I’ve joined here to post this. I think I can help you with John Henry Price, but first a bit of background.
My 3xGreat Grandfather John Johnson, a seaman, married Frances (Fanny) McCarthy in June 1839 at Broulee, near the Moruya River: NSW BDM V1839628 75 (as Johnston and Mc Carthie)
In November 1839 their only child, John William Johnson, was born, “the first white child on the Moruya River” according to family legend: NSW BDM V1839139 24A
Frances’ mother, also called Frances (sometimes Francis or Fanny) McCarthy (but also known as Frances Donohoe) had arrived as a convict aboard the “Mariner” in 1825 from Dublin. Her husband, Owen McCarthy (also known as Owen Carthy or Owen McCarty) had arrived on the "Medina" in 1823. Owen died in 1828 (I think, can’t find this at the moment). In 1838 Frances McCarthy (Snr) married William Woods in Sydney: NSW BDM V18381549 22 Both were widowed and neither could write.
William Woods (John Johnson’s step-father-in-law) owned a Tasmanian-built cutter of 19 tons, the “Industry”, which plied between Sydney and Broulee between 1840 and 1845, when it was wrecked. William Woods was master of the “Industry”, but in 1842 and 1843 John Johnson is listed as the master of this coastal trading boat. In 1843 to 1845 he is listed as the master of the 22-ton cutter “Emma”.
So, what’s all this got to do with Caroline Philadelphia Elizabeth Pearcy/Parler/Price?
Family legend has it that John Johnson changed his name from Price to Johnson. Family legend also has it that his mother maintained that she was a gentlewoman who had been transported by mistake as she’d picked up an umbrella by accident. She apparently sometimes called herself Caroline Percy and maintained she was a relative of the noble Percy family.
I hadn’t taken much notice of these stories until I stumbled across a reference to a memorial (petition) made by Frances Johnson in 1850. I obtained a copy of the memorial, where Frances Johnson was appealing to have her husband let out of gaol. John had been convicted of a vicious assault and sentenced to a year in Darlinghurst Gaol, details here:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/251536800https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/12915598I looked up the gaol admission records, which gave me the name of the ship and date: “Sarah and Elizabeth”, 1837. I found out it was a female convict transport, so presumed that John had come out on it with his mother. No Johnsons were listed, but when I saw “Caroline Philadelphia Elizabeth Pearcy, also known as Elizabeth Price” I was pretty sure I’d found the correct person. The “Sarah and Elizabeth” had 96 female convicts and 10 children on board. Some of the children are noted on the printed indent as “on board”, but neither of Caroline’s children are noted this way. Nonetheless, I’m confident that John Henry was on board the “Sarah and Elizabeth”.
So, I believe that in 1837 John Henry Price came out with his mother on the “Sarah and Elizabeth” and by 1839 had changed his name to John Johnson. He and Frances Johnson only had the one child, John William Johnson. John William Johnson married Emily Eyles at Tabulam in 1861: NSW BDM 2800/1861 and they went on to have 14 children.
I have been unable to trace a death record for John Johnson. Frances Johnson’s appeal failed and after his release from gaol I have found no further information on him. Frances Johnson remarried in 1871 to William Clark: NSW BDM 1142/1871 She is listed as a widow, but there are no details of John’s death. Over 50 John Johnsons died between 1851 and 1871 in NSW. While I’ve ruled out a fair number of them, I haven’t (yet) found the right one.
Remarkable to think the two brothers both ended up in Sydney. I wonder whether they had much contact? I’m delighted to have sorted this out, I had just about given up on working out about John’s brother.
Re Caroline, in the 1850 memorial William Dumaresq of Tivoli writes that John Johnson’s mother (name not given) “has been in my service several years”. That’s all I can find to add to her story.