James Bugg - Australian Agricultural Company
The following information was provided by Dr Pennie Pemberton who has recently retired from the ANU Archives. She found it in AACo series 1/144 - Port Stephens Land Papers (a miscellaneous collection of bits and pieces) relating to the Australian Agricultural Company.
1857? [No date]
I was the sheep overseer at the Station called after my name and known as Bugg’s for a period of 26 years. I had also under my charge the sheep depasturing at Berrico. The Berrico country is Crown Land, Bugg’s is Church and School Land. To prevent disputes between the shepherds at Berrico and Bugg’s I fixed the boundaries between the two runs at a blind creek running into the Berrico Creek, where it empties itself into the Gloucester River. The sheep from Bugg’s used to run as far as the Crossing Place of the Gloucester, and about three miles from the Stockyard.
James Bugg
Witness: Charles H Green [Assistant General Superintendent]
1857? [No date]: Improvements at Bugg’s [PP: I presume this is AACo Station T, known as Bugg's Station]
1857 Feb 2
Mortgage between William Kearney of Bugg’s Station and the AACo
3,000 sheep
Lease of 31½ sections or 19,520 acres of land more or less in the Parishes of FitzRoy and Verulam on the C&S. The boundary line commences at a point on the left bank of the Barrington River about 80 chains north of Reid’s Station; bears W 3 miles and 20 chains; the S nine miles; then E three miles and about 52 chains; then N being the AACo’s west boundary line 3 miles; then W one and about 40 chains to the left bank of the Barrington river; and then by the Barrington River to the point of commencement
1857 circa Aug
I have agreed to release to Mr James Bugg as from Sep 1st 1857 a block of land at present leased by the AACo from the C&S, containing 2320 acres and described as lots 10, 11 and 12 Parish of Trevor… conditional that James Bugg pays the rent of the said lands, and forms to all the stipulations mentioned in the above lease from the Church and School Lands to the AACo and further I agree to execute a lease to be prepared by the AACo.
James Bugg
Witness: Chas H Green
1860 Oct
Jas Bugg to AACo Surveyor Ogden, 26 Oct 1860
When you se Mr Hodgson I wish you would be so good as to remind him of his promise of getting the lease of the block of land that I have had these last 3 years transferred to me or for him to give me a lease of it himself for the remainder of the term. I had as least pay the rent to the Company as any one. I have done a deal of improvements on it and want to do a deal more yet but I would like a longer term.
An account of the rents received at Port Stephens during the quarter ending 30 Mar 1868
Bugg, James £16:10
1869 Mar 16
At the Petty Session held at Stroud on 16 Mar 1869 before Captain Hill and J Barling and Thos Nicholls Esq
Robert Kay and Jno Landers were charged by P O’Brien with having on the 19th of Feb on the public Road between Berrico and Gloucester by force unlawfully taken from the charge and custody of the said P O’Brien 32 head of cattle branded &c &c and 4 unbranded calves the property of Mr O’Brien and Thos Morran.
P O’Brien noted that he was driving the cattle long the road marked AB on the tracing, that Kay and Landers rushed upon him and in doing so drove two of the Co’s cattle into his mob. After a little swearing and a good deal of talking Kay and Landers took the cattle from him and drove them away.
J O’Brien was present and supported what his brother stated. He denied having been cautioned in the morning by Kay about driving the cattle on the road where they were found.
Both the witnesses were cross examined by Kay respecting the counting of the cattle, the production of a delivery note, the notice given that the Cattle would be put in the Co’s yard at Gloucester for 24 hours, the language used &c &c, but every question put by Kay was met with a flat denial.
J Bugg, formerly a sheep overseer in the service of the Company stated the road AB had been used as a dray road for 30 years.
R Kay in his defence said he saw J O’Brien in the morning had told him not to leave the road from Berrico to Gloucester, the road CD. There was no public road where he found the cattle. Two of the Company’s cattle were in the mob. It was the Co’s private land.
G Ogden stated there was not public road to Berrico from the Gloucester Road.
The Court was then cleared. While the Magistrates were deliberating Captain left and went home. When the court was opened shortly afterwards Mr Nicholls
[Plan dated 17 March photo – 1_144 1869 Dray road]
Mortgage between William Kearney of Bugg’s Station and the AACo
3,000 sheep
Lease of 31½ sections or 19,520 acres of land more or less in the Parishes of FitzRoy and Verulam on the C&S. The boundary line commences at a point on the left bank of the Barrington River about 80 chains north of Reid’s Station; bears W 3 miles and 20 chains; the S nine miles; then E three miles and about 52 chains; then N being the AACo’s west boundary line 3 miles; then W one and about 40 chains to the left bank of the Barrington river; and then by the Barrington River to the point of commencement
1857 circa Aug
I have agreed to release to Mr James Bugg as from Sep 1st 1857 a block of land at present leased by the AACo from the C&S, containing 2320 acres and described as lots 10, 11 and 12 Parish of Trevor… conditional that James Bugg pays the rent of the said lands, and forms to all the stipulations mentioned in the above lease from the Church and School Lands to the AACo and further I agree to execute a lease to be prepared by the AACo.
James Bugg
Witness: Chas H Green
1860 Oct
Jas Bugg to AACo Surveyor Ogden, 26 Oct 1860
When you se Mr Hodgson I wish you would be so good as to remind him of his promise of getting the lease of the block of land that I have had these last 3 years transferred to me or for him to give me a lease of it himself for the remainder of the term. I had as least pay the rent to the Company as any one. I have done a deal of improvements on it and want to do a deal more yet but I would like a longer term.
An account of the rents received at Port Stephens during the quarter ending 30 Mar 1868
Bugg, James £16:10
1869 Mar 16
At the Petty Session held at Stroud on 16 Mar 1869 before Captain Hill and J Barling and Thos Nicholls Esq
Robert Kay and Jno Landers were charged by P O’Brien with having on the 19th of Feb on the public Road between Berrico and Gloucester by force unlawfully taken from the charge and custody of the said P O’Brien 32 head of cattle branded &c &c and 4 unbranded calves the property of Mr O’Brien and Thos Morran.
P O’Brien noted that he was driving the cattle long the road marked AB on the tracing, that Kay and Landers rushed upon him and in doing so drove two of the Co’s cattle into his mob. After a little swearing and a good deal of talking Kay and Landers took the cattle from him and drove them away.
J O’Brien was present and supported what his brother stated. He denied having been cautioned in the morning by Kay about driving the cattle on the road where they were found.
Both the witnesses were cross examined by Kay respecting the counting of the cattle, the production of a delivery note, the notice given that the Cattle would be put in the Co’s yard at Gloucester for 24 hours, the language used &c &c, but every question put by Kay was met with a flat denial.
J Bugg, formerly a sheep overseer in the service of the Company stated the road AB had been used as a dray road for 30 years.
R Kay in his defence said he saw J O’Brien in the morning had told him not to leave the road from Berrico to Gloucester, the road CD. There was no public road where he found the cattle. Two of the Company’s cattle were in the mob. It was the Co’s private land.
G Ogden stated there was not public road to Berrico from the Gloucester Road.
The Court was then cleared. While the Magistrates were deliberating Captain left and went home. When the court was opened shortly afterwards Mr Nicholls
[Plan dated 17 March photo – 1_144 1869 Dray road]
