John Wilton, Free Settler “Orleana” 1842

John Tyler Wilton

John Wilton (circa 1813-1876)

John Wilton came from the area around St. Neot, Cornwall, England.

He arrived in Van Diemen's Land aboard the ship "Orleana" on the 4th of July 1842 as a bounty immigrant assigned to Mr. J.J. Turnbull (Barrister of Hobart Town and land-holder at New Norfolk).

John Wilton was accompanied by his wife Mary (nee Lobb), and their daughter Mary Ann then aged 2 years.

(On the same ship was one Samuel Townsend, a free immigrant, who had joined the "Orleana" in England. Some 13 years later on 3rd December 1855 Samuel (aged 33) married Mary Ann Wilton (aged 16), daughter of John and Mary (nee Lobb) Wilton in the house of George Southgate at New Norfolk.)

John Wilton was a ploughman, and is thought to have been sponsored by Mr. J.J. Turnbull for his (John's) experience farming, and as a Land Holder Mr.Turnbull would have had the need for an experienced farmer to work his Land Grant some 500 acres at Lachlan. In the early 70's James John Turnbull and his wife Len were residing at Millbrook.

Of the children born in the New Norfolk strict to John & Mary Wilton, William Henry was the first son born in 1843, William Henry was named after his paternal grandfather. The next child born in 1845 was named John, then came Martha in 1846. tragically, William, at the tender age of 6 years (drowned in 1850).

The hardships for John were not over, his wife, Mary, succumbed to the disease phthisis (tuberculosis), and died on 11th December 1846.

Two years were to pass before John remarried, his second wife was Ann Drayson, John & Ann were married in St. Mathew's Church, New Norfolk, on the 3rd Jan. 1848.

John and Ann had eight children between 1850 and 1864, during this time John and Ann were moving between Sorell Creek and Lachlan. Eventually they settled in Lachlan village. By 1860 John was a tenant farmer.

In 1868 John was once again widowed, his wife Ann died on the 25th of June. However John at a mature age, (when many would perhaps have considered retirement), events suggest that John was active and may have still possessed a certain charm, for in June 1869 John then aged 56 years, married Catherine Matchell, aged 18 years. This union produced two children, George born 1871 and Peter in 1874.

When John Wilton died on 6th November 1876 his age was recorded as 63 years

Children with Mary Lobb

(i) Mary Ann Wilton, circa 1840 in Cornwall. She married Samuel Townsend on 3rd December 1855, in New Norfolk. Samuel was born circa 1822 in England. Mary Ann died 14th December 1920.

(ii) William Wilton born 1843 in New Norfolk, died 25th February 1850 in New Norfolk.

(iii) John Wilton born. 26th March 1845 in New Norfolk. He married Elizabeth Sargent on 12th December 1865, in New Norfolk. Elizabeth was born 29th March 1850 in New Norfolk, (daughter of William Sargent

and Mary Ann Kingshott). John died 5th March 1896 at New Norfolk

(iv) Martha Wilton, born 11th June 1846 in New Norfolk, died 8th June 1912

On 3rd January 1848 William Wilton, widower, married

(b) Ann Drayson born circa 1820 in Watford, London, England. Ann died 25th June 1868 in New Norfolk.

Children with Ann Drayson

(v) James Drayson Wilton, born 22nd June 1848 in New Norfolk, died in 1918

(vi) Elizabeth Ann Wilton, born 1st January 1850, in New Norfolk, died 14th February 1865 in New Norfolk.

(vii) Eliza Jane Wilton, born 14th February 1852 in New Norfolk. She married Henry Valentine Cordwell on 12th January 1875, in New Norfolk, born 20 June 1846 (son of Richard John Cordwell and Eliza Bridget Fitzgerald).Henry died 1st October 1927. Eliza died 14th June 1925.

(viii) William Wilton, born 12th December 1853 in New Norfolk. He married Sarah Ann Mapley on. 18th April 1876, in New Norfolk, born 15th February 1858 in New Norfolk, (daughter of Joshua Mapley and Mary Ann Sargent) died 23rd June 1929 in New Norfolk.

(ix) Agnes Wilton, born 19th January 1856 in New Norfolk.

(x) Thomas Wilton born 10th December 1857 in New Norfolk. He married Mary Sophia Stringer on 30th January 1884 in New Norfolk, born circa 1865 in Germany (daughter of Joachim Lahl and Mary Himler) died on 20th August 1901. Thomas died 20 May 1921 in New Norfolk. .

(xii) Maria Wilton, born 28th December 1859 in New Norfolk, died 1st April 1860 in New Norfolk.

(xiii) Samson (Samuel) Wilton, born 17th November 1864 in New Norfolk. He married Eliza Emily Jane Coffey born circa 1872 on 24th November 1892 at Emu Bay.

On 14th June 1869 John Wilton married

(c) Catherine Matchell in New Norfolk, Catherine was born circa 1851.

Children with Catherine Matchell

(xiv) George Wilton born 13th May 1871, George married Emma Green

(xv) Peter Wilton born 1st June 1894, Peter married Hannah Lily Christie bom 1st June 1879 in Launceston (daughter of David Christie and Hannah Trinder).

John was the eldest of 15 children and he became a farm labourer in Cornwall as a young adult.