Shep's Place Family Tree

The "Caroline" reached Rio de Janeiro 26 Jul 1829, the then usual route, where Henry purchased 60 oranges for a shilling. He was first to sight land with his telescope having climbed to the main topmost crosstrees. He gave up his cabin to Mrs. Friend for the birth of a son and took his cot to the caddy. Freemantle was reached 12 Oct 1829 directly from Rio. There were a few thatched huts and tents, nothing else. The first Governor, Sir James Stirling, had arrived in June and further 300 emigrants in three ships followed and received all the fertile land. Henry and the Hentys received only small grants side by side on the Swan River from where Henry wrote home that he was a land owner but "gnawed by mosquitoes and the temperature was 110 degrees". The grants could be reached only by flat bottomed boats due to numerous shoals. Henry's man built three such boats. One was sold. The situation was so bad many went on to N.S.W., Tasmania or returned to England.

Henry went on an expedition with Governor Stirling over the Darling Range. They left in search of better land 25 Oct 1830. Henry's pack consisted of gun, full shot belt, powder horn, copper caps, 3lbs. pork, 3lbs. bread, tea, sugar, rum and water. Knife, spoon, tin pannikin, compass, burning glass, towel, soap, blankets, pipe, tobacco and three small cooking utensils. He wore a Scotch cap, shooting jacket, duck trousers ‎(canvas)‎ and waist coat.

His sister Maria wrote from Penzance, Cornwall in 1831. His reply told of much hardship and he sent a huge list of needful things including a cat and "bees in a wire cage". The girl Laura he was to marry baulked at the W.A. conditions. That summer Henry wrote that none of his sowings had come up and people were eating seed potatoes. He and the Hentys explored the Collie River, and 1832 was called the Hungry Year and Henry's dollar bags ‎(Spanish dollars were currency)‎ were "gaunt". The natives were menacing and their meagre stores were kept beside them as they slept, gun handy. James Henty cut his losses, and with his new bride whom he married aboard the "Sulphur", April 1831 ‎(no church as yet at the Swan)‎ went to Tasmania. Henry's sisters in England had sent him many luxuries by the "Atwick" on which James' bride had travelled, but he was so wretchedly poor he sold them all, even the clothes.

He opened a public house and clung to his poor bit of land. refusing to accompany James. In England Camfields and Hentys were visiting. Frederick Friend drowned. Henry said of him "that notwithstanding his propensity for rum he had been a good servant and worked like a horse". Mrs. Friend married a Barnden six months later, who became Henry's servant and in 1840 took over the lease of inn and land. On 19 Jan 1838 Henry reached Launceston in time for James son to be named for him at the christening, went on to Sydney, returned, and with Edward Henty and four indentured ‎(convict)‎ servants sailed from Launceston to Portland Bay, Victoria. the first settlers there. They took an incredible 34 days in, boisterous weather, lost stock and sustained damage to the boat. He planted the first garden. a big variety of vegetables, helped Edward build his first house they named "Burrswood". A later house still stands bearing the same name. He made yokes for bullocks, helped mend the damaged "Thistle" then went back to Launceston, from where Stephen Henty returned him to the Swan in April 1835 by the "John Adams".

Henry had fallen "stark in love" with Anna Ralston of Logan Falls, Tasmania who refused him. He fell in love again when staying with the Bussell family with the charming intelligent Fanny Fussell. She thought him "too fond of do-me-good" books, too religious too austere over novels and plays and he fell out of love when her brothers shot natives during a fracas and she approved. Until 1840 when he married, he moved between the Swan, King George's Sound, Launceston, Portland Bay and Sydney, growing ever poorer. He was ever melancholy, never robust. He liked to live in a settled community for "the regular and well spent Sabbath and the chiming bell".

On the eleventh anniversary of his arrival in W.A. Henry became engaged to Anne Breeze, good and religious and with an admirable temper who arrived at Fremantle by the "Shepherd" with the Rev. William Mitchell, his wife and four children, one of the first members of the Missionary Society. At the time Henry was acting as Head of the Revenue Office at Perth at a salary of 100 pounds a year. In 1846 James Henty's large business at Launceston failed. 90.000 pounds in losses. Old Mr. Camfield had invested heavily with the Hentys but his money safe. Only James was in trouble and he, by dint of much hard work recouped his losses and paid all his debts.

In July 1847 Henry was appointed Magistrate and sub-Collector of Customs at Albany which post he held until 1851. He kept the Sabbath strictly and refused when ships with mail arrived at Albany on Sundays to allow distribution, for which practice he was not loved. His marriage to Anne Breeze seems to have been successful but they were without children. He was happy to agree to the ‎(unofficial)‎ adoption in 1862 of Louisa Jane Williams. He died 10 years later on 11 Oct 1872 at Albany. Anne remained at their house "Annesfield", and ran a school for native girls. She came to South Australia with Louisa and her husband Oscar Wilson after their 1884 marriage, and died on 18 Feb 1896 aged 88, at Evansdale, the Wilson house at Opie Street, and was buried at the Payneham Cemetery.

Roslyn Dow.