THE FIRST SETTLER The first settler in the district was the Reverend Richard Johnson who was also the first clergyman to serve in New South Wales. It was he who gave the place its name; his grant of 100 acres was called "Canterbury Vale". How he came to obtain this property must now be told. In June 1790, Governor Phillip received instructions that four hundred acres were to be reserved near each town that was established in New South Wales for the maintenance of a minister and two hundred for a school master. The Governor told Mr Johnson that four hundred acres would be measured out and they were measured out on the Glebe side of the present University grounds. This was satisfactory enough, but what followed is related by Mr Johnson in a letter written in March, 1792, nearly two years later. "To this day," wrote Mr Johnson, "he" (the Governor) "has not been able to let me have any help to cultivate it, neither has there been so much as a tree fallen upon it. I cannot suppose the Government meant me to use axe or spade myself, but this I have done day after day; otherwise, bad as my situation is, it would have been still worse. But what, Sir, are four hundred, or four thousand acres full of large green trees, unless some convicts be allowed to cultivate it? I did not come out here as an overseer or as a farmer. My duty as a clergyman fully takes up all my time. Neither will my constitution admit of it; this is much impaired since I came into this country, and at this time I feel such rheumatic pains and weakness that I can scarcely go through the duties of my office'". Governor Phillip then gave Mr Johnson the assistance of two or three men but they seem to have made little impression on the forest which covered the church’s land. When, on Governor Phillip's departure, Lieutenant Governor Grose granted a block of land to every officer who wanted one, he allowed each officer the help of ten men or more, and Mr Johnson therefore asked "for more assistance to clear the land belonging to the church." Lieutenant Governor Grose who regarded the inoffensive Mr Johnson as a "very troublesome discontented character" refused his very reasonable request, "but at the same time", wrote Johnson, "signified that, if I chose to resign my claim to the Church land, I should have a grant the same as the others, otherwise he did not feel himself disposed to allow me any further assistance whatever. A grant of one hundred acres was then given me, and seven men were to assist me in clearing and cultivating it." The grant of 100 acres was made to Mr Johnson on May 28th, 1793 and he named it "Canterbury Vale". It was described in the Grant Records thus;‐ "Laying and situate in the district of Petersham Hill having on the south west side a branch of the Harbour of Botany Bay from which it is distant ½ a mile being bounded on the west side by fresh water ponds and at the distance of 10 miles in a direction west thirty four degrees south from the western boundary of the allotment of four hundred (acres) marked out and reserved for the Government between the allotments intended for the maintenance of a Minister and Schoolmaster adjacent to the Town of Sydney."
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