JAMES RUSE - FIRST FLEET - One of 208 Convicts Transported on “Scarborough” 1788 Sentenced to 7 years at Bodmin Assizes Transported to New South Wales BECAME KNOWN AS - “THE FATHER OF AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE” - JAMES RUSE – CARRIED GOVERNOR ARTHUR PHILLIP ASHORE ON 26 JANUARY 1788 AND IS THEREFORE OFTEN CREDITED WITH BEING THE FIRST PERSON ASHORE FROM THE FIRST FLEET TO PUT FOOT-TO-LAND (OTHER ARTICLES SHOW HE CARRIED MAJOR JOHNSON ASHORE AT SYDNEY COVE) WAS THE FIRST EX-CONVICT TO RECEIVE THE FIRST GRANT OF LAND IN THE NEW COLONY IS KNOWN AS THE “FATHER OF AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE” NAME: JAMES RUSE AGE: 23 (at time of trial); 28 (at time of arrival in NSW) BORN: 9 August 1759, Launceston-Cornwall BAPTISED: 26 August 1759, Lawhitton-Cornwall MARRIED: 1779 in South Petherwin-Cornwall, to Susannah Norcott MARRIED: 5 September 1790, Parramatta-NSW, to Elizabeth Perry DIED: 5 September 1837, Campbelltown-NSW TRIED: 29 June 1782, Cornwall Assizes SENTENCE: Death Sentence recorded; Reprieved; Transportation for 7 Years to Africa CRIME: Stealing two silver watches, valued ₤5.10s, property of Thomas Olive BODMIN GAOL: 1782 - James Ruce alias James Ruse, for Highway Robbery and stealing two silver watches valued ₤5.10s; Bodmin Assizes; Death penalty commuted to Seven years transportation to Australia on the Scarborough http://www.jackiefreemanphotography.com/bodmin_executions.htm CORNWALL ARCHIVES; Tried at Bodmin 29 June 1782 for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Thomas Olive about 1 in the night and stealing thereout 2 Silver Watches value ₤5 and other goods value 10s the goods of the said Thomas Olive. To be hanged. Reprieved. To be transported to one of his Majesty’s settlements on the coast of Africa for the term of 7 years. HULK: Held onboard the prison hulk “Dunkirk”, moored at Plymouth, for five years before transportation TRANSFERRED TO “SCARBOROUGH”: "The prisoners were brought from Dunkirk, "all secured in irons except for the women". Amongst them were Mary Bryant (or Broad), in the third year of her seven-year sentence, and James Ruse, in the fifth year of his seven-year term. On 11 March, surgeon John White went to Portsmouth: the ships there went to Plymouth the next day. On 22 March, the prisoners on Alexander were taken off again while she was whitewashed all day. Henry Bradley the overseer of Dunkirk was busy reporting [re-porting? repairing?] his hulk after her convicts had been put on the First Fleet ships." SHIP: Scarborough – Departed Portsmouth on 13 May 1787, carrying 208 male convicts (no deaths) and arrived in New South Wales on 26 January 1788. Master John Marshall, Surgeon Denis Considen FIRST FLEET: The First Fleet was made up of six transport ships, two naval escorts, and three supply ships, and their arrival began the European colonisation of the Australian continent. New South Wales was proclaimed upon their arrival at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788. The transports carried mainly convicts with some members of the Marine detachment sent as guards. In total, the First Fleet carried 569 male convicts, 191 female eonvicts, and a detachment of Marines with their wives and children, plus Government officials, numbering more than 1,300 people in the Fleet. RELIGION: Protestant FAMILY – BORN: 9 August 1759, Launceston-Cornwall BAPTISED: 26 August 1759, Lawhitton-Cornwall FATHER: Richard Ruse, b.1 Nov 1730 Lezant; d.1800 aged 69 MOTHER: Elizabeth Curne MARRIED – SPOUSE: Elizabeth Cuere/Curne – married 10 April 1757, Lawhitton-Cornwall (IGI - Elizabeth Cuere) CHILDREN OF RICHARD RUSE AND ELIZABETH CURNE – Elizabeth Ruse, baptised 2 January 1758, Lawhitton-Cornwall (OPC) James Roos, baptised 26 August 1759, Lawhitton-Cornwall (OPC) Matthew Roos, baptised 20 March 1763, Lawhitton-Cornwall (OPC) Richard Ruse, baptised 1761, Lawhitton-Cornwall (IGI) Charles Ruse, baptised 1764, South Petherwin-Cornwall (IGI) Isaac Ruse, baptised 1766, South Petherwin-Cornwall (IGI) http://nwhelan.customer.netspace.net.au/ps06/ps06_361.htm SPOUSE: Susannah Norcott (b.1745); there is a burial in Lezant for Susanna Ruse aged 70 on 21 September 1823, of ‘Carvoda Green’ – unconfirmed this is the same person (OPC) MARRIED: 1779, South Petherwin-Cornwall CHILDREN: Elizabeth Ruse, b.1779 Richard Ruse, b.1781, baptised 1 January 1781, Petherwin http://nwhelan.customer.netspace.net.au/ps06/ps06_402.htm DESCRIPTION – Trade: Farmer Native Place: Lawhitton, Cornwall NEW SOUTH WALES – Crime: House-breaking Assignment: Put to work at the Government farm at Rose Hill EMANCIPATION: 26 January 1788 - James Ruse was selected to carry Major Johnson ashore at Sydney Cove on the arrival of the First Fleet, and is widely recognised as Australia’s first man on the land and, more importantly, proved it was possible for the Colony to feed itself. 1789 - Given one acre of land on a trial basis, followed by the first official land grant of 30 acres 21 September 1789 - Established a farm at Rose Hill 30 March 1791 - Grant of 30 acres registered December 1791 – James and Elizabeth Ruse with their first child were taken “off the store” – meaning they were now self-sufficient August 1793 - Managed to sell 600 bushels of maize to the Commissary 1797 - James sold his land after complaining of the poor quality of the ground, with the intention of returning to England. Having spent the money he received from the sale he again asked for another grant and was given 30 acres in the Hawkesbury region June 1797 – Again received a further grant of 40 acres 1809 - Given 100 acres at Bankstown following floods in the Hawkesbury 1809 – Around this time, James Ruse went to sea to work as a mariner, to earn extra cash during the difficult times, whilst Elizabeth ran the farm 1828 Census - Shows James Ruse as an overseer employed at Lower Minto aged 68 years – 1828 Census of NSW - HOUSEHOLD of James RUSE RUSE....James Age 68 Ship Arrival: SCARBOROUGH Year: 1788 Sentence: 7 years Free/Bond: Free Occupation: Overseer Religion: Protestant To Others: Captain BROOKS ( Richard ) Place: Lower Minto PERRY....Elizabeth Age 57 Ship Arrival: Lady Juliana Year: 1790 Sentence: 7 years Free/Bond: Free by servitude Occupation: Religion: Protestant To Others: Lives with James ROUSE ( most likely RUSE ); Captain BROOKS (Richard) Place: Lower Minto REED....Thomas Age 9 Born in Colony Year: Sentence: Free/Bond: Occupation: Religion: Protestant To Others: Lives with James RUSE Place: Lower Minto Remarks: Son of Elizabeth PERRY * * Query – Is Thomas the grandson of James/Elizabeth? Born to their daughter Ann who married Daniel REED? Spouse: Spouse: Elizabeth Parry/Perry, aged 19 at time of marriage; born 1769; died 1836; transported to NSW aboard the Second Fleet “Lady Juliana” (the first all-female convict transport – see the book “The Floating Brothel”); transported for stealing one bombazine gown and a petticoat and other articles of wearing apparel. Elizabeth was the first female convict to be emancipated, and had a reputation for ‘industriousness’. Children: James and Elizabeth had six children – Rebeccah Ruse – born 1791, died 9 Nov 1792 (V1791141 1A/1791) James Ruse – born 1793 Elizabeth Ruse – born 1794, Windsor (Hawkesbury); died 22 March 1875 aged 80; married Edward Armfield on 12 August 1822 at Windsor, and they had eleven children; also married John Wells (V1794101 148/1794) Susannah Ruse – born 1796, died 1872, aged 76 years; married Patrick Harrigan and had children Joseph, Elizabeth., Eleanor, and Mary Ann Harrigan; married Patrick English and had Richard English Mary Ruse – born 22 December 1798, Mulgrave Place (Singleton); died 1871, Liverpool aged 72; married Unknown KENNEDY, married John CROOKS (V1798767 1A/1798) Ann Ruse – born 1801, married Daniel REED http://www.turnbullclan.com/tca_genealogy/tca_all2-o/exhibits/j_ruse__e_pa_e_rry_family.pdf Death: James Ruse was buried on 5 September 1837 at St John’s Cemetery, Campbelltown-NSW – it is believed John Ruse carved his own headstone and it reads – “Sacred to the memory of James Ruse who departed this life Sep 5 in the year of Houre Lord 1837. Natef of Cornwall and arrived in this coleney by the Forst Fleet, aged 77. My mother reread me tenderly, With me she took much paines, And when I arrived in this coelny, I sowed the forst grain, and now with my hevnly father, I hope forever to remain” His wife, Elizabeth (Perry/Parry), was born in 1769, and was buried 27 May 1836 at Campbelltown, aged 67 years. http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictoria/a/0/8/doc/a08143.shtml http://hillstory.com.au/hillstory/articles/The_Colonial_Experiment.html http://nla.gov.au/nla.cs-pa- http%253A%252F%252Fwww2.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au%252FLocalHist%252Fscripts%252FExtSearch.asp %253FSearchTerm%253D003979 In Perpetuity: The name “James Ruse” has been immortalised in Australian culture, with the naming of The James Ruse Agricultural High School, James Ruse Drive, and the Sydney suburb of Ruse amongst others. Cornish folk singer, Brenda Wootton, wrote and recorded the song “James Ruse” with the chorus made up of the last four lines of his headstone NEWSPAPER REPORTS – Numerous books and newspaper articles etc are available REFERENCES – http://nwhelan.customer.netspace.net.au/ps06/ps06_359.htm http://trove.nla.gov.au/result?q=James%20Ruse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Ruse http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A020360b.htm?hilite=ruse http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/CORNISH/1998-09/0905553337 http://members.optusnet.com.au/kevrenor/fed_01.pdf http://books.google.com.au/books?id=9Uc4gIhnSUkC&pg=PA49&lpg=PA49&dq=lawhitton+ruse&source=bl