John Curtis, Convict "Ganges" 1797

John CURTIS was born c1750 probably in Bristol, England. Nothing is known of his life in England before 1797. He had a wife and 10 children who lived in the parish of St Augustine's in Bristol.

In March 1795 John was convicted at the Lent Azzizes in Gloucester of ""forging, counterfeiting, coining, a. silver coin of the realm called a sixpence".

Originally he was was sentenced death but his sentence was commuted to transportation for life. He arrived in Sydney Cove on 2 June 1797 on "Ganges".

On arrival in Sydney John was set to work as a dairyman at the Government Stores at Toongabbie and in 1802 was promoted to Overseer of Government Stock.

John Curtis was granted emancipation on 4 June 1802 by Governor King on the Anniversary of George III. John was now a free man but unable to leave the Colony. Missing his family he petitioned Governor King in 1803 for permission to return to his family in England (wife + 10 children) This petition could not granted because his sentence had been commuted to 'transportation for life'. If he had returned to England the death sentence would be revived and he would be liable to execution, if apprehended).

On 26 June 1802 an Irish convict Ann Moran arrived in NSW on board the Hercules and was assigned to work for John. In c1803 a daughter Elizabeth was born to them. Over the next few years 4 more children were born

• Elizabeth c1803 - 1867
• James c1805 - 1882
• John Joseph c1809 - 1890
• Peter 1811 - 1885
• Catherine "Kitty" 1814 - 1882

John married Ann MORAN on 16 August 1814 at St John's Church Parramatta.

In 1810 John was granted 80 acres of land at Liberty Plains/ Pilgrim Hill (now Chester Hill) in the District of Parramatta, Sydney. Curtis Rd in Chester Hill runs across part of this land grant. The Villawood Migrant Hostel in stands on John Curtis’s original estate.

John received a pardon in 31 January 1813.

John wrote his will on May 28th 1821. In his will John Curtis left everything to Ann in trust for his children, Elizabeth, James, John, Peter and Catherine. To his married daughter, Elizabeth Ready he also left 10 head of cattle.

John died 12 September 1821 in Parramatta. He is buried at St John's Pioneer Cemetery in Parramatta.

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CURTIS, John. Per "Ganges", 1797

1810 Jan 20 - Overseer of Government Stock at Toongabbie. Memorial (Fiche 3003; 4/1821 No.80)

1812 Dec 7 - Petition for mitigation of sentence (Fiche 3170; 4/1848 pp.110-1)

n.d. - On list of convicts who have received absolute pardons [Jan 1813] (Fiche 3292; 4/6974.1 p.78)

1821 Nov 13 - Ordered to move herds, etc from land at Toongabbie now required by Government (Reel 6052; 4/1751 p.14)

1823 Mar 22 - Deceased. His wife Ann petitioning the public for donations (Reel 6058; 4/1771 p.340)

1823 Jun 18 - His wife Ann seeking indulgence promised to him (Reel 6058; 4/1771 pp.339)

1824 May 27 - Memorial (Fiche 3085; 4/1837A No.253 p.9)

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LINKS

• https://australianroyalty.net.au/individual.php?pid=I32954&ged=purn...
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Curtis-9992
• https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/curtis/john/66140
• http://www.hawkesbury.net.au/claimaconvict/convictDetails.php?convi...
• https://lynnesheritage.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/convict-records-joh...
• https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/moranfeagan/ann/130442
• https://lynnesheritage.wordpress.com/2008/08/22/ann-moran-curtis-fo...
• https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=549528.0
• https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=549528.9
• http://www.monaropioneers.com/Newsletter/MP%20NEWSLETTER-2014-2.htm

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CONVICT: GANGES (arrived June 2nd 1797)

John Curtis was born about 1749, probably in Bristol England.
In 1795 he was tried and convicted of "coining" and originally sentenced to death before it was changed to transportation for life. [1] [2]
The court documents relating to John’s committal for trial at Gloucester on Saturday, 14 March 1795 give his occupation as “labourer”
John was one of 206 convicts transported on the 'Ganges' leaving England in August, 1796 and arriving in Sydney on the 2nd of June, 1797. [3]
Upon arrival in Sydney, John was sent to work as a dairyman at the Government Stores at Toongabbie. Five years later, in 1802, he was promoted to Overseer of the Government herd. [4]
John Curtis was granted emancipation on 4 June 1802 by Governor King. He was now a free man but unable to leave the Colony.
In 1803, he petitioned to Governor King to be returned to England, to his wife and 10 children in the Parish of St Augustine's in Bristol. [5] John's petition could not granted because his sentence had been commuted to 'transportation for life'. If he had returned to England the death sentence would be revived and he would be executed, if apprehended.
On 26 June 1802, an Irish convict, "Ann Moran/Feaghan" arrived in NSW on board the ‘Hercules’ and was assigned to work for John as a dairymaid. They developed a relationship and a daughter (Elizabeth) was born in c1803.
In November 1809, John Curtis was notified that Lt. Gov. Patterson had granted him land at Liberty Plains in the District of Parramatta. [6] This grant was later cancelled by Governor Macquarie. In January 1810 he wrote a memorial to Governor Macquarie seeking confirmation of the grant. [7] In January 1810, John was granted 80 acres of land at Pilgrim Hill in Parramatta. Curtis Rd in Chester Hill runs across part of this land grant. [8]
On 7th December 1812, John further petitioned the Governor, this time for a free pardon. He received the pardon in January 1813. [9] [10]
On Tuesday 16 August 1814, John Curtis and Ann Moran were married in a ceremony at St John's Church, Parramatta. [11]
By 1821, John owned a house in Parramatta (which was left to his oldest daughter, Betsy), 26 head of cattle and 2 mares, a 30 acre farm on Sydney Rd, near Haslem’s Creek, adjoining a grant of 100 acres made to Ann after John’s death.
John wrote his will on May 28th 1821. In his will he left everything to Ann in trust for his children, Elizabeth, James, John, Peter and Catherine. To his married daughter, Elizabeth Ready, he also left 10 head of cattle.
He passed away on 12th September 1821, aged 72, and is buried at St John's Church in Parramatta. [12]

Sources
↑ Gloucester Journal 8 Sept 1794.
↑ 1795 Monday 23 March - Reading Mercury 1795 – March Gloucester Journal
↑ Convict Records John Curtis, one of 206 convicts transported on the Ganges, August 1796
↑ Petition from John Curtis to Governor King - King papers Vol 1 pp 66-69 M.L.)
↑ Petition to Governor King in 1803 (from “Kings Papers” in Sydney Library)
↑ Sydney Gazette and NSW Advertiser 17 December 1809
↑ (sm folio pp 4 1810 NSW Colonial Sec in letters and memorials 1810 AK No 80 Reel 1066 AONSW).
↑ New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Land Grants and Leases
↑ (NSW Col Sec In Letters Petitions mitigating sentences 1811 - 1812 pp 110-111 reels 1227 and 612 ) (Register of pardons and tickets of leave Vol 1 p 183 Col Sec papers COD ML ).
↑ New South Wales, Australia, Convict Registers of Conditional & Absolute Pardons, 1788-1870
↑ NSW - BDM - MARRIAGES - On-Line Index:
1664/1814 V18141664 3A | CURTIS | JOHN | MOORAN | ANN | CB &
662/1814 V1814662 147B | CURTIS | JOHN | MOOREN | ANN | CB
↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 13 April 2019), memorial page for John Curtis (1749–12 Sep 1821), Find A Grave Memorial ID 128740221. 128740221, citing St John's Cemetery, Parramatta, of Parramatta Council, New South Wales, Australia ; 46831582)
Australian Royalty John Curtis