WOOD John  NEW

Compiled by Gordon Freegard based on research by Stephen Newbey

John Wood was born in 1850 at Kapunda, South Australia.
His parents, John Wood (c.23/04/1820-02/12/1867) & Ann Wood (nee Foster) (c.29/12/1819-09/06/1868) (m20/02/1841) farmed at "Pleasant Farm" Rapid Bay, South Australia. John’s paternal  grandparents had also been farmers at "Warren Farm" Lockton, Yorkshire. England.
John married young on 21st July 1868 to Mary Jane Hucks at “Pleasant Farm”, Rapid Bay, S.A. in a double wedding with his elder brother, William, who married Mary Jane’s sister. As John was only 18, his eldest brother, Foster, consented to the marriage. John’s parents had both died before he married.
John's first wife, Mary Jane Hucks was born on 04^th September 1847 at Wrotham, Kent, England.
She had emigrated to South Australia with her parents, siblings and grandfather aboard "Emigrant" landing on 20th October 1854.
John and Mary Jane moved around following their marriage, eventually settling in 1877 to farm at “Mountain Rock Farm”, Gumbowie, South Australia. They had 11 children, the last 6 born at Gumbowie.
"Pleasant Farm" was not large enough to support 3 growing families so it was sold and the Wood brothers went their separate ways.
On 23^rd May 1877 John purchased 597 acres of land at Gumbowie, calling it “Mount Rock Farm” and was still at Gumbowie when his wife, Mary Jane, died on 19th January 1906. at Terowie, South Australia.

JOHN WOOD & HIS DAUGHTER ROSE ELIZABETH               #1
 

After her death, life was miserable at “Mountain Rock Farm” and John’s youngest son, Oliver, fled to Western Australia to be with his sister, Lily Jayne Hams, living near what is now Gnowangerup.In July 1907, John came west for his son, Oliver’s, wedding. One of his daughters, Lilly Jane Hams, had also come to Western Australia and settled near where Gnowangerup is now.
Liking the land around what is now Gnowangerup, he went back to South Australia to finalise financial and farming matters and returned to W.A. where he selected “Woodlands” on what is now Woodlands Road, Gnowangerup.
He remarried in 1907 to Elsie Ellen Porteous (later Preece) (27/06/1885-16/10/1972) in the Kojonup district, Western Australia. Elsie had a daughter, Winifred Elsie Porteous/Wood/MERCER (1906-1928) from a previous relationship.
John & Elsie had another four children and John adopted Elsie’s daughter from a previous relationship. John named his youngest daughter, Violet Ellen Gnowangerup Wood.
In 1924, he sold “Woodlands”, then comprising 2,000 acres, to his son Oliver Junilee Wood and retired to Hill Street, Bayswater, Western Australia.
He died at his residence on 13th October 1930 aged 80 years and was buried on 15th at Karrakatta Cemetery.
John’s daughter, Lily Jane, married George Henry Hams on 05th May 1904 at Gumbowie, S.A. and moved to W.A. with her husband shortly afterwards. They farmed near Gnowangerup. The wood & Hams families were intertwined.
John’s son, Oliver Jubilee (named so as he was born in Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee year), married Edith Richards in 1907 at “Xmas Farm”, Gnowangerup and farmed around Gnowangerup until he retired to Albany.

Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please use CONTACT at the top of this page to email us. We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.