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THE SETTLER HANDBOOK by MD Nash
THE SETTLER PARTIES

MILLS' PARTY

No. 49 on the Colonial Department list, led by Daniel Mills of 9 Harley Street, London. Mills described himself as a farmer in his application to emigrate; he had been brought up to farm life but had left the land to serve as purser on a merchant ship. He was subsequently employed for five years as house steward to James Dawkins of Pembroke House, Richmond, the Member of Parliament for Hastings, who recommended him to the Colonial Department.

Very little has been traced about this party, which appeared to have been organised on a partnership basis by Mills and Robert Jackson, by his own account an ex-officer and co-head of the party. The status of Charles Hills, formerly a gardener at Hampton Court, is not clear. The rest of the men in the party appear to have been engaged as servants; in submitting his original list of settlers, Mills stated that he would obtain 'five farmers from the country as soon as the harvest is got in'.

Deposits were paid for 10 men but one of them, Henry Fisher, failed to embark. The party embarked at Deptford in the Sir George Osborn, which sailed from the Downs on 16 March 1820 and reached Simon's Bay on 17 June and Algoa Bay early in July. The party was located on the Kariega River, in Grape Valley, but soon broke up, Mills moving with his family first to Graaf Reinet and then to Cape Town. Hills was the only man to remain on the location.

LIST OF MILLS' PARTY

CARTER, James 34. Blacksmith and farrier. w Sophia 33. c James 2.
CURTIS, John 27. Sawyer. w Esther 28.
FISHER, Charles 22. Bricklayer. w Harriet 18.
HANES, William 26. Farmer.
HILLS, Charles 38. Gardener. w Elizabeth 45. c James 15, Jane 14, Elizabeth 10, Charles 8, Henry 6.
JACKSON, Robert 22. Farmer.
MILLS, Daniel 60. Farmer. w Martha 40. c Martha 16, Harriet 14, Daniel 10, Maria 8, James Dawkins 3, Caroline 1.
POTTER, William 29. Carpenter. w Hannah 27. c Mary 10, Ann 6.
SAMPSON, Robert 22. labourer.

Main source for party list
Agent of Transports' Return of settlers arrived at Simon's Bay under the direction of Messrs Mills, Turvey and Gardner (Cape Archives CO 6138/2,95). William Hanes appears as John Hames in the London list; no reference to either name has been traced in colonial records.