THOMAS HILTON TENNANT (aka PHILIP DEVINE) - ALEXANDER

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The descendants of this man spell his name as in this heading. But his tombstone reads Phillip Devine, and he is mentioned in records as Divin and Divine. He also had an alias — Thomas Hilton Tennant. Some of his children changed the name to Thomas. This account will refer to him as Philip Devine. 

On 6 March, 1786, he was tried for stealing "one Dowlas shirt of the value of 2 shillings one Hempen shirt of the value of 2 shillings one woman's Scarlet cloth Cloak of the value of 5 shillings one pair of woman's Stayes of the value of 5 shillings 2 Silver Tea Spoons of the value of 2 shillings 2 Steel Razors of the value of 6d and one linen Pillow Case of the value of 4d." He was found guilty and sentenced to seven years transportation. His occupation was given as currier and his age as 25 years. He was transported to Sydney Cove on Alexander. 

After being given 200 lashes for stealing, he was sent to Norfolk Island on Sirius and became a farmer on a small allotment at Sydney Town. He lived with Ann Doyle, a convict  who had arrived on Lady Juliana. They had four children, Sarah 1791, Rebecca 1794, Edward 1796 and Thomas 1798. He was again punished for using seed corn for food. 
 
By 1805 the family had broken up. Philip and his son Edward went to Van Diemen's Land briefly but returned to NSW and settled on land in the Windsor district. Ann Doyle left Norfolk Island in 1808 with William Parsons, taking three children with her. These children married in Tasmania and remained there to leave behind many descendants. Rebecca married into the well-known Reiby family. Edward married Rosetta Pearson and became a farmer in Richmond. They had seven children and many descendants of these still live in the district.

Philip Devine died on 9 February 1821 and was buried at St John's Cemetery at Wilberforce the following day.