Elizabeth Harley (1765-1842)


 * Sex : Female
 * Born: 18001765 at Woolwich, Kent, England, United Kingdom
 * Died: 2 Jul 1842 at Mudgee, Wellington County, New South Wales at age 77

Pedigree
Elizabeth is the daughter of George Harley (1730-1814) and Elizabeth Love (?-1770).

Siblings

 * Thomas H Harley (1758-1760)
 * Robert Hill Harley (1758-1801)
 * Mary Harley (1761-1762)
 * (George Harley (1763-1792)
 * Samuel Harley (1767-1816)

Biography
Elizabeth Harley was previously engaged to George Davies, son of General Davies, and the young man, noted for his extreme irascibility, contacted smallpox. Upon seeing him and the unsightly blotches, his fiance could not suppress a smile and her untimely mirth so angered the short tempered invalid, he grabbed hold of a nearby musket and shot her through the side of the face. This put an end to the engagement! Later, against the wishes of her father, she married James.

Elizabeth and James Blackman married on on 3 Dec 1785 in Lee, Kent. James was an Artillery man at Woolwich, Kent, England, United Kingdom in the Royal Arsenal. Elizabeth and James were married by Banns. As George Harley disapproved of the marriage he forbid his family to attend the wedding. It was at the very last minute that he relented and attended the wedding with Elizabeth's brother Samuel. No other members were allowed to attend.

It was only after the birth of their first child, Samuel, that George forgave Elizabeth. He sent a set of silver and despatched five cows to a farm in the vicinity of Woolwich, the milk to be used for the child. He also requested that they live at the farm so as to be near him, and to this they agreed. They resided there for some years during which three more sons were born.

In 1800 James was ill and his doctors recommded a sea voyage. It is most probably though Elizabeth's families connections that he was able to obtain a high recommendation from the Colonial Office who were encouraging skilled people to migrate to the colony (of New South Wales). They left England in 1801 on the ship Canada and on 14 Dec 1801 arrived at Sydney, Cumberland County, New South Wales. When her family first arrived in the Colony they stayed as guests of Governor King, Sydney, Cumberland County, New South Wales from 14 Dec 1801 for 12 weeks.

Elizabeth died on 2 Jul 1842 at Mudgee and is burried in Blackman Vault at Blackman Park.This was the original cemetery in Mudgee. When the graves were moved to the new cemetery, the only one to be left in place was Blackman's Vault. Blackman's Vault has been renoveted.

Directions for Blackman Park. Head south on Cox St for one block to the Mortimer St corner. Blackman Park was a cemetery from 1844-88. Although the headstones were removed to Memorial Park, it still contains the Blackman Vault at its western boundary which contains the remains of James Blackman who, in 1821, became the first European in the area.

Spouse(s)

 * 1785 James Blackman (1754-1842)

Offspring

 * Samuel A Blackman (1790-1843)
 * James (1792-1868)
 * John Blackman (1795-1867)
 * Elizabeth (1798-1849)
 * William R (1799-1854)
 * Mary Ann (1803-1886)
 * Henritta M (1807-1851)
 * George (1809-1888)
 * Robert (1811-1876)
 * Martha (1813-1901)

Contributors
Yewenyi