Place Name : East Maitland ... where one of my forebears came to grief ! James LAW, my second great-grandfather Native of Kesh, Co. Fermanagh, Ireland Father : James LAW (soldier) Mother : Unknown Born abt. 1820 Sailed from Plymouth on board the barque 'Theresa' in January 1842 Accompanied by his wife, Mary (nee McDONAGH) Arrived in Sydney 25th August, 1842 Calling : Farm Labourer Made their way to the Hunter Valley, where four children were born - Deborah (1844), Thomas (1846), Mary Jane (1848) and Emily (1850). One of the first families on the Millers Forest estate, 1854. >From the Maitland Mercury : October, 1860 Fatal Accident : - "An Inquest was held at the Freemasons Arms, East Maitland, yesterday, by Mr. THOMSON, on the body of James LAW, who was accidently killed by a fall from his horse on Thursday afternoon. >From the evidence it appeared that the deceased, who resided at Miller's Forest, was leaving Mr. McCUE's public house, East Maitland, about five o'clock in the afternoon. In company with his brother-in-law and Hugh McPHERSON, for the purposes of returning home, the deceased, who was said to be a very bad rider and seldom on horseback, had only taken a little brandy and ginger beer, and appeared sober, though excited; the deceased and his companions proceeded homewards, and rode across the George Street railway crossing, deceased taking the lead; he then started out at a gallop towards the station master's house, fell from his horse and his head came in contact with a stump, killing him on the spot. Dr. WILTON was at once sent for, but found deceased quite dead, he gave it as his opinion that death had resulted from fracture of the skull. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death. The deceased leaves a wife and four children, and was, we are informed, a very sober, steady man. He had come to Maitland that day for the purpose of abandoning an action that he had commenced against a neighbour for illegal encroachment on his land". His Death Certificate states his cause of death to be : "accidental death by a fall from a horse whilst in a state of partial intoxication" .... must have been the ginger beer :) James is buried in an unmarked grave at Raymond Terrace Pioneers. Diane