Joseph Onus was born in 1782 to Thomas Honess and Sarah (nee Field) at Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey (Thames Estuary), Kent and died at Richmond NSW on 22 June1835. He is buried at St Peters, Richmond.

Joseph was a labourer aged 19 and living at Sheerness, when, early in 1801, he was arrested. At the Lent Assizes on 16 March 1801, he was tried before Judge Baron Hotham and jury, on the charge of having stolen naval stores to the value of 5 pounds 17 shillings and 11 pence. He was sentenced to be hanged by the neck until he was dead.

He was obviously granted a reprieve, duly arriving in Sydney on the "Glatton" on 11 March 1803.
On 11 March 1810 he married Ann Eather 1793-1865 and had a family of six children.
He began his farming career with 25 acres on the river flats near Richmond. He rapidly prospered, and in about 1820, he built the fine two-storied house - now called the 'farmhouse - on the north side of Francis St, Richmond.

In the early 1820's his interests spread to the Hunter Valley, and in some of his ventures he worked in partnership with his wife's brother-in-law, Robert Williams. In December 1823, he sought a pass for 40 head of cattle of this partnership to go from the Hawkesbury to Benjamin Singleton's property on the Hunter River and from there selected land on the Woolombi Brook. On 12 August 1825, Joseoph Onus received Grant No. 225 of 1550 acres of riverflat land at Bulga. Williams was also granted 1000 acres adjacent. In 1826 the partners took cattle over the Liverpool Ranges establishing the property Boorambil on Onus Creek, a tributary of the Mooki River.

In 1832, they were forced off Boorambil when the famous Australian Agricultural Company was granted 600,000 acres of prime land. They were forced to move their stock onwards.

He took up several 'runs' particularly at Wollombi and in the Hunter Valley.

Thomas Eather, assisted by Joseph Onus's head stockman, John Bazley, is understood to have taken up three runs on thr Namoi River in 1833, namely, 'Hendriendi" for himself and brothers Charles and Robert; "Boggabri" for his brother-in-law, Robert Williams; and "Theribry" for another brother-in-law, Joseph Onus.


From The Eather Newsletter March 2001 No 152 Editorial. Editor Mildred Reynolds.
The following newspaper snippet reveals that Joseph Onus and the three men he was convicted with, spent about ten weeks in Maidstone Goal, and in Joseph's case, around 15 months on a hulk in Woolwich before being transported to New South Wales.

5th June 1801: "Early on Saturday morning the following convicts were conveyed by Mr Watson from Maidstone Goal under strong guard to Woolwich, and there put on board a hulk to remain till a vessel is prepared for their transportation to New South Wales." (Kentish Gazette)

The newspaper listed 25 convicts. Four of these men were - Joseph Oness, Jacob Inness, Joshua Appleton and Thomas Gibbons. (Joseph's name also appeared in the ship's indent of convicts as Joseph Onness.)

Joseph Onus was tried on the 16th March 1801, was transported to the colony on the "Glatton," which sailed from England on the 23rd September 1802. He arrived at Port Jackson on 11th March 1803.

Maidstone Goal was also the prison, which housed the pioneer, Thomas Heather/Eather.

***
From Eather Family Newsletter dated December 2002. Editor Mildred J Reynolds.
Police District of Wee Waa - Namoi District, 16th November 1854
Cattle brands supposed to have been stolen therefrom, October last.
Mr Joseph Onus - cattle on Murran Creek Station.
JO near rump, 22 near shoulder, top off near ear.
WS near rump, 7 on near shoulder, with a hole in near ear.
TO near shoulder, 22near rump, TO on near rump and 6 near shoulder
70 pounds reward to prosecute to conviction.

The above information obtained from the Victoria Police Gazette by the editor, shows that in 1854, Joseph Onus Junior was at (or also at) Murran Creek Station. The cattle branded WS would have belonged to William Sharp - his mother's second husband and the TO would have belonged to his brother, Thomas Onus, who at that time was married to Elizabeth Eather - a daughter of Thomas Eather Junior and his wife Sarah (nee McAlpin).


Joseph Onus b:1782 in Sheerness, Kent d:22 June 1835 Richmond New South Wales
Son of Thomas Honess b:1750 and Sarah Field b:1756
Married Ann Elizabeth Eather 1793-1865 at Windsor, New South Wales, on the 11 March 1810

Produced 6 children:-

1. Elizabeth Onus b: 1 January 1811 Windsor, NSW d:23 August 1882 Richmond, NSW m. John Gordon TOWN 1806-1883 on the 17 June 1830 at Windsor. The children of this marriage were:-
John Thomas Town 1831?1889 Elizabeth Jessie Town 1833?1908
William Barker Town 1836?1838 William Gordon Town 1838?1858
Mary Ann Town 1842 ? 1846
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2. Mary Ann ONUS b:14 August 1813 Windsor, NSW d:19 March 1887 Maryborough, Queensland. m. John EATON 1811-1804 at Windsor on 17 January 1831. The children of this marriage were:-

Mary M Eaton 1831 ? 1831
Charlotta Eaton 1844 ? 1923
Baby Eaton 1846 ? 1846
William Eaton 1847 ? 1887
Caroline Eaton 1850 ? 1850
Euphemia Eaton 1854 ? 1939
Veronica Eaton 1854 ? 1942
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3. Susannah ONUS b:28 October 1815 Cornwallis, NSW d: 12 August 1882, 'Glen Alpin' Bulga, NSW. m.William Glas MCALPIN 1810-1902 on the 1 February 1833 at Christ Church, Castlereagh, NSW.
The children of this marriage were:-
Elizabeth McAlpin 1833 ? 1835
Ann McAlpin 1836 ? 1838
Peter McAlpin 1838 ? 1838
William McAlpin 1840 ? 1923
Susannah McAlpin 1842 ? 1882
Sarah McAlpin 1845 ? 1922
Joseph McAlpin 1849 ? 1913
Mary McAlpin 1852 ? 1915
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4. Joseph ONUS b: 2 May 1818 Richmond, NSW and died 3 December 1895 Richmond, NSW. m.(1) Emma POWELL 1819-1865 on the 13 June 1837 at Richmond. The children of this marriage were:-
Mary Ann ONUS 1838 ? 1861
Joseph Edward ONUS 1840 ? 1891
Emma Susannah ONUS 1843 ? 1931
Joseph Tertius ONUS 1844 ? 1928
Laura Australia ONUS 1854 ? 1855
(2) Clara HUNT 1820-?? on the 28 May 1867at Richmond had one child Linda ONUS 1869 ? 1894
Joseph also had a relationship with Margaret SILK 1824-1884 she had one child to ONUS. Maria Emma SILK 1841 ? 1883
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5. Thomas ONUS b:29 April 1820 Richmond, NSW and died 28 March 1855 at Richmond, NSW. m. Elizabeth EATHER 1825-1884 on 22 August 1842 at St.Andrews Presbyterian, Windsor, NSW. The children of this marriage were:-
Ann Onus 1842 ? 1905
Sarah Onus 1845 ? 1910
Susannah Onus 1847 ? 1935
Thomas Alexander Onus 1849 ? 1934
Matilda J Onus 1852 ? 1853
Elizabeth A Onus 1854 ? 1855

Before his marriage Thomas ONUS had a relationship with Eliza JAMES 1819-1862 which produced a daughter Ann ONUS in 1841 hence his marriage in the Presbyterian Church after Rev. Henry STILES of the Church of England refused to marry him.
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6. William ONUS b: 3 September 1822, Richmond, NSW and died on 8 May 1855 at Richmond, NSW. m. Ann HOUGH 1822-1889 the daughter of Peter HOUGH 1776-1833 on 1 March 1882 at Richmond, NSW.
The children of this marriage were:-
Joseph Onus 1844 ? 1928
Elizabeth Onus 1848 ? 1892
Emily A. Onus 1851 ? 1907
Andrew Onus 1853 ? ??
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Credit for some of the above belongs to the Eather Family Newsletter of January 1976 and September 1998.