10. JOHN JILLETT
John Jillett was the youngest son of Robert and Elizabeth and he was born in Hobart.
John married Phoebe Triffitt on 4th August 1840 at St Matthew’s New Norfolk, by Rev. William Garrard.
John was described as a farmer/butcher, aged 21. Phoebe Triffitt, was a spinster, aged 18.
The witnesses were Thomas Jillett and Elizabeth Bradshaw
They had the following children
Robert Alfred Jillett B1840 d1921
John Thomas Jillett B1842 d1842
John (Jack) Jillett B1843 d1907
Elizabeth Jillett B1846 d1917
William Henry Jillett B1848 d1925
Emma Louisa Jillett B1850 d1854 *
Frederick James Jillett B1853 d1859 *
Chester Providence Jillett B 1854 d1859 *
Edwin Augustus Jillett B1856 d1859 *
Emily Henrietta Jillett B1858 d1859 *
Alice Charlotte Jillett B1859
Ellen Eliza Jillett B1862 d1948
Amelia Susan Jillett B1864
1859 was a very sad time for the Jillett families. John and Phoebe lost 4 children and Thomas and Mary Ann lost 3.
Records indicate that there was typhoid/scarlet fever epidemic in the area.
In the records from the Lands Department in 1858 he is shown as owning 580 acres at York Rivulet, for agriculture and grazing and 1868, John Jillett is shown owning 1108 acres at Somerset.
John died 20th November 1868, at the house of his sister Mrs William Young, at 10 Liverpool Street Hobart.
He was 49 years when he died. His funeral took place at St Peter's Anglican Church Oatlands. He died of chronic enlargement and abscessed liver.
John must have been aware of his impending death. He made a will on 17th November 1868 and he died on 20th November, 1868. In his will he left his estate to his wife. His nephew John Bradshaw, son of his brother William, whose occupation was miller, and John Ibbolt from Bothwell were his executors.
Phoebe died shortly afterwards in December 1868. She is also buried at St Peter’s Oatlands.
The following newspaper articles give an account of life for John Jillett in those times.
Courier (Hobart Thursday 9 February 1854
At York Plains, on the 8th instant, Emma Louisa, second daughter of Mr. John Jillett, aged three years and seven months.,
Courier (Hobart) Saturday 20 May 1854
Mr. Thomas Hall, of Oatlands, his lady, child, and nurse had a very narrow escape on Sunday last. They were riding out in their four-wheeled carriage, when the horse, a very spirited one, took fright and bolted, first pitching Mr. Hall into a ditch* Mrs. Hall fainted with the child in her arms. The horse kept in the middle of the road, going at a tremendous pace. As it fortunately happened, Mr. John Jillett, of York Plains, was returning homewards, and at the peril of his own life rushed at the horse and stopped it
We are happy to say that no further unpleasant consequences resulted
Colonial Times (Hobart) Friday 15 September 1854
SUPREME COURT THURSDAY; SEPTEMBER, 14
(Before their Honors Valentine Fleming, Esq., Chief Justice,) .
FLEMING V. JILLETT
Jury-Messrs. B. O'Neie, | Wilson, C. M. Maxwell, L. Boyle, and A. Goldie.
Mr. Brewer for plaintiff, Mr. Macdowell for defendant (Crisp and Brother Attornies.)
Mr. Brewer stated the case for the plaintiff. The action was for an assault committed at Oatlands, damages laid at £200. Plea the general issue. The assault arose out of a dispute respecting the town allotments at Oatlands, when defendant took offence at something said by plaintiff and knocked him down.
Plaintiff deposed to the particulars of the assault, by which it appeared that after some controversy in the street at Oatlands on the occasion referred to, Mr. Jillett very much abused him, shook his fist in his face, and said if he was not an old man he would give it him. Witness then retreated towards his house and Mr. Burbury, who had been present to that time, went away; but defendant continued his abuse and witness till remarked on the enormity of blocking up the streets.
Mr. Jillett said witness had no land of his own and never would have, witness replied that he had as much land then as Mr. Jillett had when one armed Dick lived with him. Upon that Mr. Jillett ran up to him and said "now you old - 111 give it you" and struck him a severe blow under the ear knocking him right down. Witness called out murder; defendant ran away but was brought back by two constables. Witness told them to take him in charge; they refused, defendant said "I've struck old Fleming let him summon me to court."
Cross-examined One-armed Dick was Richard Walters, who lived with defendant's father many years. I meant nothing offensive by the observation, One-armed Dick had gone to New Zealand; but previous to that he was transported I did not say to Mr. Jillett, "I've got more cattle than you have, or than one-armed Dick lent you ".
By Mr. Wilson (one of the jurors)-1 have been here since 1817,I know what was talked about people in old times, and the old stories respecting them. One-armed Dick was shepherd to Mr Jillett. Never heard that he was charged with cattle stealing .Did not mean by the observation I made to connect Mr. Jillett with one-armed Dick.
Henry Burbury, living at Oatands, corroborated portions of plaintiffs evidence.
Cross-examined- Plaintiff was not speaking to Mr Jillett at first, but to witness .Mr, Jillett came to me to the door of Mr Saunderson's and asked me if he (Mr Jillett) had used a certain expression, but can't say if Fleming was within hearing. The witness also proved that Fleming called Mr Jillett a sheep stealing vagabond.
One of the Oatlands constables deposed to having heard an admission by Mr. Jillett that he
had struck the plaintiff
Mr Macdonell having very briefly addressed the jury,
The learned judge charged them that if they believed the evidence, they must find for the plaintiff, as there was no justification pleaded; but as it was proved that plaintiff called defendant a sheep stealing vagabond, they could consider that and all the surrounding circumstances in reference to the amount of damages.
The jury, after a short consultation in their private room, returned a verdict for plaintiff, damages 40s, Speedy execution refused by his Honor.
Courier (Hobart) Monday 4 February 1856
OATLANDS COURT OF REQUESTS.-A singular and curious case was tried on Saturday at Oatlands, in which Mr. E. F Sanderson, storekeeper, was the plaintiff, and Mr, John Jillett, of York Plains, farmer, defendant, It appears from Mr. Sanderson's evidence that in the month of October, Mr. Jillett, accompanied by his son of about 12 years of age, called at the shop of plaintiff, and asked if Mr. Sanderson could cash him a large cheque. Being informed in the negative, plaintiff asked to be obliged with the loan of £10, as he had some small payments to make.
This request plaintiff alleges he complied with, thinking the defendant would call and pay him as soon as the cheque referred to had been negotiated, Mr. Jillett did not however return, and plaintiff in a few days afterwards saw the son, and told him to tell his father to send him a cheque for the £10. The defendant shortly after came, and proceeding to the shop of the defendant, asked what he meant by asking for money, as he (defendant) had never had it The consequence was that Sanderson put the defendant into court, and the case came off on the above day.
For the plaintiff, the son of defendant was summoned. He swore positively he never had the money, and never left the shop with him. Plaintiff deposed that himself and defendant went into a back room to get the money, and Mrs. Sanderson stated in her evidence that she saw her husband give Mr. Jillett the money, and that one'was a Launceston note, the other a Hobart Town one. Defendant was also examined on oath, and alleged most positively that he never borrowed the sum of money in question, although he had asked for it, but only
in fun. Upon this testimony the case rested. It was a complete poser for the Chairman, who
adopted the alternative of giving no opinion upon the matter at all, rather than give a verdict
This story is in relation to his son John Jnr in relation to a claim he had for horses being killed on the unfenced railway line, however his home and his paddocks remained unfenced!
Mercury, Wednesday 14 June 1876
Oatlands.-On Monday last an action Jillet v Tasmanian Main Line Railway Company was heard at the General Sessions before the Chairman (Mr. J. Maclanachan), and Messrs. Roe, LMechild, R. D. Lord, and Dr. Willes, JsJP. The plaintiff; Mr. John Jilett, of York Plains, claimed £30 as damages in consequence of two horses having been killed and one injured on the railway line by a train, between 6 and 7 o'clock on the morning of the 2nd March last.
The evidence for the plaintiff tended to show that the horses in question, and another not the property of the plaintiff, went from the public road leading from the Eastern Marshes to York Plains on to the railway line; that a siding gate leading to a station reserve near the crossings on the railway had been left open, and that the tracks of horses had been seen near the siding gate and along the line for some 50 yards to the spot where the two horses were killed.
It was also shown that the siding gate and the gates on the main crossing had been on other occasions left open, and that the latter had been kept open by means of wire. On cross-examination the plaintiff admitted that his land was unfenced from the public road, and that he was unable to say on what part of his land the horses had been the previous evening. The plaintiff was represented by Mr, Thomas Sheehy, and the Company by Mr, Alfred Dobson, and on each side authorities were quoted.
Mr. Dobson raised a question of nonsuit, contending that the horses were straying on the public road ; that the Company was not liable ; and that the occurrence was the result of the plaintiff not having his land fenced. The Bench upheld the objection, and nonsuited the plaintiff, directing that each side should bear its own costs,
It would seem that the Jillett boys were often on the wrong side of the law.
.
John and Phoebe erected the crypt in memory of the children
It is in the St Peters Anglican Cemetery in Oatlands Tasmania
