William Pendergast was born in the Hawkesbury area in 1808. He was the son of convicts John Pendergast and Jane Williams. John Pendergast was a farmer with a number of small land holdings in the Hawkesbury district and later at Campbelltown. His sons would therefore have worked on the properties as they grew up. In 1832, when he was 24, William had been given property in the Cornwallis area by his father.
On 26 July 1837, William married Sarah Holland at St Matthew's Catholic Church, Windsor. William was 29 and Sarah was 17 when they married. William and Sarah had six children - Jane (1838-1903), John (1840-1928), Margaret (1842-1891),
Mary (1844-1845), Elizabeth Penelope (1846-1942) and William
(1849-1920).
William built up his land holdings. When he died his will showed that part of the estate that he owned included Shredrick's Farm consisting of 30 acres near Windsor, Whyte's Farm consisting of 30 acres near Windsor, John Pendergast's Grant of 80 acres at Currajong (Kurrajong), Fitzpatrick's Grant and Henderson's Grant at Currajong (Kurrajong), Allotments 30, 31, 32 and 33 of Campbellfield Estate with a combined total of approximately 136 acres at Campelltown.
William was 42 when he died at Campbelltown on 6 October 1850. His will of fourteen pages, dated 19 September 1850, included a codicil dated 4 October 1850. William had divided part of his land between his children entailed and in trust until they were 21. The rest of the property was to be sold and the money invested to be distributed among the children when the youngest child was 21. The codicil removed the name of his eldest daughter, Jane, from inheriting land from the will. It is thought that other provisions may have been made for her.
The land that formed the Campbellfield Estate was originally granted to William Redfern by Governor Macquarrie. When Redfern died in 1833 allotments of the land were put up for sale. The Pendergast family appear to have acquired some of the allotments though they may already have had other land in the area. The National Library has a map of the area showing allotments on Campbell Town Road adjoining Mr Pendergast's Farm.
A rich inheritance volume 1 pages 41 and 42 provides details of the will.
William Pendergast was my great (x2) grandfather.
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