Send an e-mail to: Amanda TaylorSend an e-mail to: Amanda TaylorA Story of an Early Pioneer Family, Researched and written by present-day members of the Family, themselves.
The following article was written and researched by Grace Douglass & Laurel Legge and published in their book 'Along the Windsor Richmond Road' 1985 (ISBN 0 9589831 0 0 and ISBN 0 9589831 3 5) and is subject to copyright. Written permission is held from the late author Grace Douglass for the writer to publish contents via the Internet. However, although this book is in the public domain, it still remains copyrighted material and may not be copied for any reason without permission. I do not have the right to give permission to others to reprint the book. I was only given permission to put it on line. All copyrights stay with Grace Douglass & Laurel Legge and whoever they appointed, for control of the book. Under no circumstances may it be reprinted for profit.
Extractions of parts of the information for personal use with references to the book as the source is encouraged.
Simon Freebody arrived in the Colony as a convict on the "Surprise" in 1790. He was convicted and transported as Sion Freebody and there also other variations to his name which include Simeon Freebody and Sion Clarkson. Simon was convicted in London on 11th July 1787 on a charge of stealing a dead lamb the property of one Richard Elland, valued at 13 shillings. ($1.30). It was stated at his trial that he had subsequently sold the dead lamb to a Margaret Smith for the sum of 13 shillings. For theft of the dead animal he was transported to the Colony for seven years.
One of the descendants of Simon's third daughter, Mary Ann Search, has endeavoured to trace her Freebody ancestor back to English Parish Records, and if the age he gives in the 1828 Census is correct -- i.e. 60 years, then she believes that he could possibly have been born on the 3/5/1767. If this is the correct person then he was baptised Sions Clarkson Freebody and was the son of John Freebody and his wife Ann Walls. This child was baptised in the Parish of St. Andrew at Enfield, and John and Ann Freebody, both of Edmonton had been married in 1765. The couple are known to have had at least five other children -- Timothy 1766, Sarah 1767 (twin to Sions), Peter Thomas 1769, Magdalen Loyd 1770 and John 1772. In adddition, John Freebody Snr. would appear to have had a brother, Sions, who was married to a Magdalin Loid (sic). This particular birth is favoured by the researcher, firstly because it tallies with Simon's age as stated in the Census, and secondly the inclusion of 'Clarkson' in the infant's baptismal name as the name 'Sion Clarkson' was used by Simon Freebody. In addition, many of the first-names used by our Simon Freebody are common to this family unit also. However, at the time of his death in 1856 Simon Freebody is said to have been 103, according to his Death Certificate and the Parish Register. His Obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald at the time of his death states that he was born on the 4/6/1753, which would, of course agree with his stated age at the time of death. The names of 'Simon' and 'Sion' in connection with the early English Freebody Families would appear to have been ones often used. the name of 'Clarkson' would also appear to be a Freebody Family name as there was a Sir Clarkson Freebody buried at Giles Field, London in 1772.
Simon's wife and the mother of his children was Mary Wells, although there is no record of them having married, so far as is known, however Mary is buried as Mary Freebody, wife of Simon Freebody, according to the Parish Register. Mary Wells was a convict who arrived on the "Royal Admiral" in 1792. She had been tried at York and was transported for a term of 7 years.
Simon and Mary had a Family of five children, only two of whom would appear to have been baptised, however their years of birth have been based on information quoted at other times -- Ann 22/12/1796, Sarah 1798, Simon 1799, Mary Ann 26/12/1800, John 1802. The Parish Register at St. Matthew's also shows the baptism of a son belonging to the couple, named Ham Freebody who had been born on the 25/1/1823. Ham, however, was the son of their daughter Mary Ann, and was born to her before her marriage to Daniel Search two years later. Although he was baptised 'Freebody' he appears in the 1828 Census as 'Ham Oldfield' and is listed along with two other children of the same name, George and Edward Oldfield who were born to Simon's eldest daughter, Ann Hanchard (later known as Henshaw), between the period of her first and second marriages. (Daniel Hanchard/ Henshaw 1810 and Daniel Hansell 1850). The father of George and Edward was James Oldfield, as to whether or not he was the father of Ham, is not known.
Simon was given his first Grant of land in 1794 and it was thirty acres on the Hawkesbury River in the District of Mulgrave Place. This Grant was Portion number 52 on the Parish Map and quite nearby that Portion given to Jane Ezzy. In 1804 Simon received 100 acres, again in the District of Mulgrave Place, although its exact location has not at this time been established. In between the granting of these two portions of land, Simon, of course, stood trial for his part in the alleged murder of the two natives in the Hawkesbury in 1799, in an attempt to avenge the murder of his friend Thomas Hoskisson. It is strange that the youngest son of Thomas Hoskisson should later marry Simon's daughter, incorrect link for Sarah Freebody Sarah Freebody. The lives of these early Hawkesbury Families were so very interconnected -- what affected the life of one, most definitely affected the lives of two or three others.
At the time of the 1828 Census we find Simon, or 'Simeon' as he is listed, working only 10 acres of land, however, they were all cleared and under cultivation.
Mary Freebody died first on 17/2/1855 and was buried at St. Matthew's Windsor and is said to have been aged 88. Simon followed her on the 27/12/1856, after having died at his daughter Sarah Hoskisson's home, "Clifton". Simon had a short Obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald, which may or may not be a true accounting of his age and birth-place, but is nevertheless worth relating. However, we would correct one point, Mrs. Henry Trickett was his Grand-daughter and not his Daughter.
"S.M.H. Friday January 2, 1857 - On Saturday last December 29th Mr. Treebody (sic), at the residence of his son-in-law, John Hoskisson, farmer and grazier, Clifton. He was born in Cornwall, England on June 4th, 1753, has five children living now, one of whom is the widow of the late Mr. Trickett of the firm of Trickett and Douglass, of this town. Twelve months ago he received a letter from his sister now living in Cornwell, England, who is 105 years old".
Longevity would appear to have favoured the Freebody Family as they were all very well advanced in years at the time of their respective deaths. Mary Ann Search, Simon's third daughter appears, however, to have topped them all. Mary Ann passed away in October 1899 at which time, based on the record of her baptism, she was aged almost 99 years. However, her Family claimed she had been born in 1799 which made her almost 100, then the minister at St. Peter's claimed he had positive information that made her almost 98, and she had not been baptised until August 1805, perhaps an error could have been made in stating the year of birth at that time. Whatever her actual age she was very close to the 100 year-mark- and there were two accounts printed in the Windsor and Richmond Gazette, one in 1899 at the time of her death and one two years earlier, that are most informative and worth relating --
Gazette - Saturday 28/10/1899 - Obituary - Mrs. Mary Ann Search
Pages 44, 56 and 46 (Obituary - Mrs. Mary Ann Search) to be continued
Page 46 concludes:
I would just like to make a comment or two before leaving Mary Ann Search. Although it is
claimed that Daniel Search died in the Sydney Hospital after a critical operation about 50
years previous to the time that Mary Ann died, there would appear to be no record of his passing,
under the name of Daniel Search. Our contact says with a laugh, that he is possibly still busily
engaged in the joinery business! So far as the total of 14 children that she claimed she had
borne, our contact is still looking for 8 of them!! The known children born to Mary Ann were --
Ham Freebody 1823, Sarah 1826, Mary Ann 1829, Daniel 1831, Charlotte 1834 and Ann 1838.
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