1. William and Maria Dun and Duninald
William Dun was born in London in 1789; his father, also William, was an official in the H.E.I.C.S. and his mother was Frances Renwick. Apart from his marriage to Maria Burdett in Hertfordshire in 1817, nothing else is known about William`s life until 1819 when he applied for permission to settle in New South Wales with his wife and (at the time) one daughter, Frances Seaton Dun. Permission was granted and they arrived in Sydney in 1821, then with another baby daughter, Catherine Hammond, born on the voyage.
Receiving a land grant in the Paterson River area, the family settled on the property to be named `Duninald`, and they remained there until the mid 1860s, raising eleven children, one of whom died as a young child. Originally growing wheat, grapes and tobacco, the Duninald property eventually became well known as a producer of livestock.
William was prominent in local activities, and although he suffered financially in the 1840s recession, they continued to hold `Duninald` until it was sold to Charles Reynolds, the lessee of nearby `Tocal`, who married the eldest daughter of William and Maria, Frances Seaton.
A part of `Duninald` is still in the Reynolds family to-day, and they also continued to work `Tocal` for many years.
Most of William`s children were eventually to marry and move to the new state of Queensland, where William and Maria also moved when their property was sold. William died in Ipswich, Queensland in 1876 and Maria died there in 1878.
2. Charles Dun and his wife Zorayda (nee Bedwell)
Charles Dun was born at Newcastle in New South Wales in 1823 just after the time that his parents, William and Maria Dun, had settled on their land grant named `Duninald` a little south of the area to become the town of Paterson on the Paterson River. Some years later, in 1836, on the other side of the Paterson River and just to the north of the township area, Zorayda Anne Bedwell was born, the third child to Frederick Bedwell and his wife, Susannah Matilda (nee Ward), whose property was named `Valentia`.
In 1857, Charles Dun and Zorayda were married at St. Paul`s Church at Paterson, and their first children were born in that area. Charles purchased a town allotment, but he had been influenced by a journey to the Darling Downs some years before, and after Queensland became a separate state in 1859, he moved north with his family and they eventually took up land near the coast a little north of Brisbane on Lake Cootharaba. At about that same time, a number of the Dun family moved north from Paterson, including Charles` parents, William and Maria Dun, who had sold `Duninald` and settled in Ipswich in Queensland.
There were nine children of the marriage of Charles and Zorayda, most of whom married and remained in Queensland, with one family group moving further up into North Queensland. Charles and Zorayda lived to a good age and eventually died in Tewantin to where they had retired after leaving their property at Lake Cootharaba.
3. Marriage of Charles Dun and Zorayda (a possible description)
It was 1857; actually, it was the very last day of that memorable year (a Thursday), and it dawned sunny and clear, but not yet hot, over the Paterson valley. The river willows with their stately lines seemed to be not so much weeping as whispering in the gentle breeze.
By mid-morning, the sun had risen clear of Hungry Hill. Around the new church in the infant town, a small, excited crowd was assembling in their seldom-used finery, so poorly suited to that often-sweltering climate. St. Paul`s stood there, silent and supreme, young yet old, backing onto the flat ground towards the river. It was a building which was firm and solid, a symbol of the strength and steadfast faith of those settlers who, so few years ago, had established themselves in this distant area. Those men and women and their children had bravely faced the hazards of an unknown land with its still misunderstood original inhabitants, and the dangers from renegade convicts escaping into those beckoning hills.
But to-day was a wedding day, a day when the marriage of two people would bring together three of the pioneering families of the region, and of this country, Australia - the Wards, Bedwells and Duns. The proud bridegroom, already in the church, was Charles Allan Dun, the eldest son of William Dun and his wife, Maria; in 1820, William had been the first free settler to be granted land in the Paterson area, and Charles was born three years later to join his father and mother, and two elder sisters, Frances and Catherine.
The happy, young bride, now alighting from her carriage assisted by her older brother, Frederick, was petite Zorayda Anne Bedwell, also born in the district, but just twenty-one years ago. Zorayda could proudly boast descent on her dear departed mother`s side from the Wards, her grand-parents, who chose to come from England to Sydney in 1820, following the conclusion of the wars against France. One of the Ward daughters, Susannah Matilda (Zorayda`s mother), had married Frederick Bedwell. Zorayda`s illustrious father, Lieutenant Frederick Bedwell, R.N., after naval service during the Napoleonic wars, had been chosen to accompany Phillip Parker King, R.N. as first officer on those extensive explorations and multi-circumnavigations of this continent, before settling in New South Wales.
That wedding day was surely to become a day to remember, and already among those attending there were very many stories of family happenings being recalled with pride – this was certainly the occasion for their telling.
The growing crowd were slowly moving into the church, but one important member remained outside, partly shaded by nearby trees, enjoying the festive feeling in the air. Zorayda`s grand-mother, Susannah Matilda Studdert (formerly Ward) watched the movement of so many friends, chatting with some, while her thoughts kept recalling her early society days in London; thankfully for Susannah and for most of those present, her unreliable second husband, the much younger Robert Studdert, was absent. Her memory flashed back to the exciting years in Europe during the Peninsular wars when some of her children were born; she thought of the night of the ball prior to Waterloo, and of her friendship with Lady Sarah, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Richmond; and of course her uncle, Major-General Thomas Hawkshaw, who had much to do with her upbringing.
Susannah was now aged nearly 70, and although her health had been deteriorating for some time, her eyes remained keen, and she was not without admiring attendants. Zorayda`s surviving brothers and sisters, all eleven of them, were there, and as four were aged ten or less, some of the older children were busy caring for the younger. Sadly, their mother, also named Susannah Matilda, had died in 1854, following the death of their father, Frederick, who had passed away in the prior year, along with their eldest, crippled daughter, Matilda.
Zorayda`s was the first marriage in the family, and understandably, there was sadness among the joy.
The ageing Susannah fanned herself slowly as she let her mind range over those earlier, momentous years, and she considered with satisfaction the success which had crowned her efforts in this difficult land, not only for herself but also for her daughters. She had been baptised Susannah Matilda Baldwin in England in 1789, one of two girls who were reared by relatives (the Hawkshaw family) following the early death of both parents. She thought of her struggle to maintain the young family after the death of her husband, William Gordon Ward, so soon after reaching Sydney in 1820, and she remembered with satisfaction the marriages of her surviving daughters, and the land which she had been able to transfer to them. She looked at the assembled grand-children with pride; and she felt again that deep appreciation which she had for the ongoing assistance of Lord Clarendon during those difficult years.
By now, the bride, accompanied by her uncle, Frederick Garling, junior (who had married her mother`s sister. Elizabeth) was moving closer to the church door, and as they neared where Susannah Matilda was resting, Zorayda moved across to give her an affectionate hug, while Frederick Garling greeted her warmly and respectfully.
Grand-mother Susannah smiled, and congratulated Zorayda on her choice of a husband. Charles Dun was twelve years older than Zorayda, but that was considered an advantage. Charles was one of the admired men of the district, and one of a large, respected family of long standing.
William Dun and Maria were already in the church, where William felt at home. His grand-father, Alexander Dun, had been the minister at Bendochy in Scotland for many years, and some of Alexander`s religious spirit had been passed down to William who had conducted church services for those in the Paterson district before the established religion had reached that outpost of Australian civilisation.
It was unfortunate that William Dun, Charles` father, had suffered financally in the drought and the economic slump of the `hungry Forties`, but Charles was planning to move north where Queensland was soon to become a separate colony, and where fortune beckoned. All agreed that Charles could be relied on to make his mark in that new area (where he had already travelled with Richard Scougall, his brother-in-law); and none doubted that he would be a good husband, and hopefully, father – and anyway, Zorayda and Charles were in love.
Charles Reynolds and his wife, Frances Seaton, eldest daughter of William and Maria, moved through the assembly to speak to Susannah, smiling a greeting to Zorayda and Frederick as they passed. Charles and Frances were happily established at `Tocal` and were hoping to buy `Duninald` from William if he also finally decided to move north to the new Queensland colony.
Soon, the bridal party and all concerned were in their places in St. Paul`s, and as the strains of the Wedding March died away, Rev. F. W. Addams began the service:
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God and in the
presence of this company … … … (the well-known and moving
words continued, until that final satisfying announcement):
I now pronounce you man and wife.
Zorayda and Charles were ushered to the side of the church accompanied by the official witnesses, where they placed their signatures on the marriage document. Of the witnesses, John Menzies, a friend of Charles, signed first, followed by Clara Georgina Bedwell, Zorayda`s younger sister (who was eventually also to move to Queensland with her husband, but, sadly, to die soon after, in Ipswich, probably in child-birth).
Then, as the happy couple moved down the aisle towards the door, most of the congregation came forward with sincere congratulations – it was a joyous occasion, and soon they would all meet again for the wedding breakfast at `Vincentia`, the original Bedwell property just north of the little town, which had been offered to them for the occasion. Grand-mother Susannah was being well looked after, and escorted to transport, in the care of the wife of Mr. Lindley, the local schoolmaster, with whom Susannah had been living for some time as her physical condition had started to falter. Representing the other side of this newly-created family-to-be, William and Maria were busy in conversation with those other Paterson pioneers who had courageously opened up that distant area.
And so started a long and happy life together for Charles and Zorayda, who did move to Queensland, but not until their first two children had been born; five more children arrived while they were living in Ipswich, and then after settling on land at Cooloothin Creek (where it enters Lake Cootharaba), the final two members of the family were born. There, they worked and raised their children, retiring eventually to live in Tewantin where they remained for the remainder of their lives, Charles until 1908 and Zorayda to 1924. That marriage in Paterson of Charles and Zorayda had brought together three of Australia`s earlier families, and it was to produce descendants who spread throughout the country, with credit to their forebears.
4. Susannah Matilda Ward (later Studdert)
It is probable that Susannah Matilda Ward was born into the Baldwin family in 1789 in Herefordshire, England, and that her mother was of the Hawkshaw family. However, there remain some niggling doubts. It is known that Susannah was cared for from a young age by Major-General Hawkshaw (H.E.I.C.S.) and his wife, who were living in France for some years before the Napoleonic Wars. There is much uncertainty about her birth, and as is often the case in such circumstances, there are suggestions about a relationship with people in very high places.
Susannah married William Gordon Ward who had been many years in the army, and who served in Europe during the wars, when at least three of their children were born overseas. During her early years, Susannah made the acquaintance of various influential people including Lord Clarendon and the Duke of Richmond, and those associations were naturally to be of importance to her over the years in Australia, especially whatever connection she had with Lord Clarendon..
Susannah and William Ward came to New South Wales with their six children in 1820, (one just a baby), but sadly, Susannah`s husband died within a year of their arrival. Susannah had the support of Governor Macquarie in obtaining the position of Supervisor and Matron at the Female Orphan School near Parramatta, and she was granted a number of land acreages, which were selected mostly in the Paterson River area. The special interest of Lord Clarendon in Susannah`s welfare continued.
In 1841, aged about 52, Susannah married a second time, to Robert Studdert, who was twenty years younger than her. That marriage was not a success, and Susannah, weakening in health, moved from her property near Paterson, named `Clarendon Park`, to be cared for in the town until her death in 1862. There was apparently no will, and that property then came into the possession of Robert Studdert. However, many years later, in 1884, the lawyer husband of one of Susannah`s grand-daughters was able to recover that land legally from the Studdert Estate, and it went to Sarah Maitland Brown, the daughter of Susannah who had not received her share initially. Sarah had no children and willed the land to the grand-daughter whose husband had recovered it.
One of Susannah`s daughters, also Susannah Matilda, married Frederick Bedwell, retired Royal Navy officer who, after service in the Napoleonic Wars, had spent five years as First Officer to Phillip Parker King exploring Australia`s coastline; one of their daughters, Zorayda, married Charles Allan Dun, the eldest son of William Dun and Maria from `Duninald` on the Paterson River - also our ancestors, who had arrived in New South Wales in 1821.
Susannah Matlda Ward was an amazing women, for those times especially, and she battled successfully against great odds when her husband died (leaving her with six young children), to forge a worthwhile place in what was then a harsh, and unknown, land. Her experiences during her early upbringing in some form of high society would have helped her in making a home in Australia for her children and herself, but the contrast must have sometimes been almost too much.
5. Frederick Bedwell
Frederick was born in Surrey, England, in 1796, into a family which appeared to have ancestors of some significance. He joined the British Navy aged only thirteen as a nominee of Viscount Valentia, although we have not discovered the reason for that relationship. He served at sea during the Napoleonic campaigns and was involved in the short war in North America. Later he was on the ship which took Napoleon into exile at St. Helena. After some training in naval hydrography he was selected to accompany Phillip Parker King to Australia to complete the coastal exploration left undone by Flinders.
King, Bedwell and another young midshipman reached Sydney in 1817, and after arranging the purchase of a suitable ship (Mermaid), they made a number of journeys, including the circumnavigation of Australia and of Tasmania, mapping the coastline. Those journeys extended over nearly five years, with `Bathurst` being their vessel in the latter period to replace `Mermaid`. In all that time, travelling often in the most difficult parts of the Australian coast on the north and north-west, they did an excellent job and fortunately lost very few men.
After returning to England in 1822, Frederick Bedwell came back to New South Wales in 1827 as a settler. Marrying Susannah Matilda Ward in 1832, Frederick moved to a property beside the Paterson River which was part of a grant to Susannah`s mother. The property was named `Valentia`. Frederick had been granted land at Wybong Creek, but he did not occupy it.
Frederick and Susannah had twelve children, but sadly, Frederick died in 1953, a few months before the last child was born, and Susannah followed him only a year later. The children were raised with the help of their grandmother, Susannah Matilda Ward (later Studdert) and her eldest daughter, Elizabeth who had married Frederick Garling, Jnr; Elizabeth also had a large family of eleven children.
One of those Bedwell children was Zorayda Anne, born 1836, who, in 1857 married Charles Allan Dun, the eldest son of William and Maria Dun of `Duninald` near Paterson.
The work of Phillip Parker King and his officers, Frederick Bedwell and John Septimus Roe, has received insufficient recognition in the history of our country. They completed the work left undone by Flinders, and for the first time, there were authentic records of the coastline right around the continent; it was only then that it could be stated for certain that Australia was one continent.
6. Hawkshaw Ancestors (showing connection with Parry family of Wales)
Robert de Hogeshaw
William de Hogeshaw (1246)
William de Hogeshaw
Richard de Hogeshaw
William de Hogeshaw
Thomas de Hogeshaw married Emelina de Cliveden
John Hogeshaw (1360) married Margaret Deveraux
John Hogeshaw (1530) married Catherine Hilton
Thomas Hawkshaw married Elizabeth Crymms
Richard Hawkshaw
John Hawkshaw, Lord of Manor – 1703 married Anne
Richard Hawkshaw, Gentleman – 1686/7 married Elinor Parry in 1690
Judge John Hawkshaw, L.L.D., 1671- 1744 married Bridget Rotton/Rotten
Thomas Hawkshaw b.c.1717 (Brother- Rev. John Hawkshaw 1714-1792 married - 1745 Margaret Gordon
??? Susannah Matilda Hawkshaw married -- Baldwin
Susannah Matilda Baldwin married (1) William Gordon Ward
“ (2) Robert Studdert
Susannah Matilda Ward married Frederick Bedwell
Zoraida Bedwell married Charles Allan Dun
