Lewis, John (1844 - 1923)

Summary

John Lewis, having run away from home at age 14, spent the next ten years working on outback properties, becoming an expert in bushcraft and on sheep, cattle and horses. In 1872 he was employed as a courier between construction parties for the overland telegraph. Until 1876 he ran pastoral, mining and trading operations at Palmerston (later Darwin) before returning to South Australia. There he established, with partners, a stock and station agency which became one of biggest pastoral companies in South Australia. He also acquired extensive land holdings in South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, some in association with Thomas Elder. Lewis was a member of the South Australian Legislative Council for 25 years from 1898. His wider interests included as a member and President of the Horticultural and Floricultural Society, the Aborigines Friends' Association, and the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, South Australian Branch. The John Lewis Gold Medal has been awarded by the Branch since 1947.

Details

Chronology

1898 - 1902

Career position - Member for Northern District, Legislative Council, South Australia

1899 - 1902

Career position - President, Horticultural and Floricultural Society

1902 - 1923

Career position - Member for North-eastern District, Legislative Council, South Australia

1913 - 1920

Career position - President, Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, South Australian Branch

1923

Award - Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)

Related entries

Published resources

Book Sections

• Kearns, R. H. B., 'Lewis, John (1844 - 1923), pastoralist and politician' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 10: 1891 - 1939 Lat-Ner, Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle, eds (Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 1986), pp. 93-4. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Lewis, John (1844 - 1923)', in Obituaries Australia, Australian National University, Canberra, 2023. https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/lewis-john-599. Details