Daniel (convict) Brown

  General Notes:

source: Edward to Dylan ged. where it is noted:
Arrived as a convict on the "Guildford" on the 18/1/1812.


"The Pragmatic Pioneers" (Page 160)

DANIEL BROWN AND MARY WILMOT nee POTTER.

Daniel Brown was born in Essex about 1882, and was tried at Chelmsford Assizes on 13th March 1811, for larceny in a dwelling house, and sentenced to Life imprisonment, which was commuted to Life transportation. He was transported to Sydney Cove on the "Guildford", which arrived on 18th January 1812. His conditional pardon, which was granted on 31st July 1818, gives the following description of Daniel.

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"The Pragmatic Pioneers"

Native of Essex, a Bricklayer, five foot seven inches tall, fair ruddy complexion, brown hair, hazel eyes, well looking.
Daniel was by all accounts quite an astute and enterprising gentleman. He was a member of the Town Gang in the 1814 Muster, but by the time of the 1822 muster, he was a bricklayer at Windsor and also a tenant farmer on sixteen acres. He had fifteen acres cleared, six acres wheat, eight of maize, two of barley, two horses, sixteen cattle and four hundred bushels of maize in hand. He also had two convict servants, Joseph Bailey and his brother-in-law Richard Potter, who was probably more trouble that he was worth. Richard Potter seems to be frequently in trouble, and died unmarried in 1844.
By 1828, he was a farmer at Cornwallis on fifty acres, all cleared, twenty-five cultivated, and five horses and forty-eight, head of cattle. He had four convict servants including Richard Potter, and three paid labourers.
Apart from his farming activities, Daniel was also a builder and bricklayer, and is said to have laid some of the bricks in the later stages of the Ebenezer Chapel. He was also at one stage a publican. He was the licensee of The Bricklayers Arms at Windsor. Daniel married Mary Wilmot nee Potter, on 13th August 1813 at St. Matthews Windsor, in spite of the fact that Mary probably still had a husband living in England. Mary was born about 1786, and arrived in Port Jackson on the "Friends" on 10th October 1811. A letter from the Hertfordshire County Records Office gives the following details of her fall from grace: -

Mary Wilmot was tried at the Liberty of St. Albans Easter Sessions on 3rd May 1810. Mary, wife of William Wilmot was charged with Mary Taylor, the wife of John Taylor, by confession of feloniously stealing and carrying away on Friday the 2nd February 1810 out of the dwelling house of James Peglar, victualler, known by the sign of the Plough at Elstee, a box belonging to a Friendly Society held there with two club hooks and about twelve pounds in notes and cash the property of the said Society. They were convicted by Robert Glut terbuck and it was ordered that Mary Wilmot be transported beyond the seas for the term of seven years and Mary Taylor for fourteen years.

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"The Pragmatic Pioneers"

The Browns had six children; Lucy born 1814; Mary Ann about 1817; Ann about 1818; David about 1821; Martha 1822, and Emma about 1824. Daniel died at Cornwallis on the 26th December 1848, and is buried in the family vault in the St. Matthews Burial Ground. His wife Mary predeceased him by sixteen years she died on the 3rd November 1832, and was the first person interred in the family vault. The vault is, still (1990) in very good condition.

SOURCES.
The research and reminiscences of Maisie Lupton, Joan Francis, Leo Maxwell (Max) Tscherne and Flo Fahey. The research of Laurel Riddler, E.O.Parker (Daniel Brown). "Pioneers of Portland Head", R.M.Arndell 1976, "Early Days of Windsor N. S. Wales", James Steele 1916, "Macquarie Country", D.G.Bowd 1979, "Hawkesbury Journey" D.G.Bowd 1986, "Early Hawkesbury Settlers" Bobbie Hardy 1985, "The Last Of The Logan" Robert Coffin (New York) 1951, "The Founders of Australia" Mollie Gillen 1989. 'Sydney Cove 1788" and "1789-1790" John Cobley. "Across the Black Soil Plains" and "Hotels, Inns and Shanties of the Myall and Saltbush Plains" by R.M.Brennan.
"Windsor and Richmond Gazette" Jan 1910, 18/6/1910.

  Noted events in his life were:

• connection. ⁵⁰²

Daniel married Mary (convict) Wilmot (nee Potter) on 13 Aug 1813 in St Matthews R C, Windsor, NSW Australia. (Mary (convict) Wilmot (nee Potter) was born in 1786 in Hertfordshire England and died on 3 Nov 1832 in Cornwallis, near Windsor, NSW Australia ²⁰⁰.)