James Blackman (abt. 1792 - 1868)

Born about 1792 in Woolwich, Kent, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (John) Blackman — married 18 Jul 1814 in St Peters, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 22 Mar 1868 at about age 76 in Cooyal, Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Private Living [send private message] and Karen Strange [send private message]

Biography

James Blackman was born in Kent, England.

James Blackman came free to the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

James Blackman is Notable.

James Blackman (1792-1868), was born in Kent, England, the second son of James Blackman (1760-1842) and his wife Elizabeth Harley (1765?-1842), who had been married at St Margaret's, London, England in 1785. The family came out as Free Settlers to the Colony of New South Wales.

He married in July 1815, Mary John, ^[1] daughter of John William John, a farmer, of Richmond, New South Wales, who had arrived in the "Albemarle" in 1791 and his wife, Mary, née Jenkins, who had arrived in 1792. ^[2]

Mudgee's Earliest History

FASCINATING STORY OF ITS PROGRESS SOME OF THE PIONEERS

The early history of Mudgee, hereunder briefly narrated by a contributor who has made a special study of his subject, has many fascinating features. Of the pioneering achievements of the early settlers brief reference is made, while the gradual progress which led to the establishment of business, banking and postal facilities is outlined in interesting fashion.

So far as the white man is concerned, the name of 'Mudgee' dates back to 1821, when James Blackman, junior, the chief constable and superintendent of works at Bathurst, 'set out' with a party of four other persons to explore the country north of Bathurst. In this excursion, which took place between the end of August and beginning of November, 1821, he succeeded in first reaching the river called by the natives 'Cugeegang' (now Cudgegong), and, following the river, he discovered the native locality of 'Mougee,' 'Moudgee' or 'Moregee,' as the natives called it. In August, 1821, just prior to Blackman's exploration, William Lawson, then military command ant at Bathurst, made an unsuccessful excursion north and east of Bathurst in an attempt to find good pastoral country. From this it was generally believed that William Lawson had reached the Cudgegong and discovered the locality of Mudgee, but such was not the case. He did reach It on his second exploration between the 8th and 24th of November of the same year, and at several subsequent excursions, but James Black man, junior, had already marked the road and discovered Mudgee. For this discovery and other ser vices James Blackman was later granted by the Governor 100 acres of land near Bathurst. The name 'Mudgee,' which means native sit-down, resting place or bimmel. was not given to any extent of country, as has been understood, but was applied only to a small apple tree flat where the natives assembled. It might be mentioned here that, close on the heels of Blackman and William Law son, came G. H. Cox. He, with a party of several, including Richard Lewis and George Lee, left Bathurst on 30th November, 1821, visited Mudgee, and returned to Bathurst on 11th December of that year. The reserve for the village of Mudgee was measured by Assistant Surveyor P. J. Ogilvle, whose plan was transmitted to the Surveyor General by letter dated 26th June, 1837. The design for a town based on this land as prepared by the Surveyor General, was submitted to the Executive Council on 5th January, 1838, and approved by the Governor, vide Colonial Secretary's letter of 9th January, 1838, with an intimation that the price had been fixed at £2 per acre. The town was notified under the name of Mudgee on the 12th January, 1838. The first sale of town lands was held on the 9th August, 1838, and, in all, 20 allotments, each of 2 roads, were sold. The highest price (£8/13/4) for a single allotment was paid by William Blackman, this be ing lot 11, section 8, in Mor timer street. He also, purchased lots 10, 12, 14 and 16 of section 8 at £8 each. La ban White secured lot 1, section 8, also for £8. The lowest price was for lots 6 and 19 of section 8 being £3/6/8 and £3/13/4 respectively (Mortimer street). The earliest grants adjoining the town of Mudgee were William Lawson, "Bumberra," 1000. acres, 19th October, 1839, promised 19th October, 1824; William Lawson, 2000 acres, 29th October, 1834; — this was promised to L. V. Dulhunty 23rd March, 1824. Both these grants are across the river north of town. The early purchases were 958 and 995 acres by George Cox on the 8th April, 1834, and 8th April, 1835, respectively— the former adjoining on east and latter on west of town. That considerable progress in sheep raising had been made by the early settlers is evidenced by the wool returns of 1832, which indicated that about 8000 were in the Mudgee distrlct in that year. The average weight for washed wool was 21?? which realized 2/4 lb. on London market. William Blackman built the first hotel in 1837, calling it the Mud gee Hotel. About five years later he sold out and went in for general storekeeping. The second, 'The Bushman's Home', was opened by W. E. ?????on in 1841. Little postal facilities were available until the establishment of the first post office, 1st January, 1842, A weekly service being run from Hartley. John Dargan was the contractor at £360 a year. On the 22nd April, 1846, saw what is understood to be the first meeting of the Pastoral and Agricultural Society in the first month be Inf.Vaittd by aubteriptlon to tallliip: about £44. The High Hi s'PfltM*' offarad were £4

each for — (1) Best pen of five woolled rams (2) Best pen of five woolled ewes (3) Best three-year-old bull (any breed) (4) Best three-year-old stal lion. The prize winners for the above were (1) and (2) Nelson Lowe, (3) Robert Lowe and (4) W. Lowe. There were many lower prizes for other exhibits. The Bank of New South Wales (the first of the banks) opened for business in Mr. Sampson's Bush man's run on the 17th July, 1836, and the Mechanics' Institute open ed in May the following year. The sporting side of life was not altogether forgotten, as on the 21st January, 1842, the first Turf Club was formed at Blackman's Mudgee Hotel, followed a little later by a successful three days' meeting. On the 28th January. l836, the First cricket match was played. it was unique in that there were only nine men in each team. Great jubilation was expressed when Sir John Robertson turned the first soil of the railway from Wallerawang to Mudgee in the year of 1850.

He died on the 22nd March 1868 at Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales BDM Marriage Index. Ref: 1798/1815 V18151798 3A; Name: BLACKMAN, JAMES & JOHN, MARY; District: CE; Church of England, Richmond
2. ↑ Australian Dictionary of Biography James Blackman James Blackman
3. ↑ New South Wales BDM Death Index: Name: BLACKMAN, JAMES; Ref: 5152/1868; Parents: JAMES & ELIZABETH; District: MUDGEE

See Also:

• Australian Royalty link
• Find a Grave, database and images  : accessed 13 June 2022), memorial page for James Blackman Jr. (1792–23 Mar 1868), Find A Grave: Memorial #155980424, citing Mudgee Memorial Park Cemetery, Mudgee, Mid-Western Regional Council, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by Stombell (contributor 48335209) .
• Bernard Greaves, 'Blackman, James (1792–1868)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/blackman-james-1790/text2021, published first in hardcopy 1966, accessed online 5 May 2019.

Acknowledgments

• Profile Blackman-652 was created through the import of Peacock family 9th Oct 2012.ged on Jul 12, 2013 by Alec Peacock.