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Margaret Brown McClelland c 1821
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John Charles was the eldest son of Arthur Barker (1812-1865) and Margaret Brown McClelland (1820-1857) who came out on the Royal Admiral as bounty settlers in September 1839. There is an interesting article about an argument on the Royal Admiral resulting in the death of a young boy.
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Interestingly Margaret's surname McClelland became the middle name passed down through the first sons. Really it should have been passed down through the females as in its first appearance was in their youngest granddaughter 's name; Amelia Helen McClellend Barker. Also Margaret's middle name Brown was probably a maiden name that was passed down through the females.
John was the eldest of ten siblings; William Henry (1842-1899), George Edward (1843-1849), Frances Emily (1845-1865), Alfred Arthur (1846-1922), Martha Louise (1847-1911), twins Sophia Jane (1851-1851) and Matilda Ann (1851-1909), Jesse Elizabeth (1853-1925) and James Edward (1853-unknown), Hannah Maria (1856-unknown). The first seven children were born in Field of Mars and the last three in Parramatta.
Field of Mars (known now as Marsfield) is the ancestral home of the Darug Wallamatta People. There is an interesting story about the place name. Field of Mars refers to the God of War and the ancient military grounds of Rome. The first records show this name in reference to land grants given to Isaac Archer and John Colethread in 1792. Governer Phillip dedicated the name ' Field of Mars; to pay homage to their long service in the marines. See ancient-history-blog.mq.edu.au/cityOfRome/Mars_Reserve for more information.
In the 1840s it was a popular are a for new immigrants due to available work for the landowners there including grazing, timber cutting,
and firewood collection. There was also continuous land grants available through the 1830s and 1840s so perhaps the Barkers puchased an allotment. They may have lived on the common in tents were many other new immigrants lived as well as the displaced aboriginal people. They were there at least from 1841 to around 1850,.
Arthur was a tailor, (as was his own father Arthur and his brother Hugh ) and he set up shop in Church street Parramatta. He seemed to have had trouble keeping apprentices - they kept absconding.
John was the eldest of ten siblings; William Henry (1842-1899), George Edward (1843-1849), Frances Emily (1845-1865), Alfred Arthur (1846-1922), Martha Louise (1847-1911), twins Sophia Jane (1851-1851) and Matilda Ann (1851-1909), Jesse Elizabeth (1853-1925) and James Edward (1853-unknown), Hannah Maria (1856-unknown). The first seven children were born in Field of Mars and the last three in Parramatta.
Field of Mars (known now as Marsfield) is the ancestral home of the Darug Wallamatta People. There is an interesting story about the place name. Field of Mars refers to the God of War and the ancient military grounds of Rome. The first records show this name in reference to land grants given to Isaac Archer and John Colethread in 1792. Governer Phillip dedicated the name ' Field of Mars; to pay homage to their long service in the marines. See ancient-history-blog.mq.edu.au/cityOfRome/Mars_Reserve for more information.
In the 1840s it was a popular are a for new immigrants due to available work for the landowners there including grazing, timber cutting,
and firewood collection. There was also continuous land grants available through the 1830s and 1840s so perhaps the Barkers puchased an allotment. They may have lived on the common in tents were many other new immigrants lived as well as the displaced aboriginal people. They were there at least from 1841 to around 1850,.
Arthur was a tailor, (as was his own father Arthur and his brother Hugh ) and he set up shop in Church street Parramatta. He seemed to have had trouble keeping apprentices - they kept absconding.
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In 1857 Margaret dies at age 37 years old. Hannah Maria was born in 1856 so she was only 6 months old when her mother died. There were three children under six years old.
Margaret is buried with her baby daughter Sophia Jane who lived for 3 months and her son George Edward who died at 5 years old. They are in the Wesleyan Cemetery in Parramatta.
In 1860 Arthur's business was declared insolvent. He moved to Queensland, perhaps to be with his daughters Martha and Matilda Ann who were both living in Queensland. He died in Marlborough, QSLD in 1865.
Frances Emily died at her brother John's place in Parramatta aged 19 years and 6 months.
Both Alfred's and Jame's fates are not known definitively. Hannah Maria's fate is also unknown. Hannah Maria was a popular name as there was a well known barque named Hannah Maria at that time.
Martha Louisa married Albert Swann and lived in Geraldton (later renamed Innisfail) in Queensland . She is listed as a cordial maker in the electoral roll and following her death as a 'proprietor'. Jesse Elizabeth 's fate too is unknown.
Margaret is buried with her baby daughter Sophia Jane who lived for 3 months and her son George Edward who died at 5 years old. They are in the Wesleyan Cemetery in Parramatta.
In 1860 Arthur's business was declared insolvent. He moved to Queensland, perhaps to be with his daughters Martha and Matilda Ann who were both living in Queensland. He died in Marlborough, QSLD in 1865.
Frances Emily died at her brother John's place in Parramatta aged 19 years and 6 months.
Both Alfred's and Jame's fates are not known definitively. Hannah Maria's fate is also unknown. Hannah Maria was a popular name as there was a well known barque named Hannah Maria at that time.
Martha Louisa married Albert Swann and lived in Geraldton (later renamed Innisfail) in Queensland . She is listed as a cordial maker in the electoral roll and following her death as a 'proprietor'. Jesse Elizabeth 's fate too is unknown.
