Australian Colonists Series Volume 1

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Record # 361 Caesar, John
Status on Arrival: Convict Ship: Alexander - 1788

Born/Comments:	Madagascar		Date:	Abt 1763
Death/Comments:	Liberty Plains, NSW		Date:	15 February 1796
Father:		Mother:

Convict Details
Crime:	Steal £12 from a dwelling	Sentence:	7 years
Trial Court:	Maidstone, Kent	Date of Trial:	17 March 1786

Spouse Details
Record	Name	Date	Place of Marriage
2884	Power, Ann	No	Cohabited

Children
1	8582	Power, Mary Ann Fisher	7
2			8
3			9
4			10
5			11
6			12

NotesLater known as "Black Caesar" - Australia's first bushranger. Born in the West Indies, Caesar fled to England to escape plantation slavery. 29 April 1789 - Tried for theft and had his sentence increased to Life. 13 May 1789 - He escaped into the bush armed with a musket and began stealing food before being recaptured on 6 June and sent to Garden Island to work in chains. 22 December 1789 - He absconded by stealing a canoe and again took a firearm with him 31 January 1790 - He was driven back to the settlement by aboriginals after being speared. He had survived by stealing from settlers gardens and by threatening the natives and taking food from them. Governor Phillip pardoned him and he was sent to Norfolk Island on 4 March 1790 on the 'Sirius' January 1792 - he was given 1 acre of land and ordered to work 3 days a week. It was while on Norfolk Island that he fathered a child to convict Ann POWER (alias POOR) March 1793 - Returned to Port Jackson on the 'Kitty' leaving Ann and his daughter on Norfolk Island. July 1794 - John Caesar absconded again and was again captured and punished. December 1795 - Caesar took to the bush again and became Australia's first bushranger and, on 29 January 1796, a reward of five gallons of spirits was offered for his capture. January 1796 - Governor Hunter issued an order against bushrangers, specifically mentioning Black Ceasar as he had become known, because of the colour of his skin. 15 February 1796 - John Caesar was shot at Liberty Plains - near the present Sydney suburb of Strathfield, by a settler, John Wimbow (per 'Scarborough' 1790) He died shortly after. Described by David Collins, first judge Advocate of NSW, as 'the hardest working convict in the country, but in his intellect he did not vary widely differ from the brute.'