One of the three - Jonathan Boon

 Nathaniel Boon and his wife Sarah were the proprietors of the Three Brothers Inn (later known as Holly Lea) with licenses ranging from 1832 to 1835. Their Inn was named for their triplets, Nicholas, Jonathan and James whose birth was announced in the Sydney Gazette in November 1830. 

Jonathan Boon, (one of the triplets and possibly the most well-known), was a publican, very handy with his fists, and a good horseman. It was reported that he was a good prize fighter, and also an excellent race rider. He acted as Clerk of the Course at Picton races during 1856. He established the first hotel in Wagga – The Commercial, and held the licences to several pubs in both Wagga Wagga and Albury from the 1850s through to the 1870s. He married his wife Sarah, a publican’s daughter, in 1854 in Picton.

He had several racehorses in the 1850s including Lady Basquine, Lorimer and Whalebone, and was keen to match race them for large prize money. Lady Basquine and Whalebone were later stolen from Jonathan.

For a very short period of time during 1860 Jonathan tried his luck at the Snowy River gold diggings but seemed to spend more of his time fighting in several boxing matches. He then moved to Albury where he became a publican again, and a member of the Albury Jockey Club.

Around 1865 Jonathan moved back to Wagga where he unfortunately had to declare insolvency. It was at this time he was described as a horse trainer. By 1868 Jonathan held a publican’s licence again. 1870 saw Jonathan insolvent again, but bounced back by 1872 to open his hotel named The Retreat. 1877 saw Jonathan insolvent yet again, being unwell, and losses in business due to drought.

The All Nations Hotel, previously known as the Builders Arms, 
one of the Wagga Hotels that Jonathan was proprietor of. (fb)

When Jonathan retired from the hotel business he turned his hand to being a veterinarian.

Jonathan was often seen in court, either as a witness or defendant, often had up on charges of drunkenness, use of profane language, assault, or other such charges, including being the plaintiff in a case where he had been stabbed by another man during a scuffle. The last twenty odd years of Jonathan’s life seem to have had an increase in court appearances. After taking ill at home, in his old hotel The Retreat, in Peter St Wagga, he was taken to hospital where he expired on the 15^th May and was buried in Wagga.

Written by Claire Lynch

Sources - Trove, facebook page lostwaggawagga

An Aerial View in 1956

 

This aerial photograph from 1956 demonstrates how much Campbelltown has grown in 65 years. The area shown covers from Kialba Road at the bottom of the picture to Hollylea and the Plough Inn at the top of the image. At the very bottom at the left of the aerial shot is "Kialba" and its surrounding trees. "Kialba" was a large federation-style home located at 29 Kialba Road. The home was built and occupied by Alfred Payten, an architect from the well-known Payten family. It is now vacant land and its palm trees still exist.

In 1956 Kialba Road joined Campbelltown Road. This can be seen in the photograph where it bends to the right and connects with Campbelltown Road. A little further north and Campbelltown Road crosses Bow Bowing Creek. On the banks of the creek at this spot stood the iconic Keighran's Mill. Built in 1855, it was also referred to as Payten's Mill. In later years it had displayed on it's wall an advertisement for Wolfe's Schnapps. The mill was dismantled in 1962. 

Heading further north along Campbelltown Road and on the left is the home "Woodbine". This fine old house could date as early as 1817 and was home to the Payten family from 1873. It was surrounded by magnificent trees such as kurrajongs, acacias, pines and cedars. "Woodbine" was demolished in the 1960s after the land was zoned industrial. What a shame! The site of the house is about where 7 Hollylea Road is today.

The right of the photo shows the growing suburb of Leumeah. The railway lines runs through the middle of the aerial photo between Leumeah and "Woodbine". In 1956 when this photograph was taken, Campbelltown Road was aligned differently. It followed the path of where today's Hollylea Road is located. The two-storey house "Hollylea" and adjacent Plough Inn can be seen on the old alignment of Campbelltown Road at the top of the photo. "Hollylea" was known as The Three Brothers Inn in the early days of the settlement and was owned by Nathaniel Boon.

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

ALLEN, Andrew 2018

More than Bricks and Mortar: Remembering Campbelltown's Lost Buildings

Campbelltown: Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society

The Three Brothers

A well-known landmark as you approach Campbelltown from the freeway is Hollylea House. This two-storey sandstock brick house was built by Nathaniel Boon next to the Plough Inn on Campbelltown Road about 1829, although this date in uncertain. With the realignment of Campbelltown Road, the old inn is now in Hollylea Road.

This photo of Hollylea House was taken in 1980

 

The building hasn't always been known as Hollylea House. In 1830 Nathaniel and his wife Sarah were proud parents of boy triplets, Nicholas, James and Jonathan. Someone having triplets today is quite newsworthy, so one can imagine how this caused huge excitement in the area in 1830. Capitalising on this considerable publicity and excitement, Boon licensed his inn under the sign of The Three Brothers in 1832.

Drama and controversy seemed to follow Nathaniel Boon all his life. Some of the dramas included:

• Indicted in a London court for stealing a watch and chain. He was found guilty and sentenced to transportation to NSW.
• Fred Fisher took Nathaniel Boon to court, claiming he refused to honour an agreement. But Boon satisfied the court that the signature on the agreement was forged. Boon then declared his intention to lay charges against Fisher for forgery.
• Boon standing for trial for the murder of John Phillips on Long Cove Bridge on Parramatta Road. He was heading towards Campbelltown. Boon was found not guilty.
• When convict Jane New escaped gaol in 1829 she made her way to Amos Crisp's house at Upper Minto. Three constables came searching the house and Jane escaped...to Nathaniel Boon's house! Boon had a connection to Amos Crisp through his mistress Sarah.
• His son Daniel was hanged for murder at Wagga in 1876.
• Boon's lifeless body was found in 1839 with marks on the throat caused by the effects of suffocation, brought on by drunkenness.

The Three Brothers Inn became known as The Traveller's Home in 1854, after it was licensed by William Ray. The inn closed its doors in 1858 after the railway line between Campbelltown and Liverpool was opened. It became a private residence known as Borobine House. It was renamed Holly Lea by parliamentarian John Davies after he purchased it in 1884. Today it is spelt as Hollylea.

Sources:

FOWLER, Verlie 1991
The Legend of Fisher's Ghost

FOWLER, Verlie
Hollylea, Leumeah
In Grist Mills, Vol. 25 No. 3, November 2012