|
Born circa 1766. Late of 73rd and 46th Regiments. Arrived in Van Diemen's Land around 1810. Original grant was on the Upper Macquarie River, but he acquired property at Old Beach, as well as Woodburn, Richmond. On 24th May 1826, the Land Commissioners visited Cassidy's property at Old Beach:
"...ride over to the Old Beach past Thrupps' to Cassidys', both very good Houses, the latter two story high, remarked fine building and Flag stones, laid as quarried, having scarcely a Tool put to them, Cassidy has a run on the MacQuarrie, where he has a considerable number of Sheep and Cattle, the Government land immediately here, we value at five shillings an acre."1
The following day the Land Commissioners rode along the foot of Gunner's Quoin, which was "nearly inaccessible, save to wild Goats which breed among the precipices."2 The ridge beneath the Gunner's Quoin was described as being "good land with plenty of grass on it, heavily timbered, and the water indifferent."3
"Cassidy said, he lost many Cows when he grazed them there, and that, his Sheep invariably lost their condition, he only keeps a few working Bullocks, here is also Ross's Farm of two hundred acres, good Soil, with great exertion, with one assistant he cleared about forty acres, twenty he had in Wheat, and just as he might have expected to have had some satisfaction from the fruits of his industry, he caught a severe cold and is wholly unfit to labor he was much at a loss for his boundaries, Cassidy has been in possession six years, and does not yet know where his bounds are, which alone prevents him fencing."4
According to the Land Commissioners, Cassidy had also purchased Fryett's 94-acre farm at Tea Tree in exchange for 2,000 bushels of wheat.5 On 6th June 1827 the Land Commissioners visited Cassidy's property on the MacQuarie River:
"Cassidy has made many purchases on the Macquarrie, has some small grants of his own, and keeps a good flock of Sheep, he has lately removed his Cattle to a Run near Swan Port. V. Champion sold his Farm to him."6
Cassidy offered 400 acres at Old Beach, formerly the property of Mr. William Ross, for lease in July 1840.
The Colonial Times of 20th October 1840 included Cassidy and his house in its description of Richmond as "that beautiful settlement, - surrounded by splendid villas, erected by wealthy individuals, and earned by hard and honest industry." Cassidy owned the Richmond Hotel in 1842, which was operated by Francis Atkinson. Cassidy appears to have purchased, or at least leased, Nugent, in August 1842:
"I hereby caution the public against trespassing upon the Farm latterly the property of G.W. Gunning, Esq., by cutting or carting wood, stripping bark, grazing stock, or any otherwise; and I will prosecute all so offending, and impound all stock found trespassing on the said land, without respect to persons, after this notice."
"John Cassidy, Woodburn, Richmond, August 25 1842."7
Cassidy died on 4th July 1851 aged 85 years, and was buried in St. John's Cemetery, Richmond.
______________________________
1 Anne McKay, Journals of the Land Commissioners, 24 May 1826, p. 5.
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid., pp. 5-6.
5 Ibid., p.6.
6 Anne McKay, Journals of the Land Commissioners, p. 56.
7 Colonial Times, 30 August 1842, p.1,c.2.
|
|
