JENNYFER ANN BRABYN
Pioneer
Jennyfer Ann BRABYN (c. 1795-1871), also known as Jane Ann
MILLS, Jennyfer Ann MILLS, Jennifer Ann TAIT, the daughter of John Brabyn and
Mary Brabyn née ALLYN, was born at London, England circa May 1795 (She could
have been born between May and July, but the exact date is unknown.). She
married Peter Burnet French Mills at Launceston, Tasmania, in a civil ceremony
on Tuesday 23rd January 1810 (They were remarried at St. John's, Launceston on
11th March 1811 by Licence, by Robert Knopwood, M.A.), the marriage producing
three children: John Brabyn Mills (1810-1877), Charles Frederick Mills
(1812-1855) and Eliza Sophia Mills (1814-1860). She had a casual relationship
with James Tate, and gave birth to George Alexander Tate (1821-c. 1908). She
had a casual relationship with James Taite, and gave birth to Isabella Taite
(1833-1852). She married for a second time to James Tait at Presbyterian
Church, Belfast, Victoria on Friday 13th June 1845 (VIC BDM Reference 1845
34155 490. Also registered at Portland Presbyterian, VIC BDM Reference 1845
1900 755.). She died (cause of death:
Infirmation of Age) at Ellerslie, near Mortlake, Victoria on Sunday 1st January
1871 (VIC BDM Reference 1871 401, listing her age as 76 years.) and was buried
at Port Fairy, Victoria on Tuesday 3rd January 1871.
Personal
History:
She was married at an early age to Peter
Mills in Launceston in Van Dieman's Land in 1810 - in fact twice, first in a
civil wedding in January follwed by a religious service in December conducted
by the Rev. Knopwood on one of his occasional visits from Hobart Town.
It was an exciting and violent society to
which she belonged. It was exciting because of the rapid expansion in
frontiers, farming, sealing, whaling and trading. It was also exciting because
of the exploits of her husband, who became a bushranger at one time. After
giving himself up to the authorities (in a life not noted for success, he could
not even make a go of crime), he was placed in the lock-up at Launceston. While
the two men were in gaol, Jennifer Mills brought rum to the guards, and all the
prisoners escaped when the guards were in a drunken state. Mills, however, did
not get far. He was soon found hiding under some straw in a stable, and was
recaptured. Subsequent events proved to be to his advantage, for he was
pardoned by Governor Macquarie after an aborted trial in Sydney.
The last Jennifer Mills saw of her
husband was in 1816. He published in the newspaper his intention to sail on the
"Adamant" bound on a whaling voyage with England as the final
destination. The "Adamant" left Hobart Town in October 1816 and was
lost at sea.
Jennifer Mills and the children (the
eldest was only 6) returned to their farm at Norfolk Plains near Launceston,
and she gradually became resigned to the fact that she was now a widow. The
family lived in poverty; the children had no shoes and there was no money to
educate the boys. It was a perilous life too, for one day she was alone on her
farm when her house was surrounded by aborigines. She stayed inside and fired
at them until they fled. They then attacked two neighbouring farms, killing a
farmer at one and a woman at the other. It was a fortunate escape for Mrs.
Mills.
Jennifer began a relationship with George
Alexander Tait, of Launceston, by whom she had a son. Her other two sons, John
and Charles Mills, were not very happy with this development, and left home
when only young boys to work on the sealing and whaling boats. There seems to
have been no marriage, and possibly other children were born to this liason.
When Jennifer Mills heard of the death of
her father, Captain John Brabyn, she travelled to Windsor to claim her share of
the inheritance. York Lodge and the land were to be held in trust for the use
of his wife Sarah, and after her death were to pass to her grand- daughter
Sarah Gaggin. Mrs. Brabyn was to have the use of any stock or furniture which
she might require. The rest was to be sold and the proceeds divided equally
among the three daughters.
Jennifer Mills returned home with her
share of the inheritance - the silver cutlery set which her parents had brought
out with then in 1796. She never accepted that this was her rightful
inheritance and was very suspicious about the validity of her father's will.
She was unaware of the grant of 800 acres in the Hunter district, and did not
see the notice in the N.S.W. Government Gazette on 1st August 1839 "...
calling upon representatives of the late John Brabyn to show or prove who is
now entitled to the deed of grant." The grant was uncontested and the land
passed into the hands of Frederick Gaggin. It does indeed seem that Jennifer
Mills did get short shrift. Perhaps this could be expected as she was from her
father's first marriage, and her step-mother would place the interests of her
own children to the fore.
Jennifer Mills went with her son Charles
to Victoria and lived at his property "Woodbine" until his death. She
remained on there living with her daughter Eliza Glare until Eliza's death. She
probably lived with grandchildren then and she died at Ellersie near Mortlake
in 1871.
Reference
Material:
1. The Mills
Brothers of Port Fairy, Alan Broughton, privately published in Melbourne,
Victoria in 1980.
2. John Brabyn and his
Family, Rhonda McLure, privately published for the Brabyn Muster at the
Yarrawood Convention Centre in 1983.
Prepared by Bob Dalrymple, PO Box 122, Dapto, NSW Australia 2350
eMail: bob@relativelyyours.com