John Elliott

John married Martha 15th February 1824, at Newcastle upon Tyne, All Saints Church, records but actually in the chappel. A significantly smaller venue than the church suggesting small attendance with a chuch officer as one of the wittnesses. There is no record of any of the Elliot family being present. With links back toSir Ralf Saddlier b. 1527- 1607.

Mary was heavily pregnant at the time & may have had the child at the wedding.

John was apparently freinds with Martha's brother's who had thier horses shod by him.

One evening while acting as a courier for Potter McQueen riding back to Segenhoe an Aboriginal made contact and told him to go a different way. An Aboriginal hunting party had him confused with a John McIntire they were seeking revenge on. This poem is by his great grandson A.C. Wood.

THE BALLAD OF JOHN ELLIOTT

This is a tale our mother told About her own Grandfather John - now, lest the story should grow cold, To our grandchildren handed on. The painted tribesmen burned with hate; Thier eyes with vengance shone, As by the track they lay in wait To kill the man named John.

They knew the bitter bite offear; despair had gripped them like a clamp: When John, the white men's overseer, swept sorrow through thier camp.

But only Nundah was aware Another white man shared that name And, as they hid in ambush there, It was another John who came

now kindly acts lead friendship on, And friendly bonds arefirm and strong: And Nundah knew this kindly John Had never done the tribesmen wrong.

So, when, as shadows filled the plains And western clouds were flaring red, John Elliott loosely held the reins And let the gelding have his head.

With anxious scud of dusty feet In silence Nundah hastened on Along the winding track to meet And save a man whose name was John.

John Elliott turned his horse around And took the way Nundah showed By trackless paths and stony ground While fires of sunset softer glowed.

So Nundah was the white man's friend And saved thisman whose name was John' And softly at the journeey's end Said, "You good fellow," and was gone.

Then why should colour keep apart Good men of either tribe or race? For Nundah had a nobler heart Than many a man with fairer face.

These men were of the Comilaroi tribe with a powerful leader called Kamilaroi, Anthropologist's suggest that they were in the process of taking land from they more coastal tribes at the time of white settlement.

Later when they were living in Sempill St Campbell's Hill near the old Belmore bridgewhile working for John Portus assembelled the first stationary steam engine in the Hunter for use in a flour mill he helped to design. It is now on exhibit at Grossman house in Mailand.