George Jones and Sarah Lawson

George Jones and Sarah Jasper Featherstone

2-Convict George Jones was born about 1799 in Wiltshire, England and died on 20 Sep 1872 in Gordon, Tasmania at age 78. George married convict Susan Jasper Featherstone, daughter of William and Mary Featherstone, on 22 Nov 1841 in St Davids Church, Hobart, Tasmania. Susan was born on 3 Sep 1821 in England, was christened on 13 Oct 1821 in the Brook Street Independent Church, Tavistock, Devon, England, and died on 23 Sep 1893 in Brown's River, Tasmania at age 72.

George Jones was born around 1799 in Wiltshire, England. At 19 he was a farm labourer with blue eyes and light brown hair when he was tried for a felony at the Wiltshire Lent Assizes on 4 March 1820.  Stating his mother and father were living at in his native place, Calne, he was transported for life to Australia as a convict per the Juliana arriving in December 1820. His Prison Report was "Pretty Good" and his Hulk Report was "Good". His conduct record shows several further offences:

“Tried 22 July 1834: Strong suspicion of having stolen or embezzled (on June 30 1834) a Steer, the property of Francis Bryant and of being concerned in various other offences of Cattle Stealing in the District of Oatlands - Deprived of his Ticket of Leave and forwarded to the Prisoner Barracks in Hobart Town with a recommendation that he shall not be sent into the Interior again.

17 Oct 1834 Misconduct in taking his Horses into a Quarry hole to wash their feet by which one of the Animals received an Injury, Admonition.

22 Nov 1834: Cruelty to the Government Horses, 25 Lashes.

31 August 1835: Using obscene language to a female Servant in his Masters house - 9 months to a road fifty on probation. 9 Months Glenorchy Rd. fifty on probation .... Decision 10 Sept 1835.

George was granted a Conditional Pardon on 19 October 1838. He was a 42 year old farmer when he married Susan Featherstone in St. David's Church, Hobart, on 22 Nov 1841, when she gave her age as 25.

Susan Jasper Featherstone was born in September 1821 in the village of Tavistock, Devon England. At age 17 she was tried at the Exeter Quarter Sessions for stealing a shawl and sentenced to 7 years transportation to Australia aboard the Platina, leaving London in May 1837 and arriving at Hobart Town in October. She had several convictions in Australia and her prison record shows her term was twice extended for misconduct, once for 6 months for selling rum at Browns River.

Around July 1848, not long after the birth of their fifth child, Susan Matilda, George had a casual relationship in Hobart with Sarah Lawson. It is likely that Sarah was ‘on the town’ at the time.  As a result, Sarah gave birth to Euphemia Lawson on 26 Apr 1849. The name of the father was not recorded in the baptism record.  This relationship has been established using DNA Matching.

George and Susan had 13 children: