John Forbes GORDON

1851 - 1914  (63 years)

• Name	John Forbes GORDON
  Born	7 Jan 1851	Stonehaven, Dunnottar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK
  	The OPR has John Gordon (with no middle name) whereas he was known with a middle name (John Forbes Gordon).
  Gender	Male
  Immigration	5 Oct 1854	Scotland to South Australia
  	MIGRATION: 1854 on the 'Eldorado' - see notes of his father, Alexander.
  General event	1893	Penola
  	John was elected as one of six directors of the new Penola Fruit Preserving and Export Company. (South Australian Register, Adelaide, 7th August 1893, p6
  Public positions	22 Jun 1901	Penola
  	John was elected as a councillor to the north ward of the Penola Distict Council (Adelaide Chronicle, 22nd June 1901, p32)
  General event	29 Nov 1914	Owen, SA, Australia
  	DEATH: * John died at 'Dalkeith' (sic), the home of his brother Donald who John was probably visiting at the time of his death. (Daily Herald, Adelaide, Tuesday 1st December 1914, p4) * "Mr. John Gordon, late of the South East, died at the residence of his brother Mr Donald Gordon, on Sunday night of Bright's' Disease. He was a brother of the late Lady Way. The interment took place in the Owen cemetery on Tuesday morning. Rev TA Gore (Church of Christ) of Adelaide officiating at the graveside. (Kapunda Herald, 4th December 1914, p3) * He was buried in Owen Cemetery - plot number 283, but the grave it is now unmarked. In December 2011, Colin Semmler and Hugh Gordon attempted to locate it but the grave numbering system is very complex and they failed to locate the exact site. Further work will be needed - maybe write to the council and ask for a cemetery map. Hugh's wife, borrowed a bunch of flowers and took a photo.
  Notes for biography	Cause of death: Bright's disease.Mr. (Kapunda Herald, 4th December 1914, p3) Bright's disease is a the old term for kidney diseases. It is described in modern medicine as nephritis or glomerulonephritis. It is characterized by swelling, the presence of albumin in the urine and was frequently accompanied by high blood pressure, heart disease and back pain.
  Notes for biography	In 1900, in a fund raising appeal for the Naracoorte Hospital, there were Glenroy/Coonawarra subscriptions from JF Gordon 10 shillings, and 2s 6d each from S Blue, AG Blue and Miss Gordon (ref: Naracoorte Herald, 4th May 1900)
  Notes for biography	INSOLVENCY * In 1911, he was adjudicated as insolvent. The insolvency dividend was 2 shillings and 4 pence in the pound. There were reports of the insolvency case in the Border Watch on 15th Dec 1911, 23rd Dec, 6th Jan 2012, 27th Jan, 30th Jan, 9th March 1912 (comprehensive report) and 12th July 1913.
  Notes for biography	LAND * In 1888 he was involved in a credit agreement for land purchase - possibly 98 acres and 2600 leasehold and house (hut?) at Hynam near Naracoorte. It was scrub and rabbits. (ref: Peter Rymill - Border Watch, 19th Sept 1888) * In 1892 he bought a lease of blocks 4 & 5, Penola Fruit Colony - from John Riddoch. It had a 16 chain frontage on the west side of Riddoch Highway and 12 chains on Lynch Road. (ref: Border Watch, 31st Jan 1892) * In 1893 he bought the lease of block 7. Also acquired blocks 3 & 8 - 50 acres in all (ref: Border Watch, 31st Jan 1893) *
  Notes for biography	PUBLIC POSITIONS * In 1890, he nominated another person as a Penola District Councillor (ref: Peter Rymill, Border Watch, 18th June 1890) * On the Penola Show Committee (ref: Border Watch, 16th Aug 1890) * He was elected to the Penola District Council - in 1891, 1895, 1897, 1903, 1905 & 1909 (ref: Peter Rymill) * In 1900 he was President of Penola National Sports Association (Border Watch, 20th Oct 1900) * In 1909 he was a JP. (ref: Peter Rymill)
  Related website	NOTE that are more details about John Forbes are in www.samuelway.net
  Occupation	* He managed Glenroy Station (ref: Peter Rymill, Border Watch, 20th Dec 1890) * He had fruit blocks in Penola for at least 1892 & 1893. * In 1907, Glenroy Estate was sold and JFG was no longer manager. The salary had been 125 pounds per year. (ref: Peter Rymill) * He grew grapes in Coonawarra and sold them to John Riddoch (and his estate) from 1896 to 1909) (ref: Peter Rymill)  [1]
  Residence	RESIDENCES: * John lived for a time in Naracoorte with his father [Question : or was this with his brother Alexander]. They lived in a crude house in a swamp close to the town. (ref : Colin Semmler, p5) The area was known as Gordon Swamp. John started to build a house with Alexander but was abandoned at foundation. * He was manager of Glenroy Station from before 1890 to perhaps 1907 (ref: Peter Rymill). Glenroy is 40 kms south of Naracoorte and 10 kms north of Coonawarra. * Other relatives who might have spent time in the general area of Narcoorte-Glenroy-Coonawarra-Penola in the 1890s (especially the late 1890s) were JFG's sister Maggie (or was this his wife Margaret?) and nephews Sinclair (especially), William and Archibald (ref: Peter Rymill). Also JFG's younger brother, Alexander was living nearby in the mid 1880s - at Gordon Swamp which is 15 kms from Glenroy.
  Died	29 Nov 1914	Owen, SA, Australia   [2]
  Buried	Owen cemetery, plot number 283, unmarked
  Person ID	I1	Alexander & Jessie
  Last Modified	5 May 2019

  
  

  Father	Alexander GORDON,   b. 19 Feb 1822,   d. 5 Sep 1895, 'Beaufort', Belvidere, SA, Australia  (Age 73 years)
  Mother	Jessie MacKinzie Kennady MATHESON,   b. 17 Apr 1823, Inverness, Scotland, UK ,   d. 12 Jun 1866, Lake Plains, SA, Australia  (Age 43 years)
  Married	18 Feb 1850	Kirkhill, Scotland, UK
  Wedding	18 Feb 1850	Kirkhill
  	OPR marriages 103/0020 0133 - Kirkhill on 18th February 1850: "Married of this date Alexander Gordon Brahan Parrish of Urray to Jessie Matheson Inchberry Parish of Kirkhill witness Alex Fraser? esq Inchberry and Alex Douglas schoolmaster Keswick?"
  Family ID	F2	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Margaret Bee COX,   b. 21 Mar 1855, Adelaide ,   d. 4 Jul 1927  (Age 72 years)
  Married	5 Jul 1888	Christ Church, Strathalbyn, SA, Australia   [3]
  Children	Children : John & Margaret did not have any children except a still-birth.
  Wedding	Wedding: On the 5th July, at Christ Church, Strathalbyn, by the Rev. W. J. Bussell, John Forbes, eldest son of Mr. Alexander Gordon, of Angas Plains, to Margaret Bee Cox, niece of Mrs Blue, the Dower House, Strathalbyn. (South Australian Register, Adelaide, 23rd July 1888 p4) Groom: Aged 33 years, father Alexander Gordon, Bride: Aged 33 years, father William Cox (Registered in Strathalbyn, book 156, page 51)
  Last Modified	10 May 2018
  Family ID	F62	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		John Forbes Gordon's grape vines in Coonawarra JF Gordon’s Coonawarra blocks, looking south along the Riddoch Highway from the Lynch Road crossroads. It’s not the block immediately on the corner, but beyond the white bike shed. The walnut trees might be on his second block. The next block is Lindeman’s St George. The tower in the distance is in the Coonawarra township.
  		John Forbes Gordon at Penola Council meeting in 1880s John most likely front right. This photo might have been taken between 1901 and 1909.
  		Angus Plains school Alexander, Donald, John, Catherine, Hugh & Maggie might have attended this school as there was probably not a school at Belvidere.

  
  

  Documents		Census 1851 - Gordon household in Stonehaven - Alexander, Jessie & John 1851 Census, Parish of Fetteresso, town of Stonehaven - reference 258/1/53, page 53 number 287. Barclay Street * Alexander Gordon, head, married, male, 29 years old [c1822], platelayer, born in Rosshire Kiltearn * Jessie Gordon, wife, married, female, 25 years old [c1826], born in Inverness Kirkhill * John Gordon, son, unmarried, male, 3 months old [c1851], born in Kincardine Stonehaven
  		WW - John Gordon - born 7th January 1851 in Stonehaven Alexander Gordon, labourer, Stonehaven, and his wife Jessie Mathieson, had a son born 7th day of January 1851, and baptized in presence of Wm Polson?? and Msc?? Mathieson both in Stonehaven, and named John.

  
  

• Sources

  [S69] Peter Rymill. [S1] Trove newspapers, Daily Herald, Adelaide, Tuesday 1st December 1914, p 4. [S16] Colin Semmler - these notes can be seen with Documents on the left of the home page, Page 5.