For nearly 150 years, James Nesbitt has lain in an unmarked grave.

He was just 21 years old when he died in 1879 during the Wantabadgery siege in New South Wales.

Today, we know exactly where he is buried — in the North Gundagai Cemetery — yet his resting place remains unmarked.

I’m working to change that.

My name is Adam Warren, and through family history research I recently discovered that James Nesbitt was my great-great-great uncle.

Like many Australians, I had heard of Captain Moonlite and the bushranger era — but I never imagined there could be a personal connection. The more I learned, the more it became clear that James’s story is not just part of my family history, but part of Australia’s history.

Despite this, his grave has remained unmarked for nearly a century and a half.

This project aims to install a modest, historically appropriate headstone at his burial site so that his resting place can finally be properly identified and preserved.

This is not about glorifying crime.

It is about recognising a real person — a young man who died at just 21 — whose story forms part of Australia’s past, and ensuring that his burial place is not lost to time.

James Nesbitt was a member of the bushranger gang led by Andrew George Scott, better known as Captain Moonlite. Their story, particularly the deeply personal letters written by Moonlite after James’s death, remains one of the most compelling and human stories from the bushranger era.

Today, both men are buried in the same cemetery, only a short distance apart.

One grave is marked.

The other is not.

I am currently working with Cootamundra–Gundagai Regional Council and Heritage NSW to ensure that any monument is respectful, historically appropriate, and in keeping with the heritage significance of the site.

I am also working with a stonemason to develop a simple marker-style memorial that meets these requirements while minimising impact on the site.

How the funds will be used

Donations will go toward:

A modest stone marker / headstone

Engraving and inscription

Professional installation

Heritage and cemetery approvals

Associated project costs

Based on current discussions with a stonemason, the estimated cost is likely to be significantly lower than initially expected, with a clearer figure to be confirmed shortly

The project is already underway, and every contribution helps bring it closer to completion

In addition to this project, I have also begun the process of taking over the rights to a Nesbitt family grave in Melbourne, where other members of the family are buried. While the primary goal of this fundraiser is to install a headstone for James Nesbitt in Gundagai, any funds raised beyond the required amount may also contribute to preserving and maintaining related Nesbitt family graves.