Ann (Poulter) Harris (abt. 1774 - 1835)

Born about 1774 in London, England [uncertain]

Wife of Benjamin Cook — married about 1792 in England

Wife of Antoine L'Andre — married 7 Feb 1801 in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia

Wife of John Harris — married 3 Jun 1813 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 5 Feb 1835 at about age 61 in Castlereagh, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Ann was born about 1774. She arrived in New South Wales 20 November 1800 on the ship Royal Admiral as a convict's wife. Her convict husband Benjamin had died on the voyage along with 34 others.

Her parents are not known - no baptism record can be found. Her name Poulter or Polter comes from the death certificates of some of her children. There is NO evidence, direct or indirect, that her father's name is John.

Her marriage to husband Benjamin Cook has not been found. Their son Benjamin Benjamin William Cook was baptised in January 1796 at St John Horsleydown, Bermondsey, in Southwark.^[1] Ann and her son Benjamin junior sailed as free passengers on the convict ship Royal Admiral which sailed on 5 May 1800 with 300 convicts, one of whom was Ann's husband Benjamin Cook. During the voyage, Benjamin senior died on 5 June 1800. Captain Wilson wrote in the log book of the Royal Admiral: "Benjm Cook a convict died of the Fever. He had a wife and child on board".

Soon after her husband's death Ann became ill: on 30 June 1800 the ship's log has: "Ann Cook [of?] labour pains or rather in a state of miscarriage". Evidently she recovered as her son William was born in November.

Ann gave birth to baby William while still on the ship which arrived Sydney in November 1800. William's birth was given as 26 November in his baptism record which has the wrong year of birth: how accurate is this date? Although the ship arrived in Sydney on 20th November, it is conceivable that Ann remained on board for a few days while the ship was being caulked and repaired after the long voyage. Where was her son Benjamin junior at this time? It is possible that he was taken under the wing of a French prisoner of war who was on the same ship, Antoine L'Andre (also known as Antole Landrin, Anthony Landrien) .

Marriage: Not long after, on 7 February 1801 at Parramatta, Ann Cook and 'Antoine L'Andre' were married by permission of his Excellency Governor King, by Samuel Marsden. Signed 'Antole Landrin', Ann Cook (x). Witnesses were .. Durinault, Ann Holness.^[2]

Her son Benjamin Cook, age 13 had an Indenture of Apprenticeship on 7 October 1805 to his step-father Antoine Landrin for 5 years. The Old Register does not say what the trade was - probably as a cooper as we know that Antoine was a skilled cooper.

In the 1806 muster Ann Landrin "Royal Admiral 2" CF, was listed with Anthony Landrin Settler 60 acres at Prospect, with Children: 3 male, 1 female. Were they living on this land, or at Parramatta?

Her husband Anthony was stung by a centipede in October 1809 and this made page 1 of the Sydney Gazette.

On 5 November 1809 the Sydney Gazette newspaper had a notice of a lost horse, property of Martin Mentz: any person bringing the said mare to Mr Landrin at Parramatta. Mr Marr of Sydney, or Mentz at the Nepean River will receive a reward.

Ann had lost her hearing completely by 1810 according to a petition to Governor for confirmation of grant at Parramatta by husband Anthony Landrien January 30 1810.

Death of her husband: On 11 August 1811 Her husband Anthony Landrin was buried in the old Sydney burial ground (where the Sydney Town Hall now stands). Had they been living at the dwelling house at 2 Clarence Street at this time?

On 16 August 1811 there was a property transfer, Portion 47 (grant to Martin Mintz 1803): Transfer to Ann Laundrin for 150 pounds, then transferred the following day from Ann Laundrin to Charles Hadley for 150 pounds. This land was later known as "Hadley Park".^[3]

Marriage at St Phillips, Sydney 3 June 1813: John Harris farmer of this place a bachelor and Ann Laundrin of this place, a widow, were married by banns by William Cowper. (both marked with a cross). Witnesses George Wood(?) and Elizabeth Taylor (x).^[4]

A marriage property agreement was made on the same day as her marriage, registered 19 June 1813: Dwelling house at 2 Clarence Street and mare, cart and harness.... to secure the property to Ann Landrin to be at own sole disposal after the marriage.

Liquor licences 7 August 1813 to Mrs Lander, also Martin Mentz at Clarence Street are in a list of licences in Sydney published in the Sydney Gazette on this date.

In 1813 her son Benjamin Cook junior testified that after his step-father John Harris’s wheat was threshed, he took 45 bushels of wheat to Sydney in different lots to his mother’s house (2 Clarence Street). This was in 25 October 1813 Court of Civil Jurisdiction Proceedings, Judge J A Bent: A civil case, Crossley v Harris, regarding a broken agreement regarding wheat. Harris was to supply all his wheat to Crossley, or forfeit £100, but Harris did not supply to Crossley. The court ruled in Harris’s favour.^[5]

In the 1828 census they were listed at Nepean River in Evan district: Ann with husband John Harris and John Harris 14, Thos Harris 12, Ann Landrin 21, and four labourers (1 Ticket of Leave and 3 Free by Servitude).

Death: 5 February 1835 at Evan (Nepean): Date of death comes from her headstone. Burial record has: Ann Harris, abode Evan, 61 yrs, settler, ship Roy.Admiral, date of death not given, buried 8th February 1835 Castlereagh by Henry Fulton.^[6]

Ann's gravestone is inscribed:^[7]

SACRED

to the Memory of

ANN HARRIS

Who departed this life February

the 5th: 1835 Aged 61 Years

No further seek her merits to disclose,

Or draw her frailties from their dread abode

There they alike in trembling hope repose

The bosom of her father and her God

Also Here lies the mortal remains of Ann Jane

Harris Infant Daughter of John and Rachael

Harris Aged Eight days who departed this

Life on the 14: of March 1835

The Mother went her household ways

She prayed she Knelt in prayer

And only askd of Heaven its aid

Her heavy lot to bear.

Research Notes

Some trees have a marriage 4 Oct 1796 Southwark, Surrey, England to Stephen Bellchambers . Please note this is NOT her as Robina Newton has investigated the family of this particular marriage, and this couple had children in Surrey in 1801, 1803, and 1806 .

Some trees have that Ann had earlier come out on the Lady Juliana, and she was the daughter of a marine Lieutenant of the First Fleet by the name of Poulden. There is no evidence for this. The Lady Juliana story appears to have originated from the Index of the 1828 Census where her ship's name was given as Lady Juliana, however the enumeration page has survived and the ship was written as "Lady Ann", not "Lady Juliana" (it should have been 'Royal Admiral' which is in all other muster records, and her burial record) . NOTE THAT ANN IS FAR TOO OLD TO HAVE BEEN THE CHILD OF JOHN POULDEN AND MARY MITCHELL WHO WERE ON THE FIRST FLEET.

Some family stories have Ann and Thomas living at a the homestead called Minnaville, but Minnaville was built later, possibly as late as the 1860’s on Robert Guy’s 30 acres.

Sources

1. ↑ London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 for Benjamin William Cook, Southwark St John Horsleydown, Bermondsey 1733-1810 Ancestry.com sharing link
2. ↑ NSW BDM Marriage 466/1800 V1800466 3A - Groom = L'ANDRE, ANTOINE; Bride = COOK, ANN - CB,
3. ↑ Nepean District Historical Archaeology Group, In Search of the Early Nepean Pioneers (2003)
4. ↑ NSW BDM Marriage 1497/1813 V18131497 3A - Groom = HARRIS, JOHN; Bride = LAUNDRIN, ANN - CA and 63/1813 V181363 7 - Groom = HARRIS, JOHN; Bride = LAUNDRIN, ANN - CA
5. ↑ Decisions of the Superior Courts of New South Wales, 1788-1899 Crossley v. Harris [1813] https://www.law.mq.edu.au/research/colonial_case_law/nsw/cases/case_index/1813/crossley_v_harris/
6. ↑ NSW BDM Death 2031/1835 V18352031 19 - AGE 61
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/155579795/ann-harris : accessed 18 February 2022), memorial page for Ann Poulter Harris (1773–5 Feb 1835), Find a Grave Memorial ID 155579795, citing Castlereagh Burial Ground, Castlereagh, Penrith City, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by Sharon ♥ Rudd (contributor 48548691) .