Stories behind the headstone - St John's cemetery

Greenup, Richard

On 29 April 1850 Dr Richard Greenup arrived with his wife and family having served as surgeon on the John Knox. In 1851 he was appointed secretary of the new University of Sydney designed by Edmund Blacket. The following year he became superintendent for the lunatic and invalid establishment at Parramatta.

In 1853 Dr Richard Greenup purchased a 100 acre estate on Old Northern Road Castle Hill from Christopher Crane and named it Darcy Hey after his family home in Halifax England. Edmund Blacket was responsible for extensions to the home now known as Castle Hill House.

In the 1860s Dr Greenup donated some of his land for the building of the first St Paul’s Church, private school and cemetery. On 17 July 1866 he was stabbed with scissors by patient James Cameron at Parramatta Lunatic Asylum and died two days later.

James family home and store Kellyville

James, Samuel

Convict Samuel James arrived 4 August 1802 on the Perseus. He married Ann Bean (daughter of James Thomas John Bean) on 28 November 1808 at St John’s Parramatta. In 1818 they settled on 80 acres in Castle Hill between what is now Showground and Parsonage Roads. Samuel, a farmer, was also appointed a constable from 1825-1831 and collected 1828 Census information for the local area.

Their 11 children married into other pioneering families in Castle Hill and Kellyville, producing 95 grandchildren. Ann died on 11 March 1854 followed by Samuel on 6 March 1855, aged 71 years. Samuel and Ann are buried beside each other. From c.1885 grandsons Henry and Daniel established a coach service and general store on the northern corner of Wrights and Windsor Roads Kellyville.

Roxburgh Hall

McDougall, Andrew

Free settlers Andrew & Elizabeth McDougall arrived in 1798 on the Barwell from Buckholm Hills Roxburgh County Scotland. They resided at Parramatta until 1799 when Andrew was granted 150 acres that he named Roxburgh Place. He was responsible for giving the suburb of Baulkham Hills its name as it reminded him of his homeland.

Elizabeth died on 27 October 1817, followed by son Thomas who fell from a horse on 14 May 1824 and then Andrew on 20 March 1826. Their names are recorded on the top slabs of the family crypt while a plaque for son John Kerr who died 28 November 1838 was later added.

In 1860 grandson Andrew Louis McDougall built the stone villa Roxburgh Hall selling it when he moved in 1876. The house was demolished in 1965 by developers of the Roxborough Park Estate land subdivision.