Mitchell Library Manuscripts A109 (Film CY738) - p.p. 9-13 Title Page: Copy of the Depositions of Lydia McDonald and John Robinson McVeagh - William and Jane Roberts for an assault. Before D'arcy Wentworth 1818 New South Wales. To Wit: Before D'arcy Wentworth, Esq., One of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the Territory. Lydia Macdonald, wife of John Macdonald of Pitt Water in the Territory of New South Wales, Settler, and John Robinson McVeagh, Servant to the said Lydia Macdonald, severally make oath and say And first this Deponent, the said Lydia Macdonald for herself saith That ever since the decease of her late Husband, John Benn; William Roberts of Hunter Street, Sydney and Jane Roberts, his wife, have taken every occasion to insult and abuse this Deponent and with the most horrid Oaths have used such threatening Language that she has been constantly in a State of Alarm and unable to proceed peacefully in her lawful Affairs when in Sydney and she positively saith that She always underground to avoid the said William Roberts and his wife and did not (do) anything whatever to provoke them. And this Deponent further saith that on her return home the last time she was in Sydney, namely on Saturday the Thirteenth day of December, last, She was attacked by the said William Roberts in a manner that gives her the greatest apprehension as to her personal safety. She was proceeding in her one-horse Chaise with her infant Child in her arms and the other Deponent was driving the Chaise; when they arrived near Colonel Johnson's Estate on the Parramatta Road, they were met by the said William Roberts, who coming towards Sydney with his Son in a Chaise - And this Deponent further saith that the said William Roberts drew up his Chaise towards this Deponent and as soon as he came close to the side of her, the said William Roberts stopped his Chaise, drew out a Pistol, presents it at this Deponent and with Oaths and the most offensive and indecent Language said: "You Bloody Whore. I'll blow your brains out. You shan't go any further." Upon which the Son of the said William Roberts pilled his Father's arm back and drove on, but the said William Roberts continued to use the most insulting, indecent and threatening Language. And this Deponent further saith that about a fortnight ago as this Deponent was sitting in her own house at Pitt Town, She heard a great noise out of doors, and supposing that some of her Men were quarrelling, She went out when She found the said William Roberts standing on the outside of the paling, but upon her own Estate using the most horrid Oaths and Imprecations accusing this Deponent of Murdering her former Husband and applying the most indecent, offensive and insulting language to her. And this Deponent further saith That She doth not make this Complaint against the said William Roberts with any hatred, malice or ill-will which She hath xxxx towards him, but mostly for the preservation of her Life and of her Person from bodily harm. And this Deponent the said John Robinson McVeagh for himself saith that he was with the said Lydia Macdonald on the Parramatta Road when She was attacked by the said William Roberts in the manner herein before stated, who presented the Pistol and used the Languages before set forth. Sworn before me this 9th day of February, 1818. "Signed" D Wentworth. JP "Signed" Lydia McDonald "Signed" John Robinson McVeagh ________________________________________________________________________ Title Page: The King v W Roberts Affidavits of Mr John Grono, William Roberts The Elder and W Roberts, the Younger. New South Wales. John Grono of Pit Town, Mariner and William Roberts the elder of Hunter Street and William Roberts the Younger, severally make Oath And first that Deponent, John Grono for himself saith that he accompanied the said William Roberts when they passed the House of Lydia Macdonald at Pitt Town and saith they were both on horseback and kept moving, that the said William Roberts was somewhat in liquor and as they passed the House he called out and made a load calling. And saith they passed the house before the said Lydia Macdonald came out and when she came out of her house, the said William Roberts was not standing outside the paling as falsely stated by the said Lydia Macdonald. Nor did the said William Roberts at that time use any Oath or did he then accuse he said Lydia Macdonald with murdering her former husband or did words of any such tendency pass. And if such words happened, this Deponent must have heard them. And this Deponent saith the words made use of by the said William Roberts where he halloed out as they were riding by the house together imported to be about a Sow and were by him thrice times repeated. And as an instance that this Deponent cannot be mistaken. This Deponent saith when they were gone by the house on the Road, this Deponent saith to the said William Roberts , I saw no Sow, what do you mean, or words to that effect. And when the said Lydia Macdonald came out of her house, the said William Roberts had passed it and was on the Road with this Deponent. And this Deponent, William Roberts, the Younger, for himself Saith that on a Saturday and which the Deponent believes might be the thirteenth day of December last, his father and this Deponent being at the halfway house, a Pistol was offered to this Deponent for Sale. And this Deponent took the Pistol to Show his Mother, to know if she would buy it for this Deponent. And as they were coming on the Road near Colonel Johnson's, the Pistol was laid on his Father's lap in the Chaise and seeing a woman, in a Chaise, at a distance, before they came to meet the said William Roberts, the Elder, asked this Deponent if that was not Mrs Frank on-coming. And this Deponent saith that his father is very deaf and as this Deponent believes, did not hear the answer this Deponent made. But they kept on the side of the Road, moving on towards Sydney and Mrs Macdonald was on the other side moving towards Parramatta. And saith the said William Roberts called out Mrs Franks, would you be robbed, showing the Butt end of the Pistol. And this Deponent seeing it was not Mrs Franks kept Mr Roberts' Chaise moving on. When the Man that was with Mrs McD. Came from her Chaise across to the other side of the Road, this Deponent was driving his father's Chaise across to the side of the road this Deponent was driving. And in a xxxx xxx xx as if to fight. And saith the said Mr Roberts did not draw up Closer to the Chaise of Mrs Macdonald that convenient to pass the Road and were some yards xxxxx of the other's Chaise as they passed and the Chaise was kept moving. Nor did the said William Roberts make use of the words "You bloody whore. I'll blow your brains out. You shan't go any further." Or did he make use of words to any such xxx like purport. And Saith that if any such words had been used this Deponent could not but hear them. And Saith this Deponent seeing his Father's mistake of the person and knowing the great ill-will the said Lydia Macdonald had to this Deponent's Father. This Deponent was the more careful to get on to passing. And that when they had passed this Deponent Said to his Father: "Didn't you know who that was?" When he replied: "I thought it was Mrs Franks." An then this Deponent then told him it was Mrs Benn. And from what's passed between this Deponent and his Father , he, this Deponent, is fully convinced that he, the said William Roberts, until after he had passed the said Mrs Macdonald's Chaise on the Road and until they had passed a considerable distance, the said William Roberts, the Elder, did not know that the said Mrs Macdonald was the person which they met. And this Deponent William Roberts for himself saith that when he met the said Lydia Macdonald in the Chaise on the Parramatta Road he took her to be a Mrs Franks, a particular friend and Acquaintance of this Deponent. Nor did he know to the contrary until the Chaise had passed some distance on the Road when his son told him who it was. And saith he did not make use of such words as set forth in the Affidavit of the said Lydia Macdonald or words of any such import. Nor did this Deponent, or his son, drive his Chaise from the side of the Road they were going upon nearer to the side of the road that Mrs Macdonald's Chaise was on, Save for passing in the usual manner. And this Deponent Saith that when he was passing the house of the said Lydia Macdonald at Pitt Town, he was in company with Mr John Grono. And this Deponent did not go out of the Road or stand on the outside of the Paling of the said Lydia or did this Deponent use any Oath or Oaths at that time, or accuse the said Lydia Macdonald of murdering her former husband or use any words tending to such accusations as most untruly sworn by the said Lydia Macdonald. Sworn at the New General Hospital this ----- day of February. 1818 before -------. ----------------------------------------------- Regards Betty Candy Sydney, Australia From: "Shirley McLeod" <shirlmac@bigpond.com> To: AUS-NSW-HILLS-HAWKESBURY-HUNTER-VALLEY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 7:39 AM Subject: [HHHV] MacDonald River I was asked the question after whom the MacDonald River and Valley were named. I believe that it was the convict turned bushranger John MacDonald but can't find that exactly Hi Shirley He was a former convict but unsure about the 'bushranger' bit I have a copy of Mrs HUTTON-NEVEs book ' Forgotten Valley' a history of the McDonald Valley. In this she says it wasn't named for nearly 40 yrs after is discovery . It is said that in the early days of the colony there lived not far from Pitt Town a wealthy widow who owned a valuable farm. Among her employees was a fine up-standing, good looking young man of splendid character, named John MCDONALD. Was not long before this worthy widow had wedded him and 2 sons were born , George & William I had a poke around some records since the BDMs for this period are a bit sparse In the 1828 census they had 4 children. John McDonald was per Guilford 1806 FBS. Lydia was 38 yrs old Born in Colony . Found a marriage of a Lydia BENN to John Mc DONALD 1817. Castlereagh. There is no baptism of any Lydia born c 1790 . Earliest is a Lydia CLARKE 1798. Maybe an older child when baptised ? . 1806 Muster gives ref to a John BENN per 'Gorgon' 1806 out on the Hawkesbury Free by servitude. No BENN marriage to any Lydia. No burial record of any John BENN. There is an admin ref in the Probate index to a John BENN series 1 so its an early one but the date is blank This is a very interesting book .......... Be a good one to be re-printed . I picked my copy up ages ago 2nd hand Marg M Beautiful Central Coast of NSW Regards Betty Candy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joan" <famhist@celebrantnetwork.org> To: <aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:25 PM Subject: Re: [PJ] AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS Digest, Vol 4, Issue 22 > Hi Betty, > I have not looked at that line for some years but have nothing about > a court case with William & Jane Roberts. When, where etc was it? > Regards > Joan > >> >> Do you know about the court case between Lydia Benn/Macdonald and >> William >> and Jane Roberts? >> Regards >> Betty Candy >> >> >> > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. 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