John Pong Shying (; b. ca. 1796, Canton, China; d. 18 June 1880, Sydney, Australia) was the first known Chinese born settler to Australia, arriving in 1818. (date and place of death is actually unknown - the quoted date is that of John Sheen whose DNA has been shown to be different. Descendants are still trying to place his movements after 1844). He was known by many names, including Mak Sai Ying, Mak Sai Pang, Mai Shi Ying, Mark Opong, and (reputedly but contrary to DNA evidence) also John Sheen. Arriving via the Laurel in February 1818, he landed at Port Jackson. He worked as a carpenter, living with John Blaxland on his Newington Estate. After three years, he worked at

Elizabeth Farm Elizabeth Farm is an historic Estate (land), estate located at 70 Alice Street, Rosehill, New South Wales, Rosehill, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Elizabeth Farm was the family home of wool pioneer, John Macarthur (wool pioneer) ...

for

Elizabeth Macarthur Elizabeth Macarthur (14 August 1766 – 9 February 1850) was an Anglo-Australian pastoralist and merchant, and wife of John Macarthur. Early life Elizabeth Macarthur was born in Bridgerule, Devon, England, the daughter of provincial farmers, ...

, the pastoralist. He married Sarah Jane Thompson (b: abt 1802, United Kingdom d: 27 March 1836, Parramatta) on 3 February 1823 in St John's Church of England, Parramatta. They had four sons: John James Shying (1823–1885), George Hugh Shying (1826–1893), James Henry Shying (1828–1891), Thomas Jones Shying (1830–1894). It is believed a linen press, made for Elizabeth MacArthur (in 1824), still exists, and is on display at Milton House museum. The item may have been made without nails. The bookkeepers entry of payment still exists. Shying returned to China for five years, from 1831 to 1836. He may have worked as a port liaison. He returned to Sydney, on the death of his first wife. The

first opium war The First Opium War (), also known as the Opium War or the Anglo-Sino War was a series of military engagements fought between Britain and the Qing dynasty of China between 1839 and 1842. The immediate issue was the Chinese enforcement of the ...

began two years later. During this time, land he negotiated for from the NSW Colony had been allocated elsewhere. Sarah had a letter from the Attorney General of NSW explaining why the land had been re allocated. He married Bridget Gillorley on 10 October 1842, but she died some six months later. He is known to have negotiated a sale of the Peacock Inn in

Parramatta, New South Wales Parramatta () is a suburb and major Central business district, commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney, located in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately west of the Sydney central business district on the ban ...

(a western suburb of Sydney) in 1844. He had been the builder. His grandson, John Joseph Shying, was possibly the first Chinese-Australian to serve in the Australian army.

References

External links

An Alien in the AntipodesAustralian National Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shying, John 1880 deaths Chinese emigrants to Australia Year of birth missing Chinese-Australian history