John Glasson

  General Notes:

Stephen Crawshaw notes:
Educated Truro Grammar School. Read good literature and wrote his letters in good English. Worked on a farm called "Pellor" and in a shipping office in London. John Glasson knew that marriage in Cornwall lead to misery and poverty unless the wife was wealthy, so he took the chance and, in 1829, he became the first of the Glassons to emigrate. He sailed on the Australia from Gravesend on 23-4 Nov 1829, and arrived in Sydney on 21 April 1830. He carried letter of introduction to George Allen solicitor in Sydney. (GA was the first solicitor admitted by NSW Supreme Court, and was a fellow Methodist.) JG married George Allen's family governess. JG is said to have found copper on his NSW property. On 10 November 1829 he wrote "Before I left Falmouth I wrote Uncle Robert taking farewell of him, and warning him against drinking, and when I got there I received an answer expressed in affectionate terms. He says he is like poor uncle Henry, sees the good and approves it, condemns the bad, but often pursues it. Uncle Robert, however, tells me that he shall often read my letter, and that he is determined to be on guard in future." [It is said that Robert was an alcoholic.]
John Rule says:
John Glasson … was strongly built and five feet eleven inches tall. He was a strict Methodist, supporting Parson Tom in the belief that only Wesleyans would get to Heaven. Glasson's calm manner and sincerity quickly gained the respect of all that met him. He was also a calculating, but honest, businessman who seldom made a decision without first referring to a Higher Authority. John Glasson's 640 acre grant was approved on 1st November 1830. It is debatable whether Glasson was successful in his first short year of operation. He was more than satisfied to show a one pound profit from his first wool clip. During his second season, profit increased to 27/6d. Glasson's first home was of wattle and daub construction and he named it 'Newton'. During 1842, 'Bookanan' became its replacement; a small building assembled from rough undressed rubble covered with creamish plaster. Before long, a separate portion was built nearby. By 1849, a two-storey Georgian style construction linked the earlier stages to form a 'U' shaped dwelling. Each of Bookanan's three chimneys marks an independent development to Byng's longest standing structure. In 1857, Glasson, his wife and a son emigrated to Papakura, New Zealand. Glasson's wife had long suffered from asthma and the change of climate prolonged her ailing life a further four years. Glasson's 'Linwood Estate' consisted of 900 acres on which he grazed sheep and bullocks. One of New Zealand's first exotic timber mills was built to handle eucalyptus trees grown by the Glassons for fencing and construction.

  Noted events in his life were:

• source. Kerry Gamble (nee Botten)

• fact. John was a witness to his sister Eliza's marriage to George TREWEEKE 27 Aug 1828 at Breage, Cornwall. He emigrated to Australia 17 Apr 1830, aged 27. He died in New Zealand aged 87. John was the first GLASSON to emigrate to New South Wales, Australia and is well known by his descendant for the still existent letters he wrote back to his parents John an Mary in Cornwall. Later four brother's and 3 sister's also emigrated and their stories are told in Mary GLASSON's book called the "Glasson Saga". When he emigrated from Byng in New South Wales in 1858 to New Zealand he bought 900 acres of land at Karaka which he named "Linwood. He built their home on the banks of the Whangamairie, the tidal creek now (1990'2) spanned by Glasson's Bridge. John GLASSON's death certifcate records the follwing: Death certificate No. 1890/27 Cause of death: Debility following an attack of influenza acting on constitution impaired by age. Lived in NZ for 33 years [ie moved from NSW in 1857] and was 31 yearsold when he married. Living issue were 1 male [Robert] aged 49 years and 1 female [ Mary Anne] aged 47 years. Occupation was farmer. Informant was Andrew McKnight, agent appointed by son-in- (missing) [ the same as for his son John who had died 10 months earlier and was noted as the Constable , Papakura].

John married Annie Evans on 28 Dec 1834 in Scots Church, Bathurst, NSW Australia. (Annie Evans was born on 4 Apr 1810 in St Marys Hill, Montgomeryshire, Wales UK and died on 5 Jun 1861 in Auckland New Zealand.)