John Busby was born on 24 March 1765 in Alnwick, Northumberland, ENG.
1,2,3,4,5,6 He and
Sarah Kennedy were married in 1798 in Haddington, Eats Lothian, SCT.
6 He died on 10 May 1857, at age 92, in NSW, AUS.
6 John Busby was a mineral surveyor, civil engineer.
7 Family shifted to Australia february 1824
august 1824 went from Australia to Stewart island in the Mermaid to attempt salvage of the Elizabeth Henrietta He was successful! NCB
NZGG 20 oct 1841 land claim no 310 original purchase J KEMP 1835 sold to James BUSBY on behalf og John BUSBY of NSW
"The first member of the family to come to Australia was John Busby (1765-1857). Hew as born in Alnwick, Northumberland, and was trained by his father, a coal master, in his own business. He gradually developed a special skill in mine location and surveying, and adopted the profession of mineral surveyor and civil engineer. He exercised his profession on the "Downshire" estates in Ireland, and later settled in Scotland where he surveyed several counties for water and minerals. He came under notice of J.T. Bigge, Esq., who recommended him to the Colonial Office as a fit person to supervise coal mining at Newcastle, N.S.W., and to devise a satisfactory water supply for Sydney. He was engaged in March, 1823, as mineral surveyor, and Civil Engineer to the Colony of New South Wales by Lord Bathurst. He arrived in Sydney on February 24th, 1824. He was at once sent off to Newcastle to superintend coal mining and to construct a breakwater. He then spent several months in New Zealand having been sent there to salvage a Government brig, the "Henrietta Elizabeth" which had gone ashore. A war vessel, H.M.S. Tees, had failed to refloat her, as a last resort John Busby was sent from Sydney, and with the aid of only six men he refloated here in 26 days. During the time spent in New Zealand he experienced great hardships and danger, in fact, on one occasion, he was taken by the Maoris who designed him for the "piece de resistance" of a meal, the earth oven was heated, and the dispatching blow was even aimed at his head, but in throwing up his arms to protect himself he brushed off the wig which he wore. This threw the Maoris into consternation and wonder which reprieved him and give him protection as a superior being. On his return to Sydney, he designed and carried out the first water supply of consequence for Sydney. A bore, or tunnel, was driven from the Botany Swamps to Hyde Park. The work was started in 1827 and finished in 1837 with convict labour. Parts of the tunnel are now being filled in, (July, 1935),as there is a possibility of danger from subsidence caused by the vibration of heavy traffic. He retired in 1837, when he received a gratuity of £1000 and a grant of 2,000 acres of land between Branxton and Singleton. He married Sarah Kennedy, the only daughter of the younger brother of the Earl of Cassilis, and there were five sons and one daughter who came to Australia." WIKI.