|
a.
|
Note: From Barbara HALL'S Book, 'Of Infamous Character': Alexander MCCABE arrived as a convict onboard the 'Boddingtons', crime unknown. The 'Boddingtons' departed Cork, Ireland on 15 February 1793 and arrived in Port Jackson, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 7 August 1793. Alexander was sentenced to transportation for life at County Louth in Ireland in 1792. No details of his trial have been found. According to Barbara HALL, "even though nothing has been found regarding a trial for Alexander, he may well have belonged to a group called 'The Defenders', who robbed wealthy land owners (mostly English) to get guns and money. Remember that the servants of these landholders were given nothing and had nothing, that they were poor and starving most of the time. He certainly came from the area where they operated, around the border of North and South Ireland. This is where all the MCCABES came from. Catholics were treated particuarly badly." In July, he and James FREER, who were suspected of stealing wheat from Captain George JOHNSTON, were freed when charges were dropped. In the 1801 muster he was recorded as a convict with Captain JOHNSTON. June 1802: Michael BRENNAN and Alexander MCCABE, for running away from work at Major JOHNSTON'S farm and absconding for two months from duty - having been employed by BOWMAN & SKINNER, two settlers at the Hawksbury - (were sentenced to receive) 100 lashes each and to work in the gaol gang. BOWMAN & SKINNER were each fined five pounds. SKINNER admitted that he had employed them but said that when he had requested their pass, the men declared that they had left it at Green Hills, some distance from his house and that they had been sent to him from Constable BRYAN'S farm... at the Hawksbury. Moreover he pleads in particular that he can neither read nor write. BOWMAN speaks to the same effect as to the men declaring they had their pass at a place where their bedding was. 1806 Muster: MCCABE was free by servitude, employed by John FOX, who had purchased 37 acres of land at Richmond Hill. Early 1811: MCCABE was sentenced to four years hard labour in the local mines at Newcastle, arriving there in February of that year on the Lady Nelson. 1811 Muster: MCCABE recorded that he had been sentenced at Dundalk, County Louth in 1791 to transportation for seven years. 1814 Muster: MCCABE was free, off the stores, a landholder at Windsor. 1816: In August, Alexander signed the register with an X after marrying Catherine WALLACE at Richmond. 1822 Muster: Alexander, Catherine and two children were recorded at Windsor. Alexander held his conditional pardon and farmed 7 acres of land with a residence, growing wheat, maize, vegetables and 15 hogs with grain in hand. 1823: MCCABE was a witness at an inquest held in December into the death of James SHANNAHAN at North Richmond. He gave evidence that: "...this morning about one hour after sunrise (he) and Patrick MURPHY were going down the ground for a load of wheat, when they were called to by LEARY'S wife. When they saw the load down they thought the horse was under it, in consequence of which they both ran to their assistance, when he found the deceased lying in the arms of his master with one hand on the deceased's heart. On enquiry what had happened or what was the matter, LEARY informed them that he found the man was dead and that the deceased was speechless and expired almost immediately, that he knew the deceased, that he lives on part of the same farm and always understood that LEARY and the deceased lived upon very good terms with each other....." His evidence was corroborated by Patrick MURPHY. 1823 Muster: Alexander, free by servitude and landholder at Richmond and Catherine, also free, lived with their children, Catherine 9, Ann 5 and Alexander 2. Three other children, Dennis (his mother noted as Catherine DRISCOLL), Owen and Mary were born after this muster. 1828 Census: MCCABE, aged 55, Catholic was a labourer at North Richmond and Catherine, aged 37, Catholic was free by servitude. They had 10 acres, cleared and cultivated. 1841 Census: MCCABE, Alexander Return Number: 1069 Residence: North Richmond; County Cook; District Windsor. No date of death has been found for Alexander. Buried at St Philip's Church of England Cemetery, North Richmond, New South Wales, Australia.
|