/married with James (Grace)-not shown in Smees records of marriages. She was Free by Servitude by 1797. She is recorded in February 1805, as (Smith), & 1807 with her family on 50acres on Norfolk Island. On 26 12 1807 she went with her family as part of the first evacuation on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), arriving on 17 1 1808; to Queensborough/Sandy Bay. She is recorded on 2 10 1818 as free on stores at Hobart Town. She moved with her children to Clarence Plains near Launceston sometime after 1819. She died on 22 6 1850 age75/9 at Clarence Plains Tasmania mother of 10children. [Some details taken from this Website] >>>[Noted that Ref:'People...' claims Elizabeth (Grace/Smith) married in England & produced 2children in Australia] [James (Grace) was born about 1770 & became a shoemaker. He was apparantly convicted of a felony at age11, possibly held on hulks on the Thames then sent to American colonies on 30 7 1784 on MERCURY, from which he returned to UK after mutiny on the ship achieved landfall at Torbay/Torquay? Devonshire, was captured then held on hulk DUNKIRK. He was tried for breaking entering & stealing clothing at Old Bailey on 14 1 1784, sentenced to 7years, held at London or Middlesex Gaol Delivery & arrived in NSW as a convict on 21 1 1788 after a voyage of 8months on FRIENDSHIP/SCARBOROUGH. He was sent to Norfolk Island, arriving on 13 3 1790. He died on 15 11 1793 (Smee & NI Refs.) age about23 on Norfolk Island or 15 11 1798 (this Website) age about28. [Some details taken from this Website] .. Samuel (Free//TreeFrear/Isreal) [Original records ascribe his surname as (Israel), achieved by misreading of (Free) written over (Grace) on document] & Elizabeth (Smith apparantly also named as (Fue)) produced 8 or maybe 12children: 1.Thomas (Smith/Free) was born in 1796 on Norfolk Island. He may have been recorded in February 1805 on Norfolk Island, perhaps as a labourer. It may be who went with his parents on 26 12 1807 as part of the first evacuation on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), arriving on 17 1 1808; to Queensborough/Sandy Bay. 2.Sarah (Smith/Free/Israel) was born on 30 12 1797 on Norfolk Island & was baptised on 24 8 1801 age3 w/Mary, Susannah on Norfolk Island. She was recorded in February 1805 on Norfolk Island. On 26 12 1807 she may have gone with her parents as part of the first evacuation on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), arriving on 17 1 1808-but not recorded in Norfolk Island references; to Queensborough/Sandy Bay. She married at age16 George (Munday his second marriage) on 25 10 1813 at St Davids CofE Hobart & produced 10children. She died on 12 11 1871 age73 at Clarence Plains. ..George F (Munday/Monda/Mundy) was born about 1765 (or 28 5 1778-Smees records agree) at Exeter Devonshire & became a farmer. He was tried w/1other for burglary & stealing spirituous liquor, of Edward (Beer) Plymouth, at Devon Assizes at Exeter Castle on 22 3 1802, sentenced to death reprieved to Life, held at Exeter Castle & on a hulk prison ship & arrived at Port Phillip (now Victoria) as a convict on 4 10 1803 after a voyage of 7+months on HMS CALCUTTA (an expedition that settled in Tasmania); he would have camped at what is now Sorrento/Sullivans Bay. This expedition rejected Port Phillip for a settlement at this time & he was moved to Risdon Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) on 27 1 1804 (arriving on 15 2 1804) on OCEAN or HMS LADY NELSON or leaving on 24 3 1804 (arriving on 25 6 1804) on OCEAN. He married firstly Ann Garland (Redding/Reading age15) daughter of George (Reading) on 1 5 1811 at St Davids CofE Hobart & may have produced 1child. He was issued his Conditional Pardon on 1 2 1813 at Derwent Tasmania. He was recorded as off stores on 2 10 1818 at Hobart Town & in 1819 as Gee (Mondy) at Hobart Town employed by ??? (Woodroffe). From 1819-22 he lived at Kingboro. He was recorded in 1822 with 4boys & employed by ??? (Woodroffe). At some time he received a land grant. He resided for 30years at Bream Creek. He was living with a son at Pittwater when he died, hale & hearty, on 28 5 1867 age101 at 'Cherry Tree' Opening (home of son Henry) Sorell Pittwater decay of nature father of perhaps 11children who were still alive & was buried at Pittwater Sorell. ..Details of George F (Munday)s family are given in entry for George (Munday HMS CALCUTTA 1803) on this Website. .. 3.Mary (Smith/Free/Israel) was born on 2 7 1799 on Norfolk Island & baptised age2 on 24 8 1801 w/Sarah, Susannah on Norfolk Island. She was recorded in February 1805 on Norfolk Island. On 26 12 1807 she went with her parents as part of the first evacuation on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), arriving on 17 1 1808; to Queensborough/Sandy Bay. She married firstly James (Joseph) on 23 10 1813/15 at St Davids CofE Hobart & produced 7/8children It may be she who is recorded as Mary (Free/Maum) off stores on 2 10 1818 at Hobart Town with 1child off stores..>>> ..James (Joseph) was born in 1793 on Norfolk Island. He died on 22 5 1830. ..Details of James (Joseph)s family are given in entry for Willliam (Joseph SALAMANDER 1791) on this Website. .. >>>Mary (Free) married secondly Edward (Maum) son of William (Maum) on 8 5 1832. She died on 15 9 1882 age83 mother of 13children. ..Edward (Maum) died on 13 9 1869. ..Details of Edward (Maum)s family are given in entry for William James (Maum MINERVA 1800) on this Website. .. 4.Susannah (Smith/Free/Israel) was born on 25 7 1801 on Norfolk Island & baptised on 24 8 1801 w/Sarah, Mary on Norfolk Island. She was recorded in February 1805 on Norfolk Island. On 26 12 1807 she went with her parents as part of the first evacuation on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), arriving on 17 1 1808; to Queensborough/Sandy Bay. She is recorded on 2 10 1818 as free off stores at Hobart Town. She was taken by her mother to Clarence Plains near Launceston sometime after 1819. She married Jacob (Bellette his second marriage) on 16 4 1827 & lived at Clarence Plains. She died on 6 1 1833 age about38. ..Jacob (Bellette) was born on 7 12 1802 & baptised on 16 1 1803 on Norfolk Island. He is recorded in February 1805 as Jacob (Harper) child off stores on Norfolk Island. On 3 9 1808 he was sent to Derwent as part of the first evacuation of Norfolk Island on CITY OF EDINBURGH with his parents, arriving on 3 10 1808; to Queen Borough/Sandy Bay. He is recorded on 2 10 1818 as off stores at Hobart Town. He died on 20 5 1835 age32. ..Details of Jacob (Bellette)s family are givenin entry for Jacob (Billett SCARBOROUGH 1788) on this Website. .. 5.Samuel Grace (Smith/Free) was born on 1 9/11 1804 on Norfolk Island & baptised in 25 11/12 1805 on Norfolk Island. On 26 12 1807 he went with his parents as part of the first evacuation on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), arriving on 17 1 1808; to Queensborough/Sandy Bay. He is recorded on 2 10 1818 as on/off stores at Hobart Town. He was granted 10acres. He was taken by his mother to Clarence Plains near Launceston sometime after 1819. He died on 8 5 1839 age34. .. 6.Thomas (Smith/Free) was born on 26 10 1806 on Norfolk Island & baptised on 1 1 1822 age15 at St Davids CofE Hobart. On 26 12 1807 he went with his parents as part of the first evacuation on HMS PORPOISE to Derwent Van Diemens Land (Tasmania), arriving on 17 1 1808; to Queensborough/Sandy Bay. He is recorded on 2 10 1818 as on/off stores at Hobart Town. He was taken by his mother to Clarence Plains near Launceston sometime after 1819. He married Mary Ann (Waterson her second marriage) on 22 11 1826 at Clarence Plains church (first marriage here). He worked his fathers farm at Sandy Bay, which passed to him in 1819, until 1826-then sold it to move to 60acres at Ralphs Bay. He died on 13 5 1839 age about33 leaving his property to his wife, 6children & his wifes first child. ..Mary Ann (???) married firstly James (Waterson} & produced at least 1child. She & her children received 40acre farm at Clarence Plains & 10acres of brother in law Samuels land in Will of her husband in 1839. She died on 5 9 1861 mother of at least 7children. ..[James (Waterson) was born on 15 7 1802 on Norfolk Island & baptised on 25 7 1802 w/Thomas on Norfolk Island. He left Norfolk Island with his parents as part of the first evacuation on 15 5 1808 on ESTRAMINA, arriving at Derwent Tasmania on 5 6 1808: to Clarence Plains. He died on 18 12 1825 age22. ..[Details of James (Waterson)s family are given in entry for James (Waterson ALBEMARLE 1791) on this Website.] .. ..Thomas (Free) & Mary Ann (???/Waterson) produced at least 6children: ..1.-6. each received 40acre farm at Clarence Plains & 10acres of uncle Samuels land in Will of his/her father in 1839, along with their mother. .. 7.Elizabeth (Free) was born in 1809 on Norfolk Island & baptised on 29 11 1809 at St Davids CofE Hobart. She is recorded on 2 10 1818 as on/off stores at Hobart Town. .. 8.William (Free) was born on 18 11 1812(Smees records) in Hobart & was baptised on 19 2 1812(Ref:'Exiled...') at St Davids CofE Hobart. He is recorded on 2 10 1818 as on/off stores at Hobart Town. He was taken by his mother to Clarence Plains near Launceston sometime after 1819. He died on 10 5 1830 age18 & was buried at St Matthews Rokeby. .. 9.??? (Free) - Ref:.Forgotten...' records 4children in period 1813-29; not found in Smees records. 10.-12.??? (Free) Reference 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'

41

Glen on 22nd December 2018

Samuel Free was tried at the Old Bailey Middlesex on 22 Oct 1788, age 17, for stealing, on the 18th of October, one cotton handkerchief, value 1 s. the property of Samuel Rushart and sentenced to 7yrs transportation. Transferred to Dunkirk Hulk in Plymouth Harbour from Newgate prison by Jan 1790, where he remained until transfer to Salamander transport at Plymouth in March 1791 for embarkation with the 3rd fleet to NSW. Arrived in the colony 21 Aug 1791 He is indexed as Samuel Tree in the State archives convict indents Partnered with Elizabeth Smith (later Grace), convict per Lady Juliana 1790 By 1807 Samuel was maintaining 5 children on 50 acres of land on Norfolk island and had a 12ft by 10ft shingled house and a barn and was serving as a constable. He left Norfolk Island with his family aboard HMS Porpoise in 1808 when the settlers were relocated to The Derwent River in VDL. In VDL Samuel was granted 70 acres of land at Queensborough (near where the Casino & Derwentwater Ave is today). He served as a constable at Sandy Bay and on 23 Apr 1810 married Elizabeth. When he died the Hobart Town Gazette reported he was "one of the oldest settlers from Norfolk Island and much beloved by his neighbours for his strict propriety of conduct during his long residence in this colony" d.8th June 1819 (age 49) at Sandy Bay VDL