John Otton senior was born at Broad Clyst in Devon in 1789. He married patience Smalridge on 8/7/1818. He was convicted of horse stealing and sentenced to transportaton for life in 1830. He came to Australia aboard the Burrell arriving Sydney 19/12/1830. He was consigned to Messrs Berry and Wollstonecraft. Patience followed him to Australia in 1833 aboard the Layton. She had four surviving children with her, Emma, Abraham, Salome Sarah Ann. Aftre reuniting with John they had three more children, John who married Mary Jauncey, Henry Augustus who married Elizabeth Jauncey and Maria Rosina in 1841. They lived at Comberton Grange near Nowra in NSW and later moved to Bega on the far south coast of NSW.