William Paterson (explorer)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| William Paterson | |
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1st (and only) Lieutenant Governor of Northern Van Diemen's Land
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| In office February 16, 1804 – March 24, 1808 |
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5th Governor of New South Wales (acting)
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| In office 1 January 1809 – March 24, 1808 |
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| Preceded by | William Bligh |
| Succeeded by | Lachlan Macquarie |
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| Born | 17 August 1755 Montrose, Scotland |
| Died | May/June, 1810 at sea (off Cape Horn) |
Colonel William Paterson (17 August 1755, Montrose, Scotland – 21 June 1810, off Cape Horn) was a Scottish soldier, explorer, and botanist best known for leading early settlement in Tasmania.
Sent to the Cape by the wealthy and eccentric Countess of Strathmore to collect plants, he arrived in Table Bay on board the "Houghton" in May 1777. He made four trips into the interior between May 1777 and March 1780, when he departed.
Paterson was originally commissioned in the 98th Regiment of Foot, but transferred to the 73rd Regiment of Foot after the 98th's disbandment in 1787.
In 1794, Lieutenant-Colonel William Paterson, from the New South Wales Corps, granted more land and convict servants to the military, giving them great powers and undermining Governor Arthur Phillip's good naval government.
He led an expedition to the Hunter Valley in 1801 and up the Paterson River (later named in his honour by Governor King).
Between 1804 and 1808 he was the Lieutenant Governor of the north of Van Diemen's Land.
In 1804 he led an expedition to Port Dalrymple, Tasmania, exploring the Tamar River and going up the North Esk River farther than anyone previously had managed to do.
In 1806 his duties as commander of the New South Wales Corps required him to return to Sydney, but he came back in 1807, and stayed until December 1808. During this time he corresponded regularly with the eminent naturalist Sir Joseph Banks, sending a number of specimens.
Paterson was appointed Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales on 1 January 1809, and was replaced by Lachlan Macquarie at the end of the year. His health had begun to decline; he left Sydney on 12 May 1810, but died on board ship while off Cape Horn just a few weeks later.
[edit] External links
[edit] Further reading
- Alexander, Alison (editor) (2005)The Companion to Tasmanian HistoryCentre for Tasmanian Historical Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart. ISBN 186295223X.
- Robson, L.L. (1983) A history of Tasmania. Volume 1. Van Diemen's Land from the earliest times to 1855Melbourne, Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195543645
