Lieut Peter Burnett French MILLS [14466]

  General Notes:

Peter Mills whose father was in business in Dublin in the silk trade and whose brother was a doctor of medicine, started his carreer in the Navy as an Able Seaman, sailing to Australia with William Bligh in the in the "Sydney Cove" arriving 21 Jun 1870.

At his marriage he was Deputy Surveyor of Lands in Tasmania at an annual salary of L91.5.0. but not trained and his work was found to be wanting.

In 1811 Peter had to relinguish 100 acres of land he had been developing on the North Esk River mistakenly granted to him and he was offered 200 acres and some compensation. He took up a block at Norfolk Plains.

His financial position deteriorated seriously when he was deceived in Oct 1811 and left deeply in debt. He lost his job on 30 June 1812 but was permitted to become a Settler and received Government rations for a further 18 mths.
The family was then supported by his father-in-law John Brabyn, who himself was not in a strong financial position.

Proclamation.
This Fourteenth Day of May, 1814.
By His Excellency LACHLAN MACQUARIE, Esquire,
Captain General, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over His Majesty's Territory called New South Wales, and its Dependencies, &c. &c. &c.
WHEREAS Peter Mills, late Acting Deputy Surveyor of Lands at His Majesty's Settlement of Port Dalrymple, Van Diemen's Land, in the Territory of New South Wales; and George Williams, late Acting Deputy Commissary of Stores and Provisions at the said Settlement, have unlawfully absconded and fled from their usual Habitations and Employments at the said Settlement, into the Wood and retired Places in the Neighbourhood of the same, with Intent to evade the Law and defraud their just Creditors; and with Intent to support and maintain themselves by Rapine and Violence, have there armed themselves, and feloniously confederated with, and put themselves at the Head of divers profligate and disorderly Persons (as well Convicts as others), also armed, who have at various times fled from the Service of Government, or from other their lawful Masters and Employers, at His Majesty's Settlements in Van Diemen's Land, into the Woods or retired Places in the Neighbourhood of the said Settlements, to lead a Life of Idleness and Debauchery, or to avoid the Punishment due to their Offences. And whereas the said Peter Mills and George Williams, and the other profligate Persons aforesaid, being so armed and confederated together as aforesaid, for unlawful and wicked Pur- poses aforesaid, and in fulfilment of the same have feloniously and wickedly committed many atrocious Robberies and Depredations upon the peaceable Inhabitants of the said settlements, by feloniously and violently driving away and stealing their Sheep and Cattle, and feloniously, violently, and burglariously breaking into their Houses, and then and there stealing divers of their Goods and Chattels, to the great Damage and Terror of His Majesty's Subjects in the said Settlements and the utter Subversion of all good Order and Government; It is therefore hereby ordered, declared, and publicly notified, by His Excellency LACHLAN MACQUARIE, Esquire, Captain General, Governor, and Commander in Chief as aforesaid, that the said Peter Mills and George Williams, and also the several Persons hereafter named; namely,
James Campbell, Thomas Starkey John Ricketts, Richard Forrest Michael Howe, Morris Healey Edward Bageant, George Jones Moses Davis, Thomas Mills George Moore, Randal Fore, John Bould, John Creswell John Davis, Bartholomew Foley John Lee, William Russel George Baxter, James Dalton Charles Baxter, John Rose William Elliot, Thomas Stewart John Whitehead, William Taylor Thomas Burrell
Shall, and they are hereby severally required, in the Name and on the Behalf of His Majesty, peaceably, and upon their Allegiance as Subjects of His Majesty, to return to His Majesty's Settlements of Hobart Town and Port Dalrymple, in Van Dienien's Land aforesaid, on of before the First Day of December next ensuing the Date of this Proclamation, and then and there severally to surrender themselves to one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace, or to the Chief Constable in the said Settlements, or either of them. And it is further ordered and declared by the Authority aforesaid, that if the said several Persons above named, or any or either of them, shall make Default in, or shall neglect or refuse to surrender himself or themselves at the Time aforesaid, to one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace, or to the Chief Constable at the said Settlements, or either of them, they shall severally be deemed and taken to be Outlaws, and be dealt with and treated accordingly:
Provided nevertheless, and it is hereby and by the Authority aforesaid declared, promised, and publicly notified to the said several Persons above named, that if any of these several persons shall, on or before the said First Day of December next, surrender himself or themselves, in Obedience to this Proclamation, and according to the Tenor and Intent thereof, and shall peaceably return to their lawful Occupations, he or they to surrendering himself or themselves, and returning to their lawful Occupations as aforesaid, shall be pardoned, and saved harmless from all Offences (save and except the Crime of Wilful Murder) by him or them committed, during his or their unlawful Absence from their respective Habitations and Employments as aforesaid, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.
Given under my Hand, at Government House, Sydney,
LACHLAN MACQUARIE.
GOD SAVE THE KING!
By Command of His Excellency,
JOHN THOMAS CAMPBELL
Ref: The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser Saturday 28 May 1814

Peter and others had stolen the harbourmaster's boat at Yorktown, and were involved in a robbery at Western Arm, the party split up and Peter and a George Williams were captured and returned under guard to Launceston.
Private Thomas Hobbs deposed at a Proceedings of Magistrates Launceston 8 October 1814: . . . . . At 8:00 PM on 4 October Mrs Mills wife of the prisoner Peter Mills entered into the guard house having brought with her a bottle of rum, of which he deponent and Sgt Wolsencraft (then Sgt of the guard) and the prisoner Peter Mills partook. . . . .
Then it appears that while Sgt Wolsencraft was tipsy and asleep Peter using a file clandestinely brought to him removed his irons and escaped, he was however soon recaptured.

Peter's troubles had seriously compounded, he was ordered to Sydney in March 1615 to be tried on bushranging activities he was accused off after leaving his home and fleeing his creditors. He was acquitted through a lack of credible evidence.

In Feb 1816 Peter Mills was allowed to returned to Port Dalrymple as a settler on his promise of future good conduct.

Peter Mills, late of Port Dalrymple, leaving the Colony in the ship Adamant requests all Claims may be presented.
Ref: Hobart Town Gazette 19 and 26 October 1816.

This is the last authenticated record of Peter Mills.
Some researchers suggest he was lost at sea, this one thinks it more likely he "vanished" himself from the law and
his creditors ?

  Research Notes:

Images Courtesy Cutts Family Tree 2013.

Peter married Jennyfer Ann BRABYN [16794] [MRIN: 5137], daughter of Capt John BRABYN [14458] and Mary Ann Martha ALLYN [16793], on 23 Jan 1810 in Port Dalrymple Tasmania Aust. (Jennyfer Ann BRABYN [16794] was born about Jun 1795 in London, died on 1 Jan 1871 in Ellerslie nr Mortlake Victoria AUST and was buried on 3 Jan 1871 in Port Fairy Victoria.)

  Marriage Notes:

This was a civil marriage in 1810 on the 11 Mar 1811 they were married by church licence.