Jacob Moxon, convict on Heber, 1837

Jacob Moxon was born on 18th May 1807 in Badsworth, Yorkshire, the son of Samuel Moxon and  Ann Brook. He married Sarah Beale in Badsworth on 16th January 1826 and had two children, a son and a daughter Mary Anne born in 1827.  He is listed in the Moxon Society tree MX06.

Jacob enlisted with the 82nd Foot Regiment in Sheffield on 22 September 1826 and saw service in was convicted of desertion at Dublin Barracks in 1836.

He was transported for 14 years on the Heber in March 1837.  He is mentioned in a surgeon's journal which can be found at http://www.jenwilletts.com/ConvictShipsH.htm :

"The Surgeon reported that the Heber had a remarkably fine run out of the channel and the prisoners who were not suffering from sea sickness were able to go on deck. For those who suffered sea sickness their health was extremely reduced and some remained convalescent for the remainder of the voyage. 

Alexander Neill's first patient Jacob Moxon was treated on the very first day at sea.  Jacob Moxon, a 31 one year old former soldier from Dublin who was court-martialled for desertion had been held in Kilmainham gaol for some time without shoes or stockings and complained much of the cold. He was suffering from fever and a cough which the surgeon successfully treated. Other patients suffered from bilious complaints, rheumatism and fever."

According to the Convict indents (Ancestry) 166964, he was described as:

Age 31. Reads and writes, Married with two children. Labourer and soldier, native place Yorkshire. Tried for desertion at Royal Barracks Dublin (court-martial) on 15 September 1836 and sentenced to 14 years transportation. No prior convictions. 6ft 3 in, Dark sallow and freckled with grey hair and eyes. Long visage. Tattoos - woman, SM inside lower left arm, anchor back of left hand, scar ball of left thumb. 

He did not see out his term of imprisonment. At some stage he was sent to Newcastle where he probably worked on a property or in the coal mines.  It is unlikely that Jacob had been sent to prison for additional punishment since the military prison closed in 1822.

He was buried as Jacob Moxan on 26th March 1844 aged 40.  He died in hospital in Newcastle.  The burial record is listed in the Burial Register of Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle, page 13.

Sadly, it is unlikely he saw his family again after his imprisonment in Ireland in 1836.