Apparently there is another Duncan Mackellar who owned land in an area of New South Wales today called Goulburn. Charlotte Broun tells me that this Duncan is listed in the 1841 census living in Auburn street Goulburn, County Argyle, District Goulburn. Christine Wright tells me that he was an innkeeper there and arrived by the Othello 1834; he was no relation to the other Mackellars. He died in Goulburn in 1852. (Source: Burial of Duncan Mackellar 5th July 1852, copy 1985). Charlotte Broun tells me that Goulburn was the first inland town in New South Wales. It began as a primarily a sheep farming area and still is today. Governor Macquarie owned huge tracts of land in the area.
From the Argyle County Website we read:
"The early settlers provide a contrast to those in other newly discovered areas. Apart from the usual governor's "favourites", explorers rewarded for their discoveries, and ex-colonial officers, many were army and particularly naval officers and surgeons demobbed after the Napoleonic Wars and who had signed on for service on the colonial run.
"Armed with cash and promissory notes for services they were able to buy up
large tracts of cheap land.
"The increased demand for meat and wool in England and the availability of
cheap convict labour meant they could establish themselves as landed gentry - something not possible at home.
"They also persuaded their colleagues to join them, and sponsored immigration
from Scotland (many were Scots). At least one (Duncan Mackellar) cashed in his holdings and retired to Scotland to live a life of ease, and Wilson was known as 'Laird of Braidwood' with control over 12,000 acres and many tenant farmers."
There is some confusion here as to which Duncan Mackellar is being referred to here and I am trying to find out.
There are a few other scattered references to a Duncan Mackellar. From the Morawa District Historical Society Website (page on horse-powered mills) we read:
"GOULBURN AREA - Flour Duncan MacKELLAR ? of "New Township" (apparently the then newly developing part of Goulburn), had a horse powered mill installed by 1836. Mackellar appears at some stage to have had some connection with Braidwood. [This mill appeared to be listed in 1836 under DUNCAN & MacKELLAR but this has for the moment been taken to be Duncan MacKELLAR]."
From Immigration Report of 1837 for Australia we see a Duncan Mackellar playing a role in allowing further immigration:
"(a number of letters appear from Flock-owners and others in New South Wales in support of allowing Indian labourers to emigrate.) - letters and testimony from John Mackay; Thomas Porter Biscoe; John G. Collins; Captain John Revell; Duncan Mackellar; Robert Scott; Charles Bury; J.R. Mayo; Mr. J.B. Howard; Thomas Porter M'Queen; William C. Wentworth; William Morgan; Robert Towns; John Edye Manning; James Bowman; Joseph Hickey Grose; Henry O'Brien; Lieut.-Col. H. Dumaresq; Thomas Baker; Colonel J.T. Leahy; George Cox; William Lason; Alick Osborne; David Thompson; Sir John Jamison; H.H. M'Arthur; John Blaxland; Alexander Berry."
I do not know when Duncan Mackellar died, but it appears he may still have been alive in 1851. From a web page concerning The Australian Steam Navigation Company's New Steamers we read:
"Letters have been received by the Blackwall, from Captain Mackellar, dated 16th August, [1851], intimating that the Company's steamer, Waratah, was launched on the day previous, and stating that she is one of the finest looking vessels that has been built on the Clyde. The Yarra Yarra, was to be launched on the 22nd August, and promised also to be a fine looking vessel. The engines and boilers were nearly completed, and would be immediately put in their places. These vessels are contracted to be ready for sea on the 20th September, under heavy penalties, and were to leave Scotland for Sydney on or about the 1st October. The river-boat Brisbane, come out in frame in one of the large steamers."
Duncan Mackellar the early years ... >
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