John Hearn

Level 75

iain Frazier on 27th March 2024

Family connections for John (Hearn) are: Some amendments added Dec 2025. HEARN John (Hearn) was born in 1776. He was tried w/Sarah (Hearn), perhaps a relative-who was acquitted, for stealing a pig at Leicester Assizes Leicestershire, sentenced to 7years & arrived in NSW as a convict on 20 12 1808 after a voyage of 5.5months on ADMIRAL GAMBIER; he was Protestant; he was sent to Toongabbie for assignment. He was issued his Cerificate of Freedom on 5 4 1814; he was recorded as age45 5'8" yellow complexion gypsy black hair black eyes, crooked fingers on right hand. He was recorded in 1814 as a tinker at Parramatta & in 1825 as a labourer there. He had a relationship with Mary (McNally) her third relationship. He was recorded in 1828 as Free by Servitude with his family as farmer at Lower Portland Head. He was recorded also in 1828 as a labourer at Toongabbie. On 21 2 1839 a grant of 50acres was recorded at Webs Creek Lower Portland Head-after a prolonged negotiation for a subsistence farm. On 20 6 1842 he sold 30acres to John (Rose father of Thomas) & the remainder passed to his son John. He died in 1860 age84. Some details taken from this Website; where there are entries for HEARN & HERN] Mary (McNally perhaps) was born about 1790. She may have married firstly (1of3) ??? (Flannagan). She was tried for stealing clothes at Dublin city Ireland, sentenced to 7years & as Mary (Flanigan-also known as Flannaghan/Flanagan)) arrived in NSW as a convict in 1813sic actually 8 8 1815 after a voyage of 8months on FRANCIS & ELIZA; she was Catholic; she was sent to Parramatta for assignment. She may have had a second (2of3) relationship with John (Wright) his second relationship). She was Free by Servitude by 1816. She was recorded in 1828 with her family at Lower Portland Head. She died in 1850 age60 (recorded as (Hern)? mother of 8known children & was buried on 27 10 1850. [Some details taken from this Website] Mary (McNally/Flannagan) John (Hearn) produced 7children: mostly girls 1.Francis (Hearne) was born in 1818. He was recorded in 1828 with his parents at Lower Portland Head. He died on 7 7 1899 age about81. 2.Sarah Ann (Hearne/Earle) was born on 8 4 1819 & baptised on 18 7 1819 at St Johns CofE Parramatta. She was recorded in 1828 with her parents at Lower Portland Head. She died in 1887 age about68. 3.Mary Ann (Hearne) was born on 20 2 1823 at Toongabbie & baptised on 13 1 1828 age4 w/Eleanor at St Johns CofE Parramatta. 4.Eleanor (Hearn) was born on 22 10 1827 at Toongabbie & baptised on 13 1 1828 w/Mary Ann at St Johns CofE Parramatta. She was recorded in 1828 with her parents at Lower Portland Head. 5.John (Hearne) took over his fathers 20acre farm at Lower Portland Head, which he sold to Thomas (Rose son of John) on 19 8 1873. 6.??? (Hearne) 7.??? (Hearne) 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.

Level 20

Galinda Wood on 13th November 2013

John was a native of Leicestershire England. He arrived in Australia as a convict. On the 19th March 1807 at the Leicester Assizes John Hearn (no "e") was sentenced to seven years transportation for stealing a pig. On the same day Sarah Hearn was aquitted on the same charge. It is not known whether this was his sister, but it seems likely. Reference is made to John's sentence in "The Leicester Journal" and "Midland Counties Advertiser" on friday 27th March 1807. John sailed from Portsmith on 22nd July 1808 on board the "ADMIRAL GAMBIAR'. He arrived in Sydney on 20th December 1808. He was sent the Government Farm at Toongabbie. In Musters from 1811 to 1825 he mentioned as being at various places from Parramatta to Seven Hills. In the 1828 census he was living at Lower Portland Head. On the 5th April 1814 John was given a free pardon. At the time he was described as being 45yrs, 5ft 8in tall, having dark yellow complextion and gypsy black eyes and hair and having crooked fingers on his right hand. His calling was given as a "tinker". This information seems to indicate that John was a "Gypsy" as the name "Hern", "Hearn", "Heron" are variations of the Gypsy group. Francis, Sarah and Hannah are common names in this group. The age 45 is not consistent with other records. In the 1814 muster John is shown as "off stores", a tinker at Parramatta. In the 1825 muster John is shown as a labourer at Parramatta. In the 1828 census Mary Flanagan's daughter Alice is listed but not any of John's children. Alice was the daughter of Mary and John Wright born 16/2/1816. The story behind the family being at Lower Portland Head was that on 18/5/1820 John Hearne petitioned Governor Macquarie for a land grant at Toongabbie. This was approved but when the land was measured there was not enough available and was told to look elsewhere. He selected 50 acres at Webbs Creek near Lower Portland. Letters in the NSW Archives indicate that John had some trouble trying to obtain official recognition that the land was his. In 1829 he wrote to the Colonial Secretary about his land grant. In it he stated that he had been married for several years and had five children of his own dependent on him, besides one belonging to his wife by a former marriage. The official land grant was entered on record on the 21/2/1839. It say's that the grant was made in fulfilment of a promise made on or before 31/3/1821 by His Excellency Major General Lachlan Macquarie. That was for 50 acres in the County of Hunter and Parish of Webbs Creek bounded on the North and East by the Lofty Ranges of the Rocks; on the East and South by a lagoon; on the West partly by a lagoon and partly by a Range of Rocks; on the Northwest partly by a lagoon separating it from John Rose's land. The grant was to be knownas "Long Neck Farm". On 20/6/1842 John and Mary sold 30 acres of this land to John Rose. On 19/8/2873 John Hearne Jr. sold the remaining 20 acres to Thomas Rose.