John Agland (abt. 1783 - 1861)

Born about 1783 in Upottery, Devon, England

Husband of Shepherdess (Wright) Agland — married about 20 Oct 1820 in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia

Husband of Sarah (Whiley) Agland — married 1839 in Parramatta, Greater Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 28 Jan 1861 at about age 78 in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Susan Agland [send private message]

Biography

John Agland was a convict after the Third Fleet transported to New South Wales

John was born about 1783 in Upottery, Devon. His parents were Samuel Agland and Sarah Cox. He was baptised on 5 October 1783 at St Marys, Upottery, Devon.

John Agland was tried at Somerset summer assizes on 27 August 1810, for sheep stealing; he was sentenced to death, later commuted to transportation for life.

He was one of 200 convicts transported on the ship 'Guilford' [Guildford], which left England in August 1811 and arrived at New South Wales on 18 January 1812.^[1]

John received a Conditional Pardon on 31 January 1818.^[2]

The Colonial Secretary's Index, 1788-1825 shows that in the colony, John Agland was the Government Gardener at Parramatta, from about 1814 to about 1821, then a landholder at Parramatta. ^[3]

1817 Dec 16 Evidence at inquest on John Holland (Reel 6021; 4/1819 p.275)

1820 Jun 1 Memorial (Fiche 3013; 4/1823 No.3)

1821 Mar 31 Store receipts of, for fresh meat, paid at Parramatta; listed as Eggland (Reel 6051; 4/1748 p.177)

1821 Dec 1 On return of horned cattle issued from the Government Herds between 22 Aug 1819 & 27 Dec 1823; for meritorious services as Government Gardener. Listed as Eggland (Reel 6031; 4/7028B p.5)

1822 Memorial; as Egland (Fiche 3045; 4/1829 No. 102)

1823 Aug 1 Of Prospect. Memorial (Fiche 3059; 4/1834A No.3 pp.8a-b)

1823 Sep 19 To be victualled from the Stores at Parramatta for six months; with his wife, two children and convict servant (Reel 6011; 4/3509 p.287)

1824 Sep 18 On return of proceedings of the Bench of Magistrates, Parramatta; listed as Egland (Reel 6023; 4/6671 p.50)

Marriage 1: On 20 October 1820 John Agland and Shepherdess Wright, both recorded as free and of the parish of Parramatta, were married in St. John's Church of England, Parramatta, by banns by George Middleton. John and Shepherdess both signed the register. Witnesses were Martin Bryant and Martha Jamieson.^[4][5] Their first son, William George was baptised on the same day as their wedding.

John and Shepherdess had children:

• William George, b.1819.^[6]
• James, b. 1822.^[7]
• John, b. 1823.^[8]

John was granted 50 acres in Prospect in 1823.^[9]

However in about 1824 John and Shepherdess separated. John placed a notice in the Sydney Gazette on 6 April 1824:

CAUTION.-- All Persons are hereby cautioned against giving Trust or Credit to my Wife, Shepherdess Agland, as I will not be responsible for any Debt or Debts she may contract after this Notice. JOHN AGLAND.^[10]

On 1 June 1826 Shepherdess gave birth to a daughter fathered by John Peisley.^[11] Shepherdess died soon after giving birth to her daughter. She died on 6 June 1826 and was buried on 8 June in the same grave as her parents in St John's Cemetery, Parramatta.^[12][13][14] Soon after her death, her daughter was baptised with the name Shepherdess on 9 June 1826 at St. John's Church of England, Parramatta, the register recording: Shepherdess, daughter of Shepherdess and William(sic) Peisley of Parramatta.^[11] The recording of the father's name as "William" appears to be a mistake: he is later referred to as "John Peasley" in the application for her admittance to the orphanage after his death in 1828. The baby had been given into the care of Ann Long of Parramatta, and she could no longer afford to keep her after John Peisley's death.^[15]

Marriage 2: In 1839 John applied for permission to marry Sarah Whiley, a convict who had arrived in 1829 on the Lady Davidson. Permission was refused because Sarah had stated on arrival that she was married, but they still went ahead with the marriage on 8 May 1839 at St Johns Parramatta. The parish register recorded that they were both of the parish of Prospect. John signed the register and Sarah marked with a cross. Hannah Booth of Parramatta was the witness.^[16][17]

In 1859 John and Sarah separated. On 17 December 1859 John put a notice in the Sydney Morning Herald:

NOTICE.-No one is to CREDIT SARAH WHILEY AGLAND on my account, nor harbour her, for I will not be answerable for leaving her home for drunkenness and disorderly conduct. Given under my hand this 9th day of December, 1859. JOHN AGLAND, Prospect.^[18]

Did John Agland and his wife Sarah have a reconciliation?

Death: John Agland died on 28 January 1861 at Prospect and was buried on 30 January 1861 at St Bartholomew's Church of England, Prospect. ^[19][20]

His will, dated 18 July 1860, left £20 to his wife Sarah Agland. His son William George inherited all the land, for the term of his natural life and on William's death the land was to be inherited by William's son, William Jr. He made no provision for his other sons.^[21]

Sarah died on 5 August 1883 and was buried with John at Prospect

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry.com. 'England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892' [database on-line].
2. ↑ Convict Pardons 1 January 1810-31 December 1819 granted by Major-General Lachlan Macquarie Governor of New South Wales. Indexed by Keith A Johnson & Malcolm R Sainty, Pub. by Genealogical Publications of Australia, 1974 Sydney, .
3. ↑ http://colsec.records.nsw.gov.au/a/F01c_aa-an-05.htm#P2004_78129
4. ↑ Marriage: Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, St. John's Parramatta, Marriages, 1790-1966 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Citation details: No 762 Ancestry.com sharing link
5. ↑ NSW Government. Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Marriages search page Marriage Registration: 1006/1820 V18201006 147B AGLAND JOHN WRIGHT SHEPHERDESS CB
6. ↑ AGLAND WILLIAM G 5262/1819 V18195262 1B JOHN SHEPHERDESS (WRIGHT)
7. ↑ AGLAND JAMES E 5898/1822 V18225898 1B JOHN SHEPHERDESS
8. ↑ AGLAND JOHN 128/1823 V1823128 15 JOHN SHEPHERDESS
9. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Land Grants and Leases, 1792-1867 for John Agland, Registers of Land Grants and Leases County of Cumberland 1822-1836 (Vol. 4) Ancestry.com sharing link
10. ↑ 1824 'Classified Advertising', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 8 April, p. 4. , viewed 25 Dec 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2182766
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} New South Wales, Australia, St. John's Parramatta, Baptisms, 1790-1916 for Shepherdess Peisley, Vol 02, Baptisms, 1826-1834; Marriages, 1826-1834; Burials, 1826-1834 Ancestry.com sharing link (there is some damage to this page just under the mother's name)
12. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, St. John's Parramatta, Burials, 1790-1986 Vol 02, Baptisms, 1826-1834; Marriages, 1826-1834; Burials, 1826-1834 Ancestry.com sharing link (Note that Ancestry.com has incorrectly indexed this burial as "Jenifer Dely Agland" [!])
13. ↑ NSW Government. Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Deaths search page Death registration: AGLAND SHEPHERDESS 6864/1826 V18266864 2C AGE 27
14. ↑ Dunn, Judith, The Parramatta cemeteries: St John's. Parramatta: Parramatta and District Historical Society, 1991
15. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Applications and Admissions to Orphan Schools, 1817-1833, Applications For Admission 1828 Ancestry.com sharing link
16. ↑ Marriage 2: New South Wales, Australia, St. John's Parramatta, Marriages, 1790-1966 for John Agland Vol 04, 1839-1856 (No 1-345) Ancestry.com sharing link
17. ↑ NSW Government. Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Marriages search page Marriage Registration: 201/1839 V1839201 23B AGLAND JOHN WHILEY SARAH CB
18. ↑ 1859 'Advertising', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 17 December, p. 4. , viewed 26 Dec 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13034601
19. ↑ Death: Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011 for John Agland Prospect St Bartholomew Composite 02 May 1841 - 27 November 1887 Ancestry.com sharing link
20. ↑ NSW Government. Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Deaths search page Death registration: 4173/1861 AGLAND JOHN SAMUEL SARAH PARRAMATTA
21. ↑ "John Agland - A Prospect Pioneer" Compiled from M Wells and N Nugent's research notes, Prospect, The Journal of the Prospect Heritage Trust, No.10, December 2020.

• Biographical report for John AGLAND Person ID: B#10012378501, https://www.bda-online.org.au/mybda/search/biographical-report/10012378501?f=john&l=agland&ol=&i=1&s=&p= Biographical Database of Australia (BDA) (subscription required to view)

See also:

• Marion Purnell, Australian Royalty database. Australian Royalty - John Agland
• https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_queries/5b00a7e3f4040b97cc66aaa6