James Gower (1808 - 1884)

Born 1808 in Headcorn, Kent, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Ann (Davis) Gower — married 23 Dec 1828 in Maidstone, Kent, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 2 Jun 1884 at about age 76 in Near Williamstown, South Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Ray Howell [send private message]

Biography

A James Gower was baptized in Headcorn,^[1] Kent, on 17 February 1808. The FamilySearch record of this baptism^[2] does not give the names of his parents, but an image of the parish register page, obtained from findmypast.co.uk, shows the names of the parents as William and Mary.

It is believed that his parents were the William Gower and Mary Beeching who were married in Biddenden^[3] on 30 July 1798.^[4]

James Gower married Mary Davis in Maidstone^[5] on 23 December 1828.^[6]

A Mary Ann Gower, daughter of James and Mary, was baptized in Maidstone on 13 December 1829.^[7] No other baptism records for children of James and Mary have yet been identified.

At the time of the 1841 census James and Mary and family were living at Brickhouse in High Halden parish.‍^[8] They had six children at this time; the eldest, Mary, matches the Maidstone baptism mentioned above.

Brick House, High Halden, 6 June 1841:‍^[9]

James Gower (30, Farmer, Kent);

Mary Gower (30, Kent);

Mary Gower (11, Kent);

Elizabeth Gower (9, Kent);

Sarah Gower (7, Kent);

James Gower (4, Kent);

Emma Gower (2, Kent);

Ellen Gower (1, Kent).

At the time of the 1851 the family were at Bush in Biddenden parish.^[10] The three oldest girls had left home, or were not at home on census day, and two more had arrived.

Bush, Biddenden, 31 March 1851:‍^[11]

James Gower (Head, 43, Agricultural labourer, Kent Headcorn);

Mary Ann Gower (Wife, 45, Sussex Hastings);

James Gower (Son, 15, Kent Headcorn);

Ann Gower (Daughter, 13, Scholar, Kent Headcorn);

Ellen Gower (Daughter, 11, Scholar, Kent High Halden);

Jane Gower (Daughter, 8, Scholar, Kent High Halden);

Eliza Gower (Daughter, 1, Kent Biddenden).

Admittedly, these two census records are not completely compatible. The Ellen in the 1851 record, aged 11 and born in High Halden, is obviously a perfect match for the Ellen in the 1841 record, aged 1 and living in High Halden, and the adult James, aged 43 in 1851, is a perfect match for the adult James in the 1841 record, given that at the 1841 census ages of adults were supposed to be rounded down to multiples of 5. But the other three people who ought to match do not.

The boy James, aged 15 on 31 March 1851 would have been at least 5 on 6 June 1841, but his age was recorded as 4. This is not a big problem: such age inconsistencies are common enough in census records.

It is more worrying that we must identify the Ann who was 13 on 31 March 1851 with the Emma who was 2 on 6 June 1841. We can say that the ages are close enough to right; maybe the census enumerator committed a transcription error when entering the name into his book.

The Mary Ann Gower who was 45 on 31 March 1851 would have been at least 35 on 6 June 1841; furthermore, she was said to have been born in Sussex. So could she be the same person as the Mary Gower who was aged between 30 and 34 on 6 June 1841 and born in Kent? Given also the seven year age difference between the two youngest childred in 1851, it looks very possible that the Mary Ann of 1851 was James Gower's second wife, and not the same person as the Mary Gower of 1841.

The births of the first four children (Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah and James) preceded civil registration, but it seems that the births of all the subsequent children were registered. Searching the GRO birth index^[12] between 1837 and 1851 for births in Kent of children with surname Gower (or similar sounding) and mother's maiden surname Davis (or similar sounding) finds ten in all:

• Ellen Gower, birth registered the Hollingbourne district in the first quarter of 1838;
• Ellen Gower, birth registered in the Tenterden district first quarter of 1840;
• Jane Gower, birth registered in the Tenterden district in the second quarter of 1842;
• Mercy Gower, birth registered in the Tenterden district in the third quarter of 1844;
• Eliza Gawer, birth registered in the Tenterden district in the first quarter of 1850;
• five named Gurr in the West Ashford district.

The Gurrs were obviously a different family, and the death of a Mercy Gower was registered in the Tenterden district in the first quarter of 1851. The GRO death index^[12] says that she was aged six.

Our conclusion from this is that the 45 year old Mary Ann of 1851 was the same person as the 30 to 34 year old Mary of 1841. Probably they understated her age in 1841, and did not trouble to mention that she was not actually born in Kent. The Ellen Gower whose birth was registered in 1838 came to be called Emma (or possibly Ann); perhaps the registrar of births misheard the name or accidentally wrote down the wrong name. And there was a large age difference between the two youngest children, but only 5½ years, not 7.

Mary Ann Gower, daughter of James Gower, married Edward Vinehall, son of Edward Vinehall, in Tenterden^[13] on 23 August 1851.^[14]

All the members of James Gower's family, with the exception of his daughter Sarah, but including Edward and Mary Ann Vinall, were passengers in the ship Charlotte Jane, which sailed from Plymouth on 8 October 1851 and arrived at Port Adelaide on 13 January 1852.^[15] The Gowers are listed individually of the first page of the passenger list: Elizabeth (age 19), James (age 42), Mary (age 43), Amy (age 13), Ellen (age 12), Jane (age 9), Eliza (age 1) and James (age 15). The Vinalls appear on the third page: Edward (age 24) and Mary A (age 22). Then on page 5 there are three Gower entries, namely

Gower James, Agl Lab, Kent, aged 15 (single male)

Gower Elizth, Servant, Kent, aged 19 (single female)

Gower James, Agl Lab, Kent, aged 42 (with wife aged 43 and daughters aged 13, 12 and 1)

and on page 6 there is a Vinall entry,

Vinall Edward, Agl Lab, Kent, aged 24 (with wife aged 22).

The final page of the passenger list describes itself as 'Return of Emigrants proceeding by the Ship "Charlotte Jane" to Adelaide who on Account of Age, Occupation or Excess of Young children have been required to pay an extra Contribution beyond £1 a head', and it includes James Gower, who was required to pay £8 for being Over Age and bringing Extra children.

Observe that in four records we have four different versions of the name of the girl born in 1838: she was Ellen in 1838, Emma at the 1841 census, Ann at the 1851 census and Amy on the passenger list.

South Australian marriage records say that Amy Gower, daughter of James Gower, married Samuel Sands, son of Samuel Sands, at Gawler^[16] on 13 February 1861.^[17]

Elizabeth Gower, spinster of Lyndoch Valley,^[18] aged 20, married John Rushall, bachelor of Lyndoch Valley, labourer, aged 29, at St George's Church, Gawler, on 18 January 1853.^[19] Since (as we shall see below) James Gower lived in Lyndoch Valley in 1853, it certainly seems likely that the bride was his daughter, despite the fact that the marriage record does not give the bride's father's name.

There is, however, a rather serious objection to the theory that John Rushall's wife was James Gower's daughter. Elizabeth Rushall, widow of John, died in Victoria on 30 August 1911, and her death certificate states that her parents were John Gower (a farmer) and Elizabeth Gower, maiden name illegible but possibly Brown. Could it really be that the Elizabeth Gower who accompanied the other Gowers in the Charlotte Jane  was not James's daughter? Could it even be that the Elizabeth in James's household in 1841 was not his daughter? Or could it be that the person who reported Elizabeth Rushall's death was confused in the matter of her parentage?

Ellen Gower, daughter of James Gower, married Jabez Gosden, son of William Gosden, on 11 March 1862, at the residence of James Gower senior, near Williamstown,^[20] South Australia.^[17] Jabez Adam Gosden, eldest son of Mr William Gosden of Lyndoch Valley, died of scarlatina, at the age of 26 years, on 9 January 1864, at Williamstown,^[21] and on 26 May 1872 at Norwood,^[22] Ellie Gosden, relict of the late Mr Jabez Gosden of Williamstown, married Edmund Major Wilson, of Williamstown, fourth son of Thomas Wilson Esq..^[23]

According to a transcription of South Australian marriage registration records, Eliza Gower, daughter of James Gower, married John Bormer, son of John Bormer, on 6 January 1869, in the Barossa registration district.^[17] The groom's surname was actually Boomer, not Bormer.

James Gower's daughter Sarah, who chose to remain in England, married Stephen Jarvis in Biddenden on 1 April 1852.^[24]

James Gower, son of James Gower, married Hannah Savary, whose father's name was William Kitchen, at Lyndoch Valley on 28 November 1859.^[17] On the face of it this information implies that Hannah was either a widow or the illegitimate daughter of William Kitchen and a woman named Savary. However, closer examination seems to reveal that Hannah's parents were married and Hannah was originally known as Hannah Kitchen, but (for reasons unknown) had decided to adopt her mother's maiden surname. The GRO birth index reveals that the birth of a Hannah Kitchen whose mother's maiden name was Savory was registered in the City of London in the third quarter of 1839,^[12] and there is an 1841 census record showing a 37 year old Ostler named William Kitchen living with a 27 year old Hannah Kitchen and a 2 year old Hannah Kitchen at Red Lion Yard, Aldersgate Street, London.^[25] Hannah Savory arrived in South Australia in the ship Frenchman on 30 September 1858;^[26] she was an 18 year old unmarried general servant from Middlesex.

Josiah Boothby's Adelaide Almanack, Town and Country Directory, and Guide to South Australia for 1864  lists "Gower Jas sen, farmer, near Williamstown" in its Mount Crawford section.^[27] "Gower Jas, jun, farmer, near Williamstown" is also listed in the same section, and both James senior and James junior continued to be listed in subsequent issues of the directory.

In the 1867 issue James senior's address becomes "Victoria Creek", rather than "near Williamstown", and similarly James junior's address becomes "Kangaroo Gully", though whether they had moved is doubtful.^[28] In 1873 James Junior's address changes from "Kangaroo Gully, Mount Crawford" to simply "Mount Crawford", and in 1874 James senior's address also becomes simply "Mount Crawford". And in 1874 James senior's occupation changes from "farmer" to "stockholder".

Democracy

On 2 February 1854 the newspaper The South Australian Register  published the text of a petition to the Queen and both Houses of Parliament, partially quoted herewith.^[29]

Nominee Upper House

To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty and the two Houses of the British Parliament.

The memorial of the undersigned colonists of South Australia humbly showeth—

 That the Acts to establish a Parliament in South Australia, and to confer a Civil List on Her Majesty passed by the Legislative Council of the province in the late session, are, in two vital points, directly opposed to the views and sentiments of the great majority of the colonists.

 In the first place, the Parliament Act provides that the Parliament shall consist of two Chambers, one of which shall be composed of members nominated by the Crown for life.

 Secondly, the Civil List Act contains a provision enacting that the persons now holding office as Colonial Secretary, Advocate-General, Treasurer, Collector of Customs, and Commissioner of Crown Lands, shall (directly the amended Constitution comes into force) receive gratuities equal to four years' amount of the salary they now receive.

 On these heads, your memorialists beg leave to observe …

The observations include reference to "the much more liberal reform of the Constitution introduced by the Victoria Government, which concedes the principle of an elective Upper Chamber, so earnestly desired by the colonists of South Australia". They also say that "reference to the votes and procedings of the Legislative Council will show that … on the question for granting a gratuity equal to four years' present salary to the persons now filling the offices of Colonial Secretary, Advocate-General, Treasurer, or Collector of Customs, the votes of these officers will be found in the majority voting for such gratuities, and which gratuities would not have been carried had these officers abstained from voting".

James Gower was one of the great many people who attached their names to the petition.

More newspaper Items

On 16 March 1853 the Bench of Magistrates granted a cattle slaughtering licence to James Gower of Lyndoch Valley.^[30]

At the meeting of Barossa West Council on 2 April 1856, the Ranger reported having detected the following persons infringing the Crown Lands Act, viz. :— Jabez Gosden, removing stone; Wilhelm Habel, raising stone; and James Gower, cutting timber. The Ranger was instructed to direct Mr F. F. Turner to take the necessary steps for the prosecution.^[31]

Barossa West Council granted a slaughtering licence to James Gower in March 1858,^[32] and in March 1859,^[33] and in March 1860.^[34]

In April 1859 James Gower of the Barossa West district donated five shillings to the bush fire relief fund.^[35]

Killer dog

On 9 May 1867 in the Gawler Local Court an action was brought by John Richards the Younger, by his next friend John Richards the Elder, for £100, damages from James Gower for keeping a dog, knowing the same to be accustomed to kill mankind, whereby he was seriously injured.

The defendant pleaded not guilty, and that the plaintiff provoked the dog and was in consequence attacked.

There was no evidence presented that the dog had ever killed anyone, or that it had ever injured anyone other than the younger John Richards. The evidence, as reported in The Bunyip, was as follows.^[36]

 John Richards — I work at the Lyndoch Valley Gold Mining Company, and my house and defendants are about 90 yards apart. I cautioned defendant about his dog, and he promised to either chain or muzzle him. My child was afterwards bitten by him in the face. I told him if he would pay the doctor's, expenses I should be content. He told me to go and be damned. The child's speech is injured.
 Cross-examined — I lived in a house of defendant's. but the dog never attacked me, and I never knew it bite anyone else but my children.

  Elizabeth Richards — I was accustomed to fetch Mrs. Gower's cows for her. The second time my brother was bitten he was with me, and the dog came round the house and caught hold of his face. Mrs. Gower said it served him right.
 Cross-examined — I never saw my brother pull the dog's tail or his hind leg.

 Elizabeth Richards, mother of plaintiff — My little boy accompanied his sister to Mrs Gower's, and when he came back he was so bitten he could not even cry. His sleeve was covered with blood. His face was bitten right to the jaw. Mrs Gower came to my house to his assistance. The doctor came and dressed the wound. The child cannot chew properly, as he lost two teeth by the bite. He cannot speak as he used.

 L. Richter — I practice medicine at Lyndoch and I attended Mrs Richard's little boy. When I arrived he was covered with blood from a wound on the face, and part of his jaw was broken. A fall on the ground would not injure it so. I do not think the injuries will permanently affect the child's powers of speech or mastication. The marks will be permanent. I saw the boy about four times.

 Thomas Canty, sawyer, Williamstown, said he cautioned Richards's children not to tease the dog, or they would be bitten.

 James Gower — I am the owner of a dog. It is a kind of a sheep dog. I do not chain it, for I never knew it to kill anyone. I have 15 grandchildren, who are often at my house. I have often seen little Richards on the dog's back. The boy's father came to me once, and told me if I caught the boy teasing the dog to give him the stick.

 Mary Ann Gower — On the day in question the little boy caught hold of the dog's ear and the tail. I told him not to do so. Soon afterwards I saw the boy put his hand to his mouth and run away.

 Wm Daly — The dog never hurts any of my children and I do not think it vicious.

 Edward Vinnal — I know the dog and always considered him harmless.

 Frederic Jarman — I live about 300 yards from Mr Gower's, and I know the dog. I do not think it savage. I have seen Richards's children tormenting it. I have since this accident chastised the boy for pulling the dog about.

 James Gower, Jun. — I know my father's dog and aiways thought it quiet. I have four children, which are in the habit of playing with it.

Verdict for plaintiff damages £20.

A case of arson

On Tuesday 27 September 1881 an inquest was held into the cause of a fire that destroyed an uninhabited cottage near Williamstown on the preceding Friday night. It was a wet night, and it was thought that the fire must have been started deliberately, but no suspects were identified.

It was stated in evidence that the house belonged to James Gower, and that until a week previous to the fire it was inhabited by James Gower's cousin, Stephen Gower.^[37]

The owner would have been James Gower the younger, and the main point of interest at present is merely that he had a cousin named Stephen Gower. It seems likely, therefore, that James Gower the elder had a brother who lived in the neighbourhood. In fact it is conjectured that John Gower and Stephen Gower—both of whom died before 1881 but had lived nearby—were both brothers of James. However, since no birth or baptism record has been found for either, it is useful to have a little more evidence that one or other of them was related to James. In fact they both had sons named Stephen.

Deaths of James and Mary Ann Gower

The following death notice appeared in The Evening Journal  on 10 June 1882:^[38]

Gower.—On the 27th May, at her residence, near Williamstown, Mary Ann, the beloved wife of James Gower, sen., aged 83; leaving a large circle of friends, children, grandchildren, and great-grand-children, to lament her loss. A colonist of 30 years.

Recall that the Charlotte Jane  arrived in January 1852, about 30 years and 4 months before Mary Ann's death; so the statement that she was a colonist of 30 years fits with our version of history. It is remarkable that in those 30 years her age advanced from 43 to 83.

It is most unlikely that Mary Ann was 51 when her daughter Eliza was born, in the first quarter of 1850. So there is little doubt that her age at death was exaggerated. On the other hand, the passenger list for the Charlotte Jane  understates her age. Her age as reported in the 1851 census, namely 45, could well have been accurate. It is unfortunate that no birth or baptism record for Mary Ann has yet been located.

The Williamstown correspondent for The Bunyip  reported Mary Ann's death as follows.^[39]

We have lost an old and valued friend, Mrs. James Gower, Sen., aged 83. Her death was rather sudden. On the 23th of May she had walked to the township, nearly a mile from her house, but on the evening of the 24th she was suddenly seized with a paralytic stroke (the third); she died on the Saturday, and was buried on the Sunday when there was a very large attendance. She leaves many great great grandchildren.

The following death notice appeared in The Express and Telegraph  on 11 June 1884.^[40]

GOWER.–On the 31st May, at his residence, Mount Caddy, near Williamstown, James Gower, Sen, aged 82 years. A colonist of 32 years. Greatly respected by all who knew him. Maidstone, England, papers please copy.

As with Mary Ann, James's age at death was exaggerated. He was probably no more than a couple of months old at his baptism in February 1808, and so would have only been 76 at his death.

The South Australian Property and Planning Atlas^[41] does not recognize Mount Caddy as the name of any mountain or place in South Australia. It would seem to be the name James Gower gave to his farm, and the name may have died with James.

James Gower's Will

James Gower's will is included in the "South Australia Will and Probate Records" collection at FamilySearch.^[42] The cover sheet includes the following paragraph.

Be it known that on the eleventh day of July one thousand eight hundred and eighty four the last will and testament copy whereof is hereunder written of James Caddy the Elder of Mount Caddy Section No 569 in the District of Mount Crawford Hundred of Barossa in the Province of South Australia Stockholder deceased who died at Mount Caddy aforesaid on the thirty first day of May one thousand eight hundred and eighty four was proved and registered in the Supreme Court of the said Province And that administration of all and singular the personal estate and effects of the deceased was granted by the aforesaid Court to George Thomas Collins of Williamstown Storekeeper and Rudolph Otto Messner of Williamstown Cabinet maker both of the District and Province aforesaid the executors named in his said will they having first been sworn well and faithfully to administer the same by paying the just debts of the said deceased and the legacies contained in his said will and to exhibit a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the said estate and effects and render a true and just account of these whenever required by law so to do.

The will itself mentions James's son James Gower the Younger and his daughters Mary Vinall, Amy Sands, Ellie Wilson and Eliza Boomer. Since his daughter Jane is not mentioned, it seems likely that she had died, perhaps not long after arriving in South Australia. If Elizabeth Rushall was also his daughter, her omission might just be due to the fact that she was living in distant Victoria.

This is the last Will and Testament of me James Gower the Elder of Mount Caddy section No. 569 in the District of Mount Crawford Hundred of Barossa in the Province of South Australia Stockholder  I give devise and bequeath to my son James Gower the Younger and my daughters Mary Vinall, Amy Sands, Ellie Wilson and Eliza Boomer my third part of section No. 3156 in the District and Province aforesaid in five equal parts all the pieces to have an equal frontage to the Main Road along the Victoria Creek except Mary Vinalls which is to continue over the hill so as to bring the land of her husband Edward Vinall and her own portion into one piece  And I further direct that all my cattle all my household furniture and other personal property belonging to me shall be sold by public auction as soon as convenient after my death and the proceeds equally divided between my son James Gower the Younger Mary Vinall, Amy Sands, Ellie Wilson and Eliza Boomer hereinbefore mentioned after paying all Funeral Testamentary and Executors expenses  And I also hereby appoint Mr George Thomas Collins of Williamstown Store Keeper and Mr Rudolph Otto Messner of Williamstown Cabinet Maker both of the District and Province aforesaid to act act the Executors of this my will and I request them to reimburse themselves for all reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this my will from the monies to arise from the sale of my personal property as aforesaid  And in case one or both of my Executors shall decline to act or become incapable of acting as executors or Executor of this my will then it shall be lawful for him or them to appoint other executor or executors in their place who shall have the same power as the original Executors  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of May 1883

The executors had already sold James's cattle and household furniture on 18 June 1884, before the will was proved. The advertisement announcing the sale says that there were six dairy cows (five in milk), five calves, three heifers (two heavy in calf) and one bull (three years old).^[43]

A map of the Hundred of Barossa^[44] shows that Section 3156 is about a mile east of Williamstown with part of its northwest boundary being also part of the boundary of Section 569, which adjoins Williamstown.

Although James was "of Section 569" at the time of his death his will does not specify what was to become of Section 569; so presumably James did not own that but was merely renting it.

Section 3156 was offered for sale at a government land sale of 23 July 1857,^[45] but it was not sold at the auction.^[46] Presumably it then became available for purchase by anyone who was willing to pay the price of £1 per acre (making £161 for this section).

We know from his will that in 1884 James Gower the Elder owned one third of Section 3156 and his son in law Edward Vinall owned another part. It is plausible that they together with a third person were the original purchasers.

The third person could well have been James Gower the Younger. A page on the website localwiki.org/adelaide-hills says that Memorial 232/169, dated 1860, mentions James Gower the Elder and James Gower the Younger, farmers of Lyndoch Valley,^[47] and another page on the same site says that Edward Vinall, farmer of Lyndoch Valley, is mentioned in the same memorial.^[48]

Recall that in March 1860 James Gower ontained a slaughtering licence from Barossa West Council, indicating that at the time he was living in the Barossa West district. The border between the Barossa West district and the Mount Crawford district is described in The South Australian Government Gazette  of 15 February 1855:^[49] from Lyndoch it followed the western boundaries of Sections 501 to 517, then passed just west of Williamstown and followed Victoria Creek to the South Para (see the map of the Hundred of Barossa).^[44] Probably James moved from the Barossa West district to the Mount Crawford district when he purchased his part of Section 3156.

Sources

1. ↑ Headcorn: Wikipedia article.
2. ↑ James Gower, 1808: "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975" database (FamilySearch, 19 September 2020).
3. ↑ Biddenden: Wikipedia article.
4. ↑ William Gower and Mary Beeching, 1798: "England Marriages, 1538–1973 " database (FamilySearch 13 March 2020).
5. ↑ Maidstone: Wikipedia article.
6. ↑ James Gower and Mary Davis, 1828: "England Marriages, 1538–1973 " database (FamilySearch, 11 March 2020).
7. ↑ Mary Ann Gower, 1829: "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975" database (FamilySearch, 18 September 2020).
8. ↑ Brickhouse, High Halden: 25 inch Ordnance Survey maps, provided by the National Library of Scotland.
9. ↑ James Gower's household at the 1841 census (piece 473, book 6, folio 19, page 8), Brickhouse, High Halden, Kent. "England and Wales Census, 1841" database with images (FamilySearch, 21 May 2019); from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census" database and images, findmypast; from PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
10. ↑ Bush Farm, Biddenden, Kent: 25 inch Ordnance Survey maps, provided by the National Library of Scotland.
11. ↑ James Gower's household at the 1851 census (piece 1620, folio 92, page 19, schedule 65), Bush, Biddenden, Kent. "England and Wales Census, 1851" database with images (FamilySearch, 12 September 2019); from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census" database and images, findmypast; from PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} General Register Office: births, death and marriages in England and Wales from July 1837 on.
13. ↑ Tenterden: Wikipedia article.
14. ↑ Edward Vinehall and Mary Ann Gower, 23 August 1851: "England, Kent, Parish Registers, 1538-1911" database with images (FamilySearch, 8 December 2017); from Tenterden marriages, Kent Archives Office, Maidstone; Family History Library film 1473772.
15. ↑ Emigrants on board the Charlotte Jane, left Plymouth on 8 October 1851: State Records of South Australia, GRG 35/48/1, official assisted passage passenger lists, list 1 of 1852, Charlotte Jane (digitised copy, viewed 24 February 2021).
16. ↑ Gawler, South Australia: Wikipedia article.
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3} South Australian marriages, index of registrations 1842-1916: A. L. Cobiac (editor and project co-ordinator), South Australian Genealogy & Heraldry Society (Adelaide SA), 2001.
18. ↑ Lyndoch, South Australia: Wikipedia article.
19. ↑ Elizabeth Gower and John Rushall, 1853: FamilySearch film # 008149505, image 251 of 365.
20. ↑ Williamstown, South Australia: Wikipedia article.
21. ↑ Death of Jabez Gosden: The South Australian Register  (Adelaide SA 1839–1900), 16 January 1864, page 2. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
22. ↑ Norwood, South Australia: Wikipedia article.
23. ↑ Edmund Major Wilson and Ellie Gosden: The Adelaide Observer  (SA 1843–1904), 1 June 1872, page 2. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
24. ↑ Sara Gower and Stephen Jarvis, 1852: "England Marriages, 1538–1973 " database (FamilySearch, 13 March 2020).
25. ↑ William Kitchen's household at the 1841 census (piece 724, book 11, folio 5, page 8). "England and Wales Census, 1841" database with images (FamilySearch, 22 May 2019); from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census" database and images, findmypast; from PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
26. ↑ List of emigrants on board the Frenchman, from Liverpool, arrived Adelaide on 30 September 1858 (page 11): State Records of South Australia, GRG 35/48/1, official assisted passage passenger lists, list 7 of 1858, Frenchman (digitised copy, viewed 1 March 2021).
27. ↑ Boothby's Town and Country Directory for 1864, page 51, provided by the State Library of South Australia.
28. ↑ Boothby's Town and Country Directory for 1867, page 67, provided by the State Library of South Australia.
29. ↑ Nominee Upper House: The South Australian Register  (Adelaide SA 1839–1900), 2 February 1854, page 2. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
30. ↑ Bench of Magistrates: The Adelaide Times  (SA 1848–1858), 17 March 1853, page 3. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
31. ↑ Barossa West: The South Australian Register  (Adelaide SA 1839–1900), 4 April 1856, page 3. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
32. ↑ Barossa West: The South Australian Register  (Adelaide SA 1839–1900), 17 March 1858, page 3. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
33. ↑ Barossa West: The Adelaide Observer  (SA 1843–1904), 26 March 1859, page 8. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
34. ↑ Barossa West: The South Australian Register  (Adelaide SA 1839–1900), 19 March 1860, page 3. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
35. ↑ Bush Fire Relief Fund: The South Australian Register  (Adelaide SA 1839–1900), 16 April 1859, page 1. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
36. ↑ Thursday May 9: The Bunyip  (Gawler SA 1863 –1954), 11 May 1867, page 2. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
37. ↑ Inquest at Williamstown: The Bunyip  (Gawler SA 1863 1954), 30 September 1881, page 2. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
38. ↑ Death of Mary Ann Gower: The Evening Journal  (Adelaide SA 1869–1912), 10 June 1882, page 2. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
39. ↑ Williamstown: The Bunyip  (Gawler SA 1863–1954), 16 June 1882, page 3. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
40. ↑ Death of James Gower Sen.: The Express and Telegraph  (Adelaide SA 1867–1922), 11 June 1884 (half-past one o'clock edition), page 4. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 2 March 2021.)
41. ↑ SAPPA: the South Australian Property and Planning Atlas (provided by the government of South Australia).
42. ↑ James Gower's will: "Australia, South Australia, Will and Probate Records" database (FamilySearch, 26 September 202019). Probate and Administration Books, Supreme Court of South Australia, Adelaide.
43. ↑ At the Hotel Yards, Williamstown: The Bunyip  (Gawler SA 1863–1954), 13 June 1884, page 3, column 6. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 3 March 2021.)
44. ↑ ^{44.0 44.1} Map of the Hundred of Barossa: Surveyor General's Office, A. Vaughan Photolithographer. (Adelaide 1901.)
45. ↑ To-morrow's Land Sale: The Adelaide Times  (SA 1848 1858), 22 July 1857, page 3. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 3 March 2021.)
46. ↑ This day's land sale: The Adelaide Times  (SA 1848 1858), 23 July 1857, page 2. (National Library of Australia, Digitised Australian Newspapers, retrieved 3 March 2021.)
47. ↑ Extracts from SA General Registry Office (GRO) Information (names from 'Gom' to 'Gy'): data compiled by Reg Butler and others.
48. ↑ Extracts from SA General Registry Office (GRO) Information (names beginning 'V'): data compiled by Reg Butler and others.
49. ↑ Definitions of Districts: The South Australian Government Gazette, 15 February 1855, pages 121 to 125 (provided by AustLII, the Australasian Legal Information Institute).

Data from original GEDCOM import:

Birth:

User ID: F480D414-A54F-48F4-B3E4-0B689C143091

Record ID Number: MH:IF5951

Date: 17 FEB 1806

Place: Headcorn, Kent, England

Marriage:

England Marriages, 1538–1973

Name: James Gower

Spouse's Name: Mary Davis

Event Date: 23 Dec 1828

Event Place: All Saints, Maidstone, Kent, England

Death:

User ID: 949CA944-12D0-46D1-9BE4-534175D614B9

Record ID Number: MH:IF5952

Date: 2 JUN 1884

Place: Mount Caddy. South Australia

Record ID Number: MH:I188

User ID: 394F375D-8327-4F63-BC52-840BCDEA9BC0

UPD 05 NOV 2012 10:10:42 GMT+9.5

Notes:

SOMERSETSHIRE 1839 from London with Captain John Jackson and 234 passengers, [??? or was it just Jesse and Stephen]

arrived Port Adelaide on August 24th, 1839

Record ID Number: MH:N107

PRIN MH:I188

Burial:

Williamstown. South Australia

Record ID Number: MH:N108

PRIN MH:I188

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Ray Howell for creating WikiTree profile INDI @I182@ through the import of Eatts Family2.GED on Nov 24, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Ray and others.