John Wetherspoon
John Wetherspoon (13 July 1844 – 12 June 1928) was a Scottish-born farmer and politician in New South Wales, Australia.
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He was born at Newburgh in Fifeshire to farmer Andrew Wetherspoon and Helen Marr. He migrated to New South Wales in 1853, becoming a shepherd in New England and then an overseer, eventually managing a station on the Liverpool Plains. In around 1871 he purchased land at Glen Innes, and on 20 December 1871 he married Catherine Crothers, with whom he had a daughter.[1]
He stood unsuccessfully for the Legislative Assembly seat of Glen Innes at the 1895 election as a Free Trade candidate, finishing 3rd with 19.4% of the vote,[2] and at 1898 election as an independent, again finishing 3rd with 7.3% of the vote.[3]
He was closely involved with the Farmers and Settlers Association, serving as an executive member from 1901 to 1914 and as vice-president from 1904 to 1909 and from 1911 to 1914. He was appointed a temporarily councilor for the Severn Shire council on its creation in 1906.[4] In 1908 he was appointed to the New South Wales Legislative Council as a Liberal.[5] He held his seat until his death.[6] He did not regularly attend parliament, around 10% of sitting days, and rarely spoke.[1]
He died at his property Glencoe near Glen Innes in 1928 (aged 83).[1]
References
- Mitchell, Bruce (1990). "Wetherspoon, John (1844–1928)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- Green, Antony. "1895 Glen Innes". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- Green, Antony. "1898 Glen Innes". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- "Proclamation: temporary council members (161)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 16 May 1906. p. 2979. Retrieved 17 August 2021 – via Trove.
- "Appointments to the Legislative Council (85)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 16 July 1908. p. 3899. Retrieved 15 August 2021 – via Trove.
- "Mr John Wetherspoon (1844-1928)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 15 June 2019.