- John
Kinnear was born to John Kinnear, linen manufacturer, of Montrose, Scotland
and his wife Helen Archibald. He was the second son born, but the first,
also named John, had died in infancy.
There were nine children born to John and Helen.
Family legend says that Helen Archibald was a direct descendant of the Scottish hero, Rob Roy McGregor. (Family legend does not provide any proof of this!)
The junior John Kinnear was provided with a 'superior education' and grew up to become a merchant banker.
At the age of 26 he married 19 year old Isabella Donaldson. They lived in Liverpool where four children were born to them. After moving to London another son was born. Isabella died when that baby was 12 months old.
Just over a year later, John married Georgina Boileau. The marriage settlement document indicates that by this time John Kinnear was a wealthy man. Georgina took on the responsibility of Isabella's five children and gave John five more of her own.
In 1838 when John was 57 years old he was arrested and charged with having 'conspired to obtain credit and raise money by issuing certain false and fictitious bills of exchange'.
After attempting unsuccessfully to conduct his own defense, he was convicted and sentenced to transportation for life.
A
report of the trial says:
"The
prisoner, who had manifested the utmost cool during the trial, gathered
his papers, and, with an appearance of utmost unconcern, walked from the
bar."
John Kinnear arrived in New South Wales in November 1838 and was sent to the penal colony at Port Macquarie.
After being refused permission to join her husband, Georgina followed him with their three youngest children, travelling under a false name. She followed him to Port Macquarie and before long he was assigned to her.
They lived in Port Macquarie until around 1843 when the family moved to Sydney.
