William Lee (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
William Lee also variously known as William Smith and William Pantoney until 1816 (1 April 1794 – 18 November 1870) was an Australian pastoralist and politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
between 1856 and 1860.
and Lee, an industrious youth, attracted the attention of William Cox
. As a result he was given a grant of government cattle in 1816 and a grant of 134 acres of pastoral land in Kelso
. He was one of the earliest settlers in the Bathurst
district. Lee was a successful pastoralist and at the time of his death had acquired 18,500 acres spread throughout New South Wales.
In July 1842, employees of Lee, were involved in a massacre of aborigines in the Bogan River
district. As a punishment he was deprived of the lease-hold of land in the area and this became a cause celebre in the growing dispute between the colony's squatters
and Governor George Gipps
.
in the first New South Wales Legislative Assembly under responsible government. He retained the seat unopposed at the next election in 1858 but then retired from public life. His parliamentary performance was uninspiring and he did not hold office.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
between 1856 and 1860.
Early life
Lee was born in the penal settlement of Norfolk Island and was probably the illegitimate child of the convicts, Sarah Smith and William Pantoney. After Pantoney's emancipation, the family lived in WindsorWindsor, New South Wales
Windsor is a town in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Windsor is located in the local government area of the City of Hawkesbury. It sits on the Hawkesbury River, on the north-western outskirts of the Sydney metropolitan area. At the 2006 census, Windsor had a population of...
and Lee, an industrious youth, attracted the attention of William Cox
William Cox (pioneer)
William Cox was an English soldier, known as an explorer, road builder and pioneer in the early period of British settlement in Australia.-Early life:...
. As a result he was given a grant of government cattle in 1816 and a grant of 134 acres of pastoral land in Kelso
Kelso, New South Wales
Kelso is a suburb of Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, in the Bathurst Regional Council area.-History:Kelso was the original European settlement in the area. In 1816, the initial settlement of Bathurst was established on the eastern banks of the Macquarie River, in current-day Kelso...
. He was one of the earliest settlers in the Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
district. Lee was a successful pastoralist and at the time of his death had acquired 18,500 acres spread throughout New South Wales.
In July 1842, employees of Lee, were involved in a massacre of aborigines in the Bogan River
Bogan River
The Bogan River is an inland river in the central west of New South Wales, Australia.This river rises at Goonumbla, 19 kilometres north-west of Parkes and flows in a generally north-north-westerly direction past Tottenham, Peak Hill and through Nyngan. The Bogan River is about 590 km in length...
district. As a punishment he was deprived of the lease-hold of land in the area and this became a cause celebre in the growing dispute between the colony's squatters
Squatting (pastoral)
In Australian history, a squatter was one who occupied a large tract of Crown land in order to graze livestock. Initially often having no legal rights to the land, they gained its usage by being the first Europeans in the area....
and Governor George Gipps
George Gipps
Sir George Gipps was Governor of the colony of New South Wales, Australia, for eight years, between 1838 and 1846. His governorship was during a period of great change for New South Wales and Australia, as well as for New Zealand, which was administered as part of New South Wales for much of this...
.
State Parliament
In 1856 Lee was elected as the member for RoxburghElectoral district of Roxburgh
Roxburgh was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1856 to 1859, named after Roxburgh County. It included Sofala.-Members for Roxburgh:-References:...
in the first New South Wales Legislative Assembly under responsible government. He retained the seat unopposed at the next election in 1858 but then retired from public life. His parliamentary performance was uninspiring and he did not hold office.