William SINGLETON, was transported to Australia on the Pitt in 1792 accompanied by his wife and sons Benjamin and Joseph, and followed by another son James, who came to Australia in 1808.
Benjamin SINGLETON was born in London on the 7th of August 1788. When his father was transported for 'unauthorised removal' he, along with his younger brother Joseph and his mother, accompanied the father as free settlers, arriving in Sydney in February 1792. With his brother James, Benjamin built water powered flour mills at Kurrajong in 1817/18. Also in 1817 and 1818 he was involved with others in exploring for a route to the Hunter Valley. Then during 1820 he was a member of the expedition to the Hunter Valley led by John HOWE the Chief Constable of Windsor, which was the first recorded European trip into the Singleton, NSW area. In June 1820 Benjamin is recorded as a miller at Kurrajong, and later in September he is recorded along with his brother James as the proprietor of mills at both Kurrajong and on the Lower Hawkesbury. In 1821 Benjamin received a grant of 97.2 hectares of land near the ford crossing the Hunter River in recognition of his contribution to the exploration party and had settled there with his family by 1823 when he was appointed District Constable. His residence became the core of the town of Singleton and over the years he contributed much to the economy. He had apparently erected a mill at the future Singleton townsite or nearby in 1829 and operated what may be the same mill there from 1830 to 1835. Benjamin subdivided off part of this property as the town of Singleton in 1836. Other ventures included erecting an inn, a brewery and a courthouse. The depression of the 1840's caused his insolvency and he died on the 2nd or 3rd of May 1853 at Singleton.
An official biography of Benjamin Singleton can be read here
James SINGLETON was born in London on the 17th of January 1777. He followed the rest of his family to Australia as a free settler, arriving on the 26th of January 1809 on the Aeolus. In September 1820 he, along with his brother Benjamin, is recorded as the proprietor of mills at both Kurrajong and on the Lower Hawkesbury. He is recorded as a miller at Dillons Creek in 1825. James established a water mill on Mill Creek in either 1833 or 1834. James died on the 29th of March 1849 on the Lower Hawkesbury and was interred at Laughtondale cemetery, Wisemans Ferry, New South Wales.
Joseph SINGLETON is shown as a landholder at 'Curryjong Brush' in 1823. He had connections to a flour mill at 'Curry Jong' that year, as well as being on a list of people, a year later, to whom convict mechanics had been assigned. In November 1824 he is listed as a Richmond miller.