from Sydney Herald
A melancholy accident occurred on Saturday last at South Creek, on Richmond Road. Mr. Jonathan Hassall had some days laboured under the effects of abberation of intellect. A man-servant who had charge of him, endeavoured to detain him, but in vain. He followed however as fast as he could on foot, but was not in time to prevent the fatal catastrophe which followed. The unhappy gentleman had turned towards the South Creek as appeard by the tracks of the horse, and on coming to the water's edge, he discovered a shot-belt filled with shot lying on the bank, and the hat of his master floating on the water; the recent marks also of a man's foot being imprinted in the ooze at the water's edge, gave rize to the belief that the unfortunate gentleman had been lost in an attempt to gain the opposite banks. This idea appeard the more probable as the shot-belt (which he had on when he left the house) had been cast off apparently with a view of preventing his project. The non-appearance of Mr. H. gave credit to the idea that he had perished, and the Creek was searched in every possible way until Monday night, when on Tuesday morning the body was discovered floating on the opposite side of the water from that on which he appeared to have amused himself. An Inquest has been convened; but the result has not yet transpired.
'Hassall, Jonathan (1798–1834)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/hassall-jonathan-16179/text28127, accessed 9 December 2024.
31 January,
1798
Tahiti,
Western Cape,
South Africa
13 December,
1834
(aged 36)
Cow Pastures,
New South Wales,
Australia
Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.