[Index]
Ralph Edward Godschall JOHNSON (1812 - 1876)
Children Self + Spouses Parents Grandparents Greatgrandparents
Charles Godschall JOHNSON
Ralph Cholmondeley Godsall JOHNSON (1834 - 1884)
Ellen Elizabeth Ann Godschall JOHNSON (1841 - )
Frances Lucy (Fanny) JOHNSON (1842 - )
Frank O'Neil Godschall JOHNSON (1845 - )
Fredrick Flower Godsshall JOHNSON (1846 - 1915)
William Butler Godschall JOHNSON (1849 - )
Ralph Edward Godschall JOHNSON (1812 - 1876)

+

Sarah Eleanor BUTLER ( - 1853)





























b. abt 1812
+. Sarah Eleanor BUTLER ( - 1853)
d. 1876 at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia aged 64
Near Relatives of Ralph Edward Godschall JOHNSON (1812 - 1876)
Relationship Person Born Birth Place Died Death Place Age
Father in Law Unknown BUTLER
Mother in Law Anne (BUTLER) abt 1774 Alresford,(?) Hants

Self Ralph Edward Godschall JOHNSON abt 1812 1876 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 64

Spouse/Partner Sarah Eleanor BUTLER 1853

Son Charles Godschall JOHNSON
Son Ralph Cholmondeley Godsall JOHNSON 1834 London, Middlesex, England 1884 Goodna, Ipswich, Queenland, Australia 50
Daughter Ellen Elizabeth Ann Godschall JOHNSON 1841 London, Middlesex, England
Daughter Frances Lucy (Fanny) JOHNSON 1842 France
Son Frank O’Neil Godschall JOHNSON 1845 France
Son Fredrick Flower Godsshall JOHNSON 1846 St Omer, France 1915 Bunbury, WA, Australia 69
Son William Butler Godschall JOHNSON 1849 Worthing, Sussex, England

Daughter in Law Margery Dill REID 1849 Donegal, Co. Donegal, Ireland 1921 Mackay, Queenland, Australia 72
Daughter in Law Margaret Isabella MACDONALD 10 Dec 1851 Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia 08 Nov 1944 West Australia, Australia 92
Daughter in Law Jessie Emma COLLINS 1858 New South Wales, Australia 1923 Atherton, Queensland, Australia 65

Grandson Ralph James Cholmondeley JOHNSON 1871 Bowen, Queensland, Australia 1871 Bowen, Queensland, Australia 0
Grandson Ralph Godschall JOHNSON 1872 Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia 1944 Mackay, Queenland, Australia 72
Grandson Frank Godschall JOHNSON 1878 Townsville, Queensland, Australia 1950 Ingham, Queensland, Australia 72
Grandson William Charles GODSCHALL-JOHNSON
Granddaughter Margaret Ellen GODSCHALL-JOHNSON 1879 Queensland, Australia 1959 Perth, WA, Australia 80
Granddaughter Bertha May GODSCHALL-JOHNSON 1881 Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia 1921 Wellington, West Australia, Australia 40
Granddaughter May GODSCHALL-JOHNSON 1882 Queensland, Australia 1963 Perth, WA, Australia 81
Granddaughter Violet GODSCHALL-JOHNSON 1882 Possibly Emerald, Qld 1962 Perth, WA, Australia 80
Grandson Connie GODSCHALL-JOHNSON 1885 Bu Ni, Victoria, Australia 1938 Bridgetown, WA, Australia 53
Granddaughter Jessie Sarah GODSCHALL-JOHNSON 1886 Bright, Victoria, Australia
Granddaughter Mabel Cecelia GODSCHALL-JOHNSON 1888 Victoria, Australia 1979 Canning, Western Australia, Australia 91
Grandson Frederick William GODSCHALL-JOHNSON 1891 Brunswick, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 1965 Plantagenet, West Australia, Australia 74
Grandson Robert GODSCHALL-JOHNSON 1894 Gisborne, Victoria, Australia 1961 Victoria, Australia 67
Granddaughter Mary Eleanor Godschall JOHNSON 1877 1921 Mackay, Queenland, Australia 44

Events in Ralph Edward Godschall JOHNSON (1812 - 1876)'s life
Date Age Event Place Notes Src
abt 1812 Ralph Edward Godschall JOHNSON was born Died 1876 - age 64 = c 1812
1834 22 Birth of son Ralph Cholmondeley Godsall JOHNSON London, Middlesex, England Brial notes
1841 29 Birth of daughter Ellen Elizabeth Ann Godschall JOHNSON London, Middlesex, England Note 1
1842 30 Birth of daughter Frances Lucy (Fanny) JOHNSON France 1851 census - born France
1845 33 Birth of son Frank O’Neil Godschall JOHNSON France Note 2
1846 34 Birth of son Fredrick Flower Godsshall JOHNSON St Omer, France Note 3
1849 37 Birth of son William Butler Godschall JOHNSON Worthing, Sussex, England Note 4
1853 41 Death of wife Sarah Eleanor BUTLER See notes for son Frederick
abt 1854 42 Immigration "Boomerang" from Sydney to Brisbane Note 5
1876 64 Ralph Edward Godschall JOHNSON died Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Note 6 18, 60
1876 64 Burial Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane, Australia Note 7 90
Note 1: 1851 census - born London c 1841
Note 2: 1851 census - age 5 - born France
Note 3: Ancestry trees
1851 census - age 5 - born France
Note 4: 1851 census - age 2 - born Worthing, Sussex
Note 5: Father Ralph & sons Ralph and Charles
Note 6: Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson
Event date: 08/07/1876
Event type: Death registration
Registration details: 1876/B/10800
Mother: -
Father/parent: Godschall Johnson

Telegraph (Brisbane) 8 July 1876
Death of Mr. Ralph E. G. Johnson. —
Mr. Ralph Edward Goodchall Johnson, for the
last twelve years clerk-assistant in the Legis
lative Council, died this morning at his resi
dence, Tank-Street, at the age of 64 years.
The deceased had been suffering for some time
from dropsy, and had lately undergone an
operation, but never rallied from its effects.
He was a widower, but leaves two daughters
and four sons. The funeral takes place this
afternoon.
Note 7: Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson
Birth 5 Dec 1812
Belgium
Death 8 Jul 1876 (aged 63)
Brisbane, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia
Burial
Toowong Cemetery
Brisbane, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia Show Map
Plot Portion 1 Section 32 Plot 10
aged 64 years
Son Of Godschall Johnson and Lucy Bisshopp
Married Eleanor Sarah Butler on 9 December 1833 at Queen Square,St Pancras,
Middlesex,England
Died at his lodgings Auckland Villa,Tank Street,Brisbane
Personal Notes:
http://www.geocities.ws/lordrichardcholmondeley/family8.htm
RALPH EDWARD GODSCHALL JOHNSON:

Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson, was the eldest son of Godschall Johnson, by his first wife, Lucy Bishop.

He was born in England, though he claimed to be born in Antwerp, in 1812, whilst his father, Godschall Johnson, was serving as His Majesty's Consul to Antwerp.

He married, it was said, in London, (of which there is no confirmatory record), England, in 1832, at age 20, Eleanor Sarah Butler[1]. There is a possibility though, seeing English marriage records were scrupulously kept, for the marriage to have occurred either on the Continent or in Ireland.

Ralph and Eleanor Godschall Johnson had seven children, three of whom appear to have been born in France.

The eldest was Ralph Cholmondeley Godschall Johnson, born about 1833/4, probably in London, County of Middlesex.

The second son was Charles Godschall Johnson, probably also born in London.

The third son was Frank O'Neill Godschall Johnson, born about either 1836/7, which is May Thornton's date (in which case he was probably born in London), or 1844 (another source), which places him in the middle of the French period.

The fourth son was Frederick Flower Godschall Johnson, born in 1846 at St. Omer in France.

The youngest son was William Butler Godschall Johnson, born in 1849, possibly back in England.

The daughters of Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson and Eleanor Sarah Butler were Ellen Elizabeth Ann Godschall Johnson and Frances Lucy Godschall Johnson, known as Fanny.

Ellen Elizabeth Godschall Johnson was born in 1841.

Frances Lucy (Fanny) Godschall Johnson was born in 1842 at St. Omer in France.

Eleanor Godschall Johnson died about 1853, leaving Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson a widower with seven children ranging in ages from 5 to 20.

Family chipped in to help with the children. Ellen and Fanny lived with the Thornton family at the Rectory at Basingstoke. Frank, aged 10, and William, aged 5, boarded at a school at Chilton, Andover, four miles away, and spent the holidays at the Rectory at Basingstoke with the Thornton household. In fact, William had started with that boarding school the year earlier, at the tender age of 4, and it is expected that Frank had already spent a number of years there by the time his mother died.

Frederick, aged 8, was billeted in Ireland with other family members, Uncle Fred and Aunt Fanny, where he was to receive further education. The education he received was Catholic, and he was expected to enter the Church, but he refused to take the vows.

Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson sailed to Australia in 1854 with his two eldest sons.

He took with him his eldest son Ralph Cholmondeley Godschall Johnson, and another son Charles, leaving the daughters and other and younger sons to be educated in England.

On 4 October 1854 Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson landed in the Port of Brisbane aboard the coastal steamer Boomerang, which was the regular conveyance by sea, to and from Sydney to Brisbane. He was probably seeking appropriate employment, suitable to a man in his station in life. He returned to Sydney straight after Christmas, leaving Brisbane on 3 January 1853, aboard the Boomerang, with Captain Wickham and other notables aboard. Captain Wickham, as Police Magistrate, was the Senior Government Official in the Colony of Moreton Bay at the time.

Ralph Edward and lady companion returned to Brisbane aboard the schooner Shamrock on 28 January, 1855, and his two sons Ralph and Charles aboard the Boomerang on 29 January 1855.

Ellen, Frances, William and Frank arrived in Queensland in 1860. They travelled from London to Sydney aboard the ageing sailing ship Vimiera, arriving in Sydney harbour on 16 August 1860, after a five month voyage. Also on board was Bishop the Right Reverend Edward Wyndham Tufnell, and six other, and mostly young, Anglican clergymen. The Godschall Johnson party of four was accompanied by a lady chaperone, in the young ladies' interests. Queen Victoria had established the Colony of Queensland, by Letters Patent, in 1859, the previous year, and also by Letters Patent, had created an Anglican Diocese of Brisbane, within the new Colony, so that the spiritual needs of Queenslanders could be catered for. The clerical party was to staff Churches and Administration within this new Diocese, and administer to the spiritual needs of the Colony. The Vimiera dropped anchor in Sydney Harbour on 16 August 1860. The Godschall Johnson party stayed in Sydney, until they could take passage on the coastal steamer, Yarra Yarra, to Brisbane. The Yarra Yarra weighed anchor from Sydney Harbour on 29 August 1860, and after a slow five days up the coast of northern New South Wales, sailed up the Brisbane River, on 2 September 1860, where the newly arrived party were greeted by their father Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson.

Frederick Flower was said to have arrived about 1865.

Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson was appointed "Assistant Clerk in the Department of the Legislative Assembly" on 26 July, 1860 at a salary of 300 pounds per annum; he held that position until his death in 1876. Up till his death, he resided in a large Queenslander style house in Tank Street, Brisbane, which was purchased in 1878 by Marrs to become a boarding house.

Both he and his son-in-law, the Rev. John Sutton, purchased land at Redcliffe in the early days: he purchased Portion 188, comprising of 21.5 acres on the eastern foreshores of what was then known as the area of Humpy Bong, on 30 December 1867 for 22 pounds fifteen shillings. The Rev. John Sutton got in on the same land sale at Humpy Bong, and purchased Portion 189, of 26.5 acres for 20 pounds 5 shillings, on 1 January 1869, Portion 193, comprising 20.25 acres for 20 pounds 5 shillings on 1 January 1869, and Portion 227, comprising 21 acres, for 21 pounds, on 12 September 1865.

Ralph also purchased a small allotment of land at Bulwer on Moreton Island.

Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson had an interest in Bloomsbury station in the 1870's.

Bloomsbury run is north of Mackay. It was first established from five runs bought by W. J. McCartney, his brother and brother-in-law, in the 1860's. A few years later the partnership was dissolved and McCartney took runs 4 & 5 which he called Bloomsbury, the southern boundary of which was St. Helen's Creek.

Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson sent his son Ralph Cholmondeley Godschall Johnson after the latter's marriage to Margery Dill Reid at Bowen in 1872 to look after his interests in Bloomsbury and it was there that their second born son, Ralph Godschall Johnson was born.

Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson died at Tank Street, Brisbane on 8 July 1876.

He was 64 years of age at the date of his death.

He died from Dropsy of Abdomen from diseased Liver, as Certified by Dr. Andrews.

On the Death Certificate, his father's name was shown as Godschall Johnson, British Consul, Antwerp. His mother's name was not shown. It was also stated that he was born in Antwerp, Belgium, and had spent 22 years in the Colony. The Informant for the Death Certificate was Fanny Loewe, Householder, of Tank Street. It should be pointed out at there is no record of his birth in Antwerp.

It was also stated in the Death Certificate that he had been married in London, at age 20 years, to Eleanor Sarah Butler, and that he was survived by Ralph Cholmondeley Godschall Johnson, aged 38, Ellen Elizabeth Ann, aged 35, Fanny Lucy, aged 34, Frank O' Neill Godschall Johnson, aged 32, Frederick Flower Godschall Johnson, aged 30, and William Butler Godschall Johnson, aged 27, and that 1 male child was deceased.

Note that the spelling of Cholmondeley was altered subsequent to the original registration on 12 July, 1876, probably by someone in the family other than the Fanny Loewe, householder, who provided the original details. It was originally entered in the register as "Cholwondely". Given the variants in spelling that have occurred in respect of this name, it is interesting to note that, in 1876, an original member of the family took positive steps to ensure that the name was spelt "Cholmondeley". The second "o" seems to have gone missing a few times in later years.

Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson was buried in Portion 1 Section 32, Allotment 10, 1st Avenue, 8th Plot, in the General Cemetery at Toowong, Brisbane. He was buried on 8 July 1876, the day after he died.

The funeral was presided over by the Rev. A. Bulgin, Church of England Minister, although the Rev. John Sutton was there and signed his name as a witness to the burial. The Rev. John was probably too emotionally involved to conduct the Service itself, although he probably contributed a Eulogy.

Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson was known widely as "Gentleman Johnson", and would have retained the dignity, breeding, and good manners of a true English gentleman until the day he died.

This is borne out by a letter he wrote to the editor of the Brisbane Courier on 10 December 1859:

Sir: Under the heading of "On dit", I read in your paper of this morning a paragraph wherein my name is held up to ridicule and contempt, in a way at once offensive and cowardly: offensive, in as much as the assuming or accepting the title of "Captain" would be a contemptible absurdity, of which the "on dit" implies me to have been guilty, (but which by the way has never been applied to me, nor do I think there is a truthful man in Brisbane who would venture the assertion); and cowardly, inasmuch as the enemy strikes at me in the dark. I am sorry that there is anyone (I had nearly written man!) in Brisbane, mean enough to crack his (not very clever) joke by bringing another's name thus unenviably before the public, and I am sorry that you should open your columns as the vehicle for such personal annoyance. If I were a public officer, my public acts would become legitimate objects for public criticism; but as a private individual I protest against my name being dragged thus publicly forward, by any designing coward who may have access to the columns of a newspaper: and as to the "friends" who would be glad to give me "a receipt in full", etc., I venture to say that the fabricator of your "on dit" is not one of those,

Your obedient servant,

Ralph E. G. Johnson.

Brisbane. 4 December 1859.

The article which had raised Ralph's ire had appeared in the issue of the Brisbane Courier for 6 December 1996, written by a journalist under the heading Local Intelligence:

On-Dit: That the Honourable Ralph Godschall Johnson, commonly known as "Captain Johnson", has been invited to accept the office of Colonial Treasurer in Queensland... the numerous friends of the first-named gentleman will doubtless be glad to hear of his good fortune, as there are very many of them who would be glad to renew their acquaintance with him by giving him a "receipt in full" of all demands.
Source References:
18. Type: Vital Record, Abbr: Queensland bdm index, Title: Queensland bdm index
- Reference = (Death)
- Notes: Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson
Event date: 08/07/1876
Event type: Death registration
Registration details: 1876/B/10800
Mother: -
Father/parent: Godschall Johnson
60. Type: Newspaper, Title: Trove, http://trove.nla.gov.au
- Reference = (Death)
- Notes: Telegraph (Brisbane) 8 July 1876
Death of Mr. Ralph E. G. Johnson. —
Mr. Ralph Edward Goodchall Johnson, for the
last twelve years clerk-assistant in the Legis
lative Council, died this morning at his resi
dence, Tank-Street, at the age of 64 years.
The deceased had been suffering for some time
from dropsy, and had lately undergone an
operation, but never rallied from its effects.
He was a widower, but leaves two daughters
and four sons. The funeral takes place this
afternoon.
90. Type: Web Page, Abbr: Find A Grave, Title: Findagrave.com
- Reference = (Burial)
- Notes: Ralph Edward Godschall Johnson
Birth 5 Dec 1812
Belgium
Death 8 Jul 1876 (aged 63)
Brisbane, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia
Burial
Toowong Cemetery
Brisbane, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia Show Map
Plot Portion 1 Section 32 Plot 10
aged 64 years
Son Of Godschall Johnson and Lucy Bisshopp
Married Eleanor Sarah Butler on 9 December 1833 at Queen Square,St Pancras,
Middlesex,England
Died at his lodgings Auckland Villa,Tank Street,Brisbane