Thomas Richard Sumner was baptised to Father: Richard Sumner and Mother: Jane [Tunnell][1] on 16 December 1819 at Saint John, Preston, Lancashire, England. The assumption is made that they were living in Preston at the time and he was also born there. This is confirmed in the 1851 England Census.
On 24 December 1848 he married Jane Crooks, both being of full age, in the Parish of Halsall, Lancashire, England, with his father Richard Sumner and Jane's William Crooks. Thomas was a Bachelor and a Clerk, and Jane was a Spinster. He was resident in the Parish of Formby at the time and she was at Halsall. Richard's father was a Surgeon and Jane's a Clerk.
In the 1851 England Census, Thomas R Sumner gave his age as 30 years and occupation Railway Clerk, while Janet Sumner was 23 years old. They were living at the Railway Station in Formby, Lancashire, England. Mary Jane Sumner is indicated to have been born on 24 July 1851, but without a location, in some Ancestry FTs and with no source given.
Thomas R Sumner with Janet, Mary Anne and Henry emigrated to South Australia on the ship Grasmere, arriving at Port Adelaide on 28 Aug 1852. [2]
Then came Fanny Elizabeth Sumner born 13 July 1854 at Goolwa, South Australia, Australia, according to her FindAGrave record and is shown engraved on her tombstone[3].
Thomas Richard Sumner purchased some land at Goolwa on the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia in 1857, which he would sell part of on 2 February 1867 to the South Australian Banking Company of Adelaide for ₤200[4]. He is recorded in this source as being a Baker.
A son named Richard Sumner was born on 6 November 1860 at Goolwa, South Australia, with the birth registered in Encounter Bay, South Australia; followed by William on 19 August 1864, and Alfred Henery on 13 June 1866, all 3 in Goolwa - all from ABI records.
Thomas Richard Sumner passed away in Currency Creek on 26 October 1901, aged 82 years, with his death registered at Encounter Bay, South Australia.
It seems likely that his surname was used as the founding name for what would become the Indigenous dynasty of Sumners in South Australia through his contact with Reverend George Taplin's Point McLeay Mission Station, later to become known by the Indigenous name for the area of Raukkan.
Southern Argus 31 Oct 1901
Goolwa, Sept 28.
Mr Thomas Richard Sumner who died at his residence, Currency Creek, on Saturday morning at the age of 83 years, arrived at Port Adelaide in the ship Grasmere in 1852. He went to the Echunga gold diggings a little later, and did well there. Like many other old colonists thinking that at the mouth
of the great river of Australia would spring up one the chief towns of the colony, he came with his wife to Goolwa in a bullock-dray. He started business as a baker and grocer, and carried on for many years. About 16 years ago he retired from business, and removed to Currency Creek. He was one of the first
settlers on Hindmarsh Island, and was a member of the Goolwa town council for some years, He has left a widow, three sons and two daughters. The second son now carries on the business at Goolwa, and has been mayor of the town for the past two years. The eldest daughters is the wife of Mr. J. A.
Bowley, postmaster at Petersburg; and the other the wife of Mr. L. Driver of Alberton. [5]
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