Source:
Title: Muswellbrook Court of Petty Sessions, Bench Books, 1838-1843. Ancestry.com
Details:
Appeared before me E.D. Day Mr. Charles Eyles who deposed - I am superintendent of Mr. Robert Crawfords stock at this station and have commonly four or five assigned servants under my charge. On the seventh of this month I went out on the run with one of the stock keepers named James Dunn (per St. Vincent 1837) to look after the cattle. Shortly after I went out I found that some of the cattle had been speared by the blacks. I found three wounded. In less than a quarter of an hour after on passing through a thick scrub I came upon a party of blacks five in number engaged in the act of cutting up a young bullock of Mr. Crawfords. I rode towards them with intention of taking them into custody. One of them immediately started up and threw a boomerang at me and instantly afterwards he threw a spear at me on seeing this I put my horse to his speed and so avoided both weapons. Directly after this they threw another boomerang which I also escaped from by putting my horse to speed again. The black then began to take up waddies which he threw at me and hit me repeatedly. At that time Dunn came up when the black took up a very large waddy and threw it at Dunns head. Dunn avoided the blow by stooping. Seeing there was no chance of his desisting from his attack and on probability of taking him alive I fired at the black with my musket and hit him on the breast. He ran about thrity yards and fell and soon after died of the wound. The other blacks went off in different directions and were followed by Dunn for some time. The next day I went out again with Dunn and another stockman Smith and we were attacked at the same place by thirty or forty blacks. Fortunatley we were able to get away without injury, the great number of boomerangs they threw at us missed. We reached out huts only time enough to prevent a party of the blacks from taking possession of it. From this attack I considered both life and property very unsafe at this station. When this station was first established the blacks were kindly treated here for some months and I have never allowed any person on the establishment to act unfairly towards them. I know they have not received any cause to act as they have done at this station
Date:
Burial 29 August 1853
Source:
West Maitland Burial Register, 1851 - 1855. Living Histories
Details:
Robert Crawford, farmer, died 29 August 1853 aged 76 years. Funeral service Rev. Robert Chapman
Details:
Obtained Ticket of Leave
Source:
Application to marry
Details:
Ticket of leave holder aged 60. Stated married & 4 children. Application to marry Susanna Piddock refused first time. Produced supporting affidavits 2nd time
Source:
Application to marry
Details:
Application to marry Susannah Piddock. Piddock is reported married in muster roll
Source:
Application to Marry
Details:
Robert Crawford aged 62, arrived per Phoenix, application to marry Susannah White aged 35
Source:
Newcastle Gaol Entrance Book. State Archives NSW. Roll 137
Details:
Butcher from Tyrone. Ticket of leave holder. Admitted to Newcastle gaol from Maitland. Committed for trial for robbery. Acquitted and discharged 12 December 1837
Source:
Convict Indents. State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12188; Item: [4/4011]; Microfiche: 662
Details:
Robert Crawford age 50. Cook and ostler from Co. Tyrone. Tried at Armagh 18 March 1826. Sentenced to transportation for life for horse stealing. Assigned to J. P. Webber, merchant of Sydney, on arrival
Details:
To be granted 2000 acres of land
Source:
An Organised Banditti, p.189
Details:
Born in Greenock, Scotland. Free settler. Chief Clerk in administration of Gov. Brisbane. Property at Ellalong robbed by bushrangers
First Name:
Robert and Ann
Source:
Australian Births and Baptisms - Family Search Historical Records
Details:
Baptism of Alexander, son of Robert and Ann Crawford (born 15 August 1842)
