John Thomas - Straitsman

Here's an exploration of the history of John Thomas, Straitsman, alias "Long Tom".

From Julie Gough's Blog: https://bassstraitto1850.wordpress.com/biographies-of-people-living-in-or-visiting-bass-strait-to-1850/
Pungerneetterlattenner [AKA Maria/Sall, Abducted by John BROWN after BROWN‘S drowning  lived with John THOMAS, p.119, WIS p.863]
 Purnernattelattenner [AKA Sall, Abducted by John BROWN, lived with James EVERITT [sp] for a time after BROWN was drowned, living with John THOMAS on Swan Island in 1837, p.19-120]
 Teekoolterme [taken to Kangaroo Island by Black JACK WILLIAMS, after WILLIAMS drowned she was taken by John THOMAS, at Aboriginal Settlement 1831, p.121]
Pungerneetterlattenner [AKA Maria/Sall, Abducted by John BROWN after BROWN‘S drowning  lived with John THOMAS, p.119, WIS p.863]
Wapperty [AKA Wobbelty, 5’10”, stout made, b.c.1797, father Mannalargenna, Abducted by John THOMAS, lived with John STARKER/STOCKER who also lived with Nicerumpowwerrerter [Mary] and Maytepueminner [Maria], perhaps not at same time. John STARKER was drowned at the Leven River on his way back to Launceston from the westward islands c.Sept 1830 FM 14/9/1830, 1/10/1830, 2/10/1830. After John STARKER’S death John MYETYE seized Nicerumpowwerrerter [Mary] and Wobbelty, giving the former to Edward TOMLIN and keeping Wobbelty [p.100], After John MYETYE died [p.123] Wapperty lived with Robert REW, who brought her to the Aboriginal Settlement in 844. Bessy MITI/RUE her daughter to John MYETYE married John MIRA on 27/3/1847, Wapperty died Oyster Cove 12/8/1867. p.123]
 Woretermoeteyenner [AKA Wattermoteer/Woretermoteteyer/Waremodeenner/Pung/Bung, Big Musselroe, b.c.1790, sister Wottecowidyer, Abducted by George Briggs by whom three children [JG:  at least 5 children: Dalrymple Briggs, x unnamed died from burns, Mary Briggs, Eliza Briggs, John Briggs]. Sold to John THOMAS for a guinea. Lived for a time with John BROWN. Taken by James PARISH to the Aboriginal settlement FM 19/12/1830. “Had a husband among the blacks”: Phillip. Had boy by James MUNRO when she lived with him FM 19/12/1830 [JG: no, Munro looked after young John BRIGGS aged c.5+, until? Munro took John to Hobart when he went to petition the Governor for the return of women], p.123]
 John Thomas/James Thomas – Long Tom – ex Ltn pilot – 'Briggs afterwards sold her to John Thomas alias Long Tom for a Guinea “…this man is still living in Launceston and is employed as Seaman on Board of Griffiths” c1829-31

From the Centre for Indigenous Family History site: http://cifhs.com/

THOMAS, JOHN, also called Long Tom, white, marr. Nimarana , Tasmanian full 
     blood. Children:

THOMAS, PHILLIP senior, also called Captain Phillip, b. 1831; d. 28 Feb. 1915, 
     age 84. f. John Thomas, m. Nimarana. marr. Jane West and, 
     Eliza Bligh. Photo. Man 1920 pl. K., fig. 2.

THOMAS, JAMES senior, b..1828 approx., d. 1850 approx., age 22 approx. 
     f. John Thomas, m. Nimarana, Tasmanian full blood. 

Also lists a great many descendants 

Okay, here's what we've learned so far. Thomas was a shipping pilot from Launceston. He abducted, "took on" from other sailors, or "bought" a number of Aboriginal women, whose names we know. About 1830 he was employed as a seaman by Griffiths, a whaling/sealing company.

On the Tasmanian Names Index There are many departure records for him as a seaman from 1818. January 1818 he was on the "Jupiter" bound to Kangaroo Island.(a whaling/sealing site). 1822 he was whaling and sealing. Says he arrived at Tasmania on the ship "Caroline". 1830 he was on ship "Clarence" to "fisheries". 1831 he was on Britannia bound to Swan River. Jul 1832 he was on the ship Deveron, whaling. The latter were all departures from Hobart.

1836 he was on the "William" bound for Portland Bay (a whaling site). Oct 1836, on the "Thistle" ( a whaler) to Port Fairy. These were depart Launceston.

From 1839 he's listed as a passenger to Port Philip a few times. No more departures from Tas. after 1840

Straitsmen and Straits Women

Day told me that they sometimes made a voyage to the main land and had in this way provided themselves with women – whether by purchase or violence he did not say.
(‘Some early recollections’ by B.T. Finniss Transcript of original manuscript in The Borrow Collection, Flinders University Library)

See also: References for Straitsmen and Straits Women
               My WikiTree Page for Straitsmen and Straits Women

Well, it didn't take long for me to go somewhat off course. That's how it is with Genealogy; one person leads to another, and next thing you know you're in another place hundreds of miles from where you started. I wanted to know more about the sealers' women of Kangaroo Island; they were people, they had families, they had stories and also descendants living today. But their very existence has been brushed aside in favour of the story of the colonial "Utopia" South Australia was meant to be. I couldn't let this rest. It was so totally unlike the history I'd been taught in school.

The so-called Straitsmen ranged between Bass Strait, Kangaroo Island, and King George Sound, accompanied by the indigenous women they had abducted or persuaded to go with them, and their children. Sometimes, when the wildlife was plentiful, they spent years in one place before moving on. What this meant for the women was that they were displaced from their own people and country, sometimes permanently. Sometimes there was no one to speak their own language with. They were forced into work, hunting animals on a scale that must surely have offended their culture. If they didn't comply they were beaten. Amid all this, they raised children fathered by their masters.

Palawa women (from Tasmania) were preferred because of their superior skills at hunting and trapping. They dived for shellfish, caught Mutton Birds, collected eggs, trapped kangaroo and wallaby, hunted and skinned seals, filled sacks of salt and crewed boats, prepared food and sewed warm fur garments for the men.

Maybe you've come to this page because you're decended from one of these women. Welcome. I would love to talk to you and maybe we can share some information. Please introduce yourself in the comments section below.