John Thomas Gosper (1832 - 1910)

Born 19 Apr 1832 in Upper Colo, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Grace Turnbull (Cox) Gosper — married 1 Nov 1853 in Church of England, Lower Hawkesbury, New South Wales, Australia

Husband of Sarah (Pearson) Gosper — married 7 Oct 1879 in St. Matthew's Church of England, Windsor, NSW, Australia

Descendants

Died 17 Jan 1910 at age 77 in The Terrace, Windsor, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Rod Kennedy [send private message]

Biography

John's obituary appeared in the Windsor & Richmond Gazette:^[1]

After an illness of about eighteen months, Mr John T. Gosper passed away at his residence, The Terrace, Windsor, on Monday night. The deceased was an Alderman of Windsor Municipal Council, in fact he was one of the oldest of our civic fathers, and was first elected about 30 years ago. The late Mr Gosper was a man who did a great deal for the town he lived in. Much against his will – for he was a modest man and of unostentatious character – he was induced to give his time and talents to the ratepayers when Windsor was first incorporated, and though he often threatened to retire from public life, he was repeatedly urged to allow himself to be again nominated for aldermanic honors. He always acquiesced in the wishes of the people, but invariably left himself entirely in the hands of the ratepayers, and did not ask a single person to vote for him. We have known the late Mr Gosper to stroll up town on the night after a municipal election, when he himself was a candidate, and unconcernedly ask 'Who got in?' Such was the independent character of the man. He never sought the limelight, and did his duty as an alderman because he felt it incumbent upon him to do the best he could for the town. He was the best chairman of the works committee the Council ever had, being a practical levelheaded man who would do what he considered right in spite of all opposition. The late Mr. Gosper was twice married. His first wife was a sister of Alderman S. Cox, of Pitt Town, by whom he had a family of twelve, viz., John, Thomas and David (both dead), Mrs F. Rigby (Hurstville), Alfred (railway guard, Richmond), Mrs J. Christie, Windsor), Mrs E. C. Wickham (Penrith), Cyrus (who has a saddlery business at Attunga, near Tamworth), Charles (dead), Edwin (of Singer and Co., Coonamble), Jesse (coach proprietor, Windsor), Mrs T. Jones (Penrith), and Louisa (dead). He married Sarah, daughter of the late John Pearson, of Windsor in 1879, and the issue of this marriage was one daughter and one son, Mrs W. F. Mudie (Leichhardt), and Arthur (Windsor). Besides being one of the oldest alderman he was for many years on the committee of the Hawkesbury District Agricultural Society, and a director and part owner of the Hawkesbury Steam Navigation Company's steamers. The late Mr. Gosper, who was 77 years and 9 months old, was born at Upper Colo, and for some years kept the well-known hotel there, where Mrs Hayman subsequently lived. In the early days he traded on the Colo and Hawkesbury Rivers, to Sydney, and subsequently came to Windsor, where he carried on grazing and farming. He was a wellknown breeder of famous draught stock, and owned some of the best Clydesdale stallions ever brought to the Hawkesbury district, some of them imported horses. There were few better judges of a draught horse than the late John Gosper. The funeral took place on Wednesday, and was very largely attended. Rev. N. Jenkyn conducted the last sad rites, and paid an eloquent tribute to the useful life deceased had led.

John was buried at St. Matthew's Church of England, Windsor (10L-03).^[2]

• Nepean Times (Penrith, NSW : 1882 - 1962), Saturday 22 January 1910, page 6

Beyond the Veil

Ald. John Gosper.

Ald John Gosper, of Windsor, died at his residence on Monday night last, after a short illness, from a general break-up of the system, at the of 77 years. He was born at Upper Colo, and lived all his life in the Hawkesbury district, and some 40 years in Windsor. He was one of the type of stalwart natives who made the Hawkesbury famous. Many years ago he kept the hotel at Upper Colo, long since closed. Subsequently he took up farming and grazing pursuits, and was a successful breeder of high-class draught stock, and the owner of several notable Clydesdale stallions, some of them imported horses. He was an alderman in the Windsor Council for many years, Deceased was twice married, and leaves a large grown-up family, Mrs E. O. Wickham, of Penrith, being a daughter

Sources

1. ↑ Windsor & Richmond Gazette (NSW), 22 January 1910, p.4
2. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 06 November 2018), memorial page for John Thomas Gosper (19 Apr 1832–17 Jan 1910), Find A Grave Memorial no. 158686166, citing Saint Matthew's Anglican Church Cemetery, Windsor, Windsor, Hawkesbury City, New South Wales, Australia ; Maintained by Stombell (contributor 48335209). Find A Grave: Memorial #158686166

• NSW BDM birth/ baptism 622/1832 V1832622 16 showing father 'John' and no mother's name?
• NSW Marriage Index 549/1853 at 'CY' (Church of England, Lower Hawkesbury) to Grace Cox
• NSW Marriage Index 5204/1879 top Sarah Pearson
• NSW Death Index 3844/1910
• Sydney Morning Herald Death Notice - 19th January, 1910
• Obituary - Windsor and Richmond Gazette - 22nd January, 1910