Daniel Barnet (abt. 1757 - 1823)

Born about 1757 in Middlesex, England

Husband of Ann (Baker) Barnett — married 16 Jun 1793 in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 15 Feb 1823 at about age 66 in Windsor, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Heather Stevens [send private message]

Biography

Daniel Barnet was a convict on the First Fleet.

Daniel Barnett was before the courts twice before starting on his voyage to New South Wales aboard Friendship, one of the ships in the First Fleet.

He was tried at Winchester on 29 July 1783 for “stealing 2 Iron Grapplings and 1 Iron Creeper, valued at 10 shillings, the goods of the King” (Crown property). He was found guilty, and sentenced to seven years transportation. He was sent to the Thames hulks, then ordered to the Mercury transport for America on 26 March 1784.^[1]

During the convict mutiny on Mercury, he escaped, but was retaken in Torbay Harbour by HMS Helena on 13th April and sent to Exeter Gaol, committed there on the 16th. On 24 May Barnett was remanded to former orders by the Special Commission at Exeter, Devon, and sent to the Dunkirk hulk, aged 27, where he was “troublesome at times”. On 11th March 1787 he was embarked on Friendship, recorded by Ralph Clark as a waterman aged 30, born in Middlesex.^[1]

Marriage: On 16 June 1793, Barnett married Ann Baker at Parramatta, the marriage recorded in the register of St Johns. Parramatta. Ann and Daniel both marked the register. Witnesses were George Platt and Luke Johns who both signed.^[2] A year later, on 3 November 1794, he received a 30 acre grant at Mulgrave Place. They had a son, also named Daniel (born about 1796). By 1800, his wife Ann appears to have left him or died, leaving Barnett with one child.

In 1800 he was renting or sharing his farm with Thomas Hartley. In 1802 he was living with one child, and no wife mentioned, on 15 acre^[3] By 1806, he was sufficiently successful as a farmer to be able to support himself and his son. By 1806 he was part owner of 11 acres, four and a half sown in wheat, one and a half in orchard and garden, 5 fallow, and owned 1 male and 8 female hogs.

His son Daniel junior was tried for pig stealing in 1811, then in 1816 he was again tried for burglary and sentenced to death, commuted to colonial transportation for life.

In the 1822 muster, Daniel junior was back with his father on the 15 acre farm at Pitt Town. They had 10 acres of maize and kept two horses, two cattle and 11 hogs.^[1]

Death: Daniel Barnett died on 15 February 1823, and was buried two days later (age given as 68) at St Matthew's, Windsor, recorded as "Daniel Barney" per Friendship. It was noted in the register that "This corpse was the first brought into the body of St Matthew's Church attended by many of the oldest inhabitants of these parts, Barney being one who came out on the First Fleet."^[1][4]

Barnett’s will, signed with a mark on the day of his death, left his farm to his executors in trust for “my dearly beloved son” Daniel. The younger Barnett had received a death sentence for a colonial offence in 1816, later commuted to transportation for life. Barnett senior also left a cottage and three acres to Anne Robinson, the property to revert to his son at her death.^[1]

Research Note

Possible birth: He may have been the Daniel Barnett baptised 17 June 1757 at St Mary's Stepney, London, son of Daniel and Mary Barnett.^[1]

Who was Ann Baker, Daniel's wife? No one is sure. In Mollie Gillen's opinion, Daniel married Ann Baker, a second fleeter (Neptune, 1790), however Michael Flynn is of the opinion that she married second fleeter John Boxley in 1792, because she was listed in the Sydney district in 1801, and Boxley had a land grant near Sydney.^[5] For this reason I have changed Daniel's wife, because the second fleeter Ann Baker (Neptune 1790) is more likely a spouse of John Boxley - Heather Stevens

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} Gillen, Mollie, The Founders of Australia : A Biographical Dictionary of the First Fleet, 1989, p. 24.
2. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, St. John's Parramatta, Marriages, 1790-1966 for Ann Baker Vol 01, Baptisms, 1790-1825; Marriages, 1789-1823; Burials, 1790-1825 Ancestry.com sharing link
3. ↑ Settlers' Muster Book - List 7: Land & Stock held by Fee Settlers, Officers, or Expired or Emancipated Convicts in 1802; PLNSW ref: Vol. Safe 1/104-5, published in "Musters and Lists, New South Wales and Norfolk Island: 1800-1802", edited by Carol Baxter, ABGR, Sydney, 1988.; Book Entry# AG366 (p.83)
4. ↑ St Matthew's Church of England Windsor NSW: Church Register - Burials; State Library of NSW ref: Reel SAG 54
5. ↑ Flynn, Michael, The Second Fleet : Britain's Grim Convict Armada of 1790, Library of Australian History, 1993, p.143.

• Biographical report for Daniel BARRETT, Person ID: B#10011004401, Biographical Database of Australia (BDA) (subscription required) Accessed 16 August 2023
• State Records of NSW:

New South Wales Convict Arrivals

First name(s) Daniel aka Donald

Last name Barnet

Arrival date 26 January 1788

Ship name Friendship

State New South Wales

Country Australia

Indents From Early Fleet Ships 1786-1799 (Nrs 1150)

First name(s) Dond Or Danl

Last name Barnet

Conviction year 1783

Place convicted Winchester

County convicted Hampshire

Country convicted England

Sentence 7 Years

Family name(s) BARNETT, BARRETT, BARNEY

Given name(s) Daniel

Alternate name(s) Barrett Barney

Sex Male

Occupation Waterman

Age when departed England 30

Trial date 29 July 1783

Trial place Winchester, Hampshire

Crimes Stealing iron grapplings

Value of crimes 10 shillings

Original sentence Transportation

Transported for 7 years

Ship Friendship

Date left colony

Date of Death 15 February 1823

Data sourced from Centre for Educational Development and Interactive Resources, University of Wollongong.

• NSW Government. Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Deaths search page Death registration BARNEY DANIEL 5668/1823 V18235668 2B / AGE 68

• http://www.fellowshipfirstfleeters.org.au/daniel_barnett.htm