James Collits1
M, #5105, b. 21 March 1806, d. 30 December 1880
| Father | Pierce Collits2 b. c 1769, d. 19 Sep 1848 |
| Mother | Mary Hardwick2 b. 24 Dec 1769, d. 4 Aug 1841 |
| Relationship | 4th great-uncle of Keith Graham Bassett |
| Last Edited | 7 May 2022 |
| Birth* | 21 March 1806 | Castlereagh, NSW, Australia1 |
| Baptism | 24 June 1810 | St Johns, Parramatta, NSW, Australia; James Son of Pierce Collits & Mary his Wife was Born 21st March 1806 and Christened 24th June 1810 Registered Same day by me Robt Cartwright1 |
| (Son) Muster 1825 | 1825 | Evan, NSW, Australia; Pearse Collitts,, FS, Minerva, 1800, 14, Landholder, Evan Mary Collitts,, CF, Minerva, 1800,, Wife of P Collitts, Sydney James Collitts, 19, BC,,,, Son of P Collitts, Evan Joseph Collitts, 17, BC,,,, Son of P Collitts, Evan Sophia Collitts, 15,BC,,,, Daughter of P Collitts, Evan Amelia Collitts, 13, BC,,,, Daughter of P Collitts, Evan Collitts, William, 10, BC,,,, Son of P Collitts, Evan Mary Collitts, 4, BC,,,, Daughter of P Collitts, Evan [I believe Mary Collitts is really Mary Ann Watkins the daughter of Sarah and her estranged husband John Watkins];Head=Pierce Collits, Wife=Mary Hardwick3 |
| Marriage* | 6 August 1832 | Christ Church, Castlereagh, NSW, Australia; James Collitts free of the Parish of Castlereagh and Ellen Leach free of the Parish of Prospect were married in this parish by Banns with consent of all concerned this Sixth Day of August in the year 1832 By me Henry Fulton Chaplain This Marriage was solemnized between us: James Collitts (his mark) 26 Ellen Leach (her mark) 30 Brothers 1824 In the Presence of: Edwd Field of Evan Mary Collitts (her mark) of Mount York – Collitts Inn;Bride=Ellen Leach4 |
| Marriage* | 31 August 1840 | Hassan's Walls, NSW, Australia; I, Colin Stewart, of Hassan's Walls, Minister of the Vale of Clwyd, do solemly certify that James Collits, residing at the Lachlan, and Sophia Higgins, widow of the same place, were joined together in wedlock by me, on the thirty first day of August 1840, at Hassan's Walls, in the presence of Witnesses Thomas Morris Sophia Morris Presbyterian ;Bride=Sophia Higgins5 |
| Death of Mother | 4 August 1841 | Hartley, NSW, Australia;Principal=Mary Hardwick6 |
| (Beneficiary) Will | 5 September 1845 | NSW, Australia; In the name of God Amen I Pierce Collits of Mount York County of Cook Colony of New South Wales being of sound memory and understanding do hereby revoke all Wills Codicils and other Testamentary dispositions made by me at any time or times heretofore and do publish and declare this to be my last Will and Testament dated this fifth day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and forty five in manner and form following that is to say I nominate and appoint my sons John Collits of Mount York James Collits of same place and Joseph Collits of Mount Victoria all of County Cook District of Hartley Colony aforesaid Executors of this my Will First I give and devise absolutely and for ever to my son John Collits two of one hundred and fifty acres each situated in the county of Cook aforesaid one of which was granted to me by Sir Thomas Brisbane and the other by Sir Ralph Darling these farms adjoin and are bounded on the north by Mount York farm on the east and south by mountain range and on the west by James Morris’s and are now in the occupation of my son John Collits aforesaid (Pierce Collits) Second I give and devise absolutely and for ever to my son James Collits a farm at Mount York in the County of Cook Colony aforesaid containing two hundred acres together with all buildings erected thereon this farm was granted to me by Governor Macquarie and is bounded on the north by the River Lett east by Crown lands south by a grant of one hundred and fifty acres made to me by Governor Darling and west by Robert Marlins grant. It is now in the occupation of my son James Collits aforesaid Third I give and devise absolutely and for ever to my son Joseph Collits a farm of two hundred acres at Mount Victoria County Cook Colony aforesaid this farm was granted to me by Sir Thomas Brisbane and is bounded on the north by Crown lands east and south by mountain range and west by Bathurst road It is now in the occupation of my son Joseph Collits aforesaid Fourth I give and devise three hundred and seventeen acres County of Georgiana Colony aforesaid granted to me by Governor Darling bounded on the north east and south by Crown Lands and on the west by the Belubula River to my Son William Collits for and during the term of his natural life and after his decease to the use of his first and other sons according (Pierce Collits) to priority of birth and the heirs male of his or their bodies and in default of such issue to the use of my son James Collits for and during his life and after his decease to the use of his first and other sons according to priority of birth and the heirs male of his or their bodies Fifth I direct the Executors to divide into five equal portions with all convenient speed after my decease all my horned cattle and I give and bequeath one portion of the cattle so divided unto each of my daughters whose names are as follows viz Sarah Watkins Frances Fell, Sophia Morris, Amelia Skeene And I give and bequeath the remaining one portion of the said cattle to the children of my deceased daughter Maria Field to be divided equally amongst them share and share alike their names are as follows viz Elizabeth Stanton Lydia Jones Frances Stanton Lucy Anne Rutledge James Field Edward Field Sixth All my horse stock and the rest residue and remainder of my personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever not otherwise disposed of by this my Will I direct my Executors as soon as convenient may be after my decease to make sale and dispose and convert into money and out of the proceeds I direct (Pierce Collits) in the firstplace that all my just debts and funeral expenses be fully paid with all convenient speed and the balance of the said sale I give and bequeath to my children John Collits James Collits Joseph Collits William Collits Sarah Watkins Frances Fell Sophia Morris and Amelia Skene to be equally divided amongst them share and share alike. I declare that my Executors shall be only answerable for their respective wilful defaults and that they may reimburse themselves all costs and expenses in and relative to this my Will. And it is my desire that my Station on the Lachlan River names Cuddower should be appropriated for depasturing the horned cattle of such of my above named daughters as choose to place them there and I direct my executors to transfer the said Station with all its appurtenances to my son-in-law Thomas Morris for that purpose having the utmost reliance in his good faith that he will execute the trust reposed in him to the best advantage for all concerned (Pierce Collits) I declare this to be my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament written on five sheets of paper set my hand and seal that is to say my hand to the first four sheets and my hand and seal to this fifth and last sheet the day and year first above written Pierce Collits Signed Sealed and declared by the said Pierce Collits the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other subscribe our names as witnesses hereto this fifth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty five Heyward Atkins, Michael J Finn, George Davies This is a Codicil to the within last Will and testament of me Pierce Collits and which Will bears date 5th September 1845 Whereas an agreement bearing date the first day of August 1841 I gave possession of all my sheep to my sons John Collits James Collits and Joseph Collits And whereas reference is made is said agreement to my last Will and Testament in respect of said sheep I hereby declare the said sheep to have been given absolutely and for ever without any reservation to my said sons John Collits James Collits and Joseph Collits under the agreement of 1st day of August 1841 and therefore form no part of any personal effects upon death. I make this Codicil to remove any doubts that may arise as to my intention in respect in respect to the agreement of 1st Augt 1841 Pierce Collits Signed Sealed and delivered in presence of George Jarvis William Hiscock his mark Heyward Atkins. This is a Codicil to the last Will and Testament of me Pearce [sic] Collits of Mount York County of Cook Colony of New South Wales being of sound memory and understanding and which Will bears date fifth day of September one thousand eight hundred and forty five Whereas I have by my said Will given and devised three hundred and seventeen acres of land on the Belubula County of Georgiana Colony aforesaid to my son William Collits for and during the term of his natural life and after his decease to the use of his first and other sons according to priority of birth and the heirs male of his or their bodies And in default of such issue to my son James Collits for and during his life and after his decease to the use of his first and other sons according to priority of birth and the heirs male of his or their bodies Now I hereby declare this to be a Codicil to my said Will and do hereby revoke the said gift devise and bequest as to the said Wiliam Collits and the heirs made of his body and instead thereof I do hereby give devise and bequeath absolutely and for ever to my son James Collits aforesaid the said three hundred and seventeen acres of land County of Georgiana Colony of New South Wales aforesaid granted to me by Governor Darling bounded on the north east and south by Crown lands and on the west by the Belubula River Pierce Collits Signed Sealed and Delivered in the presence of – on the third October one thousand eight hundred and forty seven Heyward Atkins William Peacock John Ledger. Bathurst in the Colony of New South Wales On the Twenty eighth day of January in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty seven George Colquhoun of Bathurst in the Colony of New South Wales Gentleman being duly sworn maketh oath and saith as follows I have examined the writing contained on this and in the preceding page or parchment with the original Will of Pierce Collits and the Codicil thereto dated respectively the fifth day of September one thousand eight hundred and forty five, (the first Codicil leaving no date) and the third day of October one thousand eight hundred and forty seven of which it purports to be a copy and it is a true copy of the same Sworn by the Deponent on the day first above mentioned at Bathurst aforesaid Before me Geo Colquhoun J M Richards;Principal=Pierce Collits7 |
| Death of Father | 19 September 1848 | Mount York, NSW, Australia;Principal=Pierce Collits |
| Death of Spouse | 21 July 1871 | Forbes, NSW, Australia; Name: Sophia Collitt Date of Death: 21/9/1871 Place: Forbes NSW Occupation: Sex: Female Age: 63 Conjugal Status: Place of Birth: Nepean Time in Aust Colonies: Lifetime in NSW Father: Edward Field Occupation: Farmer Mother: Unknown Place of Marriage: Hartley Age at Marriage: 31 Name of Spouse: James Collitt Children of Marraige: 3 males, 4 females living; 1 male deceased Informant: John Higgins, son, Forbes Cause of Death: disease of heart Length of Illness: about 15 years Medical Attendant: None Date Last Seen: Date of Burial: 24/7/1871 Place of Burial: Forbes Minister & Religion: Fred C Williams, Church of England Undertaker: J S Toler Witnesses: John Girdham, Phillip Currey;Principal=Sophia Collits8 |
| Death* | 30 December 1880 | "Carrawobity", Forbes, NSW, Australia;James Colletts, age 84, Squatter, cause of death not stated Father Pierce Colletts, Squatter Mother Mary (surname not known) born seven miles below Penrith Married (given name not stated) Higgins, Nepean Children of marriage 2 males living; 1 female living Informant Pierce Strickland, Uncle, Billabong Creek Buried 31/12/1880, Forbes Cemetery Minister Rev C Dunstan, Church of England Witnesses James Field & Richard Barton8 |
Family 1 | Ellen Leach | |
Family 2 | Bridget Clifford | |
| Child |
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Family 3 | Sophia Field b. 21 Jun 1807, d. 21 Jul 1871 | |
| Children |
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Citations
- [S1579] St John's Parramatta Parish Registers.
- [S1220] NSW Baptisms 1788-1855.
- [S1469] 1825 Muster for NSW Australia.
- [S1479] Christ Church Castlereagh Marriage Register, James Collitts & Ellen Leach 1832.
- [S1570] NSW Early Church Records 1788-1855, V1840732 75/1840 James Collits & Sophia Higgins.
- [S171] Rhonda Bassett.
- [S201] Will.
- [S1317] Death Certificate transcript.
- [S651] NSW BDM Indexes, V18421976 28/1842 Pierce Collits.